King places his arm around my shoulders, and we walk back to the outpost together. He tells me none of the humans in the outpost died, so I know Ruth and Missy are okay. But Ryan. He took my place and died because of it. Was he right? Should I have gone instead? I'll never know that answer, and it will haunt me forever.
This is what King deals with. He takes every Shadow Warrior life personally. Now I know what it feels like. I lift my shoulders. It won't be easy, but I'll learn to live with it. We walk through the outpost gates, and Ruth spots me and starts running.
Two feet away, she comes to a dead stop. "You're... huge. And bloody, cool."
From beautiful to huge. This isn't looking good. "Yeah, I guess I am."
"Are you meaner?"
Oh, this child. "I hope not."
Her lips curve downward and her eyes go stubborn. "Then it's not that cool."
"She stabbed the general with her claws until there was nothing left of his face," Labyrinth tells the unimpressed child.
"You did?"
I hope the
