Page 530 of The Academy of Blood & Shadow

You left.

"I know."

Wind tears at my face. Elarion disappears behind us.

I don't look back. Not once. Hypocritical. I spent the entire flight there looking toward Varethia. Now I don't give Elarion the same courtesy.

Turn back.

"No."

Vyrael's anger pushes through the bond. Heat. Disapproval. Something dangerously close to disgust.

Good. He should be disgusted. If Dax had done this, I would have stopped him. If Soren abandoned his assignment because someone he cared about might be in danger, I would have called him reckless. If one of my Riders left a command post without authorization, I'd remove them from active command. If Caelen had taken off toward Varethia before we knew whether Eirea was missing— I would have dragged him back myself. I know every argument. I agree with every one. I keep flying.

You are Chief.

The thought lands harder. My hands tighten around the harness.

"I know."

Then act like one .

My jaw clenches. I have built my entire life around those words. Not exactly. Close enough. Responsibility. Duty. Control. Make the decision nobody wants to make. Stand where people need you.

Take responsibility when it fails. Don't leave because you're tired. Don't leave because you're afraid. Don't choose what you want over what other people need.

Especially when people depend on you. My father taught me that before I understood what leadership was. The Academy reinforced it. Vyrael demanded it.

Chief made it permanent. People wait for you to be right. Even when you're not. So you decide anyway.

Tonight, I decided. Wrong, probably. Still decided.

The Elarion defenses are incomplete .

"Caelen knows them."

He is not you.