Page 190 of Severed Heir

She hesitated. “Myla bonded with Charles since Lorna’s still out cold. She told me something—I don’t think Charles realized he let it slip.”

My stomach twisted. “What do you mean?”

“You asked him to kill you. And he said no.”

“Because I won’t let the civilians of Demetria be used to control my quell.”

Antonia climbed down the ladder, her bare feet landing softly in front of the bed.

“You don’t get it, do you?” she said, her voice sharp.

“What?” I breathed.

“Asking to die isn’t noble. It’s not brave. It’s cowardice, Severyn.” Her voice dropped lower, but it was no less fierce. “I know you’ve been through hell. But the moment you say those words out loud, you start to believe them.”

“I’m not going to die,” I said.

“Good. Because I care about surviving. I care about my little sister, who doesn’t even know if I’m still alive.”

The words slipped out before I could stop them. “Can we be friends?”

She studied me for a second. “I’ll allow it for one night.”

I smiled. “Friends.”

She hesitated… then reached over and hugged me. She actuallyhuggedme.

“Listen,” I said quietly. “I know we’re not sleeping tonight. But maybe… since we’re friends for the next three hours, you could tell me something. About yourself. Your sister. Alaric. I want to understand.”

Her jaw tensed, then she shoved my blanket aside. “Move over.”

I shifted, and she slid in beside me. I couldn’t promise survival. But I could promise three hours of friendship. But tonight, we were just two girls, caught in a war of thrones and blood, who might have, in another life, been friends formuch longer.

Chapter Thirty-Five

By the time we crossed into the untamed lands, it felt like the world had collapsed. The air grew thinner with each step. Every movement felt like a trespass. This was a place where things either ended or began again.

“Keep walking. Cloaks on. Shields high.” Rok’s voice cut through the wind, sharp and cold. We obeyed without hesitation. One wrong move out here and none of us would make it out.

We marched in three tight lines, with guards and heirs woven together. Eventually, we came to a halt and remained there, unmoving. We waited as the minutes dragged on, each one stretching longer than the last.

“What the hell are we waiting for?” Caius growled beside me.

“Keep your voice down,” Rok snapped.

Caius muttered under his breath, “We’ve been standing here coughing up dirt for an hour. This is bullshit.”

Without warning, Damien stepped through the line. “The Forgotten never bargained for the heirs to fight, did they?” he asked. “You made that choice for them.”

Rok’s gaze swept over the ranks. “Speak up,” he said, his voice like ice. “If there’s treason among us, I want it named. Now.”

Caius scoffed. “The only betrayal here is this godsdamned institute.”

“No,” Damien said, stepping forward. “That’s not it.”

Rok’s eyes narrowed. “Then what is it?”

“You lied to us,” Damien said flatly. “The Forgotten didn’t send us here to fight. Malvoria did. The Forgotten never declared war, Malvoria did.”

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