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I explode into a run toward the battle.

I can’t leave Cole. I can’t leave any of them. Not Archie, not Melaina...not Darian.

Not like this.

“I just have to warn them,”I murmur to Daeja as I race away. “If the rebels push them any further north, they’ll trap them at the river. And they’ll all die.”

“Katerina!” Marge shouts after me.

“Tell her I’ll be back,”I murmur to Daeja.

Daeja snorts,“I’m not sure she’ll understand me.”

“Just keep her with you, don’t let her out of your sight.”

“You’re putting me on babysitting duty?”

“One of these days, I’ll owe you a whole farm of chickens.”

“Now you’re talking.”

My feet pound against the ground as I push my legs as fast as they’ll go. Trees zip by me as I leap and stride over shadows, sticks, bushes, and rocks.

Cole’s voice whispers back into every edge of my mind.

Single-handedly...

I run along the edge of the tree line until it thins out near a wicked dark river. Affording myself short glances toward the battle, I search for Cole’s flash of red hair amongst the shadows.

...the strongest person...

Relief floods me when I finally spot Cole at the front of the squad. I cut into the battle, gunning straight for him. Sucking in a breath, I duck, spin, and slide out the way of stray swings and weapons as I dash for him.

...I know.

Cole swings in a series of attacks against a rebel, his red hair whipping with him in each strike. He knocks the rebel’s weapon out of their hand before they turn tail and run.

“Cole!” I’m almost out of breath a few strides away from him. “They’re going to trap you! You have to fall back!”

Cole turns to me, blood spattered on his face. I realize in horror I’m not sure if it’s his or someone else’s. His face is strained, broad chest heaving up and down in effort.

When he realizes I’m sprinting toward him, in a war he can’t stop from raging around us, his relief to see me melts to fear. “What are you doing here? Get out of here, Kat!”

A rebel rushes in behind Cole with a raised axe. My heart drops as I realize I’ve distracted him, leaving him vulnerable. With a grunt, I slingshot forward, closing the gap between us and colliding into Cole’s waist, tearing him down. The rebel’sdownward swing of his axe barely grazes my side, his blade slicing through my shirt and whispering an inch from my skin.

Cole and I crash into the ground, and the rebel rears back again for his next attack.

“Kat!” Cole cries. Tugging me into his chest, he spins over top of me, rolling the both of us out of the way as the rebel swings again. Cole pushes up to his forearms, bracing himself over me, his nose brushing mine and eyes swimming in my panicked gaze. His attention darts away to the right where my sword is on the ground. He snatches it.

But he isn’t quick enough.

Cole’s body lurches forward, his forehead bumping against mine when the rebel’s axe connects with his body. Every bit of air in his lungs saws out in a single breath. Gritting his teeth, he musters every ounce of his strength and slashes my sword out against the rebel’s legs, severing them.

The rebel screams and collapses to the ground.

But it doesn’t matter.

None of it matters.