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He’d grown giddy whenever he was correct, scooping his arms around her from behind in innocent joy.

Really, she’d just wanted an excuse to stay curled up in his lap, even until the sun went down and she was forced to light an oil lamp. Emerie wasn’t fond of anything with fire, but she’d grown comfortable with lamps, candles, and campfires over the years.

This was the first time she’d truly been enthralled by one. Once she’d gone through every story, she laid the book down to stare at its flickering flame.

It was a quiet flame as it burned its wick, but the smell of it brought back terrible memories.

Fire, whether she wanted to truly accept it or not, had brought her to this moment.I wouldn’t have joined the Demonslayers if Gideon was still alive.She would never be thankful for it – no person should have suffered what she did that horrible night – but if it didn’t happen, she wouldn’t have ever met Ingram.

Just another reason to regret it, and although the pain in her chest wasn’t physical, it corroded like acid.

She never would have been faced with knowing tomorrow could be her last.

She wished it didn’t have to be.

Does it have to be?Emerie thought when Ingram stroked his claws through her freshly washed and silky hair.Lindiwe said she would try and find another human if I don’t want to. Or, if I bond with Ingram.

But did he want that with Emerie?

It was possible, considering his obvious attachment to her.He hasn’t asked me, though.

It was likely he’d thought about it, considering the three other couples around him. He’d had ample opportunity to ask Emerie for her soul, yet he’d chosen... not to.

She wanted to ask him about it, but she also didn’t. She didn’t want to know the truth if it was terrible, and she didn’t want this day, her final day, to either end in a fight with him, or her in tears.

So, could she find out the truth without having to directly ask it? Because, if she was being honest with herself, the real reason she was doing this was for Ingram. Yes, Delora, Reia, and Mayumi were part of her desire to do this, to help them and be a reason their love continued.

Yet, as selfish as it was, she didn’t think she would have done this just for them.

Her reasonings weren’t so noble.

She’d started this journey for him. She was intending to end it for him as well.

And also for Gideon and her parents. To finally have revenge for the loss of their lives – and how much it had affected her own.

However, her heart was at war with itself.

Half said to go to protect everyone, and the other half told her to give Ingram a chance to change her mind.

“Ingram,” Emerie whispered, as she kept her stare fixed on the tiny flame, letting it entrance her.

The length of his beak was plopped on top of her head, and she wasn’t sure what he was thinking about or even looking towards. At least his strong arms around her felt warm and comforting, and his tail wrapped around her knee was kind of endearing. She needed this hug.

“How much do you want Aleron back?”

His tail tightened on her. “More than anything.”

“And you want to make the world safer for him before that, right?”

“Yes,” he answered firmly. “I want to bring Aleron back into a world where I will not lose him again.”

Emerie took in a deep, strengthening breath. “Would... you do anything to make that happen?”

“Absolutely. Even if it means my own life.”

Okay... that isn’t a good sign.

She swallowed thickly, then lowered her voice even further. “Would you sacrifice anyone and everyone for that?”