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I could see her concentration, trying to fit everything I’d told her together, so it made sense.

“What do you say?” I asked. “A secret for a secret still?”

She visibly shuddered. “I’m not sure mine compares. That was a hell of a secret.”

“Try me,” I said, nearly begging.

She looked up at the sun, closing her eyes. “I’ve been having the same nightmares for almost a month now. I’ve never had someone near when it happens, so thank you for what you did at camp last night, shielding me from the others. And . . . for staying with me. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

Fuck.

Is that what she thought? That it had made me uncomfortable, when that was the furthest thing from the truth.

But I answered, as if her presence alone didn’t make me want to carve out my heart and hand it to her. “It was no problem.” Smooth, Leo, you daft ass. “So, what’s causing the nightmares?”

“I don’t even know where to start”—she sighed—“I was close with a guy back on Six, Aaron.” She tensed at his name and I immediately tensed, too. “We served together, and he saved my life during our last tour. Put himself in the hospital because of me. Burns on half his body, shattered bones, and a concussion.”

She shook her head, like she was mad at herself for this.

“A month or so ago, I was in our pool on base, and he stopped by to see me. It was the end of the day, so it was just the two of us, everyone had started to head home by then.” She began to ramble, her voice quickening. “I don’t know how to explain it, but he was just standing there, at the edge of the pool, staring down at me. Looking through me, like he was seeing me but wasn’t really seeing me. And then next thing I knew, he was in the water with me, on top of me, holding me under. I don’t know how long I wrestled with him for, and I’m pretty sure I drowned.”

I clenched my hands on Drag’s reins, trying my hardest not to shake.

“When I came to, I was outside the pool, and he was at the bottom.” She swiped away a tear. “He’d been going to counseling for PTSD after the last tour. I’ve seen soldiers suffer through episodes countless times. One second, you’re there, and the next you’re gone, lost in your mind. Seeing things that aren’t there.” She looked at me pleadingly, wanting me to believe her. “I just can’t help but think if he hadn’t saved my life during our tour, and faced such significant injuries, he would still be alive.”

I moved closer to touch her, halting both our horses. “What happened is not your fault, Bryn.” I stroked her cheek, letting her tears wet my fingers. “Thank you for sharing your secret with me. You’re safe here. I’ll always make sure of that.”

I wanted to lean in farther, to brush my lips against hers and distract her from her pain, but she was hurting. It would be wrong.

“Are you okay to keep riding?” I asked. “We can take a break for a while, if you’d like?”

“I’m okay.” She sniffed, trying to reassure me.

I stroked her cheek once more. “Are you sure?”

She half smiled, holding my hand briefly against her face. “Positive.”

This woman. So brave. So strong.

I bent, pressing my forehead against hers, before guiding Drag forward.

The rush of anger I felt thinking about Aaron with his hands on Bryn came fast and hard.

When I was sure Bryn couldn’t see my face, I let my eyesight go blind with darkness. And in the distance, too far for Bryn’s ears to reach, I heard tree trunks snap as I lashed night and earth onto a section of the woods, once vibrant with life, now barren with empty trunks and twisted limbs of bark.

I tried to reel it in, but the night of Bryn’s incident blasted through me like an icy tempest. The night when there wasn’t a full moon, but I’d gone to Six anyway, for I didn’t need the portals open and aligned to walk between realms.

I could still feel Bryn’s fear as Aaron had held her beneath the water’s surface. Feel the pool’s tepid temperature as I’d pulled her from his hold and brought her safely to the pool’s ledge, her face in the early stages of turning blue.

I could still feel Aaron’s iron grip grabbing for me. See his eyes wide and angry, reddened by the chlorine and madness.

I could still feel myself pushing off him, as I’d pushed myself toward the surface. Toward Bryn.

Could still feel the moment I’d looked back down into the water from the pool’s ledge, and watched him sink to the bottom, slightly bouncing off the hardness of the pool’s floor.

Watching as his final breath left him.

The bastard getting what he fucking deserved.