“Might’ve been better.” The words were spilled out before I could stop them.
“Don’t say that.” He snapped. “Don’t say shit like that!”
His words landed like a blow. Not because of sheer force of his voice, but therage. The way his face changed. The way he looked at me like I’d just said something unforgivable.
Did Arancare?
“You don’t know what they did to me,” I spat, the words breaking on the way out. “If you knew... you’d think it would’ve been better too.”
He didn’t answer.
Just stared at me like the words had knocked the air out of him. He looked lost for a second, like he was trying to find the right words and knew they didn’t exist. He also knew that even reaching for me, trying to comfort me, would’ve made things worse. He’d never dare lay a hand on me again. He could say he wasn’t scared of me all day long., it didn’t matter. BecauseIwas.
I was scared senseless that I’d hurt someone I cared about. Scared that the thing inside me—the power, the curse, whatever the Hel it was—would tear itself free and do something irreversible.
My voice came out low, shaking. “I just want them all dead.”
Gods, I sounded like a child.
”Me too.” he said.“But, maybe your ambitions are too big.”
My eyes snapped to his. “Too big?”
He gave a small nod. “Instead of burning a whole army… maybe start smaller.”
I let out a dry laugh. “A flower isn’t small enough?”
“It should be,” he said, almost smiling. “But you skipped the flower and torched a tree instead. What does that tell you?”
I turned, staring at the scorched bark. Smoke still curled into the air like a spirit trying to find its way out. Something twisted in my chest. Grief, yes, but something else too.
Pride.
“I guess I did.”
Aran’s voice hardened.
“Maybe it’s better you don’t forget. Think about Einar. About your family. About what they did to you.” His eyes burned. “Picture it. Feel it. Let it stay with you.”
He stepped closer, fists clenched.
“And the next time you see one of them… one of the Eredians… imagine roasting them alive in their armor.” He smiled, like he could feel the heat rising in me. ”I know you’re scared of hurting the wrong people, of burning everything to the ground. But honestly? Fuck that, Kera. Fuck them. Fuck this world. Let. It. Burn.”
My fingers closed tight around the flower and I felt the heat bloom beneath my skin, rising like a second heartbeat.
And then Will’s voice cut through the trees.
“Kera? What’s happening?”
He jogged toward us, eyes bouncing between me, Aran, and the still-smoking tree behind me. I held out the remains of the flower, cupping it carefully in both hands.
“Look,” I whispered.
The petals were gone, burned away completely, but the ashes still held their shape in my palm. I don’t know what I expected him to say. I just needed him to see it.
He slowed, his steps faltering as his gaze dropped to my hands. Then his eyes lifted, up, past me, to the charred trunk just behind my shoulder.
His jaw dropped.
