Chapter 24 · Ash Ledger - Chapter 24: The Ledger Calls His Name

"They're at the outer ditch!" someone screamed from the wall, and Mara was already moving.

Rowan grabbed her arm. "You stay off that ladder."

"Your brother's on it." She yanked free. "And you put him there."

"I put everyone somewhere." His jaw was tight. "That's the job."

"Then do it from back here." She shoved past him toward the stone steps. "I'm going up."

"Mara—"

"Three red lights, Rowan." She didn't stop. "That's their full assault signal. You taught me that yesterday."

The wall was chaos. Men dragged oil pots to the parapet. Others wrestled the old ballista into position, its frame cracked and leaking rust. Somewhere below, the enemy war drums started, low and methodical, like a heartbeat trying to replace theirs.

Rowan caught up at the base of the fire ladder. "You're not trained for this."

"Neither was your brother two weeks ago." Mara grabbed a rung. "Where is he?"

Rowan pointed. High up on the ladder's second span, a kid no older than seventeen clung to the frame, frozen. Below him, enemy archers were ranging the wall. The first volley hit stone, sparking.

"Damn it." Rowan started climbing. "Finn! Move!"

The kid didn't move.