I went back with tears in my eyes to where Dane was lying. I


    knelt beside Dane, his face white, small breaths caught in his throat.


    The weight of failure leaned upon my chest, the tick of each second louder than thest.


    “Aurora,” he said low and quick, no louder than my own heartbeat racing in my head. His hand reached for mine weakly, but insistently.


    “I’m trying,” I whispered, and a lump of tears built in my eyes.


    “I went back to her, Dane. I offered everything I could think of, but she. she won’t budge. She toys with us, and I don’t know how long I can still manage it all.”


    He tried squeezing my hand, but he could not muster enough strength. “You. you’ll find a way. You always do.”


    I looked away, not able to meet his eyes. “I’m not so sure this time,” I admitted.


    The door to the room creaked open suddenly and Trajan stepped inside, his face grim. His eyes flicked between Dane and me beforending on my tear–streaked face.


    “We’ve got a problem,” he said, the weight


    of his voice serious enough that it cut through my lethargy like a hot knife.


    “What now?” I asked, standing too quickly; my exhausted body didn’t like that one bit.


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