Chapter 150

"Dallin-love," it murmurs, soft and perplexed, "what have you done?"

All the air goes out of him, and his fragile grip on hope loosens and falls away.

"Mum" drags from his mouth before he can stop it. Dallin shuts his eyes, refuses to turn, reaches out blind for Wil, but no hand meets his, no long, slender fingers wrap comfort around his own.

"Tell me it isn't true," his mother's voice demands, just enough confused query in it to make it almost believable. "He told them where I was, Dallin, pointed the way, and they came with their swords and their torches."

"Shut up," he wheezes, hoarse and heavy.

"They *burned* me, Dallin, did he tell you that? And you would choose him?"