Vow Broken, Spear Unsheathed

Claire Ashcroft leaves on a three-year military campaign under a royal command, entrusting her marriage to Julian Blake, who has set aside his post in line with his late parents' final wishes to wait for her. Before she departs, he presents her with a crimson spear forged from ancient cold iron. When Claire returns in silver armor, pregnant and walking beside another man, she hands Julian a divorce letter. He accepts it without a word, then arms himself as a marshal and lifts his overlord spear, forcing Claire to confront the scorn she once heaped on the husband she dismissed as worthless.