Page 175 of Dare

“Jeryn—,” I began.

“Come,” he said.

I accepted his hand, letting him guide me to the sea’s edge, where the tide brushed the shore. All I could think was, he’d cut me off. He rarely did that.

Something was wrong.

My feet stalled, the sand scratching my feet. Jeryn had erased me from our home, packing items only I would need. All along, the prince had intended to get here before they did, to make sure I had what I needed for travel.

But what about him? Where were his possessions?

Jeryn stood beside me, watching the ocean sparkle, and I cursed his silence. I stared at him, ready to shout. But then he turned my way, expecting this reaction, because he knew that I knew.

He wasn’t coming with me.

52

Flare

He wasn’t coming, but he also wasn’t staying. My villain prince was going back to Winter as planned.

Only much sooner. And without any intention of coming back.

We wouldn’t get to say a peaceful goodbye. We wouldn’t have another day here.

I jumped on him, except not with open arms. I pounded my fists into his chest while shouting, “No” and “No” and “No!”

I wanted to knock him down and drag him onto the tidefarer, take him prisoner like he once took me. Weeping and raging, I put my whole body into it. Punching Jeryn felt like punching a cliff, but I didn’t care, and yet I never cared more. Worse, he didn’t fight back, which made me angrier.

“No!” I cried. “No, not like this! It’s not supposed to happen like this!”

Every muscle in his face twisted, a thousand terrible emotions threatening to smash through. He clasped my waist, holding me as I attacked him. “It must,” he said. “You have to leave me here.”

My face crumbled. I sagged, my mouth landing against his neck, with his vial pendant wedged between us. “I won’t.”

“You will.”

“I won’t!”

“Flare.” Jeryn pried himself away and grabbed my shoulders. “Listen to me.”

“We’ll keep hiding until they’re gone.”

“So long as there’s a chance either of us are here, they’ll tear through this realm.”

That killed whatever else I’d been about to yell. We had vowed to stay together no matter the time or distance, no matter if I sailed these seas and he sat on his throne. My prince and I had sworn to bridge that forbidden chasm. All this time, we’d been thinking and plotting and preparing. And if the Seasons ripped us apart like this, we wouldn’t have the chance to enact those plans.

But if he left with me now, only for us to separate calmly later, there would be no one here to distract the troops. Finding him and apprehending me was their goal. If Jeryn remained, he would satisfy one agenda and stifle the other. This would also provide a more believable return for him, and it would give him an opportunity to protect the rainforest from further conquest.

My eyes burned. I saw every cut and scar on his face, including the ones that had disappeared. I saw tenderness and sacrifice reflected in his eyes. I should have expected this, should have known what he’d choose and why.

Anguish cracked me in half. “Jeryn,” I begged. “Please.”

Please don’t do this. Please don’t let me go. Please don’t break my heart.

His forehead fell against mine. “You will do as I say and get in that fucking boat. You’ll be careful, and you’ll disappear so that Summer won’t find you.” His voice lowered to a tormented whisper. “So that I won’t find you.”

So he wouldn’t find me. Lest Jeryn should grow desperate and commit himself to another cat and mouse chase, I had to make sure he would lose.