“No, Bree, no.” William spreads his hands wide. “Listen to me. We’ve gone through every scenario. How do we search for Nick while keeping your identity hidden? How do we follow a trail that we know the Regents are already on? How do we prioritize his safety at the same time that we prioritize yours? It’s impossible.”

“It’s not!” I shout. “You heard Gill and Samira, we just have to choose one or the other—”

“Gill and Samira sent us to a safehouse that was the opposite of safe!” Sel shouts back. “They had an Oath-traitor in their midst, willing to let his Oaths burn him alive in order to kill you. Their intel is out of date and their so-called allies can’t be trusted. We need to get you out of here as soon as possible.”

“There are four of us,” I say, shrugging. “Let’s vote on it.”

“We already have,” Alice mutters.

My mouth works open and closed. “But… on the plane…”

“A decision on a plane at thirty-five thousand feet means nothing,” Sel says, “when we land and everything goes to hell on the ground.”

I scoff. “Then I veto your vote!”

Sel barks a laugh and walks away, hands on his head. “Ridiculous.”

Alice scowls. “You’re not my king, Matty.”

I thrust a hand out. “Apparently I’m not anyone’s king if you all can go behind my back!”

“Bree…” William rubs a thumb across his forehead. “Sel and I have been in the field longer than you. We know when we’re underinformed and outgunned. We know when it’s time to retreat.”

I look between him and Sel and Alice, and no one is budging. No one is even looking like there’s a discussion to be had, because they’ve already had it. Without me.

Eventually Sel will have to fulfill his Kingsmage Oath in order to preserve his humanity, and my logical brain knows it makes sense that he should leave to rescue Nick and save himself in the process. That maybe it never made sense for him to stay with me. But my logical mind is gone, gone, gone.

I’d walked into this room ready to keep fighting and suddenly, abruptly, I’ve hit a brick wall. Not just any brick wall, but my friends. I thought I was king, or close enough. I thought our decisions were “my call.” They have no idea what I’d just learned in my blood walk, what I could keep learning, how much more powerful I could become—

A week ago, the roar of rage building in my throat might have felt like Arthur’s, but right now? It’s all mine.

“You know Nick is being hunted out there!” I shout at Sel. “He could die! Did you forget that part?”

He’s in my face in a blur of motion, eyes like embers against my cheeks. “Say that again.”