Chapter Twenty-Eight
Kade
I cleaned and sharpened my twin swords and placed them in their sheaths, the final act of my preparation before tomorrow’s march.
The weight of them was a familiar comfort, almost as soothing as the last few nights I'd spent curled around Emelyn in her tent.
A small smile curved my lips. We were finally making progress, and I hated that now that we were, we would be marching to battle tomorrow morning.
Without warning, a raven burst through the open flap of my tent, its feathers shimmering with a silvery enchantment.
Instinctively, my hand shot out, grasping the parchment tied to its leg.
I didn’t bother with unwrapping it. I bent fire to my palm, letting my flames eat up the letter as it crumbled to ash upon my touch, the remnants slipping through my fingers.
I knew it had to hold the same words Rhet had read and delivered to Atreya already.
I was sure the distance to me had delayed the bird’s arrival.
It mattered little now. Our plans had already been set.
Time was a luxury we couldn't afford, and even if I wanted to send word back, which I didn’t, it wouldn’t get there before the battle.
Plus, Rhet had already sent a response. He could shoulder the weight of our choices now—I’d shed mine when I’d stepped down from my role.
A quick inspection of the bird let me know the enchantment had been broken, the silvery shimmer gone, and it deserved freedom. I flicked my wrist, ushering it toward the sky, where it disappeared into the trees.
Across the camp, Emelyn's laughter mingled with Ace's deeper chuckles, a sight that sent pangs through my chest of both joy and agony. She turned, her gaze catching mine, and the world narrowed to the space between us. Fuck, she was everything to me. I couldn’t get that kiss out of my head. I wanted to lay her down and show her all the ways I could worship her, but I wasn’t going to fuck up all the progress we had made by rushing her.
I knew Ace had teased her about something because Emelyn’s hand playfully shoved against his chest, his frame shaking with his laughter.
The past few weeks had been difficult, but it had been worth it.
First, she’d allowed my shadows in, and now she had started letting me sleep in her tent through the night.
I wanted more, I wanted all of her desperately, but I had waited most of my life for her. I could wait a little longer.
With the bag clutched firmly in my grasp, I strode from the tent toward her. Emelyn was the reason my heart beat, the echo of my soul, and I would follow her into the dark, unending night.