“Believe what you want. You always have made assumptions about me, haven’t you?”

“This is not at all the same thing.”

“Then, what are you doing about everything right now, Fordham? Why are you on the sidelines?”

“It’s the curse!” he barked. “This whole bloody thing is because of me.”

She startled. “When are you going to stop blaming yourself for everything that happens and start trying to fix it?”

“I tried that with you, and look where that led us,” he said, placing another foot of space between them. “The minute that I feel anything at all, it is stolen or killed in front of me. My mother is dead. Dacia is dead. My father is dead. Half of my kingdom is dead! I will not interfere and have the rest die with it. And if you marry March, then good riddance.”

Tears came to her eyes at the harsh words as his cold gray eyes fixed on her with all the built-up anger and frustration. Then, he disappeared in a cloud of shadows, leaving her to pick up the pieces of her heart.

After they had finished with Fordham’s tent, Benton and Bayton carefully bundled her in a blanket, sitting her before the dying fire. Bayton brushed free the snarls in her curly hair and then plaited it back out of her face. Neither of them said a word, but the caution and worry in their faces said everything.

When the camp was packed, Kerrigan shrugged off Fordham’s anger and called Tieran. Audria had agreed to carry one of the twins to redistribute the weight. Over the next couple of weeks, the remainder of the refugees would be brought into Kinkadia by foot or in caravans.

Benton held on tight, only screaming a little as Tieran rose into the skies and headed south toward the city. Bayton looked to be in a blissful state just getting to be near the dragons, let alone to ride on one.

It was a few hours back to the city. Fordham even fly with them. Alura was being carried by a healer back to Kinkadia. Now, it was just the three of them, and Audria wearily took point. A few hours later, they landed in an aerie, and with Benton and Bayton’s help, it only took one trip to get her belongings back to her room. She’d have to figure out where they could stay, but there was plenty of space within the mountain.

Kerrigan returned to the aerie to see if they needed help with any of the remainder of the supplies. She followed Mistress Corinna into the room. She veered straight for Helly, whispering furtively, and handed her a document. Kerrigan kept chancing glances at them, wondering what was going on.

Then, Helly sighed heavily and nodded. Kerrigan read the words on her lips. “Do it.”