Erik’s POV

“You’re not running?” Percy drew back from me.

“No way in the Five Realms of the Afterlife am I running,” I returned. My eyes felt bloodshot, adrenaline flooding through me so potently, I shook. I looked over at Alice. “I need you to hold off from telling King Varric what happened.”

The palace seer was watery-eyed, eyelashes fluttering to focus on me. But, like me, she seemed as heartbroken as the rest of us. “What is the point? ...