Dusk approached, but the blizzard showed no sign of letting up. Instead, it grew ever more violent as night fell.
Diana rode at the very front of the column, close beside Veylin.
The Countess of Dawn, who normally maintained her noble dignity at all times, smoothing even the slightest crease in her skirts, now looked rather bedraggled.
Her pale gold hair, usually braided with meticulous care, spilled untidily from beneath her helmet. Tiny shards of ice coated its ends, plastering them against her cheeks like dead grass.
"Whew..."
Diana breathed out a cloud of white mist and opened the map book in her hands.
Ever since they had successfully slipped through Hector's defensive lines two days earlier under cover of that earth-shaking artillery barrage, the army had made no further effort to conceal its movements.
There was no need.
Under cover of the blizzard, they raced east across the vast snowfields at full speed. For two days and a night, they had paused only for a hasty rest after darkness fell yesterday.
To avoid the Empire's main roads, their route over the past two days had taken them through remote wilderness. They had not seen a single soul, let alone a village. Even men made of iron would have been nearing their limits after such a grueling forced march.
"Veylin." Diana had to raise her voice to be heard over the wind. "We're already beyond the Blackflame Army's scouting range..."
She looked down at the map, her brows drawing together slightly.
"It's almost dark," Diana said, lifting the map and pointing out a location to Veylin. "We need hot food and a roof to shelter us from the wind. Even a stable would do."
Veylin turned his head and glanced at the spot beneath her finger.
"White Creek Town is