He dragged himself upright, knees sinking into the earth, and pulled her down with him until they knelt together. His hands gripped her hips, rough and trembling.
“You don’t need strength,” he said at her ear. “You have me.”
Tears blurred her sight.
“Viktor—”
“Wind it,” he commanded.
His chest burned with every word, but his eyes never left hers.
“I’ll guide you. Just trust me.”
Her arms quaked as she lifted the sling, fumbling with the stone. He pressed closer, his body shaking against hers, every scar and shiver mapped into her as if they were one heartbeat, one body.
“Left,” he breathed—his power threading through his words, through her.
The air stirred.
“Now… higher. Hold—hold—”
The world narrowed—his Endowment flooding into her veins, their breath and pulse entwined until her heartbeat thundered in his chest.
“Loose!”
She released.
The sling snapped—the stone screamed through the air—and struck true.
The rider fell without a sound.
Amerei’s breath shattered.
The sling slipped from her fingers.
She collapsed against Viktor, shaking violently.
His arms crushed her close, desperate, as if he could hide her from what she’d just done.
“You did it,” he said, voice fraying. “Dask, Amerei, you did it. You saved us.”
“I killed him.”
The words broke on her lips, small, terrified.
Viktor pressed his mouth hard to her temple, holding her as if his strength alone could atone for both of them. His body convulsed with pain, but he clung tighter, voice fierce and breaking.
“No.Wekilled him. And I swear—”
His whisper seared against her hair.
“—you’ll never carry it alone.”
Chapter Forty-Seven
Fyreglade
They came seeking refuge. What they found was a castle waiting to change everything.
