His eyes widen in alarm. “I did not mean for you to—”

“It’s fine.” I take a steadying breath. “I’ve spent weeks convincing these people I would help them. It means nothing if I don’t really do it. This is my choice.”

“I will go with you.”

“No! Grey—”

“This is my choice.” Grey’s tone is unyielding. “He will come after me before any other. I think even in this form he knows me—though he may not know why.”

“You’re hurt.” I set my jaw. “I could order you to stay.”

He sets his, every bit as intent in his own way. “In truth, you could not. Prince Rhen released me from my oath. I am sworn to no one.”

I draw back. “Really?”

“Yes.”

And still, he stayed. He came for me.

For a blinding moment, he is not Commander Grey, oath-sworn and duty bound to obey the Crown Prince of Emberfall. No uniform, no weapons, no men here to command. He’s just Grey, and I’m just Harper.

His eyes, dark and intent, have not left mine.

“Do you think the curse can be broken?” I whisper.

“That is not a question for me to answer. Do you?”

Rhen is a monster. So far gone that he’s attacking Grey. I wasn’t sure if I was in love with him before. I don’t see any way possible to move forward now. Can I be in love with a memory? I swallow. “I don’t know.”

His expression is resigned. “Then we must do what we must do.”

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

HARPER

Jake is a problem.

No, maybe I’m the problem. My mind has been so focused on saving Rhen’s people that I forgot about my brother waiting around to go home until he comes looking for me.

I’m in the armory with Grey, who moves stiffly, but he’s not pale and sweating like he was last night. Some sleep did him good. I wish I could say the same for myself. He’s stringing a sword belt around his waist when Jake appears in the doorway, the guardsman Dustan at his side.

Jake has changed into leather trousers and heavy boots, and he’s buckled a jacket over his T-shirt. The clothes suit him—and the aggrieved expression on his face really does make him look like a rebellious young prince.

“Were you ever going to come back?” he demands.

“It’s nice to see you, too.” I glance past him, at Dustan. “Leave us. Please.”

When he does, I push the heavy door closed, shutting Jake inside the narrow room with us. Grey barely spares my brother a glance.

“I did come back,” I say to Jake. “You and Noah were sleeping. How did you get down here?”

“I told someone I needed to find you. You’re not the only one who’s read A Game of Thrones, you know. I can fake it, too.” He seems to realize I’m buckling armor over my own clothes. “What are you doing?”

“We need to leave for a few hours. You need to lock yourself in the room with Noah. We’ll be back by sundown. Grey can take you home when we can make sure it’s safe.”

Hopefully.

“No.” Jake glares at me. “Now.”

“This is important, Jake.”

“So is this.” He glances at Grey, who is buckling a dagger to his upper thigh. “Order him to do it. Right now. Or I’ll tell everyone outside this door who and what you are.”

Grey straightens and moves to face Jake. His voice is low and cold. “I would take you back this very instant, but your sister would worry about your survival. So I will return you when that can be assured, and Emberfall is not in immediate peril. Do you understand?”

Jake does not back down. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“You need not fear me. But you will respect your sister, and you will respect me.”

“Shouldn’t that be the other way around if I’m the Crown Prince of Disi?”

Grey goes still. When he swings his head around to face me, his expression is almost murderous.

I cover my face and peek through my fingers. “Sorry?”

He sighs and turns those angry eyes back to Jake. His voice is clipped and full of venom. “Forgive me, my lord.”

Jake’s expression is dark with triumph. “So you’ll take us back.”

“I will respect the title your sister has given you.” Grey looks away and pulls a shorter blade from the wall. “I am not sworn to serve you, and I need not act by your order.” A pause. “A true prince would know this.”

My brother inhales like he’s going to argue.

“Jake,” I snap. “We’re wasting time. People could die. People will die. I’m asking you for twelve hours, okay? Twelve stupid hours to lock yourself in a room and eat delicacies and sit by a fire with your boyfriend. Can you just do that?”

“Not until you tell me what you’re doing.”

I hesitate. “We’re going to see if we can distract Rhen—”

“You’re what?”

“—so everyone else can escape to the boats at Silvermoon.” His face begins to change, and I hurriedly say, “This is the only way to protect everyone. He knows Grey. I think he might know me, too—”

“Harper.”

“You can’t stop me,” I say.

“Oh, trust me. I’ve gotten that memo over the last few days.” He takes a breath, then glances around the room as if seeing all the weapons and armor for the first time. “Just … give me some stuff.”

“Give you some … stuff?”

“Some stuff.” He points at the wall. “You can be a total badass, Harper. But I’ve spent the last few weeks doing my best to survive, too. I’m not helpless either.”

I’m not entirely sure what to say.

“You think I’m going to sit upstairs eating cake with Noah while you’re out risking your life?” he snaps. “Quit staring at me. I’m coming with you.”

The day is too beautiful for us to be hunting a monster. The sun shines down brightly on both sides of Ironrose territory. We’ve reached the point of the season where the temperature does not change when we pass through the woods, though the leaves change from the reds and golds of late fall into the vibrant green of early spring. I’m not sure Jake even notices.

We keep the horses at a walk for Jake’s benefit. He took some lessons when I was riding—but he never kept up with it long enough to have any kind of proficiency. Considering how stiffly Grey sits his mount, I think the walking is somewhat for his benefit, too. I caught his grimace when he pulled himself into the saddle.

Earlier, Grey outfitted my brother with two daggers and a sword.

“Cool,” Jake said, when Grey threaded the sword onto a belt for him.

Grey’s gaze was dark, and he jerked the belt a little tighter than necessary. “It is in case I lose mine again.”

It was hard to leave Zo—but I trust her to help get people out of the castle. She gave me a long look when I ordered her to watch out for the women and children, but she obeyed.

I want to tell her the truth. I just don’t know how.

Just like that, I understand how he kept his monumental secret from me for so very long. Choices built upon choices. The thought tightens my chest. I need to think about something else. I look at Grey. “Do you think they’ll have enough time to get people to Silvermoon?”

He lifts a shoulder in a shrug—then winces. “If the creature is grounded for the time being, yes. If not, he’ll be able to pick them off one by one.”

“So we’re going to find this thing and kill it?” says Jake.

Grey’s jaw tightens, but he says nothing.

“Sorry,” I say again under my breath. “I’m surprised you let him come.”

He sighs and glances my way. “Far be it from me to refuse a request from the ‘Crown Prince of Disi.’ ”

His tone is pointed, and I scowl. “You were unconscious! I thought Jamison was going to tell the soldiers to shoot us! What else was I supposed to call him?”

He raises an eyebrow. “A servant? A footman?”

I open my mouth. Close it.

Grey’s not done. “A slave, my lady. A guard.”

“But she picked prince,” Jake snaps. “Get over it.”

Grey ignores him. “The healer’s concubine?”

Jake snorts, but twin spots of pink find his cheeks. “Noah probably would have loved that.”

We’ve been in the woods for ages, the trail wide and open. This is a major road, but all we hear are birds and small animals under the brush. No travelers. No people.

Everyone is hiding.

“We are close,” says Grey. I’m not sure whether the silence worries him or encourages him. He points. “We fell just there.”

I see the broken branches through the trees. A wide spray of brown along the bark—which I suddenly realize is dried blood.

A shimmer of white gleams between the leaves.

“There!” I point. “Grey, do you see—”

An inhuman screech splits the air.

That motionless bit of shimmer explodes off the ground, bursting through brush, becoming a monstrous four-legged creature. Another screech—and then suddenly it’s galloping up the hill, charging right for us.