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‘We’re not starting out small, then…’ he murmured.

She turned away, her gaze now trained ahead with militant focus.

‘Thea,’ he said, pulling her to a stop, waiting until those stormy eyes met his. ‘I don’t think we can go back…’ he said slowly, trying to choose his words carefully.

‘Then what —’

‘I don’t want to go back,’ he said, more firmly this time. ‘Not back to what we once were. But I want to go forward, to what we could be.’

The words hung between them, and Wilder had never felt so naked, so vulnerable in all his life. But he was done with half-truths and lies. He was done with wearing whatever mask suited the occasion. She had asked for honesty more than once, and so honesty was what he would give.

He felt her exhale before she nodded. ‘And you? What’s your question?’

There were a million things he wished to know, a million more he wished they could have spent the past year uncovering together, but in this moment, he needed to ask a question not for him, but for the fate of the midrealms.

He motioned for them to keep walking, holding the torch out before them, illuminating the rocky path ahead.

‘Has there been any sign of your magic?’

Thea didn’t break her stride, but he sensed her hesitation. ‘That’s your question?’

‘That’s my question.’

For a moment there was no sound but for the drip of moisture from the cave walls and their footsteps.

‘The answer’s no. No magic,’ she said at last. ‘Sorry to disappoint you.’

‘You haven’t,’ Wilder replied.

But the sigh that escaped her told him that she didn’t believe it.

‘They were counting on having another storm wielder at their disposal, weren’t they?’ she asked.

‘It was discussed.’

‘At length, I’m sure,’ she said, sounding resigned.

‘So?’ he challenged. ‘Fuck them.’

She raised a brow. ‘Fuck them? The rebel forces you’ve broken your vows and about a hundred laws to ally with?’

‘I’m yet to make my peace with all that,’ he admitted. ‘But yes. That’s how I feel. You’re more than your magic, Thea. You’re more than any one thing. And fuck anyone who says otherwise.’

A small smile tempted her lips, and Wilder had to take pride in that.

‘Have they tried Wren? Although her last meeting with our dear older sister didn’t go so well,’ Thea ventured.

‘I don’t know. There are some things Anya won’t share with the likes of me.’

‘Because of me?’

‘Something like that.’

‘Sorry to keep you from the inner circle.’

Wilder shrugged. ‘Sometimes it’s nice not to be in the thick of all the bullshit.’

‘I don’t believe you for one moment, Warsword,’ she quipped, sounding a little lighter. ‘So, Dratos is something else…’