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I gritted my teeth as I looked away. This was not the conversation I wanted to have with him. Not now. Not when I even thought about the trust I’d gained but didn’t deserve.

Kieran saw it and kept going. “So, there is no reason for you to do anything—to do that to her. Especially if what you’ve told me about her is true. She doesn’t deserve how that will fuck with her.”

My head whipped in his direction. “You think I don’t know that?” I seethed. “You think I haven’t thought about that?”

Kieran’s jaw locked down, his nostrils flaring. “I don’t know what you’re thinking half the time anymore.”

I inhaled sharply, feeling those words like a punch in the chest. I started to tell him that wasn’t true. That out of everyone in this fucking realm, he knew me—my thoughts and all, but fuck. He really had no idea what I was thinking when it came to Poppy. Did I even know? I dragged my fingers through my hair as my attention shifted past Kieran, landing on Poppy.

“She will leave me as she came to me,” I said, meeting his stare. “I’m not that much of a piece of shit.”

The skin at Kieran’s mouth grew taut. “I didn’t say you were.”

I huffed out a low laugh.

“Seriously.” He clasped my shoulder. “The whole point of this awkward-as-fuck conversation is so you aren’t feeling that way about yourself when this ends.”

When this ends…

With me just handing Poppy over to the Ascended.

“I know.” I cleared my throat, knowing that Kieran was also looking out for Poppy—a girl he didn’t know but didn’t want to see hurt. It was one of the reasons I loved him. He cared when he didn’t need to. “Get some rest,” I told him, clasping the back of his neck and squeezing. “We’re going to need it.”

“Yeah,” Kieran murmured.

We started back to the fire, parting ways, but I knew Kieran worried. He had good reason to. I went to Setti and grabbed the bedrolls and a blanket. Phillips took note of my approach and rose. Nodding at me, he strode off.

The breeze stirred the flames, sending sparks into the air. Poppy’s features were softened in the firelight, giving her an almost ethereal appearance.

What if she was Chosen?

I shook the bedrolls out, placing hers on the side that would be the warmest. “We should get some rest.”

“Okay.” Poppy rose, dusting off her hands. She looked up at me with such brilliant green eyes.

She moved to where I placed the bedrolls and sat as the stars appeared. Unstrapping the swords, I put them within arm’s reach, then draped the blanket over her legs.

“You don’t need this?” she asked, smothering a yawn.

“I’ll be fine.” It wasn’t too cold for me here. “Got you to keep me warm.”

That got a pretty flush out of her as she hastily looked around the campsite. No one was close enough to hear us.

I dropped onto the bedroll beside her. “We only have a few hours to rest, then we’ll ride through the night.”

“Okay,” she repeated, nibbling on her lower lip. She peeked at me. “What you saw back there? With Airrick?”

I shook my head. “We’ll talk about that later.”

“But—”

“Later.” I caught her hand, tugging her down. I didn’t want anyone to potentially overhear us when we talked about this. “We need to rest. The ride will be hard from here on out.”

The breath Poppy let out could’ve blown out the fire if she faced it. My lips twitched as I watched her close her eyes. They didn’t stay closed.

“Hawke—”

“Sleep.”

Those eyes narrowed. “I’m not tired.”

“You just yawned as loud as a tree bear.”

“I did not—” A yawn interrupted her words.

I laughed.

A second passed. Maybe two. Her head turned toward mine.

“Do you need help relaxing again?” I offered. “I’m more than happy to help you fall asleep.”

“Not necessary,” she snapped, all but throwing herself onto her side, turned away from me. The sudden, heady increase of her scent completely ruined her denial.

And the fact that she peeked at me from over her shoulder.

I smiled, but it didn’t last. What if Poppy was Chosen by the gods? If the impossible were somehow possible?

That had to be the reason she was so important to the Blood Crown.

What did it mean for them? How could they use that, other than they did now? I suspected it was somehow tied to the planned Ascensions, but how? I didn’t know, but I was sure it was terrible.

ON THE ROAD

“Here.” Kieran reached inside his saddlebag as we rode through the northern valley, pulling out a chunk of cheese wrapped in wax paper.

Poppy eyed his offering. “You sure?”

Kieran nodded.

She hesitated. “But won’t you be hungry later?”

“We’ll be arriving in New Haven in a few hours,” he said. “I’ll eat then.”

“I can eat then, too.”

Staring at Phillips’ and Bryant’s backs, I grinned.