He kept his head down and flung his arms out to the side. “You accused me of being a traitor. Kill me then.”

My hands flexed, twitching with the urge to do something. I was within my rights, and no one would question me if I’d wanted to. My hand tightened into a fist, realizing that wasn’t necessarily true. Wren would question me. More than that, she’d never forgive me if I hurt Kieran. Also, I’d grown to tolerate Kieran myself. Begrudgingly, I realized I would miss him. Damn feelings. I hadn’t been so consumed by them since my mother had died. I’d sworn them off at that point, and now they were out of control.

“Get up.” I held my hand out, and after a moment of staring, Kieran accepted it. “I want to be fully briefed on what happened at the battle and its aftermath before the sun sets.”

Kieran bowed, his wings stretching as he prepared to fly.

I stopped him with a hand across his chest. “I’m still furious with you.”

He nodded, glancing out at the ocean. “I’m fine with that.” He shook me off and took off across the island.

“Cantrada has been taken back by the humans.”

It was good news, but no one was smiling. In fact, the witches were glaring at me with the wrath of a thousand suns.

“Their hold is tenuous,” Astrid continued. She shot a look to Vela, who raised an eyebrow. These witches and their silent little conversations would be the death of me. “The earth and air witches would like to take most of our fighters to reclaim the forest just north of Cantrada, and help the humans hold the city. With your permission, we would like to keep our young and old here for the length of the war.”

I straightened; my ears pricked in interest. The witches were leaving?

“That is awfully . . . kind of you,” I sneered, not believing for a second that they truly wished to defend the fledgling human city.

“Someone has to honor her sacrifice.” Astrid’s face was ugly, and even Vela’s usual serene expression looked troubled.

I saw red, and it took Wyrren and Ronan glaring to hold me back. Meruse rolled her eyes.

“We need to discuss Aldur.” Kieran raised an eyebrow, ensuring he had everyone’s attention before continuing. “The witches will help hold the northern line against the hordes, but Aldur needs to be involved now. The refugees were accepted, which means the royal family may be sympathetic to our cause. Your ally Spike has suggested that the time to strike is now.”

My eye twitched. “When did you meet with Spike?”

Astrid coolly regarded me. “The human rebels have been contacting us. Regardless, we’re all in agreement that we should send a delegation to Aldur to meet with the king and ask for aid. If he joins us, we stand a very real shot of driving the hordes out of Dorea.”