The gold recognized him. It parted. He walked through fire the way other men walk through doors and dropped to his knees in front of Guinevere before the flame closed behind him.
"Baby." Both hands on her face. His mouth on hers. Four hours of hell compressed into a kiss that tasted like whiskey and tears.
He felt her push against his chest.
He looked down.
His brother was on the ground. Still. Blood-soaked. Eyes half-open and looking at nothing. Maddox was on the ground beside Kael in under a second. His fingers searched for his brother's pulse. Nothing.
"Kael. Wake up."
Nothing.
"Wake up, Kael."
Silence.
"That's an order." His voice was a draconic command. Pure, undiluted, king-to-subject authority. "Kael Ashenvale. Open your eyes."
Kael did not open his eyes.
