Page 82 of The Broken Prince

“I’m sorry I pushed you away. I’m sorry I didn’t think clearly. I’m sorry for accusing you of something so horrible. And I’m sorry that I gave up on us…”

Now I really wanted to stay forever. “Avice, it means so much to hear you say that, but it doesn’t excuse what I did.” My hands cupped her face. “I’m so sorry that I hurt you, that I threw us away for something that didn’t even matter.”

Her hands gripped my wrists, and she continued to cry.

“But we’re together now, and that’s all that matters.” The wound in my chest had finally closed and healed. The barriers around her heart were gone. Now she let me in, let me see all of her. Without the war, perhaps she wouldn’t be so forgiving, so that was the only silver lining to this horror.

“Have you told Lila?”

The question caused a pain so intense, it nearly crippled me. “No.”

“You’re not going to…”

“I—I can’t.” I couldn’t say goodbye to her. I couldn’t look my daughter in the eye and know that my failure would result in her death. When my mother had told me how devastated she would be if she lost me, I understood exactly how she felt. “Please…give her my love.”

* * *

I walked to the field, seeing the two dragons there with their saddles and armor.

Jeremiah was there, in his armor and weapons, looking out across the expanse of wilderness.

I approached Nightshade, a black dragon I’d ridden many times. His eyes turned to me, and then he lowered his head so we could regard each other on level ground. My hand went to his cheek, feeling his scales with my bare skin. You owe me nothing, Nightshade.

I’m free because of you. I have hatchlings because of you. He looked at me with gray eyes. It would be my honor to protect you.

I moved my forehead to his cheek and held it there, my arm sliding across his snout in a gentle hug. We have too much to live for not to return. I pulled away then came face-to-face with Elora.

By her expression, it was clear she was pissed. “Huntley’s going to kill you.”

“Yeah.”

“If you actually survive, that is.”

“I know.”

She came closer to me. “I only outfitted your dragons because I knew you would do it anyway, and I wanted you to be protected.” Her arms crossed over her chest, and her solemn eyes regarded me like I was already dead.

“Thank you.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“I never said it was a good idea, Elora. But these are demons, and humankind stands no chance. You’re smarter than most—so you know I speak the truth.”

Her eyes dropped for a moment. “I’ve been working on new armor that’s invulnerable to fire.”

“How’s that going?”

“It works, but not as well as I’d like it to.”

“Keep trying.”

“That’s all I’ve been doing, which is why my eyes are bloodshot. Bastian is helping me, but there’s only so much he can do when I’m the expert and he’s the novice.”

“You’ll figure it out.”

“You think?”

“You always figure it out.”