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But it was honest.

He closed the distance between us at the sound, kneeling before me until we were at eye level. His hands slid over my arms, following the curve of my shoulders up the column of my neck as those beautiful brown eyes held mine.

“I am sorry,” he whispered, his words reflecting genuine sincerity. “For what I said earlier; I should not have done that.”

I didn’t have the energy to be angry at him.

I shook my head, finally pulling my eyes from his and locking them on the flames that flickered at his back as a sigh slipped from my lungs.

“Listen,” I started, digging my nails into Cyloe’s fur as she coiled beside me to ground myself. “What happened in Ammord—in the safe house and dungeons—”

“Ataliia, please—” he interrupted, his fingers flexing against my skin. “Please, before you say anything—before you lock me out—give me a chance.” His words were a plea and my skin heated at the sound, at the desperate look in his eyes as he pulled my chin back to his gaze.

“Give me a fair chance to show you that I can be somebody you can love, somebody you can rely on. Because I swear it to you, death is the only thing that can tear me from your side.” His thumb traced over my bottom lip, his eyes falling there for only a second before tracing back up to my eyes.

I realized then that we had never kissed, and maybe now we never would.

“You and I are inevitable, love, there is no stopping it. But I meant it when I said I will wait for you, that I willfightfor you.”

I knew he meant it.

Knew he meant every single fucking word.

My breath shuddered. “I care about you, I won’t deny that—not anymore. Not after everything. There is a part of me that wants you in a way that shakes me to the fucking core.” A tear broke free from the corner of my eye as I pulled from his touch, pulled from the heat of his skin that had become a comfort. “But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to look at you and not hear the voice in my head telling me I’m a second away from your betrayal. A part of me, no matter how much you prove yourself, will always hate you.”

The pain in Dukovich’s eyes was palpable as my words sunk in, but he didn’t flinch, didn’t look away. Instead, he reached outand cupped my face, his thumb brushing away the tear that had escaped.

“I understand,” he murmured, his voice low. “I want to beg you, I want to grovel and plead with you to let me love you. But I know you are not the kind of woman that can be so easily convinced. So I won’t. I will show you, day by day, and when you are ready, I will be here. Whether it takes a day, a year, or a lifetime. I will be here.”

My heart twisted in my chest as he stood, the words barely off his lips.

It hurt more than I anticipated, watching him walk away from me, watching him slip back into the rain.

My eyes fell back to the flames, my fingers still curled tight into Cyloe’s fur as the numbness set in. It washed over me, pulling me under and I did not resist it.

Did not fight against the reprieve it promised.

Coilsofsilvershadowsswirled in front of me, my sight blurring into wisps at the edges. There was no battle now, just a massacre, seven purple cloaks dripping with crimson strewn across a clearing. There was a single body in the center, broken and lifeless, red hair flowing over tan leathers. I pushed my eyes to focus, my body to step forward, but the scene drifted out of sight, a new one taking its place. Dread settled like a stone in my gut. Again, the throne. It always came back to the throne—burning. Shadowed hands clawed at Cin as she sat in the center of the flames, the gold throne melting around her.

My head pulled to the middle of the room where a woman sat wrapped in chains. Her head lifted slowly, eyes hollow and distant as they met mine across the void of the vision.

My stomach bottomed out.

Pri.

Blood matted her golden hair, dripping down her face from a gash across her forehead. Her face contorted into a scream as her lips parted, forming silent words. I tried to make them out, tried to push through the haze that was beginning to swirl around us, but then she disappeared, dissolving into nothing as my vision went black.

There was no scene now, nothing but unending night.

A female’s voice flowed through the air, swirling around me like mist. It was beautiful, haunting and almost . . .familiar.

“The blood of Dymere finally learns to harness her power.”

I tried to search for the source, but my body would not fucking move.

“Who are you?” The question was a snarl, muted against the oppressive dark.

“Who I am does not matter, not yet. This is only the beginning, and I almost have all the pieces I need. I have only come to warn you. Do not try to stop me, do not try to find her.”