Luke's head was heavy in my lap. I could barely smell his scent, and as I rested my hand on his head, any warmth I felt was imagined. He was even colder than I was.
"Xiviyah, reconsider. This is too dangerous," Fyren urged. "If you attempt this, your souls may become entangled. He will drag you down with him. He chose his battles. He refused to back down when he should have. His arrogance paved the way for his defeat. Let him suffer the consequences of his choices."
"That would be fair," I said, gazing down at Luke. Almost, I could imagine him sleeping peacefully in my lap. I looked up at Fyren. "It might even be just, after all the people he's hurt. But life isn't fair, and life isn't just. Innocent people are killed all the time. And sometimes, the guilty go free. I don't care about any of that anymore. But I care about Luke."
"Then do not fail. Do not reach your end before your path has run out."
"If fate willed that, it would have happened a long time ago."
