“He's... He's dead.” The messenger barely choked out the words his eyes wide with horror. Swallowing, he extended a trembling hand. "But he left this behind."

"Dead? No. That's not possible. It was a routine run. Just a scouting mission.” Raina said with confidence fading. Jerome was the most talented runner she had. There's no way he was we dead.

'I'm afraid it's true." The messenger looked truly terrified. Like she had seen something no mere human is meant to see. She hands Raina the crumpled up piece of paper in her hand. It's dotted with freshly dried blood.

Raina carefully unfolded the piece of paper and read the single word hastily scrawled in blood. Jerome's blood. Her breath caught in her chest. But she did her best to swallow her alarm and remain stoic for those around her.

"Doom." she read aloud.

“What does it mean?" The messenger, Ana, looked to Raina with expectation. Like she would know e a lot what to do.

As the leader of their little band of rebels she was supposed to have all the answers, But this time, she had no words. Not even a half-baked truth of encouragement. Jerome had been their best scout even during her father's reign. If Jerome saw what he deemed hopeless, he wasn’t exaggerating.

"It means we better yet ready." Raina began. She looked behind her to the group of advisors huddled together like the parrots they were. "Ready the archers and begin the evacuation of all women and children. They're coming."