Page 151 of The Reaping Rose

Perame nods, but it makes her flinch in pain. “It was a dreamer’s romance. It was never going to work. I’ll live centuries, while Daisy—” She shakes her head. “I saw her right before the Arches closed. I don’t know how she died or when. But she’s gone now.”

“She’s the reason you’re scared of how you feel for Seren.”

“My brother wouldn’t be.” Perame’s smile is sad. “He’s always diving in headfirst, not worrying about the consequences. I swear nothing can break him. I wish I was like that.”

“You are.” I rest a hand on her arm.

“You’re still fighting,” Callum reminds her. “Giving up is easy. Pushing through is the hard part. But you’re doing it. You’re tough, Perame. Don’t doubt yourself. Atlas would be proud.”

Perame flinches as pain shoots through her. She hisses through her teeth.

“We need to keep moving,” Callum says, reaching for Perame and lifting her in his arms.

“Just in case…” Her head lolls to the side as she slowly loses consciousness. “Tell Atlas I love him.”

Callum swallows hard. “You’ll tell him yourself.”

When we reach the Arch, we find Overlord Farseth wasn’t lying. Men guard it on all sides.

“There are five of them.” Esen’s eyes widen. “And I don’t know how to fight.”

It’s too bad the void only works against magic because that would make this easier.

“Stay here with Perame.” I glance at where Callum helps Perame rest against a tree.

She can barely hold her head up, much less sit. Esen rushes over as Perame leans to the side, giving her more support. Perame’s eyes flutter open long enough to see Esen holding her up. Her smile falls as her eyes close.

“I can handle this.” Callum approaches, assessing the guards through the trees. “If you want to stay back and watch them, I’ll take care of the guards.”

“And let you have all the fun?”

He smirks, knowing I’d never let him go into this alone.

The Arch is right there before us. Our home. My mate. We’re so close.

Callum nods, knowing there is no talking me out of it, as we quickly set up a plan. Thankfully, nighttime is darker here, and the thick shrubbery around the Arch shields us from view. We circle behind the group, inching as close as possible before making a move.

Callum watches the men, barreling into what magic has replenished to send a breeze along the ground, stirring the dried leaves and drawing their attention in the opposite direction. They follow the movement, and then Callum sends a whip of wind that sends them flying.

I grip the dagger Esen packed in the bag, letting it warm in my palm as flecks of starlight spark on my fingertips, lighting the blade.

Callum glances from the dagger to me; a surge of understanding moves between us. We’ve come this far. Nothing will stop us now.

He moves first, slicing a sword straight through the neck of the guard closest to us. His body drops to the ground before he has the chance to yell a warning to the others. I move to the next guard, staying low and driving my dagger up through his stomach, tearing until his insides spill out onto the ground.

Callum takes out another with a wide arc of his blade. And then there are two, one for each of us.

Only a flicker of magic flows through me, but I manage to move quickly. I’m a dance of destruction and silence just like Callum and my father taught me.

Move fast. Quiet. Small.

Then attack big.

I can’t overpower them head-to-head, so I have to take them out before they see me coming.

The guard turns a little too late; his blade nicks my skin as he aims for me. But I don’t let it slow me down as he resets his stance. I move, daggers first, drawing a perfect crimson line through his throat. The guard drops to his knees, clutching his bleeding neck while Callum’s opponent falls beside him.

Glancing over, I eye the twisted vines climbing the posts. “Time to go home.”