Page 122 of House of Crimson Cloak and Silver Teeth

“Your father’s Grimsbane—”

“Seven Grimsbane against the entire Wiolant forces and whoever else rallies to the Queen?” He shakes his head. “Those aren’t odds, Wolf. That’s a massacre.”

The calm way he discusses his own death makes my chest tight. “You could run. Let’s leave tonight. I know routes out of the city.”

I’ve already mapped them. Two through the old catacombs beneath the temple district. One requires scaling the eastern wall and leads directly to the forest. We could be gone before midnight. I could get him out and keep him safe.

“I don’t think I could abandon my family.” He turns to me, almost smiling. “You know me better than that.”

I do know that.

Garrett would die for these people without hesitation. It’s not even a choice for him. It’s just who he is.

“Then we hope for Duel,” I say, already knowing it’s a desperate hope.

“Yes.” He moves closer, stops just out of reach. “Which means tomorrow at noon, I probably kill some poor knight whose only crime is loyalty to his queen.”

“Or he kills you.”

“That’s possible…” He nods. “The queen has good champions. Aelfric Lightning-Foot trained under her sister. Her other guard, Darstan killed an Auroch once... Either one could give me a real fight.”

Something twists in my gut at how easily he talks about dying, like it’s already decided. My hands curl into fists at my sides. This is wrong, all of it.

Garrett tilts his head, studying me. “How would you feel about that? Watching me die?”

The question catches me off-guard. Something in my chest seizes. “I’d prevent it.”

He takes another step closer. Those captivating green eyes study me with quiet intensity. Garrett is always so calm... even when his world is burning down around him.

“Would you do something for me?” he asks.

I’d do anything for him. I nod.

“Tonight’s festival. Come with me to the royal ball. Not as my bodyguard but as...” He pauses, searching for the words. “As you. Just you.”

“But I’m always me.”

“No, you’re always Wolf, the Grimsbane.” He closes the distance between us until I can feel the warmth radiating from him. “I want to spend what might be my last night with the real you.”

Everything in me wants to say yes.

I want to walk through the festival with him, watch fire-dancers and steal moments in dark corners where no one can see. I want it so badly it hurts.

But I can’t.

Six more Grimsbane are arriving. There are a hundred ways Garrett could die if I’m not paying attention.

“Garrett—”

His hand finds mine. “Please.”

The touch burns. His fingers curl around mine, warm and solid and real. For a heartbeat we just stand there with his hand in mine. I’m close enough that I can see the flecks of gold in his green eyes.

The temptation is real. One night where we're ourselves.

But I can’t.

“No,” I say, pulling my hand back.