“Whereas everyone knows how yielding and agreeable you are,” Jude said drily.

“That’s right,” Anton replied, smiling for the first time in days. But it quickly faded as he dropped his gaze. “I’m guessing you didn’t come out here to say you’ve changed your mind.”

“You know we have to do this.”

Anton didn’t answer for a long moment, running a soft sage leaf between two fingers. Finally, he looked up at Jude. “When your Grace was damaged by Godfire, you thought that the only way to get it back, the only way to fulfill your destiny, was to cut out your heart.”

Jude didn’t deny it. He knew they were both recalling the first time Anton had kissed him, and how Jude had begged him to keep his distance, convinced that giving in would be his downfall.

“But you couldn’t do it,” Anton went on. “Even when you thought it was your only choice, you wouldn’t do it.”

“This isn’t the same thing,” Jude said. “There are other lives at stake. The world is at stake. You’ve seen what will happen.”

“I know,” Anton said, guilt creeping into his voice. He sighed. “I’m not going to make you promise anything. I can’t choose for you. But it is a choice Jude. You don’t have to do it just because that’s what the Prophets decided.”

Jude looked away.

Anton drew Jude’s hand to his lips, brushing a kiss to his knuckles. “You wanted me to believe in you, right?”

Jude pulled him close, kissing him as the rain came down harder. He just wanted to feel Anton in his arms, Anton’s gentle breath and his warm hands. One last moment of closeness. One last moment of promises unbroken.

“All right.” He eased away, eyes still closed so he wouldn’t have to see the expression on Anton’s face. “Let’s go to Pallas Athos. Let’s get the Relics. Let’s keep trying.”

They spent the evening making plans with the Wanderer. On the surface, it was fairly simple—all they needed to do was get all four Relics in the same room with Anton and Beru. Anton could then use the Relic of Sight to draw on the power of the other Relics and create a new seal that would once again trap the god and give Beru control of her body. Just like Pallas had done in Behezda.

Jude wasn’t sure exactly how they were going to lure the god to them, but the first step was finding the Relics.

“Pallas may be dead, but the city is still filled with those who are loyal to him,” the Wanderer said. “It may be difficult to get to the temple. And I can guarantee the Relics will be under heavy guard.”

“Now, I know you’re not planning to storm the Temple of Pallas without me.”