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What would happen to those I freed in the next few days, with no home to go to or farms to live off? Would they face the same fate?

My throat was so tight I struggled to breathe.

"We'll see you tomorrow," Tye said, dipping his head, before grabbing my arm. "Just let it go, Witch," he whispered in my ear.

Sadness and anger warred within me, demanding I dosomethingto right the wrongness of this situation. But I was just as fucking helpless as them.

FUCK!!!

Gritting my teeth, I strode to my fleiraland climbed up. Gathering the reins, I forced a wave to the couple — but I could barely see them through the haze covering my vision.

Don't think. Don't feel …

"It's getting dark and we have all the volunteers we need," Tye said, voice cold, as we rode into the forest. "There's a safe house thirty minutes from here. We should stop there for the night and return to Dragon's Peak at dawn. Those two old folks might feel comfortable hiding from wraiths in the dark, but I do not."

"Fine." There were few wraiths here, but I didn't feel like arguing with him.

How could he see so much sadness and inequality, yet remain cold as ice? He'd spoken to them as though he was discussing a mission, not their impending deaths and the survival of their families.

No — the Tye I'd gotten to know over the past few days mightpretendnot to care, but this situation would be tearing him up inside just as much as it was me.

I studied him out of the corner of my eye —

Just last night, he'd been soalive, but today he almost seemed … dead … under that sickly pale skin. Even his yellow eyes — usually so fiery — were bracketed by dark bags and rimmed in red …

Hells. He must have gotten more tattoos.

"Are you alright?" I asked despite myself. He'd hate the prying, but something in that cold, empty version was just so …wrong. I couldn't just let it go.

"I'm fine," he snapped. "The same as I've been the last dozen times you've asked."

"Trapping your magic like that can't be healthy, though," I said, talking fast. "I wouldn't even bring it up, but last night —"

"I. Am. Fine."

"Perhaps there are side effects of the tattoos that we —"

"I'mfine, Witch." he interrupted.

I clenched the reins until my knuckles went white, barely smothering the desire to choke the man.

This wasn't working. He wasnotfine. But he obviously didn't care. Why, though?!

"Why do you hate the wolf so much?"

His shoulders stiffened, but he kept his mouth stubbornly shut.

"Damnit, Tye!" I snapped, patience running out. "Your wolf said you were running out of time, and I can't help but think this has something to do with that. What did he mean? Are you —"

Tye spun on me, lips curled into a snarl. "He's just a fucking beast, Witch! You can't trust a word out of his lying mouth."

I let out a harsh laugh. "HISlying mouth? You know, he said the same of you … and at the moment, I'm inclined to believehim."

"ENOUGH," Tye snapped, yellow eyes icy cold as he turned away, back stiff. "I don't care if you believe me orthat fucking wolf. I don't care what you think, at all. Tomorrow, we'll return to the stronghold and never have to see each other again, and I can't fucking wait. But for now, for King's sake, will you PLEASE just leave me alone?!"

Shoulders tight, he urged his fleiral to a trot, leaving me behind.

I wanted to glare at him, but my heart wasn't in it.