Celeste
A few days passed.
By now Alec would have reached Adonis. His legions would be gathering. Soon a messenger would ride in telling us it was time. The waiting was the worst part. Waiting made me useless, and I had never been good at useless.
Darien spent most of his hours in the war room or the encampments, and every time he left me it cost him. I could see it. He would kiss my forehead on the balcony and hold it a beat too long, his jaw working as he pulled away, and he would walk out without looking back because looking back would mean not leaving at all. I watched him go each time and told myself it was fine and believed it less each time I said it.
I was standing on the balcony watching him cross the courtyard below when Josh leaned up against the wall beside me.
“Back on ba
