Page 130 of Shadowborne: Reckoning

“In the morning. I can’t say more, but—”

“Go,” Voski said quietly to Gil, turning to our brother. “The things we discussed, go prepare. And get some sleep—but be in place before dawn.”

Gil nodded and started to turn, but then jerked back to me. “Wait… you’re flying?”

I felt Gil’s tension as I swallowed back tears and made myself raise my chin. “Yes. I can’t say more than that.”

Gil’s lips thinned, but he stepped forward and pulled me into a hug, lifting me and my bag as he squeezed me until I saw stars. “Stay alive!” he hissed in my ear, and the echo of Donavyn’s words made my vision blur. I nodded against his shoulder.

“You too.”

Then he set me down, and he was gone.

I waited until he disappeared at the top of the stairs before turning to Voski—whose eyes were narrowed and his expression stern.

“What’s really going on? You’ve got that look.”

“Look? What look?”

“When you were hiding what was going on with Donavyn… look, it doesn’t matter. I sent Gil off. He doesn’t need to know, and I won’t tell him—but you’re flying. You’ve got a bag. And you’re weepy. This isn’t a stealth patrol.”

Dammit. I shrugged the bag higher on my shoulder. “I can’t—my orders—”

“Bullshit. I read the messages Bren. And you just told us about the General. What are you up to?”

I cursed under my breath and considered my options. But I couldn’t get past the fact that Donavyn needed both of them more than me, so in the end, I told him the truth.

“I need you to stay here and look after him. Donavyn thinks he has to take care of me by sending you. But you and I both know Ruin won’t give two shits about honor. He’s scheming to kill Donavyn because he thinks that will kill Kgosi. Please, you have to stay here and help him, because he’ll put himself at risk to keep me safe. You know that!”

“Is that the orders you were given? To tell me to stay here?”

I stared at him for a second, then swallowed hard. “Voski… do you remember when we talked about Ronen, and why… why he’d never… be one of us?”

His expression grew guarded. “Yeah. Why?”

“Because… I’m telling you… sometimes… sometimes doing the wrong thing for the right reason is the right thing to do.”

His jaw rolled. “Who are you flying after?” he muttered, eyeing my leathers.

“No one! Literally, I am carrying a message. A very important one! Donavyn will tell you more when the time is right. No one even knows I’m leaving. They won’t know until it’s too late.” I clenched my jaw and hissed at him between my teeth. “You have to help him, even if he resists. You know what he’s like!”

“But that means you’re flying alone… right?” Voski asked pointedly.

I nodded. “Who do you think is safer: Me with Akhane in the dark when no one knows? Or Donavyn here with these fuckers?”

“You, of course. But if they find out—”

“Even if they find out in the morning, I’ve got hours of headstart. And we’re flying alone. We’ll barely stop. I’m going to be fine—Akhane will protect me. But Donavyn… you need to watch out for him. Please!” I hadn’t meant to get emotional. Had been determined to keep this professional. To convince him as a fellow Shadowfang.

But as I spoke, I envisioned it—Donavyn walking sternly, proudly, without hesitation to confront Ruin. The pure goodness in him. The ways he’d be prepared to give himself up as long as it saved others. What I’d lose—what we’d all lose—if he didn’t win.

He would win.

He had to win.

Please, God, let him win!

Voski stared at me, intent.