"What madness is this?" Os demands. "What are you-"

"Raiden's coming," Vane interrupts.

Os's eyes widen and he turn toward the window, staring at the calm sky. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

He mutters a curse under his breath and pulls his hands through the loose hair around his braid. "So what are we facing?"

"Did Gus update you on everything that happened yesterday?" Vane asks him.

"Almost everything. He failed to mention that our deserting guardian had returned-I take it you weren't able to track down the third Stormer?" he asks me.

"Really, that's what you want to focus on?" Vane snaps before I can ask what that means. "Raiden's coming to destroy us and you want to talk about Audra?"

"The biggest mistake any leader can make is keeping a traitor in his midst."

Vane slides me to the side and stands. "You're seriously calling her a traitor?"

I know I should stand too-say something in my defense-but my heart is pounding too hard and my head is spinning too fast and all I can do is stare at the floor and tuck my stupid bare legs underneath me.

Os stalks closer. "Did she or did she not abandon her duties as a guardian-break her oath-"

"Audra didn't abandon anything," Vane interrupts. "She took a few weeks to clear her head-and after everything she's done for us and everything she'd been through, she deserved it."

"Yes, well, the families of the guardians who lost their lives while caring for her responsibilities might disagree."

He turns to Gus, but Gus shakes his head. "My father was honored to serve his king."

I can tell that Gus means every word. Still, the weight of his father's loss feels like a stone in my heart.

"His king," Os repeats, turning back to me. "And am I safe in a.s.suming that this is who you intend to make your queen?"

"Well, we haven't really talked that far into the future-"

"But you have bonded?" Os interrupts.

I wish we could wait until Vane's not shirtless and I'm not pantsless with unbraided hair and it's not so incredibly humiliating. But it's already too late.

"Yeah," Vane says, reaching for my hand. "We have."

Os groans, muttering something about foolish teenagers.

I pull myself to my feet, trying to look more confident than I feel as Os takes in the full effect of my ridiculous outfit.

He rolls his eyes and turns to Vane. "So this is the kind of king you're going to be? One who blatantly disregards our wishes and does whatever you please?"

"When it comes to my personal life, yeah."

"You don't have a personal life-that's what being king means! Your life is about serving others, not yourself. Otherwise you're no different from Raiden."

"Uh, I don't murder innocent people, so I'm pretty sure that gives me a big one-up on him. And how does who I date have anything to do with 'serving others'?"

"Because your people are searching for safety and stability and you've bonded yourself to the daughter of a murderer!"

I'm too numb to feel Vane's warmth as he drapes his arm around me. But I notice he doesn't say anything.

There's nothing to say.

Os turns and starts pacing. He's crossed the room three times before he says, "We arranged for you to marry the daughter of our fallen king and queen-two heroes not only known for their strength and kindness but who sacrificed themselves so the royal line could have a chance to live on. That future is something our people have been waiting for, hoping for. Fighting for the day they'd see the royal symbol once again adorn the gates of Brezengarde with a member of the Southwell family on the throne. And now you want me to tell them that instead, they need to embrace a queen who stole the king from his betrothed when she was supposed to be guarding him-who then abandoned her post, only to return weeks later and ruin everything we'd been planning for years? And the only notable claim she has for her pedigree is that her mother is one of the most infamous criminals our world has known-second only to Raiden?"

He pauses and I realize this is where I'm supposed to argue, prove that I'm worthy of Vane and all the responsibility that comes with him.

But every word that Os has said is true.

"You're right," Vane says quietly.

They're two small words, but they hurt more than anything Os has said. I turn to look at Vane, but he's looking at Solana and it feels like something inside me withers as he says, "Solana should be queen."

I close my eyes, choking back my tears and reminding myself that I knew this could-should-happen all along.

But as I'm waiting for Os to bind me and drag me away, Vane pulls me closer and says, "I just shouldn't be king. I wish I could fall in love with the princess and make everyone's life easier. But I love Audra. So if I have to choose between being with her or being king, I will happily hand back the throne."

I open my eyes, seeing nothing but the beautiful smile on the beautiful boy I will never deserve but want so much it makes me ache.

Os laughs-a sharp sound that spears my few seconds of happiness. "You think it's that easy?"

"It can if you want it to be," Vane tells him.

Os shakes his head and goes back to pacing. "Our world is broken, Vane-and when we're finally free of Raiden and struggling to rise from the dust, we're going to need strength to bring our people back together. We need our new leader to be the warrior who harnessed the power of four and destroyed the villain. Not the pretty girl who stood on the sidelines during the battle."

"Hey, I'm going to fight right along with you," Solana argues.

"No, you'll be defending yourself and storing winds for the rest of us to use-which is a very useful tool," Os tells her. "But it's not the same as being the hero."

Solana's eyes narrow, and I can understand her fury. I know what it feels like to be underestimated.

But I also agree with Os.

Solana's a trophy, meant to be paraded around and admired.

