In the morning, I noticed a smaller camp, and an Orlesian man in a mask bustling about. A mask. Out here in the desert.

He started talking about dragons, and I saw Cullen's eyes go wide.

"You want us to bait a high dragon. On purpose." Varric threw up his hands. "Please tell me we're not doing this."

"You aren't." Cullen glared at me. "No dragons. I forbid it."

I laugh. "I think I outrank you, Commander."

Solas was at my elbow with a gentle touch. "Lethallan-"

I jerked my arm way from him. Lethallan my ass. "Fine. No dragons." I turned and muttered under my breath, "I'll come back with Iron Bull. He likes dragons."

After we had seen the Wardens kill their own, had seen them raise demons to serve our enemy, after... the others rode ahead, but I spent much of the way back walking, leading my hart by his bridle. I wanted time.

Cullen stayed with me, walking ahead, keeping distance but staying close. He's probably worried for my safety. Always worried for me. I caught myself grinning for the first time since the wardens.

Everything was a wreck. The world was going mad.

I wanted him to know what he meant to me.

I sped up my pace and caught up with Cullen, who gave me a pleased smile. "Doing okay?"

"Ma sulevin'eth." I spoke without meeting his eyes. "It means 'my certain safety.' It was something I felt when I looked at you, when I was near you, when I watched you train. How sure I was that I was safe with you."

He was hiding the smallest smirk with the back of his hand, but said, "Then I must be doing my job, Inquisitor."

"No. It's more than that. It's just something about you, makes me trust whatever you say. It's not your soldiers, or your position. It's you." I meet his eyes then, and he steps towards me, reaches out a hand. The look in his eyes makes my spine shiver. How would it feel to kiss you? All that power and concern in my hands, for a moment, existing only for me.

But I wasn't that brave.

I turn and vault onto my hart, kick my heels and leave him standing there, watching after me.