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“What—”

“Shush!” She jerks away and starts stumbling up the hill.

“What’s going on?” I whisper yell.

“Listen, doofus! There are voices.”

Voices…voices!

I hurry after Wrenley, perking my ear toward the top of the incline. Yes, yes, it’s the unmistakable sounds of camp. The pop and hiss of burning firewood. Easy conversation. The clatter of pots and pans. The ting of sword practice.

Thank the stars. I was almost out of time. If we hadn’t found them tonight, I would have had to leave Birdy to scour the rest of the range on her own⁠—

“Hurry!” Wrenley calls. She’s way ahead of me now, perched behind a rock that peers over the downward slope of the hill.

I sigh and quicken my pace. Hill sprints are something Keldarion, Ezryn, and Dayton probably do for fun. I’d much prefer to be waiting at the bottom with Farron, Rosalina, and a platter of cheese.

I join Wrenley behind the rock and follow her gaze. Down below, in a valley below the hill, is the camp of the Queen’s Army. There must be two hundred, no, three hundred strong. All still wear the identical armor of moonlight gold, the plates emblazoned with suns, stars, and moons.

“We found them,” Wrenley breathes.

“Incredible.” I pat her shoulder, then stretch my back, then my neck. A pool of dark shadows puddles around my feet. “Well then, this is where I take my leave. Remember, you are the queen’s blood. By oath, they must obey you. Good luck, little sis⁠—”

Wrenley snatches me straight out of my shadows and onto firm ground. “What? Where in the seven realms do you think you’re running off to?” She points a finger at the camp. “You’re Rosalina’s mate! You have to help me convince them to join us!”

“They don’t care about mates.” I shrug. “It’s all up to you. Listen, we’re almost out of time before the full moon, and I have something I have to see to⁠—”

She grabs my lapels and curls her lips, putting the princes’ wolves to shame. “You’re not going anywhere. I need you.”

I take her wrists and gently untangle myself from her clawed grip. “No, Birdy girl, you don’t. This is your task. You led your Dreadknights to great esteem. You’ve organized coups and occupations. Think of this as a more…honorable version of all that.”

“They’re not going to listen to me,” she hisses.

“Yes, they will. You are the queen’s daughter⁠—”

“I don’t know what that means!” she screeches, stumbling away from me and digging her hands into her hair. “Don’t leave me, Cas. I can’t do this by myself.”

I step before her, easing her hands into mine and locking our gazes. Her pupils are huge, shaking. My chest tightens, seeing her like this. It’s why I hadn’t told her I would be leaving beforehand. I knew how she’d react. But it has to be done.

She has her path, and I have mine.

“These are the most trained fighters in all the Vale. They could turn the tide of any battle. It’s up to you, Wrenley.”

“Shut up.” Her voice catches.

“You know the marshaling point,” I say calmly. “Bring the army there, and wait for Rosalina’s signal. I’ll lay down briar paths on the battlefield for you to follow.”

Tears are streaming down her cheeks. “I can’t believe you’re leaving me.”

A part of me can’t either. I wish I could stay by her side, craft a convincing plan to get these single-minded soldiers on our side. But right now, we have precious little of something. Time. And there’s another part of me that knows Birdy needs to do this on her own. She needs to know she is part of this, not a pawn.

“Do you remember when I taught you to swim?”

She blinks, confused, then sniffs. “You threw me into the coldest lake in the Below. I was six. I thought I was going to drown.”

“Did you?”

She doesn’t answer.