“They’d drag me off, Reassign me?” He cuts in, unfazed. “True. But I’d like to see you try, considering you’re stuck halfway between me and a locked door.”
He’s only about two steps away now. I turn, glance back. The door’s three behind me. Shit. Doesn’t matter which way I run—I’m boxed in. Trapped.
“If the Veils are breaking,” I force another step towards him. “If dragons are attacking, I need to know. The Outerlands won’t stand a chance. We’ve got nothing out there, no coverage. I need something.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the Veils. But maybe your people should stop waiting for someone else to save them. Wouldn’t hurt if Outerlanders learnt how to do something else other than run.”
I draw breath to argue back, but he’s on me before the words form. Moving fast along the ledge, his hand locks around my arm, dragging me forward. Stone slides under my boots, balance shatters, and suddenly I’m on the other side with him.
“What the hell are you doing? Get off me.”
“Sorry,” he says, unbothered, not loosening his grip. “I was getting bored with how slow this was going. And I’m done with the interrogation. Especially when there are much better things we could be talking about.”
“Like what?” I hiss.
He shrugs. “Like those dreams you keep having. The ones where I’m keeping you up at night? You know I’dloveto know what we get up to.”
“Nightmares,” I cut in. “They’re nightmares.” Then I shove him, hard, enough to steal a breath of space between us.
He drops my arm and staggers back; I match him. The ledge widens around the turret, barely, but it’ll do. I press my back to the wall, hands still curled, distance my only armour.
“This is ridiculous,” I mutter. “You really think people are going to buy this? That you went from trying to kill me, avenge your brother’s death, and now suddenly we’retogether? They’ll see right through it...”
“Doubt it, I've slept with way worse, no offence, plus everyone saw the way you were checking me out on your first day here. Begging me to come over...”
“I wasn't begging you to come over.”
“Please... Don’t insult me, I know that look. It’s the same one you’re giving me now,Thorn.” He flashes a smile and turns, disappearing around the turret. “You coming?” he calls back.
I pause, steady myself, then move to follow him—only to stop short.
The Realms spill out below us—dense with stone and smoke, cities packed tight along the Veins that carve throughthe Innerlands like open wounds, raw rivers of power running straight from the moat that circles the Citadel.
From my dorm window, everything looks distant—hazy, bent at the edges, blurred by thick glass. But up here, it’s different. Vast. Wide.
Beautiful.
The Southern Peaks slice across the horizon, capped with fresh snow. Afternoon light drapes them in soft golds and pinks, but the beauty offers no warmth. A crisp breeze cuts through instead carrying the clean bite of winter air and the faint scent of frost.
It brushes against my skin, fills my lungs, until the whole world feels harsher, brighter, impossible to look away from.
Beside me, Talen drops down, legs swinging over the ledge as he leans back against the wall, exhaling slow.
“You gonna sit?” he asks.
“I think I'll stay standing.”
“Suit yourself.”
I stay still, keep my eyes on the ridge lines. It’s easier than looking at him.
“I still don’t get it... you just suddenly forgive me for your brother’s death?”
“Who said anything about forgiveness?” His jaw ticks, but gaze stays forward. “Don’t you think I miss my brother every damn day? He should be here now... sitting beside me.” A pause, voice dropping lower, rougher. “But there are darker things in this world than my personal vendettas. Shadows that don’t care about borders or bloodlines.”
“So what, keeping me alive is some kind of noble cause now? Save the useless Outerlander girl because there are shadows to worry about?”
“Look,” He snaps, turning his head towards me now. “I don’t want this, any of it. Being chained to you likethis, pretending infront of everyone?” He shakes his head. “Don’t fool yourself into thinking I enjoy it. I’d hand you a truth-string for that any day without hesitation.”His stare sharpens, and my chest clamps tight. “But this isn’t about noble causes, I didn't do itjustfor you. It’s about answers, and until I have mine, you stay alive. And that starts with you stopping the questions.” He turns back to the view, fist tightening, voice too. “Some truths don’t just ruin you, they ruin everything. People. Cities. Orders. I’ve seen it.I’ve caused it. You want that blood on your hands? Your friends back home, your friends here? Ezzy, Finn, Rowan? Fine, keep digging and you’ll find out what it costs.”
