So that’s where Cam was taken. She wonders what they did with him there—why he had to die. Whether anyone was with him to burn his body, send his soul to Arach with fire. She doesn’t believe in that—but he did.
“I told my mum,” Astrid says slowly, tucking a loose strand of navy hair behind her ear. “I just thought you should know that, for after…”
Skylar says nothing. What is there to say? She knows Astrid is warning her that the witches will know where the Heart is. But she doesn’t care—the witches can take it. Axel can tell her that protecting the Heart is for the good of Vatra, that people will suffer if she loses this duel, as much as he likes. But as far as she can tell, the royals—her family—are the reason for the suffering, and they deserve anything that’s coming to them. And that’s the difference between her and Astrid, isn’t it? Astrid wants to end suffering—Skylar only wants to cause it.
Astrid slips something out of her pocket, hesitates, then opens her palm to Skylar. Cam’s ring.
“I thought you might want it back,” Astrid murmurs.
Skylar swallows the lump in her throat.
Eternal. Like our friendship.
Heat rises behind her eyes, but she doesn’t give way to it—not tonight. She reaches out, takes the ring from Astrid. It holds a faint warmth from Astrid’s touch, a warmth that reminds her of Cam. She closes her fist around it. She’ll make sure she wears it tomorrow. She can at least take a piece of him with her, into that arena.
“Thank you,” Skylar says, looking at the horizon.
Astrid blows out a breath. “Just do me a favor tomorrow, okay?”
Skylar sighs. “Might be a bit late for favors, Little Witch.”
But Astrid holds her gaze. “You kill me. I don’t want Mjolnir to…” She swallows. “I don’t want to end up like that guard. Blown apart. I want my mother to have a body to sail.”
Skylar gives her a tight nod. “I won’t let that happen. I promise.”
Astrid closes her eyes briefly. “Okay, then.”
There is the sound of footsteps, and they both look to the orchard entrance as Zryan—walking rather than Teleporting for once—approaches. He glances uncertainly between Skylar and Astrid. “Am I interrupting something?”
“Just us plotting world domination.” It lands flat—because it’s a bit too close to the truth, maybe.
She’s not sure either of them really hear her, though, because Astrid steps up to Zryan, slips her hand into his. “I’m ready to go back to the castle, if you are.”
It is a firm, sure voice—and Skylar watches as Zryan’s hand tightens its hold on Astrid’s. How his gaze roams her face, like he’s memorizing it. How, for a second, it’s only the two of them out here. Like they’ve got endless nights before them to stroll across the castle grounds in the dark, to steal moments of intimacy in the shadows. Instead of just one.
She gets it. If it were her, she’d want it, too—one night, before the end. But Astrid hasn’t moved—instead she’s still hovering by Zryan’s side. “Do you want to come back to the castle with us, Skylar?”
“No thanks,” Skylar says dryly. “I think I’ll sit this one out.” A slight blush creeps into Astrid’s face—it’s weirdly endearing, considering Skylar doesn’t find anything endearing. “I’ll be okay,” Skylar continues, when Astrid doesn’t immediately leave. “Promise.”
Astrid hesitates for half a second, then, without warning, launches herself at Skylar and throws her arms around her. Skylar stiffens automatically, but Astrid only hugs her tighter, her floral scent enveloping them. Skylar reaches up awkwardly to pat Astrid’s back.
“I’m not really a hugger,” Skylar says.
Astrid laughs, though it sounds close to a sob. “Well, I am.” When she pulls back, her blue gaze is bright and sure. “Whatever happens tomorrow, Skylar, I’m glad I knew you.”
Skylar can do nothing but nod uselessly as that stupid lump in her throat presses down, constricting her breathing.
Astrid squeezes her shoulders one more time, then moves back to Zryan. He nods at Skylar—but she can’t read it. Acceptance of what she’ll have to do tomorrow? She wonders what this must be like for him—to be falling for the girl his sister has to kill. Goes to show, you’re better off not forming that kind of attachment, aren’t you? It can only lead to pain.
Skylar watches the two of them move away. And it’s only when Astrid is gone, too far away to hear, that she murmurs her words to the dark. “I’m glad I knew you, too.”
48Astrid
For the first time, Astrid enjoys the sensation of disappearing into nothing. She lands on uneven ground, shaky and breathless. No dizziness, no nausea.
Zryan pulls her in closer. “How is she?”
“Steeling herself.” She’d felt it rolling off Skylar in waves, the desperation, the self-loathing. She’s preparing herself to do something she doesn’t want to do: kill Astrid.
