“Please, stay?” I begged. I’d been doing a lot of that the past few days.
“The Wardens need us,” he said. ”You know I can’t.”
I need you too.
I nodded, even though what I really wanted to do was tie him up, drag him back to my house, slam the door and never let him leave.
“They might come back,” I said. "The Eredians.”
He didn’t hesitate. “They will.”
“When you find them…” I started.
“I won’t give them quick deaths,” he said.
I didn’t think of myself as cruel. Not Will either. We were soft. Kind. Helpful. But I still wanted it. I wanted them to suffer.
I reached for his sleeve and pulled him toward me. I thought even about telling him. He didn’t know about Arche. About what happened in the alley the night before. Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve changed things, if he’d known.
Would he have stayed? Chosen to protect me instead?
Or would he have gone anyway, burning with a different kind of purpose, to find Arche and kill him? And then what? Would that fury have made him reckless? Gotten him killed?
I told myself it was better not to tell. Let him go with a clear head, give him the best chance at staying alive.
“I can’t lose you too,” I whispered.
Will turned to face me. His eyes were tired.
“I have to go,” he said gently. ”But I’ll be back.”
I wanted to scream. Einar was already gone. Licia too. Even Aran. And now Will. Everyone I cared for was slipping through my fingers, one by one.
Was I selfish for wanting him to choose me over our country?
Probably. But I didn’t care.
“What if it’s not enough?” I asked. My voice cracked. “What if you all die? What if they feast on your flesh?”
He gave me a small smile. “They don’t actually eat people, Kera.”
“Doesn’t mean they won’t kill you,” I said.
He stepped closer, rested a hand on my shoulder.
“We’re doing this for you. For our families. For our home.”
I reached into the pocket of my coat, pulled out the piece of paper I’d tucked the flower into.
Will blinked. “What’s that?”
I hesitated.
“Thought it was pretty,” I recited, as if his former words were sacred scripture. “Thought you might like it.”
He squinted at the flower, confused. Then his eyes widened.
“No…” he breathed, flushing. “Oh gods. What was I, like nine?”
