Slowly, her expression softens. “Wecan rest when it’s over.”
I nod. “We.”
As I leave the room, I find Daedalus standing on the rope bridge, nursing his swollen jaw. His eyes, now clear swirls of gray, draw me in.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice muffled by the swelling.
“I know you are,” I reply, leaning against the doorframe. “But how many more times do we pretend this is normal?”
He dips his chin, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Every time, if possible.”
I bite my lip to stifle a laugh.
Daed releases a heavy breath, his tattooed fist gripping the railing of the rope bridge. “I promise I will do better, Amara. For youandour baby.”
His gaze drifts to my belly, and I instinctively shield it with my hands.
“It’s still early,” I say. “Anything can happen. I don’t even know for sure. Zyphoro could be wrong.”
“She’s not,” Daed says confidently, sending a shiver down my spine. “You carry an heir of the Mordorin with you. But I can’t tell yet if it’s a prince, a princess, or both. Twins run in my family.”
“Are you trying to scare me?” My eyes widen with worry at the idea, my face tightening.
A light laugh escapes Daed’s lips, and he bows his head. “No. Never.” He looks up from beneath his brow. “Never again.”
I exhale, shaking my head. “Never for now is all you can promise me.”
A lump forms in his throat, and he fights to swallow it. “Never for now, then.”
That will have to do. If I am to achieve the revenge I crave, I need Daed by my side. He is the most formidable warrior ever to step onto a battlefield, a powerful ally for my cause. I will see him crowned king of the Sundered Kingdoms.
“Shall we go claim a crown?” I ask him.
Daed’s fingers lace behind his neck. “My father won’t abdicate easily, and you know what Lanneth is capable of.”
“You’re the commander of the Ebon Flight. Will the Reapers and Blades take your side?”
Daed’s brow furrows as he considers. “Perhaps. But I can’t be sure. We may need reinforcements.”
“Who?” I ask. “From where?”
“Leave that to me,” Daed replies. “The remaining Blades and I will prepare the ship. The sooner we return to Baev’kalath, the better, before the king and queen receive too much information about what has happened here.”
“Yes. Let me say my goodbyes, and I’ll be ready to leave.”
Daed turns to go, but in an instant, he spins around, closing the distance between us in three strides. He cups my face in his hands, drawing me to his lips. He kisses me deep and long, stealing my breath and leaving my knees wobbling. What power does this man wield that I can shift from despising him to desiring him in the blink of an eye?
“I love you,” he whispers, and all sense slips away from me like dust in the wind.
“I love you, too,” I say.
He smiles, a radiant expression that lights up his entire face, his slate-gray eyes glimmering beneath the dappled sunlight. Stepping back, his wings burst from his back with a resounding snap, and he launches into the air, soaring high above, breaking through the canopy and showering me with a cascade of leaves.
As I reach the clearing and close my eyes, I’m transported to the shrine where my sisters are already waiting for me.
“You’re leaving,” Saren says, her voice a mixture of disappointment and concern. “Again.”
“I must,” I reply, desperation creeping into my tone. “I wish you could understand.”
