He turned from her, fury and pain fusing into something sharp in his gut.
“I’m not gonna beg to stay,” he said. “I’ve bled for this mission. I’ve bled foryou.And I’ll see it through.”
“Even if you have to go alone?”
He looked over his shoulder, jaw tight.
“I’ve always been alone.”
But before he could take another step, Seraphine’s voice cut through the camp like lightning.
“Not anymore.”
Cassian stopped. Slowly, he turned.
Seraphine stepped forward, eyes blazing—not with fire, but with purpose.
“You’re not going anywhere,” she said. “Not without me.”
He blinked. “What?”
“You heard me,” she said, louder now, looking at him like he was the only person who mattered. “I’m done letting them decide who I’m allowed to fight beside. Who I’m allowed tofeelfor.”
“Seraphine…” his voice faltered.
She stepped between him and the path. “This isn’t just my mission anymore. It’sours.You are not expendable. You are not a shadow. You’reCassian Veyne.And I’m not finishing this without you.”
A stunned silence fell over the camp.
Lira stood up, brow raised in awe. Brann looked like he might cry. Even Alek’s stoic posture cracked, nodding once with grudging approval.
For the first time, Seraphine didn’t sound like a Drakar heir.
She sounded like a queen.
Cassian stared at her, heart pounding at her defiance. At her declaration.
She’d chosen him.
Openly. Boldly. In defiance of everything she was raised to obey.
He took a slow step forward.
“You sure about this?”
She nodded, unblinking. “To hell with my father.”
Later that night,as the others drifted off, he didn’t say goodbye.
Didn’t leave a note.
Didn’t trust himself to look her in the eye one more time.
If he did, he wouldn’t leave at all.
Hehadto.
Not because he didn’t want to finish this with her—gods, he did. He wanted to fight beside her. Bleed beside her. Burn the Hollow to the ground just to keep her safe.
