I swallowed hard. “I’m the pawn.”
He didn’t argue. Just nodded. “Yes.”
We stopped at a break in the rocks where we could see the full stretch of the falls. They rushed down like silver blades, unrelenting.
“If it weren’t for Kaelith,” Remy said slowly, “he would’ve removed you already.”
“Had me killed you mean,” I finished. “He wouldn’t be the first.”
Remy’s jaw tightened. “It won’t happen again.”
“Yes, it will,” I said, quieter now. “The next time Kaelith finally rejects me. She all but said it. That I’m hers to kill. That shedoesn’t want me.”
“She’s scared,” Remy said.
“She’sKaelith. She doesn’t get scared.”
He faced me fully then, arms crossed, expression firm. “You think dragons can’t fear? You think you’re the only one questioning your power? I’ve seen the way she looks at you when you’re not watching, like she’swaitingfor you to prove her wrong.”
I laughed bitterly. “It doesn’t matter. I’m tired of fighting her. Tired of trying to be what she wants. What anyone wants.”
“Then don’t do it for her,” he said. “Do it for you.”
I didn’t answer. Just turned toward the dragons.
After a beat, I spoke again. “Can we go back?”
Remy gave a nod. “Yeah.”
We mounted our dragons in silence, tying our ropes, hands moving from habit rather than thought.
I didn’t reach for Kaelith once on the ride back.
We touched down just as the sun dipped beneath the Warriath cliffs, staining the sky in molten hues of crimson and gold. But there was no warmth waiting. No peace in the return.
Kaelith landed hard, claws grinding against the stone, and I barely had time to slide down her side before she launched back into the air, wings slicing through the dying light like she couldn’t get away fast enough.
Katama landed a little softer. Remy dismounted beside me with a hand steadying my arm, but I barely noticed.
Because Zander was already there.
Waiting.
His arms were crossed, boots planted wide, the lines in his jaw like carved stone. His eyes locked on mine the moment I looked up, and I felt the heat radiating off him.
“You should’ve waited for me to fix this,” he said, his voice low, coiled with fury.
I blinked. “Fix what?”
“Theron sent you to Elmwell. Alone. Withhim.” His eyes flicked to Remy, who was walking toward Warborn’s area of the battlements. Close to the healers’ quadrant.
I stiffened. “He gave the order. You had no way to counteract it. Not in front of the guild.”
“You think Iwouldn’thave stopped it?”
“I don’t know what you would’ve done, Zander,” I snapped. “Seems like Inderia’s making a lot of your decisions these days.”
His nostrils flared. “That’s not fair.”
