He looked at the women once more. All of them, standing in the ash, marked in various ways by the day, still watching him with the particular mixture of concern and helpless devotion that had become, over the last month, their default expression whenever he did anything remotely dangerous.
"I'll be back," he said. "Try not to fuck anything up while I'm gone. Edda, hold the border. Empress, get the healers moving through the wounded. Cassia—" his yellow eyes found her specifically, and something in the borrowed voice softened just slightly, "—rest. Your ribs need it."
Cassia's jaw tightened, some remnant of commander's pride flaring even now. "I should be on my feet, organizing the—"
"You should be resting," Raven said, "because I'm not done with you yet, and I'd rather you have working ribs the next time."
Her face went red. Several of the other women exchanged glances.
