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“I know,” I echoed, looking to Erix who waited at a distance. “I’ll be safe with Erix.”

“He will be safe with you, darling.” Duncan ran a soft hand down my cheek, so enticing I leaned into it and allowed myself a second of his touch. “I know you will both be fine, although that truth doesn’t makethisany easier.”

Erix stood just shy of the lapping waves, boots sinking into the sand. His leather wings were stretching, preparing for the flight back to Lockinge. As were the thousands of Nephilim Duncan had freed. They were perched across every speck of land I could see, waiting for Duncan to lead them. Rafaela was amongst them, her wings not yet healed, so she would be carried.

“If all goes to plan, we will not be apart for long.” I fought the urge to cry. But I couldn’t show weakness, not now when the tide was about to change. “If Erix is right, Cassial will be stationed on the border of Wychwood. If you can create a distraction with your arrival, Cassial will be forced to send his fellow Fallen to meet you. The fewer he has with him, the easier it will be to get in and deal with him.”

“There are risks,” Duncan reminded me. “Don’t forget that this is not something for you to deal with alone. We act together, as one. No more running in blind to save a world. It is a burden you no longer need to bear alone.”

“Everything worth something has a risk attached to it,” I replied. “Sometimes we can’t ignore that.”

If Duncan noticed my lack of acknowledgement to his latter statement, he didn’t show it. Instead, he leaned down, meeting his lips to mine. I reached up on my tiptoes, delighting in the kiss, no longer feeling hesitation or regret. When I thought of Erix, it wasn’t with the worry of how he would feel. Our boundaries were set in stone.

Duncan took my hand and guided me to Erix. “The same goes for you, Erix. Stay safe.”

The men clasped each other’s forearms, the intensity in their gaze enough to set fire to the air between them. They embraced, my heart leaping at the vision. I wanted to burn it into the dark of my mind and never forget it.

“I expect to see you, alive and well, in a matter of days.” Erix refused to look away from Duncan as they finally drew apart. “Do what is required, then rush home to us, okay?”

“Everything I do is to ensure that very possibility,” Duncan said. “Home certainly sounds like something worth fighting for. And I’ve had so manyhomesin my life, and never one as alluring as the one with you both.”

My shattered heart cracked just a little more. It was a sentiment we all could relate to. Me with my desire to know who I was. Erix with him running from his birthright and the curses that came with it. And Duncan, handed from Nephilim as a babe, then passed from human to human.

I stepped in close, laying a hand on each of them, connecting us in a chain of flesh. We didn’t share final words, or goodbyes. Doing so would only encourage the pain inside of me to triple. And right now, I had to focus.

We had a war to prevent –again.

“Are you ready?” Erix said, fixing his silver eyes to me.

A lump formed in my throat. “No.” I choked. “Are you?”

“Not really.” He took my hand and squeezed. “But what does that matter?”

“Exactly. But I have got you. Duty and pleasure, remember?”

“Duty and pleasure,” Erix echoed, smiling down at me. “Always, little bird. Now, let’s get to Wychwood and make sure we stop this war before it begins.”

CHAPTER 28

It took almost two days to complete our journey. Two agonising days of dark thoughts plagued by the ‘what ifs’ for a future. And it was on the second night that Jesibel finally entered my dreams.

She parted from whisps of silver shadow, clutching a long stem in her hand crowned with the most luscious rose I’d ever seen. I barely got a word out before she handed it to me, the thorns sharp and yet they didn’t prick my thumb as I took it. I asked after Althea, and silently Jesibel nodded with a smile. No words came out as we conversed, at least from her. I asked Jesibel if Althea knew we lived, and she nodded again vigorously. Then I asked if she was well. A brief grimace passed across her face but lasted but a second. It was enough for me to know Althea was still okay, that she was holding on for help to come.

The dream stayed with me in the hours after I woke.

In an attempt to distract myself, I studied the patchwork map of the human realm, reminding myself of what we fought to protect. Erix carried me through the clouds, enough to keep us concealed and yet my fey sight caught hints of what lay beneath us.

I’d expected to see Cassial’s army as we reached Lockinge, but the city had been close to empty. A handful of humans stood beyond their homes, hands raised to their brows, as they watched our arrival.

To them, the flock of our Nephilim had arrived to join Cassial’s efforts against the fey. I felt their relief in every scream and cheer, a celebration as aid arrived. Erix held me closer to his chest, lifting high above the line of Nephilim, concealing our obvious unbelonging.

The same went for the flight across Durmain’s horizon. Towns, villages, hamlets and farmlands; it was all much the same. Empty. Quiet. As we came closer to Wychwood’s border, there was one detail that became prevalent – I saw no signs of people.

Where was everyone? Had the gryvern been successful with their attempts to remove humans, getting them away from the conflict? If that was the case, we would’ve seen leagues of people moving across the land.

So far, we hadn’t.

“It’s too quiet,” Erix announced as we landed after hours of flying on the second day. “It’s like we left here and have come back to find a realm of ghosts.”