Page 88 of Of Flames and Fallacies

I fetch Marge’s staff and hand it to her. We walk out together and meet the rest of the squad gathered near the outlook tower. The memory of the two men executed pricks an uneasiness in my chest. I stare at the base of the tower, terrified if I gaze up at the top I won’t be able to stop replaying the vision of the men dropping to their demise. Whispers shuffle around us until Cole clears his throat at the top platform. Everyone falls silent.

“Blackfell has been breached, and there seems to be a stalemate between the rebels and the town. We need to get there quickly, before the rebels make a move. I’m assembling two groups in the event this is a trap. Groups will be split from the center of camp: north and south. Carlisle will lead the northern half that’ll stay here to guard the camp. Southern half comes with me, and we will head to Blackfell to reclaim the town. Grab your weapons, and prepare yourselves for a fight. We will leave at sundown and surprise them in the cover of darkness.”

Which means I’ll stay here, as part of the northern group.

And Cole will go to Blackfell.

My heart sinks into the pits of my stomach at the thought of being separated from him. Marge pats my shoulder and leaves the throng. The squad’s nervous anticipation bubbles around me as people scurry off into opposite directions. Cole walks toward me, the people splitting off and breaking to let him through. As if he’s a rock and the crowd is a river forced around his wake.

He rests a hand on my shoulder and whispers, “I don’t want to be separated from you, but I have to ask you to stay here.”

I shake my head profusely. “No. I’m going with you.”

“It’s too dangerous.”

“It would be just as dangerous here as it would be with you, if it really is a trap.”

He grunts. “Yes, but here you have Da—” he catches himself before he says Daeja’s name.

“Then she can come with us,” I plead. “Please. Don’t do this.”

“If she’s seen, we’re all dead.”

I grab his arm and tug him toward my room. The door shuts out the noise behind us and silence falls between us.

A muscle flickers in his jaw. “Believe me, this is just as hard on me as it is you. But it’s in your best interest.”

“Cole.” I dare a touch of my fingers on his chest. “We’re supposed to stay together, remember? You asked me to stay.With you.”

He sighs, gaze lowered and avoiding.

I try again, pulling his chin to look me in the eye. “I promised.”

His voice drops to a whisper, “You did...”

A war rages within his eyes, his eyebrows knit together. He blows out a breath. “Sometimes I wonder if you know how much power you have over me. And it’s instances like this where I realize, you do know…bring whatever medicinal supplies you can. Marge can stay here, and you can take her place with us. You’re to stay back from the battle in the outskirts of Blackfell.And if there’s the slightest threat, I want you to run. You don’t look back. You don’t stop to think of me. Yourun.If something happens to me, I want you to take her to the Dragon Lands.”

“I—” my voice catches at the thought of going without him. Of leaving him and living in a world without him.No.I start to shake my head.

“Kat, promise me,” he urges, gripping my hand in his.

“I’ll fly,” I reassure.

“Huh?”

“I won’t run, I’ll fly. Daeja and I have been practicing.”

He blinks. “Practicing...flying?”

“Well. We’ve only done it a few times. But I can do it.”

A knock sounds at the door, and Carlisle calls from the other side. “Captain, a word?”

“One moment, Carlisle!” Cole shouts as he unclasps the necklace around his neck and places it in my palm. The metal of his mother’s ring is cold against my hot skin.

My breath hitches as he closes my fingers over the ring. He leans his forehead into mine, his hand still holding my fingers closed over his family heirloom.

“I love you,” he promises in a hushed whisper. With his other hand, he draws me into his soft lips. But he pulls away—far too quickly—and ends with a kiss on my forehead.

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