Page 92 of A Petal in the Crown

With a sniffle she tried to hide, Elise turned away. "Be safe. I’ll be right here," she said, moving just to the other side of the gathering soldiers.

"We’re going to be fine," he said softly, his voice filled with a quiet conviction that made her heart ache. "I promise you, I’ll keep you safe."

Emma forced a smile, though it felt hollow. She wanted to believe him.Neededto believe him. Desperately. But there was no room for certainty in war. Especially not when Alaric and Eudora were involved.

"Ready?" Evangeline asked, her voice suddenly shaky with anxiety.

Emma nodded, letting go of Thomas’s hand to grab her dagger, the other still tight around the cold glass of the potion.

Thomas gave her a nod of approval, and Emma’s chest warmed. "Ready," she said, the words gritty in her mouth.

But before they could move, Thomas stopped her. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing a soft line along her skin. "I just need to tell you that I love you," he said quietly. "I do."

The world seemed to pause for a moment, and Emma’s breath caught in her throat. Tears welled in her eyes, stinging and blurring her vision as Thomas’s emotions pulsed against Emma’s skin—the feeling she had sensed from him all this time.

It was love. Not something close to love, but true, unconditional love. Deep, selfless love. The kind that made her heart swell and break all at once.

She wanted to tell him she loved him, too, that she had always loved him, but the words were stuck in her throat, tangled up with the emotions radiating from all around her. Terror and fear and anger and anticipation and… love.

Before she could speak, Thomas pulled her forward, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, full of promise and hope and, once again, love. Emma kissed him back, a whimper leaving her throat as a tear trailed down her cheek. Thomas pulled back, brushing the tear away before leading her through the portal to the place where, one way or another, the war would end.

Walking through the portal was no different from stepping through a doorway. There was no gust of wind, no flicker of light to mark the transition—just a single step forward, and suddenly the world shifted. Emma blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the freezing rain and sudden darkness of the Wicked Wood, an oppressive gloom settling over her like a thick, suffocating blanket. A shiver ran down her spine as the feeling of icy fingers brushing the back of her neck made her stomach turn. Every nerve in her body went taut with tension, her senses instantly alert to the danger that lurked in the shadows.

A low rumble of growls sounded as Lea turned, her eyes narrowing as Emma and Thomas appeared. A pack of fenrir surrounded them, their glowing eyes narrowing in on Emma and Thomas as they bared their enormous teeth. Thomas pulled her backward, and she tried to make herself smaller.

Lea held up a hand, and the fenrir paused, but it did nothing to ease Emma’s nerves. Saliva still dripped from their massive teeth, and their muscles were still tense, as if just waiting for permission to attack. Fire crackled through the grass toward them, stopping only inches from their toes.

"What. Have. You. Done?" Lea’s voice was like the crack of a whip, her gaze locking onto Evangeline. Flames grew all around her, wrapping up Lea’s body and reaching toward the trees. "This wasn’t the plan."

Evangeline suffocated Lea’s flames and stepped forward with her hands outstretched. "I’m aware of that," she said calmly, but Emma didn’t miss the exhaustion in her tone. "Things change. Visions change. We need them here, Lea. We need Emma. Because…" Evangeline trailed off as if to speak her fears was to risk them becoming the truth.

Lea’s face went pale. "Say it." Her words cut through the air like a flash of lightning, her eyes blazing with an intensity that made Thomas step in front of Emma.

Evangeline pressed her lips together, her shoulders hunching forward. "It’s just a precaution," she said, her voice shaking with the threat of tears.

Emma could feel the desperation washing off Evangeline. The way she hoped Lea wouldn’t blame her for what was to happen. Her fear that she wouldn’t listen, or that one of her unspeakable visions would come true.

"I’m just here to help, Lea." Emma stepped around Thomas, meeting Lea’s eyes. "If you get hurt—"

"If I die," Lea interrupted, her voice cold, but resigned. The fenrir once again began to growl, a terrifying chorus of predatory power. "You can say it. We all know it’s a possibility."

The words hung between them, heavy as the air in the Wicked Wood. It wrapped around Emma’s chest, threatening to suffocate her as the weight of Lea’s words settled on her shoulders. She wanted to speak. Wanted to tell Lea that everything was going to be okay, and that she was certain she’d succeed, but her voice wouldn’t work.

"If the worst happens—if Alaric overpowers you—you will still be able to deliver the final blow if Emma is tethered to the other side. You’ll still get eternity with your mate, Lea. Even if you don’t get to live," Thomas said, his voice so sad it made Emma want to cry.

Lea’s throat bobbed as she swallowed, her fists clenching and unclenching at her sides. For a moment, her face softened, a flicker of vulnerability passing over her features before she steeled herself once again. "I won’t fail," she said, her voice low but filled with determination. "I can’t." She glanced at Emma, her eyes briefly softening. "But thank you. For this… precaution."

Emma could feel the tension in Lea’s words, the weight of what was coming etched into each syllable. Her heart pounded against her ribs, and she forced herself to relax her grip on the vial in her hand, worried it would shatter.

"Do you have your petals?" Lea asked, meeting each of their eyes.

"Yes," Thomas confirmed. "I have several." He patted his hip with a small, reassuring smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

Lea nodded, her jaw tightening as she squared her shoulders. "Good. Then let’s not waste any more time." She looked at each of them in turn, her eyes lingering on Emma. "I’ll see you soon," she said, her voice breaking. "Stay safe. Stay hidden."

Emma stepped forward, her heart hammering harder by the second. "Wait," she said, holding up the potion. "You don’t know where Alaric is. Let me take it first, before you leave. I don’t want to risk you stumbling upon him before I’m tethering the worlds."

Lea paused, her eyes flickering between Emma and the vial. There was a brief hesitation, a moment of silent understanding between them, before Lea nodded. "Okay," she said, her voice quieter now, laced with something close to fear, though she hid it well. "Do it quickly."

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