“Last chance for a stay in the Capital,” Ryker said.
She scoffed. “I’d rather be forced to eat dirt again.”
He gently placed his hands on her shoulders. “Listen to Vylkor and Mrs. Thornbrew. Eat your food, drink your tea. And donotmaim the Fellcrest boy while I’m gone.”
“If he keeps his big mouth shut, we won’t have a problem,” she said stiffly, before that twitch in her jaw loosened. She looked up at him, eyes soft and open, and whispered, “Come back.”
Ryker furrowed his brows, but only nodded.
None of us could make that promise.
“You’ll be safe here,” he said softly, trying to convince her or himself, I couldn’t tell.
To everyone’s surprise, Nadya launched herself at him, hugging his waist and hiding her face in his furs.
His amazement quickly softened and he embraced her back. “Everything will be okay in the end.”
“Promise?” Nadya looked up at him with that uncharacteristically open gaze, tears shimmering in the corners of her eyes.
My fragile heart twisted. Dax hummed beside me; it had sounded suspiciously like a scoff.
“I promise,” Ryker muttered under the power of that begging stare.
She disentangled herself from him and her usual harshness returned in one blink.
“Don’t worry, loves, we’ll take good care of her.” Mrs. Thornbrew floated between us, chucking garland upon garland onto our necks, as if the number of berries determined our fates.“You just make sure you come back whole. We’ll have a right proper feast once all this mess is done.”
She said it with such conviction, too, like there was no reality in which the Blood Brotherhood wouldn’t win the war.
Honestly, there couldn’t be one.
The Blood Brotherhood had to win.
Ryker and I only nodded, twins in understanding the reassurance everyone else wanted from us, even as we stood side by side like strangers. Though our eyes didn’t meet, that unmistakable pull flared between us. The more we ignored each other, the more my body wanted to gravitate toward his.
A second horn blared.
Ryker gave Mrs. Thornbrew a quick bow and walked past me with nothing but a raised brow that made me simmer inside. No question this time.
We didn’t have time for talking. Not when so many lives were at risk.
I gave Mrs. Thornbrew a warm embrace, and she engulfed Dax in a hug that lasted right up until the third horn blare.
“We need to leave.” I extracted him from Mrs. Thornbrew, gave one more soft nod to Nadya, and finally turned.
The warriors had already gathered in formation, long lines of metal and might. The sun glistened on their weapons.
Perhaps the crater did care, in some strange way and wanted them to think Solkar would truly be on their side.
As if the gods ever bothered.
“Remember what we talked about,” Nadya called after Geryll. “Courage takes many forms.”
Geryll’s smile faltered, but he nodded all the same, and limped after the warriors.
Thank the gods he’d be sitting down for the foreseeable future.
“She’s a strange one,” Dax muttered as we joined the end of the line, out of step with the thunderous march of the warriors.
