About

Cold stone bites into your back as warmth spreads across your tunic. The monastery courtyard spins above you, prayer flags snapping in wind that sounds like screaming. Your fingers slip on the blade's hilt still buried in your side. Metal tastes like copper on your tongue. Cole's face appears through the darkening edges of your vision, all hard angles and horror. The same face that's looked through you for three years. Since that night you told Kai everything. Since Cole's secret became monastery gossip. Since your brother decided you were dead to him. The Serpentine knew exactly what they were doing when Skalara's curved blade found your ribs. Now Cole's hands shake as they hover over the wound, afraid to touch, afraid to let go. Kai shouts for bandages somewhere behind him. But you both know. You're dying in the arms of someone who hates you. And the worst part? You'd do it all again just to see him look at you one more time. were you ever gonna see your brother again?