“Alright.” I could wait, though not for long. “What will the riddle do for us, assuming we can solve it?”
“You’ll solve it.”
“With your help.”
“I’ll be with you for as long as I can.”
If I could break away, and we didn’t need his silver threads to shield us from being overhead, I’d start pacing. “Please don’t suggest you won’t be with me always. Promises, Vexxion, remember? I’m not the only one who made them.”
“Sometimes, promises have to be broken.”
“Fates, no. I need you for more than just training. I love you. I’ll follow through on this. I need to do it. But I want you with me when it’s over. Please.”
“You’re stronger than you know.”
“That sounds lovely, and I appreciate you saying it, but my heart will be a hollowed-out thing if you’re not there to fill it.”
He kissed me, and while that soothed me and heated me up at the same time, I sensed a touch of desperation in it. I understood why. We were getting closer to the end of this journey. Would we live long enough to start a new one together?
Lifting his head, he stared into my eyes. “You’ll do what you must.” His arms tightened around me. “I’m determined to stand in front of you for as long as I can, but the time may come when I can’t be there for you. If that happens, I want you to go on without me. You need to end this. If you don’t, right won’t triumph like it must.”
“I’m not anyone’s savior.”
“In the end, save yourself. That’s all I ask.”
“If I was going to do that, I’d hide now, not continue this dangerous plan.”
“You’re not someone who will ever allow yourself to hide.” He nodded, convinced of this even if I wasn’t as sure. “Whenthe time comes, you’ll kill him, and you’ll walk away with your head held high.”
“You said I need to do it when he’s weak after claiming Brenna. Will I be allowed to walk away after killing him?”
“The court will be stunned. They won’t know what to do. You’ll not only walk away, but you’ll also be able to claim what has always been yours.”
I cocked my head. “What might that be?”
“Remember the riddle. It’ll one day guide you.”
“I assume I’ll need all of it, then.”
“Be patient. Don’t act too quickly.”
“Should I wait to free the other dragon until after I’ve killed Ivenrail?” I asked.
“Do it before but give me a day or two first.”
“Restraint has never been one of my strong points.”
His low laugh rang out. “I’m well aware of that.”
I was glad he wasn’t angry about this, because I was going to make sure every creature trapped within the castle was freed before I left.
I glanced at the timepiece on the mantle above the fireplace. “I should bathe and dress. Brenna will be waiting. You’re going to craft a spell that will suggest Iasar is still trapped inside the door?”
“I will.”
I felt bad that he had to keep cleaning up my messes. “I won’t say I’m sorry for doing it.”
“I wouldn’t ask that of you.”
