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The very air stilled.

Until…

“He’s not breathing!” Jade panicked, pumping Aiden’s chest. “Come on, dammit.Breathe!” She lifted her fist, harshly pounding it down. “Iswearif you die, I’ll find you in Firekeeper’s realm, bring you back, just to kill you myself.”

She pounded again. “Open your damn eyes!”

Aiden’s face filled with life, choking on air between his half-blue, blood-covered lips.

“Come on, that’s it,” Thalon cried, frantically rushing to cover one of the burning puncture wounds. “Aren’t captains supposed to go down with their ships? You’re not dying today. Not on dirt.”

In Jade’s relief, she loosened a shaking breath. “You fool! Don’t you know better than to take on a gamroara by yourself?” And ripped off a scrap of her shirt, balling it to pack the other wound.

Aiden moaned in agony, blood slipping slowly between his teeth.

Behind them, Alora could only focus on the uncontrollable shake of her hands. She couldn’t acknowledge it when the High Prince slammed to the dirt below the pile of remains and ran to her.

“Are you injured?” He cupped her upper arms. Pitch-black abyss scanned her body.

But she could barely speak, surrendering to a slow, dazed shake of her head. “N—no. I’m … I’m fine.” She hardly convinced herself through the hoarse whisper.

The smooth metal of his rings brushed her ripped tunic, tracing until it met the clammy flesh of her shoulder, and his calloused hand gently squeezed. “Wait here,” he murmured.

But her eyes flickered … to the tree line.

And his darkened orbs tracked the movement, determining what that hesitation meant. “Please, Alora.” Voice raw.

Fading black eyes pleaded into hers, and she nodded, knowing that her legs were unable to run even if she willed them to.

Garrik jerked to look behind when Aiden groaned again. One last brush of his hand against hers, and he twisted away. He stepped, and she didn’t miss the slight stumble as Smokeshadows engulfed him, ripping him from space and time.

Reappearing in a cloud of shadow and ash, he roughly landed on his knees beside Aiden. “Still with us, brother?”

Aiden buried his fingers in the dirt, choking through a painful breath. His eyes fluttered, forcing a smile. “Garrik, if I die?—”

“Shut the hell up!” Jade pressed the bandage tighter, pulling a strangled cough from him.

Breaths later, Aiden winced. “If I die … whatever’s left of me, give it to someone who needs it. But my middle finger … gift that to the High King for his birthday.” Aiden’s voice shook.

Garrik grabbed Aiden’s balled fist and squeezed, leaning close to Aiden’s bleak face. “Give it to him yourself. Stay with us, that is an order.” The words were rushed. Firm.

Aiden’s eyes fluttered. “Bloody hells, guess I can’t die then, can I?”

The corners of Garrik’s mouth twitched, and he lifted his head, scanning the wounds before turning to Jade.

“This is very bad. We need to get him to a healer.” Jade’s hands were soaked in blood. The bandages appeared soaked entirely through.

“Ozrin was sent to Brennus’s camp last night to care for the wounded. He was there as we were leaving. He wouldn’t have returned tonight.” Thalon’s distraught eyes had lost their golden glow, and he pressed more cloth to the wound, but it wasn’t enough; blood spurted too quickly.

Garrik’s face turned wholly rigid. “Thalon, take him.”

Thalon’s matched with brutal hesitation. “You mean?—”

“Yes,” Garrik snapped. “Get to the trees, out of sight, and ride like hell until you have reached Ozrin.”

Aiden violently coughed blood, spraying it down his chest before falling back to the dirt. His eyes traveled backward, his body fell limp as the last bit of color faded from his skin.

“Go!” Garrik jumped up and heaved Aiden over his shoulder, running to Thalon’s horse.