She knew he’d do it. Knew that in another heartbeat, the girl would be breathing her last and that countless more would die as all turned to chaos. So despite it being counter to the plan, despite having committed to remaining hidden, Zarrah stepped forward, pulling back her hood.
Welran’s eyes fixed on her.
“Let her go,” she said. “I’m here, which means you have what you want. You don’t need to hurt an innocent child.”
“I doubt she’s innocent.”
The girl sobbed, trickles of blood running down her brown skin. “Please,” she sobbed. “I haven’t done anything.”
“Let her go.”
Welran’s hand was shaking, tears gleaming in his eyes. “You killed my boy. You and your lover.
You’re a traitor to your people in every possible way.”
Zarrah’s heart ached at his grief, the culmination of far more than just Bermin’s death. “I didn’t kill him, Welran. We fought, and though my heart desired his blood, Keris convinced me to stay my hand.
But Bermin wouldn’t let it go. Pursued me to the bitter end and made a choice that was his damnation.
He chose to make his end on that island.”
“He died with honor!” Welran screamed. “Whereas you will die the traitor that you are!”
All around them, the crowd had fallen still, but whispers filtered outward, all of them saying one thing. “It’s her. It’s Zarrah.”
Zarrah’s eyes met the girl’s, the fear in them reminding her of herself at that age. So quick to throw herself into danger without mind for the consequences. She’d not allow the child to lose the opportunity to learn the wisdom of caution. “Fine. Her life for mine.”
His eyes narrowed; then Welran gave a tight nod.
Zarrah wove through the crowd, dropping her weapons on the ground before she reached him, then moving close. “Let her go.”
Welran shoved the girl away, then caught hold of Zarrah’s arm, pulling her back against his massive helping her aunt raise Zarrah and train her, and she knew the grief in his heart. Knew that his soul bledchest, blade against her throat. “Walk,” he growled. “I won’t give you the mercy of killing you myself.”
Zarrah took a step but then fell still, a familiar rhythmic tread filling her ears, growing louder by the second. A faint smile rose to her lips, because Keris had not let her down. “Arakis has risen.”
Every street leading to the square filled with the glow of torchlight, and then they appeared.
Civilians in the hundreds, in the thousands. A few carried weapons, but most were armed with shovels, pitchforks, and sticks. None of them alone could hope to stand against any of Welran’s soldiers, but this was an army.
“I know you think you can win this without bloodshed,” he shouted. “That you believe the whole of
“You can’t win this,” she said to him. “And killing me won’t stop it because they aren’t here because of me. They’re here because of the Usurper. They’re here because they’re through with her tyranny, through with her warmongering, through with her lies.”
Zarrah could feel the heat of Welran’s rapid breath on the top of her head as he eyed the mob. Then he shouted, “Imperial guard, to me!”
She silently cursed as the soldiers pushed aside civilians to form up around him, weapons in hand and faces devoid of the fear she knew must have been filling their hearts. They couldn’t win this, but the number of people who’d die taking them down would be catastrophic.
“Cutting my throat will only pour fuel on the fires of rebellion, will only make me a martyr,” she said. “Stand down and you’ll be allowed to board your ship.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” Welran hissed. “A mob is not a thing that can be
controlled.”
“They aren’t looking for violence,” Zarrah answered. “They’re looking for an end to it. Leave Arakis, Welran. Go back to my aunt and tell her that I’m coming for her.”
The mob pressed closer, silently watching. Waiting.
“You cannot win a war against her,” Welran finally said. “She will not allow it. And she will make you pay in ways that make Devil’s Island seem paltry in comparison.” But he took a step back, then another. And another.
“Retreat to the harbor,” he ordered his soldiers, but he didn’t let Zarrah go. Kept the blade to her throat as they moved toward the sea, the mob following. But just before they reached the docks,
Welran ground to a stop, and Zarrah swallowed hard when she saw that the crowd had closed ranks, denying the imperial guard a path to the ships.
Daria stepped forward. “Let Zarrah go. She belongs to Arakis, and we will not let you have her.”
Zarrah said nothing, allowing Welran time for his internal debate. She didn’t have to wait long. He shoved her away with such force that she nearly fell into Daria’s arms, snarling, “I will not give you But Bermin wouldn’t let it go. Pursued me to the bitter end and made a choice that was his damnation. the satisfaction of martyrdom.”
Daria tensed, but Zarrah said under her breath, “Let him go. We’ve accomplished what we wished to tonight. Arakis has risen.”
“Let them go,” Daria shouted. “They have a message to deliver to the Usurper. Arakis bends the knee to Petra Anaphora no longer!”
The crowd roared, chanting “Arakis” as they cleared a path for Welran and his soldiers into the harbor where their ship was moored.
Daria wiped sweat from her brow. “Thank God that’s over. My nerves can’t handle your schemes.”
“It’s not over,” Zarrah said softly, looking out over the chanting mob. “It’s only just begun.”
Welran shoved the girl away, then caught hold of Zarrah’s arm, pulling her back against his massive
“You cannot win a war against her,” Welran finally said. “She will not allow it. And she will make
Welran ground to a stop, and Zarrah swallowed hard when she saw that the crowd had closed ranks, denying the imperial guard a path to the ships.
Daria stepped forward. “Let Zarrah go. She belongs to Arakis, and we will not let you have her.”
Zarrah said nothing, allowing Welran time for his internal debate. She didn’t have to wait long. He shoved her away with such force that she nearly fell into Daria’s arms, snarling, “I will not give you the satisfaction of martyrdom.”
Daria tensed, but Zarrah said under her breath, “Let him go. We’ve accomplished what we wished to tonight. Arakis has risen.”
“Let them go,” Daria shouted. “They have a message to deliver to the Usurper. Arakis bends the knee to Petra Anaphora no longer!”
The crowd roared, chanting “Arakis” as they cleared a path for Welran and his soldiers into the harbor where their ship was moored.
Daria wiped sweat from her brow. “Thank God that’s over. My nerves can’t handle your schemes.”
“It’s not over,” Zarrah said softly, looking out over the chanting mob. “It’s only just begun.”
IT TOOK ALL Keris’s control to stop himself from inciting the mob to violence when he saw