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I clap my hand over my mouth. “You mean to tell me you’ve been hiding that this whole time?”

“I didn’t know we were attune to sharing all of our secrets.” She flicks a look at Daeja, then back at me.

“I thought you were crazy when you asked me to give you your staff when those rebels attacked last time.”

She tilts her head to the side as she lowers the blade to her side. “Is this where you admit I have a lot more sense than you seem to think?”

“No.”

“Well, you should.” She sheathes the blade back into the staff.

“I thought you wanted to go to the Dragon Lands? This may be your only chance.”

She considers me for a moment. “I’ll just slow you down.”

“No, you won’t.” I grab her and pull her out the door with me.

The sound of the battle roars back to life again as we leave the healer’s quadrant behind. The three of us slink toward the trees. But Marge is right.

She isn’t fast enough.

“I need you to get on her back,” I whisper and pull Marge to Daeja.

Daeja narrows her eyes at the proposal. “How about she gets on your back instead?”

“You might not like her or know her, but I do. And I need your help. Please.”

Daeja blows out a breath and lowers her body to the ground. “Fine.”

“I can’t,” Marge says. It’s the first time I’ve ever noticed a hint of fear in her voice.

“Yes, you can.” I help Marge up over Daeja’s neck, my weak arms straining under her weight as I lift her up and over. At least this way she will be safer off the ground and on a dragon. And faster.

We slip into the trees and edge closer north, my hand pressed against Daeja’s shoulder, and my other wrapped around my sword’s hilt. My attention is locked into the chaotic surge of the battle, each warring side advancing and retreating like an ominous tide. They are much farther north now, pushing back between the trees of the forest. The rebels have managed to cut the squad off from camp, forcing them back north step by step. Bodies are left slumped on the ground in the wake, a clear trail of how much land the rebels have gained on them.

A shine of red hair ripples in the sea of black before it disappears again, snatching my heart and holding it in a choke-hold. Cole’s voice echoes in my mind as a soft trickle until the dam breaks, and I’m flooded with his rugged voice, drowning out everything else.

You are single-handedly the strongest person I know...

Wonderfully in love with every piece of you, broken and whole...

Because for me, it’s always been you...

And it always will be you...

I am fearfully yours, my love...

I love you, Katerina Blackwind...

I freeze mid-step, locked in on the spot where Cole vanished into the throng. Waiting for him to get up, everything slows. Each second ticking by parallels my thundering pulse.

Promise you’ll stay with me...

Promise you won’t leave without me...

I drag my attention up to Daeja, and she turns her head to me, her white glowing eyes meeting mine. She blinks in understanding. My gaze is drawn toward my hand resting on her shoulder. The cold, metal ring wrapped around my finger—Cole’s mother’s ring he gifted me, with the full intention of letting me go.

My own voice echoes in my ears, the words I uttered to Cole all those nights ago.I promise.