But she had. And she’d made it perfectly clear where we stood now. Just being with the soldier wasn’t enough, it seemed. She wanted to sever the Sallith’tahn completely. I was willing to wait for her, to let her be human until she realized how very short their lives truly were, but even that wasn’t enough.

Move on, she’d told me. As if I could. As if this wouldn’t consume me from the inside, tear me to pieces little by little every time I saw her.

No. With a mental shake, I pushed myself off the door, hardening my emotions. I couldn’t fall apart now. Over a dozen hatchling dragons still waited for me beyond the yard. Trusting me to keep them safe from the massive storm brewing on the horizon. Talon was coming for us. I had lost my Sallith’tahn, but I was still the leader of this resistance, still responsible for dozens of innocent lives. I wouldn’t fail them.

So be it.

Goodbye, Ember. I stepped away from the barn and forced myself to move, to walk toward the farmhouse without looking back. Maybe someday, when this war is over and the soldier is gone, you’ll look to me again. And maybe... I can learn to love like a human, as well. But not now. Raising my head, I walked a little faster. I’ve been distracted for too long. Talon is coming. I have to look out for my own now, and make sure that, whatever the organization throws at us, we’re still alive at the end of it.

Chapter 34: EMBER

EMBER

In the cool darkness of the barn, I listened to Riley walk away. Listened to his footsteps fade into silence and curled my talons into the wood to stop myself from going after him.

I staggered across the floor to sink down in the corner, curl into a ball and put my head under my wing, shutting out the world as the realization stabbed me like a knife.

Cobalt is gone.

I started to shake. Hot tears welled in my eyes, spilling over to run down my scales, and I let them come. I didn’t regret my decision. It had to be done; Riley deserved to be with someone who could give themselves to him completely, who wasn’t in love with someone else. And I couldn’t truly be with Garret until this Sallith’tahn issue was finally put to rest. I knew I had done the right thing, for all of us.