Page 34 of The Broken Prince

“Yes,” the maiden said. “His breathing has become less labored too.”

“How’s the wound?”

“No sign of infection—so the medicine has worked.”

I nodded. “I hope he wakes soon.”

“I’ve seen soldiers in worse condition pull through,” she said. “I think Atticus will make it.”

I nodded, grateful for the encouragement. “Gods, I hope you’re right.” I stepped outside the infirmary, seeing Aurelias looking out over the fields, fully dressed in his armor and weapons like a killing machine. The bodies had been burned this morning in a memorial, and the enemy had been burned unceremoniously in a bonfire that still hadn’t gone out. The stench was in the air, and the mark it would leave on the earth would be permanent.

I came to his side and pushed my mind to Pyre’s. Heard any news?

No. I’ll receive none—because no one tries to speak with a dragon.

I’d sent a messenger asking for an update that morning, but I hadn’t received anything back yet. “Are they your brothers and sisters?”

Aurelias turned to look at me. “Brothers and their wives.”

“How did they find you?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“They’re vampires too?”

“Yes.”

“Does that mean the others are coming?”

“They’re going to return to my lands and ask the king for his forces.”

These foes were different from Necrosis. They were invulnerable to fire…because they were fire. If their forces were significant, then we wouldn’t stand a chance, not when our dragons were nearly worthless. “I can’t speak for my father because he’s not here, but…you don’t owe us anything, Aurelias. You don’t need to call for aid to earn your freedom. You already earned it when you saved my mother’s life…and my life…and everyone’s life.”

His dark eyes the color of earth stared at me, his hard expression impossible to read unless he wanted it to be deciphered. With a force that rivaled lightning, he stared me down, almost the way he would regard an enemy on the battlefield. “I appreciate that.”

My heart sank, knowing he would leave now that he wasn’t required to stay. He would return with his family, back to the lands he called home, and leave us to our problems. “Do you need any supplies before you go?”

“The ship has everything they need.”

“When are you leaving?” I’d thought I could manage a kingdom on my own because my father had selected me for the job, but now that I was alone, with my family members either gone or incapacitated, I was in way over my head. I would never admit that to another living soul, far too proud for that, but Aurelias made the burden easier to manage. Honestly, he was the one who should be in charge, not me since he’d saved Delacroix while I did nothing. I was inadequate for the job—and my father should have chosen someone else.

“I’m not.”

My heart clenched so tightly I was forced to take a deep breath, the kind that he could see.

“They’re leaving tonight.”

“You—you aren’t leaving?”

His eyes stayed transfixed on me. “No.”

“Why…?” I swallowed, so relieved that he wasn’t about to walk out of my life forever.

“Because you need me.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Aurelias—”

“I know I don’t.” He continued his stare, the kind that pierced me all the way through, that made me writhing hot and freezing cold at the same time. “I won’t abandon you, baby.”