Page 132 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

“I can’t.” Raine’s broken whisper, the pinch of his face that followed, nearly broke her resolve.

“You can.” Frelina smiled, ignoring how tight her cheeks were from all the salt from her tears. “You’re not alone.”

Raine just stared at her.

Drawing a steadying breath, Frelina wiggled her brows.

“We’re here together.” She slowly trailed her eyes over his face as she moved closer, trying to keep a sly smile on her face. “You and me.”

Raine didn’t back away as she stilled an inch from him, but some of the color on his cheeks returned, his eyes deepening.

“You know they told me I would die alone.” Frelina licked her lips, and she didn’t miss Raine’s eyes following. “Do you know what I think?”

He shook his head.

“I don’t think so, since the most feared Fae warrior in the world keeps flirting with me.”

Something sounded in Raine’s chest.

It wasn’t a laugh or even a chuckle, but she’d take it, especially as more color returned to his eyes. Frelina began to pull away, pushing her feet into the ground when Raine’s face contorted again, and the sound she’d heard before began echoing between her ears.

“I… I can’t,” Raine whispered. “Not without…”

Settling into his lap again, she brushed her thumbs over his cheeks. “What can I do?”

Raine’s eyes were dry as they held hers, but it didn’t matter. They were still the saddest ones she’d ever seen.

“What can I do, Raine?” she whispered back as he let out a sorrow-filled rush of air. “How can I help you?”

“I don’t… I need…”

He looked so young. A lost boy with sad eyes and wild hair who held on to her as if she were the only toy he had left in the world.

Her heart ached for him.

For the male who’d loved so much only to have it ripped away from him. For the loneliness she could sense in him—the one she shared.

Pursing her lips, she made a decision.

“Use me,” Frelina said quietly.

Raine’s arms tightened around her. “What?”

“Use me.” She said it louder. “Use me as a distraction.”

Raine’s brows snapped together, and he began shaking his head.

“I won’t live long. The gods basically confirmed it. Neither will you, the way this war is going. You don’t love me. I… I don’t love you. She’ll forgive you.”

Frelina’s cheeks heated when Raine shook his head again.

“Why not? You’ve been with others, haven’t you?”

His silence was enough.

“So why not me? Use me, Raine. Use me until we’ve either won this war or moved on to the afterlife—whatever comes first. I need it too. I don’t… I don’t want to be alone anymore.”

It was true. She didn’t want to be alone in a cold bed, fear trickling through her veins until she finally fell into fitful sleep. If she was to die soon, and there wasn’t someone special out there waiting for her anyway, what did it matter?