Arden rose abruptly to his feet. ‘Where’s the wolf?’
Kage froze. Amid the chaos, he had entirely forgotten about Bryn’s great beast. He’d left the creature by the twin wooden columns, trusting that distance alone might shield it from danger, but what if it hadn’t been enough?
Without a word, Kage broke into motion, weaving through the makeshift camp until he reached the edge, only to halt at the sight before him.
There, silhouetted against the hush of twilight, stood the princess. One hand rested calmly upon the thick fur of the wolf, her touch steady and unafraid. The colossal creature locked eyes with Kage the moment he approached, but did not stir from her side.
‘You do keep intriguing company, Kage Blackburn,’ Rio said, her focus trained on the twin pillars that marked the boundary of the forest. Beyond them stretched only fields, deceptively serene but both she and Kage knew the truth lay veiled beneath ancient enchantments. As if reading his thoughts, she added, ‘The wards have fallen. In a matter of hours, the enchantments will dissolve, and all of you shall see Floridia clearly from here.’
‘Won’t you be here to see it too?’ Kage asked. ‘I thought wewere to leave at first light.’
Her hand faltered for the briefest of moments against the wolf’s pelt before it resumed its slow, measured stroke. ‘I had heard the thirdborn of House of Shadows knows all there is to know.’
‘Just rumours,’ Kage said lightly.
‘Ah,’ she murmured, nodding once. ‘Then that must be why you haven’t noticed.’
He frowned, brow furrowing. ‘Noticed what?’
Rio turned to him fully then, her expression unreadable, and tilted her head ever so slightly, as if the truth were something obvious, long overlooked.
‘That I am blind, Kage Blackburn.’
Love will be the end of us all.
Tabitha Wysteria
‘Lift your arm higher,’ Hagan instructed, demonstrating with precise, fluid grace.
Ash tried. He truly did. But the ache from where his father’s blow had landed flared sharp and unforgiving, halting his motion. Hagan must have noticed. The annoyance in his eyes gave him away as he let his own arm fall back to his side.
‘Don’t,’ Ash murmured, his voice barely audible. He knew Hagan was about to speak of the king’s cruelty again, to let his rage unravel. Ash couldn’t bear to hear it, not now. Turning from him, he strode across the training yard and slid the sword back into its rack, its hilt clicking into place among the others. But just as his fingers left the blade, Hagan’s voice came quiet, firm, final.
‘I’m leaving.’
Ash stilled. Slowly, he turned, heart pounding like a war drum in his chest. He said nothing at first, only stared, confusion scrawled across his face.
Haganexhaled deeply. ‘I’m going to Fireheart. I’ve been accepted into the Red Guard.’
It felt as though the ground beneath Ash tilted, shifting the world off its axis.
‘Why?’ he asked softly, almost childlike.
Hagan’s hands clenched into fists. ‘So I can become strong enough to protect you.’
Ash’s jaw tensed. ‘I d-don’t n-need pro-protecting.’
‘Yes, you do.’ Hagan stepped forward, closing the space between them. He took Ash’s arm, the one bruised by another’s cruelty and held it, his grip gentle but unrelenting. ‘We swore to protect one another. I’m keeping my promise.’
‘Don’t.’
‘You can’t stop me.’
Ash’s gaze dropped. He couldn’t meet those familiar brown eyes, the ones that had watched him stumble and grow, that had seen too much and judged too little.
‘What about Alina?’ he asked, voice barely above a whisper.
‘She’ll survive,’ Hagan said with a sigh. ‘But… perhaps it’s best if she doesn’t know. Not until I’m gone.’
