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ALARIC

I slept in snatches. Cold. Blood. Rain. My daughter’s ribbon. Then I woke. I curled my body around her. Gave her my warmth and found her outline in the dark. Her easy, shallow breaths pulled me back from the edge. My eyes drifted closed. I wanted to be awake. I wanted to watch her. But I slept instead.

A man stood in shadows.

Not kneeling.

Not crying.

Just… waiting.

I didn’t need to see his face.

Some men carried their names before they ever spoke.

Cassian Vale.

Once you send for the Devil… there’s no going back.

The warning settled over the rain. It changed nothing. I just stood there. In the cold and the blood and the rain staring at the outline of him in the dark.

“It’s time,” I said.

He started walking. Unhurried. Like he already knew I’d made my choice and he’d been waiting this entire time.

I stiffened. Breath caught.

His outline dissolved. Then⁠—

“I’ll… I’ll stay still.”

I swallowed. Hard. Turned my head.

“Nyssa.” My voice was croaky.

“Please,” she panted. “I won’t run.”

I stared at nothing. Just listened. Felt. Raged.

“That’s right,” I shifted, my lips brushed her hair. “You don’t have to run anymore.”

Her breaths deepened. Once. Twice.

“Alaric?”

“I’m right here.” I pulled her closer, cradling her hip. Massaging her ache slowly and staring into the dark. “Always right here.”

She turned into me, pressing her face against my neck and breathed deep. Warmth from her breath settled against my neck. It should’ve calmed me. Instead it made me feel murderous. I’d burn the world down to keep this. I gripped her harder, sliding my hand to the back of her head. Holding her here. I’d destroys myself if it came to it.

“Nyssa.”

“Hmm?”

“Today we start.”

She lifted her head. “Start?”