Page 50 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

He makes a face and shakes his head. “The orcs did this.”

“But if you had been here instead of with me?—”

“If I hadn’t come through the portal, I never would have found my fated mate,” he points out.

“And Constantine would never have supplied your enemies with weapons of destruction.”

Not to mention the blight draining Astronia of its magic.

“Hey.” He grabs my chin in his hand. “We can’t afford regret.” He brushes his thumb over my cheek. “With my father gone so suddenly, the war would have happened eventually. And if I hadn’t come to the library when I did, you would have faced Constantine alone. This is our destiny, Paige. The good and the bad. We’ll face it together.”

I weave my fingers through his. “Together,” I echo, ignoring the hollow pit in my stomach as I think about how many others before me have already been lost to destiny.

Hoc.

My birth parents.

The entire library.

I can’t help feeling like fate is nothing more than a tidal wave of loss intent on wiping out everything in its path. And I’m not sure there’s anything we can do to stop it.

Hours later,I sit on a stone bench in the castle gardens, tucked into a secluded corner I found, knees pulled to my chest, staring at the fading light filtering through the trees. The guiltfrom earlier twists in my gut, heavy and suffocating. The village... all those people. I should’ve found a way to send Aries back here sooner. Maybe then, they’d still be alive.

I hear footsteps behind me and tense. Aries already said he’d be gone the entire evening, doing training exercises. Blossom and Mag are undoubtedly doing the same, which leaves a very short list of people I want to summon a brave face for at the moment.

“I’ll be right out,” I say without turning around, hoping whoever it is will take the hint and leave.

“Yeah, I’m sure you will.” The voice is familiar, though we haven’t spoken much. I glance over and find Leo standing in the small opening between hedges, hands in his pockets, watching me carefully. “You looked like you could use some company.”

I blink, surprised he’s here. Leo and I haven’t really had a one-on-one conversation—beyond him professing a life debt to me for saving him from marrying Esma. He’s always with Aries, cracking jokes or offering support to his big brother—and me by extension. But now, there’s a quiet scrutiny in his eyes as he focuses on me.

“I’m okay,” I say, trying to wave him off. I’m not exactly in the mood for whatever banter he’s famous for.

He shrugs then steps farther into the little alcove. “The problem is this is my favorite brooding spot too. So, I guess we’ll just have to share.”

I glance at him, half-expecting a cocky grin, but his expression is softer than I thought it’d be. Still, I try to brush him off. “I’m not brooding. I’m…processing.”

“Ah. Is that what they call it in your world?”

I snort but can’t quite summon a smile.

He doesn’t seem to mind.

A moment passes, and he doesn’t move to leave.

I try to ignore him, but the quiet presses in too hard. “It’s the village,” I finally say, my voice quiet. “All those people... it feels like I should’ve done something to stop it.”

Leo stays silent for a moment, and I half expect him to crack another joke. But when he speaks, his tone is serious. “It’s not your fault. You know that, right?”

I rub my hands together, trying to get rid of the nervous energy coursing through me. “Logically, I know that. But I also know there are more villages at stake. And what if... what if we lose? What if I can’t do enough to help? Every time I try, I feel like I’m just... failing.”

His expression softens. “I know how you feel.”

I think of the way he’s always smiling and laughing. At the way he wields a sword in the training ring with Aries. And I shake my head. “No offense, but I doubt that’s true.”

Leo straightens, crossing his arms over his chest. “You think I’m not scared of that exact thing?”

I glance over at him, surprised by the rawness in his voice. “Are you?”

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