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Filth and remnants of disintegrating Immorti corpses were piled over fallen blades, shields, a few unmoving Soturi, but propped against the wall, Asger’s head drooped. His body did not twitch.

My stomach bottomed out.

“Asger.” Kage dropped to his side, felt the pulse point of his neck.

Asger coughed, his eyes fluttered open, and he grinned, teeth bloody. “Took l-long enough.”

“He’s alive,” Kage shouted, a new sort of desperation in his tone. “Skies, help me.”

Cy went to Asger’s opposite shoulder and with Hugo on his legs, they dug him from the pile of gore.

Dammit. A deep, bleeding wound was carved over Asger’s stomach.

“Kage,” he rasped. “Let it be.”

“Stop,” Kage hissed. “Stop talking.”

Blood soaked Asger’s tunic, his trousers, his boots. How long had he been bleeding out? I knelt at his side, palms on his middle. Already weak from using magic too long in the fight, I still fought to draw back some of his blood, to restore it into his veins.

Before the sacrifice, I’d been training to do such a thing. A sort of magical transfusion.

“There’s too much.” I cursed and clung to Asger a little tighter.

His breath shuddered. Tears blurred my eyes. No. I was not going to lose him, our loyal, moody, pessimistic, wonderful friend. This was not where our tale ended. A new beginning would not happen without him.

“Adira,” Asger said, voice soft.

“No!”

Gwyn hiccupped, clasping Asger’s hand, tears on her kohl smudged cheeks. My shoulders trembled with exertion. Blood had stilled, but Asger was too pale, too cold.

“Adira,” he said again.

I blinked through the tears. “What?”

Asger gave me a small, weak smile. “Take . . . take care of him. K-Kage.” Jaw tight, Kage came to Asger’s side and clasped his hand in his. Another cough, another clot of blood on his lips. “Burn my heartstone. I-I want my soul here. Let . . . let me return to . . . k-keep watch on you.”

Kage dipped his chin, hesitating, then pressed his forehead against Asger’s. “I swear it.”

“I l-love you . . . fools,” he said, soft and distant. “Look for . . . me. I will be there.”

Asger’s breaths grew shallow. His lashes fluttered and he closed his eyes. Gwyn let out a rough breath stroking his hair back off his brow. She laid over his chest, and let her tears soak into his tunic.

Cy was unmoving, gripping Hugo’s hand until their knuckles turned white.

I reached for Kage when he sat back. My hand gently rubbed his back, silently bidding our friend farewell.

By the next morning,seers from the Sanctuary arrived to aid in the proclamations of the battle, the end of the curse, and Kage Wilder as the crown prince. There would be a gathering within the week where Kage would address the people officially.

Pompous as they were, I was glad for the seers’ arrival. There was little energy to think of such things as delivering word to the high cliffs or deep wood. Not right now.

Ignis mages kept a blue flame burning brightly in the great hall. Dozens of fellow Soturi had joined. Gwyn cradled a dark, oval stone wrapped in linen. By her side were two young mages, and at her back a woman with dark braids and a man whose hair was graying near the roots.

Her family. They’d lived without her since the degeneration. It was assumed Destin had targeted anyone close to the prince to be forgotten, faceless mages the people only knew from recent interactions.

I did not know what Destin’s plans were with me. If he’d fearedmy interactions with Kage, why let us meet at all? He knew who I was, why tease the notion of marrying me?

Perhaps our questions would always be unanswered.