“How are you not winded,' he panted, hauling himself onto the flat top.

I shoved back the hair that had torn free of my braid to whip my face. 'I trained.'

'I gathered that much after you took on Dagdan and walked away from it.'

'I had the element of surprise on my side.'

'No,' Lucien said quietly as I reached for a foothold in the next boulder. 'That was all you.' My nails barked as I dug my fingers into the rock and heaved myself up. Lucien added. 'You had my back- with them, with Ianthe. Thank you.'

The words hit something low in my gut, and I was glad for the wind that kept roaring around us, if only to hide the burning in my eyes.”