“I don't even think they care about gaining territory anymore. They want Maeve. Speaking of which?—”
“Wait, where is she?” Pia’s expression sank as she crossed her arms.
I knew what she was thinking. I wished I could tell her for certain that Maeve was still alive, but couldn't. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “She used her powers on me, forcing me to stay away from her.”
Pia’s arms pulled at her disheveled hair, before crossing over her armor. “What in the gods names? Why would she do that?”
“I don't know,” I fabricated my answer.
“Why did you let her do that?”
I furrowed my brows. “Let her? I didn'tlether.”
Pia uncrossed her arms to slap me upside the head.
“What the hell, Pia!”
“Why didn't you have your shields up, dumbass?”
“I did! We are in the middle of a battle—of course I had them up! She broke through them.”
“Pretty crappy shields you have then, cousin,” she countered.
“Coming from someone who can hardly even use hers,” I spat back.
Pia rolled her eyes and Kohen interjected our banter. “You two are ridiculous. Shut up.” He turned to me. “Tell me what you need me to do.”
“I obviously can't be with her, so I need you to find and stay with her. Make sure none of the Draemornians get close enough to her to…” I let my voice trail off. I didn't need to disclose what would happen if they got a hold of her.
Kohen nodded in understanding. “Okay. I’ll go. Can you stick with Pia?”
“I don't need him to stay with me,” she argued, and Kohen glared back at her, rolling his eyes.
“Okay, yeah. Sure,” he scoffed sarcastically and turned to me. “Don't you dare leave her.” His voice was stern as he directed his warning to me.
“I won't.”
Pia glowered at him, but accepted a peck on the cheek before he let himself out of the barricades. She didn't take her eyes off of him as he went.
“If he gets hurt, I'll kill you,” she threatened, pointing her dagger at my chest once he was gone.
“Fine by me.” I understood her fear—I’d tear my own heart from my chest if it meant keepinghersafe.
Chapter
Forty-Four
There were more pressing matters, but I needed to feel at peace once more before I left this world.
“My star…”
I ignored the voice of Blythe, as I had been for about an hour now. I sat on the water's edge, admiring the sunset. My last one.
“Come to me…”
It was pathetic—me sitting here. Secluded and arguably safe while the ones I cared about battled to the death over our kingdom. Battling over a piece of land andme.
“My star?”
