My walls held. My heart was safe. It would be even safer tomorrow when I left.
I took a step back. “It doesn’t matter,” I said in a hollow voice. “We will probably never see each other again. Nothing we say can save a trust so broken.”
A myriad of emotions burned through Aiden’s gaze. For a moment, I thought he might reach for me. For a moment, I wanted him to. In the space between one breath and the next, I wanted him to fight for me, to never let me go, to tell me we’d find a way back to where we’d been.
But that would’ve been a lie as well.
He opened his mouth to say something when a shout rose from the village. A horn blew, dogs barked, and people ran toward the sound from all directions.
Aiden followed at a sprint, with me on his heels.
Were we being attacked? Had Renwell found us?
My breath grew sharp in my lungs.
Chaos reigned in the village until a bellow from Jek silenced everyone.
Standing in the middle of the crowd, Frieda cleared her throat and announced, “A fisherman spotted a large Rellmiran ship sailing north a few hours ago.” Her gaze narrowed in on me and Aiden. “A heavily armed ship with catapults.”
My heart sank to my toes as Aiden swore between his teeth.
At least one ship from Calimber must have been seaworthy to follow us so quickly. But they weren’t coming for us.
“They must be headed to Arduen’s Mountain,” Jek proclaimed. “We need to get there first!”
A chorus of shouted agreement rose. The Yargoth warriors lifted their axes and bows and spears in the air, shaking them and yelling.
My chest heaved, trying to find enough breath. They were racing into a battle they couldn’t win. Even if they arrived at the mountain first, they couldn’t defeat one of those ships.
Barrels of fire and Bardo’s limp body flashed through my mind.
More people would die. Would there be any Yargoths left after this?
Frieda seemed to share my grim thoughts, her wrinkled face stern and devoid of its usual brightness. She held up her arms for quiet.
Everyone hushed.
“We will send every able warrior to assist the Urzost Clan in defending our sacred mountain. Any warrior too injured to lift an axe will remain here.”
Every warrior? I immediately glanced at Aiden, whose jaw was set. Fear oozed into my veins. He was leaving with them. Of course, he was going to fight.
I turned away.
I didn’t care. He seemed to love a plan with a high risk of his death. Why should I try to stop him anymore? I wouldn’t let him hold me back, either.
It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.I tried chanting the mantra that I’d been repeating over the last few days. But it rang false in my head.
“Icanlift a bloody axe!” I heard Yarina shout from a distance. “I can best both of you with one arm, and you know it!”
I craned my head until I saw her facing off with Sigrid. Maz stood between them, his arms folded across his chest. He met my gaze with one of fierce determination. He was going, too.
I bit my lip. Gods damn it. I was going to lose them all.
Jek shouted orders, and the chaos shifted into well-practiced movements.
Something brushed the back of my hand. I glanced down to see Aiden’s hand retreating.
“May the gods go with you,” he said softly. “If anyone can rescue Everett and Delysia, it’s you.”
