Page 190 of Heat of the Everflame

“I’ve already seen one.” He let out a long sigh. “I collapsed at the bathhouse. The Centenaries you saw earlier brought me back, then the Umbros Queen sent for a healer. They brought two, a mortal and a Fortos Descended. Both agreed nothing could be done. Once the poison reaches the heart, godstone is always leth—”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence,” I hissed. “You and I—we don’t give up. Whatever happens, we keep fighting. Until the absolute last breath, do you hear me? Wefight, Luther. To the very end.”

Defeat hung over him like a storm cloud. For him, this was the end. He had been fighting this war all alone for days in every way he knew how, and now he was kneeling on the battlefield, the enemy’s sword at his neck, ready to face the inevitable with honor.

Whether for my benefit or for his own last tiny scrap of hope, he bit back his protests and nodded.

“Promise me,” I pushed. It was a ruthless card to play, and a cruelly selfish one. But for him, forthis, I’d sink to any low. “If you truly love me, you’ll give me your word that you’ll keep fighting.”

His hand rose to my cheek. “Then I have no choice. You have my word.”

My heart shattered, then healed, then shattered anew.

I nodded. “We have to get you home. Maura will know what to do.” I took a deep breath and let the reality settle over me of what I had to do—and what it might cost me.

I closed my eyes, spearing my mind and heart out into the ether.

“Come,” I whispered. “Hurry.”

Across the sea, a pulse of acceptance thrummed in response.

Luther’s eyes narrowed. “Diem, what did you just do?”

I pressed lightly on his heart, then pulled my hand away and stood. “Don’t move. I’ll be back.”

“Diem, this is too big a risk, the Queen won’t—”

His protests faded behind me as I fled from the room and ran down the corridor. I stopped in front of Taran’s door and pounded my fist against it.

“Taran,” I shouted. Waited. Pounded again. “Taran, open up!”

Silence.

He was gone—off in the palace, gods knew where with gods knew who, unaware that his best friend, his dearest confidant, lay dying a few hallways away.

I sank to my knees and wept, reality smothering the breath from my lungs. My shoulders shuddered with uncontrollable sobs as I thought of the agonizing pain Luther must have been hiding, the grief, the fear, the devastating knowledge that he might never see Lily again...

And he’d borne it all alone, suffering in silence.

All for me.

He’d done everything forme.

A light appeared beneath the door. The latch clicked open and Taran’s bleary-eyed face peered through the crack. “Queenie?”

“Taran,” I said weakly.

He took in my tear-stained face and pulled the door all the way open. “What’s wrong?”

“It’s Luther... he’s...” My voice broke on the words, my heart refusing to speak them aloud. “We’re returning to Lumnos.Tonight. Sorae is on her way. The Queen’s not going to let me leave willingly, so we’re going to have to run.”

The bloodshot fog of his drunkenness instantly cleared. He grabbed my arms and helped me to my feet. “What do you need me to do?”

“Get your things, then come to Luther’s room. Do you know where Alixe is?”

He frowned. “I don’t.”

“I do.”

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