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Mustang laughs at that "But it’s hard to keep the hate going, isn’t it?" she asks

I nod Hate is what ustus’s Look what that brought them "I pity him Wherever he is"

"Earlier I told you not to trustthe conversation "I meant it I know you continued your alliance with hiod But it has to end You owe hi Be cordial Be polite Don’t disrespect his No more promises Cut hiirl Would that I could introduce her to Mother, to Kieran and Leanna They’d like her fire My throat tightens slowly Eo would like her too

"I don’t have you," I say

"Darrow …"

So of emotion finally allowed to uncoil "When I was on the bottoain"

She hesitates, wanting to reach forbecause of all we’ve said before "You know you don’t have my leave to die," she jokes instead "Anyway, Sevro and the Howlers would never forgive you if you tried None of them would You’ve so h fire for you"

Sobreath and close uilt sout the corners offor ht It’s all over We’re safe"

The sobs co It’s not over All I see behind my eyelids is a world of war There is no other future for me, for us Yet how ether? How er can all these stitches hold? In the end, will there even be pieces left ofCan’t even catchIt all coht, holdsbut sink back into the bed In ti rhythm to match hers

We sit that way for what must be an hour Eventually, she kisses ular as it pulses I move my hands to move her away, but she pushes them to the side and cups my face with a hand

"Let me in"

I let my hands fall to the bed Her mouth crafts a warm path to mine There we share the taste of ue warrazing the skin, till she finds purchase in le Shivers lance uilt that keptis swept away in the chaos insideshe is a Gold and I am a Red vanishes I’, pulling her body onto s to the swell of her waist Long-suppressed hunger wakes in et et my sadness This is all I need I won’t run Not this tiain

I peel apart her clothing with slow force Under my hands, the fabric is like wet paper Her skin is smooth, hot marble warmed in the sun Muscles coil and tense underneath as she arches her back Hers is a bodyaroundthe curve of her lower back She pushes intome into the bed

It may have been a week to her, but for ainst cold steel war for ht I would never have again as I dug Eo’s grave withhands A moment with a woman I want and love And what is the bloodyda in this cold world if I run from the only warmth it has to offer?

44

The Poet

I walk slowly down the stone hall with Mustang Out the s, guards patrol the estate They’re here to keep us as hter drifts out an open door with the smells of coffee and bacon