The next time I see Kent, he looks troubled.

"What's wrong?"

I feel foolish just asking the question.

We're getting ready to go to our deaths.

Larcen has gone from the strong dependable leader to barely keeping it together.

He doesn't even let Adrian out of his sight.

Adrian is beside himself worrying about his father.

Helena is practically comatose while she sleeps off the bone deep exhaustion of an empath that's absorbed too much.

I'm expected to keep the attention of the telepath and the mages while Larcen hopefully keeps it together long enough to do what must be done.

What isn't wrong?

Still Kent doesn't scoff at the question.

He gives it the seriousness he used to give all my questions before things went to hell.

"I think we're going to win."

My eyebrows practically disappear into my bangs.

"That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"I fear the price of victory may be too high."

"We're fighting so people like us will no longer have to fear the king and live in hiding. What could be too much to give up for that?"

It feels strange to be the one trying to reassure him.

"That's just it. I'd live every moment of my life in fear and secrecy if it meant keeping those I love safe. To achieve this victory and lose everything in the process.. I couldn't bear it."

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"You're not going to lose anything."

I put as much conviction as I can into the statement.

No matter what I won't let anything happen to him.

My entire life he's protected and cared for me.

He didn't have to.

It would have been perfectly understandable if he'd resented me.

After all I was the heir and he the servant to our father.

If not for me, Lord Auron could have instated him as heir.

If not for me, he-

"Promise me you'll be careful."

His words cut my contemplation short.

"Kent...?"

He stares determinedly at the ground.

"This feels a lot like when Lord Auron went off to fight..."

Oh.

I guess it would feel that way to him.

I'm willingly going into danger and expecting him to be fine with it.

"Well the difference is you'll be right there beside me."

He makes a distracted sound of acknowledgement.

For one crazy moment I can't help but think we're having two completely different conversations.