Page 116 of Ashborne Phoenix

No longer edged with frantic fear.

He still felt afraid. But he spoke with the quiet assurance of a man who knew his job, and accepted his fate in it.

I hated that. Hated that he expected pain, death, defeat. And yet, his courage only blazed to the fore.

He painted a picture of everything that might happen. And together, we planned.

The circle would remain until he returned. And perhaps the dampers on his gifts would be lifted the moment he stepped into it with me.

But perhaps his mother had the power to choose.

No matter which, he would put himself between her and me, and do everything in his power to claim the mark, take it from her. And then he’d ask Kham how to destroy it, so no Cruor could ever again hold that authority over others.

And he would never use it. Not the mark. Not the dark power.

No matter what.

That last sentence was the terrifying one. He held my gaze as he spoke it, making certain I understood.

And I did.

He would fight to the death—but he would let himself be killed, rather than touch that black power again.

“If it comes to that… you have to run, Grace,” he said solemnly. “While they tear me down, you have to leave. Promise me. Get out. Let Koa take you. Make yourself safe.”

I was crying by that time, shaking my head. “Kham will save you! Koa will save me—this doesn’t have to end that way!”

“It does if that’s the only way to destroy them,” he said with soft determination. “We’ll see. I believe I’ve earned the Dominus mark. If she won’t give it to me by choice, I’ll take it from her. And she’ll try to kill me for it.”

“Don’t let her! You’re strong. Skilled. You don’t have to die—”

“I’ll fight, Grace. I promise you. I’ll fight with everything I have. But please… If she attempts to take me down, you get yourself to safety, you go home to the Keep, and you tell them what’s happened. Everything. Us. The dragons. The Cruors, all of it. You tell them who’s done what. And you let Donavyn gather whatever is needed to come back and raze these people. Let the dragons call judgment on them. Show Koa everything they’ve done. Tell Kham to show Kgosi. Whatever it takes… remove them from this earth. Everyone will be better without them.”

“I’m not going without you!” My breath hitched. I kept reminding myself, he wasn’t dying. But that certainty in him… he was willing to sacrifice himself. And that terrified me.

He didn’t waver. “This is just a plan. Just in case. So… give me your word, Grace. Promise me. No matter how this turns out, you’re getting out. You tell everyone in Vosgaarde who will listen. And you stay safe and let them handle it.”

I stared at him, and he stared back, his eyes dark pools of midnight blue. Like water at night. But instead of the storms, instead of the wind of his heart whipping the water into whitecaps, it was a calm, mirror-flat lake of blue.

“Grace… please. Promise me.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, then nodded. “I promise. I’ll tell them. All of them. Everything.”

His shoulders slumped with relief. “Thank you. I can do anything that’s needed if I know you’re safe.”

“I’m staying at your side until there’s no other choice,” I warned him. “I’m not leaving you unless it’s the only way.”

He nodded slowly. “I know. Just as long as… if Koa comes for you, you get out of there. No questions. No delays.”

Koa shrieked overhead and sent a jolt of conviction through the link. When I nodded sadly, Voski sat up again and took my face in his hands, kissing me deeply, and slowly.

Then we clung to each other and he murmured everything he saw. All the ways it might play out. All the ways he’d try to combat it. And I whispered all the ways I could help.

We had a plan.

When we were done he held me again, then sighed. “Dawn is coming. We have to get back. I have to enter that Circle before the sun rises. Are you ready?”

I nodded, which was almost a lie. But when he took my hand and helped me to my feet, and we stood, damp, and exhausted, and stared at each other, the earth was solid under my feet.