Not respected and loyally obeyed.

Not that I deserve respect or loyalty either.

"Raiden stirred the seeds of rebellion among our people," Os adds quietly. "Even when he's gone, there will be some who remain. So we need a ruler who is as feared as he is respected. Someone so powerful that no one would dare try to steal the throne again." He turns back to Vane, sizing him up with his stare. "I'm still not convinced that you can be that warrior. But you're the best chance we have. The throne will fall to you."

"Well then, I guess I don't need this," Solana mumbles as she unclasps her gold cuff and sets it on the floor, backing away from it like it carries a disease.

"Not necessarily," Os tells her, bending down and retrieving the link. "This matter is far from settled."

"Uh-yeah it is," Vane corrects.

"Trust me when I tell you it isn't." Os walks over to Solana and clamps the bracelet back on her wrist.

Her left wrist this time, like their commitment is already sealed.

Solana frowns. "But . . . they're bonded."

"Yes," Os says, looking straight at me. "And bonds can be broken."

CHAPTER 31.VANE.

I.

know I'm new to this Windwalker stuff-but one of the few things I was pretty sure I had figured out was that bonds are permanent. I thought that was why Audra spent so much time ruining my dates and turning me into a huge joke at school-and why it took so freaking long to convince her to finally kiss me.

And yet, Audra doesn't seem nearly as surprised by this revelation as I am. If anything she looks . . . worried.

"Is that true?" I whisper, giving her the cue to tell me it's a mistake.

The fact that she won't look at me says it all.

I sink to the edge of my bed, my head spinning too much to stay standing. "You told me bonds couldn't be broken!"

"I thought they couldn't," she admits. "But Aston said-" "Wait, you saw Aston?" Os interrupts. "He's alive?"

She nods.

Os gazes into s.p.a.ce for a second-then reels on Gus. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess I forgot. A lot happened yesterday."

"Yes . . . I suppose it did." Os sighs and turns back to Audra. "When did you see him?"

"About three days ago."

Os steps closer, grabbing Audra's wrist. "Can you take me there?"

She pulls her hand free and sits next to me on the bed. I can't help noticing how high my shirt creeps up her thigh, but the mood is kind of killed when she whispers, "He's not the Gale you remember, Os. Raiden tortured and twisted him into someone incredibly unstable-and incredibly powerful. He conquered me without ever having to step out of the shadows of his cave, and if he hadn't chosen to let me go, I would still be his captive."

"But he did let you go, didn't he?" Os asks.

"He did," she admits. "And I'm still not sure why."

She stares at a faint blister on her wrist, and I don't think I want to know how she got it. If he hurt her I'll- "We need to find him," Os says.

Audra shakes her head. "He told me he would kill anyone who comes near his hideout-and believe me, he's capable."

"All the more reason why we need to get him back on our side."

"Okay, can we back up a second?" I interrupt. "We can deal with psycho cave boy after you explain what the c.r.a.p you mean about bonds being broken."

"Actually, we should be planning for Raiden's attack," Os corrects.

He's right-we should. But he can't just drop that kind of bombsh.e.l.l and not explain. "We'll plan in a minute."

"I thought it was pretty self-explanatory," Os says after glaring at me for a few seconds. "Bonds can be broken. Simple as that."

"But . . . how?" Gus asks, and I'm glad to see that he and Solana look as confused as me.

Meanwhile, Audra's staring sadly at the floor. . . .

"What do you know?" I whisper.

She steals a glance at Os before she turns to me."Aston told me that anything can be broken if you're willing to harness the power of pain."

My mouth goes dry. "Pain?"

"I'm sure the process is rather unpleasant, yes," Os agrees.

"Well then, fun as that sounds, I'll pa.s.s."

A sad smile peeks from the corners of Os's mouth. "I never said it would be your choice, Vane. We let you believe we were canceling your betrothal because we thought it would make you less resistant to Solana, and that once you got to know her you'd change your mind. But just because that didn't work doesn't mean we're changing our plans. You may be king, but your opinion isn't the only one that matters-not when it comes to what's best for our people. And it's better for everyone if you're with Solana."

"So . . . what? You're going to chain me up and torture my bond out of me?" I feel dizzy just saying it-and he can bet I'll go all power of four on him if he tries.

Os looks away. "If you leave us no other choice."

"Whoa," Gus breathes.

"Is there a problem, Guardian Gusty?" Os asks.

Gus swallows, looking like he wishes he hadn't said that out loud. "That just sounds . . . kind of cruel, sir."

"Cruel?"

"Yeah. Torturing two of our own because they fell in love sounds more like something Raiden would do."

"The pain only lasts a few minutes."

I snort. "Right-because that makes it better."

Os ignores me. "Have you ever broken a bone, Gus?"

Gus nods. "My left ankle, when I was first learning to windwalk."

"Ah, yes, I remember. That was quite a fall. And tell me this, did it hurt when they set the bone?"