He found her at the Tree of Voices, her hand pressed against its glowing trunk, her eyes closed.
"You're angry," he said.
"I'm furious."
"Because I volunteered to be bait?"
"Because you volunteered to die." She opened her eyes, and they were wet with tears. "You think I don't know what you're planning? You think I can't see it in your eyes? You're going to lead them away, lead them into some trap, and you're not coming back."
"I might—"
"Don't." Her voice broke. "Don't lie to me. Not now. Not after everything."
He crossed to her, took her face in his hands. "Seri. Look at me."
She did. Reluctantly.
"I'm not planning to die. I'm planning to fight. To win. To come home to you." He pressed his forehead against hers. "But I can't promise safety. I can't promise certainty. All I can promise is that I will do everything in my power to survive. To find my way back. To see your face again."
"And if everything in your power isn't enough?"
He had no answer for that.
She pulled away, turning back to the tree. "I lost my grandmother to the first battle. I lost friends, family, half of everyone I loved. I can't lose you too, Kaelen. I can't."
He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist. "Then come with me."
She stiffened. "What?"
"Come with me. We'll lead them together. Fight together. Survive together." He turned her to face him. "I'm not asking you to watch from a distance. I'm asking you to stand beside me. Like you always have."
For a long moment, she just looked at him. Then, slowly, she smiled.
"You're an idiot."
"I know."
"A beautiful, brave, impossible idiot."
"That too."
She kissed him. Hard. When she pulled back, her eyes were dry.
"Together, then. To the end."
"To the end."