She swallowed.

“Asees is dead,” she said, so Arjun wouldn’t have to.

Her voice was quiet, but not in an uncertain way. It was quiet in an angry, bitter way she hadn’t felt since her pehta died. Quiet in the same way the skies were as they changed color into a silent black, while the storm and the lightning and the hail brewed inside.

She was quiet in the same way death often was.

“Everyone is dead.”

Wesley’s eyes flickered. “Because you came for me.”

Karam pictured Asees’s broken body, bloody on the beach, and tried to keep herself from crumbling at the pain.

“It was not because of you,” Arjun said. “I know you think that the realms revolve around you, underboss. But this was the Kingpin, and I will not let you take Asees’s death from his hands. Or her justice from mine.”

Karam sucked in a breath.

Justice. She dismissed the notion. It was revenge they needed. Blood.

“I will take over as Liege of my Kin,” Arjun said.

His voice was too small for his stature.

There would be only a handful of his people left.

“Of course,” Saxony said. “I’m leading the Rishiyat Crafters now and will work with you to head up the magical army. I promise that we’ll make Ashwood pay.”

She placed a hand on Arjun’s broad shoulder.

“Are either of you injured?” Saxony asked. “Karam?”

By the spirits, the way that girl said her name made everything in Karam shake. Feel weak and strong at the same time. She wanted nothing more than to kiss her. Between the not-dying and the rowing between cities, it had been far too many days of not kissing Saxony.

But it was taking all of her strength not to cry and so she stayed focused on that instead.

“Do you two need to be healed?” Saxony asked again.

“I am fine,” Arjun said. He moved forward, hand on his sword. “And I am ready for battle.”

“Whoa there, soldier.”

Wesley pushed past Saxony and Tavia to place two firm hands on Arjun’s chest to hold him back.

“The war is taking a break right now,” Wesley said. “And so should you. I get wanting to smash everything, but you’re not going to be much use to anyone unless you get some rest.”

Arjun’s jaw shook.

Don’t cry, Karam thought selfishly. I couldn’t bear it if you cried again, Arjun.

“I’ll show you to a comfortable room and we can get you cleaned up,” Wesley said.

Those words were such a surprise to Karam that when Arjun accepted with a curt nod and the two walked back inside the estate, she could only blink in surprise.

Perhaps what Arjun needed wasn’t a friend who shared in his pain, but someone who could let him grieve alone.

“You need some rest too,” Saxony said, holding on tightly to Karam’s hand.