She couldn’t leave him yet. It was her fault he’d been shot. So she’d wait. And then she’d do the safest thing for them both: disappear.
“Do you know any witches who might be willing to defy Cressida?” he asked.
She and Seraphine had been speaking of this very thing before she fled the palace. Now that Soren was dead, how many of his soldiers would stay and fight for Cressida? Not all. And those who did would expect payment, not promises.
Without Soren, her position was not as strong as it had been a few days ago.
“I could summon Seraphine.” She, at least, might be interested in hearing Gideon out. As for others… “I doubt the rest would risk themselves.”
Just like I won’t risk myself.
If Gideon wanted to get himself and everyone close to him killed, that was his business. Rune wasn’t getting involved.
Gideon nodded. “One is better than nothing.”
One?Against a legion of witches? Against an army of soldiers?
Had some sort of blood poisoning set in from those bullets, affecting his ability to think clearly?
She turned to face him fully. Perhaps she could talk him out of this.
“Gideon. You and I both know there are only two possiblepaths here. One leads to a malevolent witch queen; the other leads to an authoritarian regime. Alex was right: if we want to be free, the only option is to leave and never look back.”
“No,” said Gideon, pushing away from the wall. She saw what it cost him—the way he swayed; how his jaw clenched. “There’s a third path. You’re just refusing to consider it.”
Rune shook her head. “Trust me, I’ve considered every option.”
“This path doesn’t exist yet,” he said, stepping in close. “It needs to be forged.”
His words were making her teeth hurt.
“By who? You and me? Pitting ourselves against not one, but two armies? Have you gone completely mad?”
“Maybe.”
That tide of fear rushed up again, coming to drown her.
“I know you’re trying to be noble, but this isn’t the time,” she said. “You’re being foolish, and it’s going to get everyone you love killed.”
“And you,” he said, studying her in the darkness, “are letting your fear rule you.”
Rune’s hands fisted.
“Fear is the only response in this situation! If you hadn’t misplaced your brain somewhere between here and Wintersea, you’d be afraid, too!”
She turned on her heel.
“Cowardice doesn’t suit you, Crimson Moth.”
Her anger flared like red-hot embers.A coward, am I?
“I’d rather be a coward than a fool,” she said.
AFTER STORMING OFF, RUNEwas still fuming as she paced the rooftop gardens of Bart’s summer home, muttering angrily to herself.
Deep down, she knew Gideon was right: shewasbeing a coward. But being a coward was the only way to stay alive, which was exactly what Rune intended to do.
Besides, she was also right: Gideon’s ideawasfoolish.
