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Only fractures of moonlight penetrated the thick shadows of night. The dense thicket of elms obscured what lay beyond, but I knew I could easily find my way through the maze to Wayfair Castle. I was so close to Ezra.

To my mother.

I wanted to see my stepsister. Maybe even my mother. But what would I say to them? Even if I didn’t share my true reasons for visiting, Ezra would know that something was up. She was clever, and I didn’t want her last memories of me to be steeped in sorrow.

And my mother?

Any conversation with her likely wouldn’t go well. It would surely end in one of us saying something terrible, which meant that Ash would probably make good on his threat to send her to the Abyss before my life even came to its end.

But I didn’t have unlimited time. The last thing I wanted was to spend it upsetting Ezra or arguing with my mother.

I wanted to be with my husband.

A shaky breath left me as I lifted my gaze to him. Ash stood with his back to me, the line of his spine rigid as he stared at the still midnight waters.

He hadn’t wanted to come here, but he’d promised me. And he wouldn’t break that oath.

He’d been quiet since we left the Bonelands, shadowstepping us into the middle of the Dark Elms. He hadn’t said a word to the others when we left. My eyes stung with the tears I held back—that I’d been holding back.

In blood and in ash…

In life and death, forevermore.

What Rhain and the others had given me was beautiful. Powerful. It was better than recognition. It was an acknowledgment of who I was.

A warrior.

One worthy of respect and honor.

Gods, I couldn’t start crying now.

Quickly, I reached up and hastily wiped under my eyes. My fingers were only tinted red, so hopefully my face wasn’t smeared with blood tears.

Clearing my throat, I stepped toward the Primal. “Ash?”

There was a long moment of silence, and then he flatly stated, “Sera?”

His tone pulled at my heart. “I know we don’t have much time.”

“We have all the time.”

But we didn’t. He knew that. If someone hadn’t discovered Kolis yet, they would soon. And besides that? I was out of time.

“There’s something I want to talk about,” I said.

His head tilted back. “I’m listening.”

Knowing this was hard for him, I succeeded in tamping down my quick temper. “Really?” I bit out. Okay. I mostly kept my temper in check. “You’re listening, even though you won’t look at me?”

Ash turned so quickly that he was a blur. “Even if I’m not looking at you, you are still all I see,” he said, his features encased in harsh ice. “I see you, Sera. I always have.”

Love for him surged in my chest, causing my vision to blur. “Don’t do that.”

His head cocked. “Do what?”

“Say things like that—nice things. Sweet words,” I told him. “It’ll make me cry, and I don’t want to.”

Some of the coldness left his face. “I don’t want you to cry either.”