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“Twenty,” I answered. “Maybe more. It was dark, and her magic was swirling everywhere. It was hard to tell.”

“And the Noctani?” He ran a hand through his mess of hair, his other still clasped in mine.

“Corian brought them out, but I couldn’t let him see me.” I shook my head. “I can’t confirm. All I know is we took out a good number of them when we fought your contingent. The sooner we move against her, the less time she will have to create more.”

Nik nodded in agreement. He rested his head back against the headboard, closing his eyes and releasing a pent-up sigh.

“I am bound, now. Her magic will be no match for mine,” I told him.

He turned his head towards me. “You sound certain.”

“I am certain,” I said. Though I wasn’t sure how much I believed in my own words or whether it was false bravado. “Alastir saw it. The last Stormshade of the Kotova bloodline would put an end to the violence in Istmere.”

“Kind of a vague prophecy if you ask me.” Nik let out a humorless laugh.

“You know that Alastir only sees what the Mother shows him. But this is what she showed himdecadesago.”

I snuggled closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. He leaned his head against mine. Only days stood between us and the battle that could change everything, and seeing Donika’s army only unsettled me further. We might not have dark magic or blood magic on our side, but we had a number of Stormshades whose magic was unrivaled, Annelise and myself included.

“I’m just so, so tired.” Nik’s voice was raw when he spoke.

I knew exactly what he meant. I felt, deep in my bones, that it was time for this war to end. No matter the outcome. I gave his arm a squeeze and slipped under the covers, leaning across the nightstand to turn the bedside lamp off.

He curled with me beneath the sheets, his legs intertwining with mine.

“Have you changed your mind about allowing me to follow you into the castle? To meet Donika head on?” he asked, his voice soft in the darkness.

“No.” My own voice was stern. “You know why you can’t be with me. She might not know it… but if she kills you… she kills me. We are bound, Nikolai. With the amount of spies and intel she has, I honestly wouldn’t put it past her to already have that information. We can’t risk it.”

He let out a heavy sigh. “I know. I just hate the idea of you going in there without me. I know you don’t need me—it isn’t that. You are a force of nature. It’smewho needsyou.”

I smiled at him in the darkness even though he couldn’t see it. “You don’t need me, Nikolai. You will lead our soldiers into battle fearlessly. You are one of the strongest people I know.”

He scoffed. “I’m not sure about that.”

I slapped his arm playfully. “Don’t be self-deprecating. When I first met you, you told me you were anincrediblypowerful Nightshade, do you remember that?”

He laughed, and this time there was genuine humor in it. “I was trying to impress you.”

“Oh, please.” I rolled my eyes as I curled my body against his, my arm across his chest. “There is no one else I would pick to lead the resistance against her army.” I told him. “You know it has to bemewho kills Donika. It can be no one else.”

“I understand… but it doesn’t mean I like it,” he replied thinly.

“Get some sleep. You can come and train with us tomorrow if you want. I’m excited to put some of this bound magic to use,” I said, wiggling my fingertips against his skin. I let a shadow snake out against his chest, caressing his collarbone before it disappeared into his hair.

He laughed, seeing his own magic seep through my fingertips. The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile as he pulled me closer against him.

I closed my eyes, memorizing the feel of him beneath me. The soft rise and fall of his chest as he took each deep breath. The sensation of his hot skin beneath my palm. My cheek. The soft sounds of his exhales as he fell into a deep sleep.

I had never felt safer than when I was wrapped in Nikolai’s arms. Despite that feeling of security, it was thoughts of Donika’s army that kept me from dozing off.

When sleep finally did find me, it wasn’t the dreamless sleep I craved.

My thoughts were filled with nightmares. Araneoch and Noctani beating back our forces. Donika’s sword slicing through my chest.

And me on that terrace… falling, falling, falling.

Annelise relentlessly pulled me from bed first thing in the morning, when the sun had barely kissed the Siraleth sky. I sleepily pulled on my training leathers, strapping Stormslayer to my thigh and leaving Nik twisted among the sheets.