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He nods, even though his wide eyes still stare at Blackfell in the distance. “How do you do it?”

“How do I do what?”

“How are you not scared?”

“I am…I just...pretend I’m not? Feign confidence? Sometimes it’ll force you to be brave.”

He pulls in a shaky inhale. The rest of his body is rigid for a long while before his gaze narrows in determination.

With Cole’s silent command, Archie jumps to his feet, pointing his sword at Blackfell with a hearty shout, “Let’s fucking get ‘em!”

He charges toward Blackfell, arms pumping and feet skimming the ground. I catch the bewildered gaze of Melaina for a moment before she launches to her feet and runs toward Blackfell too, Gavin and Nolan right behind her. The rest of the squad roars to life and follows Archie, who isn’t quite fast enough to keep the lead on them for long.

Cole’s mother’s necklace is hot against my skin as I watch his flame-red hair disappear into the distance with the rest of the squad. What little is left of my heart slams fearfully in my chest.

Each second ticking by where Cole isn’t in my direct line of vision, challenges his command for me to stay here on the outskirts. What if they needed me? What if I could help them?

Well…if Cole is pissed at me for not following his orders, I’ll take it.

Because if he’s pissed at me—it means he’s still alive.

twenty-seven

TWO LEGS AND WAR

“Daeja?”

“I’m here.”

We move to each other, following our magnetic pull through the shadowed forest. My jaw is unbearably tight with unbound anxiety, and I’m having a hard time taking my eyes off Blackfell, despite being unable to see any of our squad now.

A sliver of my tension vanishes once I graze my fingertips against Daeja’s nose. “I know I said I would wait here with you…but I have to get closer in case they need me.”

She growls, the sound vibrating under my touch. “Then I’m going with you.”

“You can’t. If someone sees you, we’re both dead.”I tap two fingers against the side of her neck, but nothing happens.“See? If you were able to vanish again, we wouldn’t have to worry about someone seeing you. You’re far too big to hide now.”

“You can’t keep telling me to stay back, meanwhile you run head first into these dangers. I have to protect you.”

“No, I have to protect you.I jab a finger into the tip of her nose.

She scoffs and whips her tail at me. “I don’t need protecting.”

I duck, barely missing her swing.“Just because you’re bigger now, Daeja, doesn’t mean you can take care of yourself.”

“Oh? You’re just as defenseless, if not more, than I am.”

“I’m not arguing with you. You stay here, and if I’m not back in an hour, you leave for the Dragon Lands on your own.”

She roars, and I have to shut her maw with my hands. I scan our surroundings over my shoulder, even though I know the sound of the battle is likely loud enough to drown her out, and I’m the only one out here.

“Dammit, Daeja! Be logical for a second, there’s no way I can defend you and me.”

“You’re right. You can hardly defend yourself. We are in this—together.”

This must be what it’s like for Cole. My gaze narrows, and she matches my expression.

I sigh, seeing no way out of it.“Fine. But you stay behind me, and if I tell you to go, you go.”