Free.
I wasfree.
And all I could see was his face.
The brand on my chest. The empty eyes in the dungeon. Serenya screaming as they dragged her past my cell. The way he'd stood there, silent, while they broke me.
I launched myself at him.
No daggers. No plan. Just fists and nails and teeth—a wild, snarling thing that wanted to tear him apart with my bare hands. My elbow smashed into his nose. Before he could recover, I drove my knee into his ribs. He didn't fight back.
He grabbed my wrists. Pulled me against him. Held me there—not hurting, justcontaining—while I thrashed and screamed and tried to destroy him.
"Amaria—" His voice was wrecked. "Stop.Stop."
"You branded me!" The words ripped out of me, raw and bloody. "You delivered me to him like a prize!You took Serenya." I growled.
"I know."
His arms tightened, cradling me. Like he could absorb every blow I needed to land.
"I know," he said again, quieter. "And I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
I bucked against him. He didn't let go. He grabbed my face and forced me to look him in the eye.
"There was no other way, Amaria.”
I tried to wrench away from him but he hardened his grip.
“The King told me he intended to claim your power for the Crown. And the moment I saw Kaelen pushing you at the Flame Gate, I knew the truth.”
I slowly lifted my eyes to his. Blood from his chest wound painted my collarbone—hot, steady, a clock counting down. “He wasn't fighting for your freedom. He was just fighting for the right to hold the leash. ”My eyes fluttered shut as shame and rage flooded through me. His thumb traced my cheek—trembling. “And I knew you’d never believe me. Never trust me. So, I had to act." He held my gaze and would not look away.
My Fury stuttered.
He knew.
He'd known what Kaelen was planning. Known I wouldn't listen. Known I'd have to watch it burn before I'd believe it.
And he'd let me hate him anyway. The bastard hadlet me hate him.
"I was trying to protect you. I thought the King's dungeon was the only wall strong enough to keep Kaelen out. I wasn't leaving you there—I was buying time. I was waiting for the moment I could break you out without getting you killed."
A muscle in his jaw twitched, then spasmed. He gripped the back of my neck and pulled me to him, our foreheads pressed together.
"Serenya was not supposed to be there." He whispered through clenched teeth. "She wasnotpart of the plan."
He lifted his head, and murderous fury flickered behind his eyes.
"I'm sorry." His voice was barely controlled. "She should never have been touched."
I went still against him. My hands, which had been clawing at him, flattened against his back. I could feel his heartbeat—too fast, arrhythmic, the cost of shattering the Oath-stone still echoing through his body.
He was dying. And he had used the last of his strength to free me.
"I don't fear the end of the world, Amaria." He murmured. "I fear the end ofyou. If this place has to break for you to survive, then let it break."
I wanted to hit him again. Wanted to shove those words back into his bleeding chest where they belonged. Not now. He didn't get to say thatnow.
