Page 98

“Always. You know, you save me every day, too.”

I bite my lip to hide my smile.“I’ll come see you tomorrow night, once the initial buzz of the battle wears down.”

I hobble along with Archie into his tent, and I help him into bed, unlacing his boots and ripping them off his feet.

“Are you okay?” I whisper.

“Yes. Definitely. I was a little scared but…feign confidence, remember?”

I glance up at him and stand. “Archie, don’t listen to me. I don’t know what I’m saying half the time.”

“I think you know a lot more than what you’re saying.”

I arch an eyebrow at him, prompting him to explain.

“I thought I was going to die. I watched as everyone disappeared into the distance. No one could hear me screaming for help, and the flames got closer and closer. And just as I came to accept my fate, Cole came back…for me. I should have died.”

I shake my head. “No, you shouldn’t have died. And you didn’t.”

“I didn’t…” He breathes, as if trying to accept the reality of it.

I pat his knee with a smile. “And I’m glad you didn’t.”

He mirrors my grin, but it fails to touch his eyes. “Me too…it made me realize something.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ve been lying to you. To everyone.”

I stiffen. “About…what?”

His head sinks, like he’s been at war with himself for ages and actively avoiding my eye contact. “My name isn’t actually Archie...”

I try not to let my thoughts run away, but my pulse skitters. “Oh?”

“Yeah…it’s...it’s Archibald.”

I blink at the anticipation for something so small and…unsurprising. Guilt slams into me at how much I’ve been lying to him. Here he was, remorseful for something as simple as his legal name, and yet I hide my true identity from him. Hiding an enormous dragon-sized secret from him.

He nods, downcast with guilt as he peers up at me. “I know, I know. I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. It’s just that, I always thought Archie sounded so badass. Archibald is so…childish. Tame. It didn’t sound like a soldier.”

I sit on the bed next to him slowly. “Thank you for sharing that with me.”

He’s playing with his fingers, knotting them over and over. “Please don’t tell anyone.”

I rest my hand on his. “I promise, I won’t.”

“Thank you.” He breathes, and his fidgeting hands calm underneath mine. “It’s been eating me alive for a long time. I haven’t told anyone else.”

I smile. “I’m honored to be the only one you’ve shared it with. I’ll take it with me to the grave.”

“There’s...one other thing.”

I can’t help but narrow my eyes in suspicion.

He grimaces. “I...I sort of told my ma and pa I was promoted to captain.”

“What? Archie—”