Silence settled over the battlefield. Even the fighting in the distance seemed to fade. Thorne's expression froze.
His eyes lost their murderous focus for the briefest heartbeat.
"...Ra..."
The word caught in his throat. A flicker of confusion crossed his face. A memory... A smile beneath a moonlit sky. Soft dark, streaked with silver hair dancing in the wind. A woman laughing as she placed wildflowers in his hands. Warm fingers intertwined with his.
A gentle voice whispering...
"Thorne..."
His hand instinctively rose toward his chest. His heart... Why did it hurt? Why did that name feel... important?
"...Raven..." he whispered almost inaudibly.
Ravenna's eyes filled with tears. She had seen it. Just for a heartbeat... The darkness had cracked.
The real Thorne... Her Thorne... Had
