“We both know that’s not entirely true.”
“Fine. You know that. Takara knows that. But nobody else does.”
“Did you think you’d be able to stay under the radar through all of this?” he asked softly. “If I understand what you’ve told me, it’s bad if you’re here. End-of-the-world bad.”
“But…” She hesitated, her mind spinning. She liked what she had here, this life with Fenn, without all the apocalypse crap looming over her. She wasn’t ready to let it go.
“Kaelith is a monster,” Fenn continued. “But.” His jaw tightened. “It seems like he might beyourmonster. And we need his intelligence. We may even need him on the battlefield.”
“He is notmymonster,” she snapped, crossing her arms. “If anything, I’m your monster.”
“And you will always be, little blade.”
Her mouth twitched. He only used that nickname when he was trying to irritate her. “Fenn, you don’t understand what you’re asking of me.”
He studied her, his gaze lingering on her face as if trying to memorize every feature before offering a sad smile. “I think I do.”
“No, you—”
“There’s a good chance that whatever you felt for him in the past will reignite if you spend enough time with him. Especially if he’s the original version of himself as a result of your extraction...like he claims to be. That more of your old self will come to the surface. The part that loved him.”
“That’s crazy,” she said, though deep down, she knew he was right.
“I don’t pretend to understand how your Missions work or your lives before this. Hell, I don’t think you fully understand it, either. But I know that you have faced Kaelith more than once these past eight years with Fang Unit, and not once did two of the most ruthless Hollow-born I’ve ever encountered kill each other.”
Her frown deepened. He was definitely right.
“With every encounter, one of you always found a way to disengage more or less peacefully.”
“And...and that doesn’t bother you?” She couldn’t believe it.
“Of course, it bothers me!” His cool exterior wavered, his voice rising, the calm slipping away as his fingers flexed open and closed. “I love you. And now we finally have a life together, one we can share openly. That life with you is everything to me.” His shoulders heaved as he struggled to keep control. “But it means nothing if we lose the Reach, or if we lose the whole world to whatever Skarn or whoever is acting behind him is planning.”
“Fenn...”
“I will not be that selfish, Rynna.” He moved forward, placing both hands firmly on the table, fingers splayed wide against the surface.
“He’s just one man, Fenn. What makes you think his cooperation will be the key to winning this war? What makes you think we’d ever be able to trust him?”
“I can’t risk it.” His chin dropped, and his crimson-tipped hair fell around his face like a shimmering curtain. “And I trust you. You will turn him.”
He’s right, she thought. Kaelith was one of the legendary Four Ember Demons and one of the most formidable Hollow-born of the era. Plus, he had critical information on the enemy’s plans and movements. In any other situation, she wouldn’t have hesitated to take a personal, hands-on approach to bring him to their side. Shecouldturn him; she knew it. He was practically begging for it, in his own twisted way.
“What would it mean for us?”
“I don’t know.”
“Fenn...I can’t lose you. Please don’t make me do this.” The familiar weight of dread and despair swelled inside her, the suffocating darkness tightening its grip around her lungs, threatening to pull her under.
“Lose me?” The man looked up, his eyes widening just a fraction. “I’m not going anywhere as long as you still want me.”
Chapter thirty-one
“So,whydidyoubring Kaelith back again?” Calli slipped her arm through Rynna’s as they walked through the camp toward Elara’s healing tent. “And explain it like I’m five this time.”
The air around the camp was thick with the scent of metal, damp earth, and the faint aroma of unfamiliar herbs from Tide Reach’s healers. In the distance, the towering tree spires of Pulse Reach loomed, their branches casting long shadows over the sprawling camp.
“Calli,” Rynna sighed, “we’ve already been through this a thousand times, and you know Elara’s going to want to dissect it another thousand more. Can we just drop it? At least for the next two seconds.”
