Chapter Nineteen
"Choice over Promise"W
eeping, Raori stumbled blindly through the night, heedless of how the dagger blade cut into his hand. Behind him, Aramina's howl flowed through the air. He knew she followed at a distance, but he did not care. The sting of betrayal kept his feet pounding the turf noiselessly. His breath came in ragged gasps.
When he was too blind with exhaustion to see, he tripped and sprawled on the ground. Futilely he grabbed grass, roots, whatever was in reach and pulled himself forward. Soon he could not even do that. His tears fell to the ground unheeded. Soil made his mouth gritty, his eyes burn.
Aramina's lupine presence wrapped around him, tickling his nose with fur. They remained entwined on the ground until Raori fell asleep. The sun rose, and they were
