“Hubris is the downfall of all, Petra,” Keris continued, “as it has been yours. So certain were you of victory that you split your army in two, bringing half here to watch you take Zarrah’s surrender, sending the other half to capture the rebel army. The latter, I’m pleased to inform you, swiftly capitulated when they discovered themselves caught between the rebels and the combined forces of Maridrina and Ithicana. As to the other half of your army …” He paused, looking around. “I ask, will you swear allegiance to the rightful heir to the Valcottan Empire, Zarrah Anaphora, or will you continue to fight for the Usurper?”
He turned back to the pavilion in which Zarrah stood, and her breath caught as their eyes locked.
She should have known that not even death had the power to stop him.
“This is madness!” The Usurper came around to the rear of the table as though to keep it between her and Keris. “Seize him! That is an order. Any who fail to listen will be given a traitor’s death.
Will be fed to the dogs!”
pavilion. He pulled off his helmet, revealing blond hair, the sight of his face nearly bringing Zarrah to It was not one by one, but rather a tide as the soldiers of the Imperial Army dropped to one knee, pressing hands to their hearts. Then, to Zarrah’s shock, Keris knelt. “On the blood of my family, as the King of Maridrina, I swear my life and sword to Zarrah Anaphora. May peace be had between
Maridrina and Valcotta now and forevermore.”
“No,” the Usurper whispered, then screamed, “No!”
“It took me a long time to see what you really are,” Zarrah said quietly. “But now my eyes are clear. As are theirs.”
The Usurper went still; then she said, “If you are not mine, then you will be no one’s.”
It took a heartbeat too long for Zarrah to understand, Keris’s screamed warning filling her ears right as the Usurper’s knife pressed against her throat.
“Seize him! Don’t you hear what he
the center of the stadium. “My aunt Coralyn, who was the cleverest woman to ever live, taught me that
Will be fed to the dogs!”
It was not one by one, but rather a tide as the soldiers of the Imperial Army dropped to one knee, pressing hands to their hearts. Then, to Zarrah’s shock, Keris knelt. “On the blood of my family, as the King of Maridrina, I swear my life and sword to Zarrah Anaphora. May peace be had between
Maridrina and Valcotta now and forevermore.”
“No,” the Usurper whispered, then screamed, “No!”
“It took me a long time to see what you really are,” Zarrah said quietly. “But now my eyes are clear. As are theirs.”
The Usurper went still; then she said, “If you are not mine, then you will be no one’s.”
It took a heartbeat too long for Zarrah to understand, Keris’s screamed warning filling her ears right as the Usurper’s knife pressed against her throat.
EVEN FROM THIRTY yards away, Keris saw the shift. Felt it in his chest like a surge of pressure that made his heart stutter and adrenaline surge through his veins.
The moment Petra turned on Zarrah.
He was on his feet and running, shouting a warning. Screaming Zarrah’s name while the soldiers around him all leapt upright in alarm.
They were all too late.
In a flash of speed that came with a lifetime of training, Petra was behind Zarrah, a knife to her neck. “Come any closer and I’ll slit her throat.”
“You kill her, you’ll die badly,” Keris answered, though he drew up at the base of the pavilion steps, his heart throbbing. Zarrah struggled in her grasp, then fell still as blood trickled in rivulets down her skin. Her eyes met Keris’s. She’ll do it.
“You think that’s any threat, you arrogant fool?” Petra hissed. “I would rather die than watch Valcotta be ruled by Maridrina’s puppet empress.”
“You know she isn’t my puppet and never has been,” he answered, lifting a hand to stop the Valcottan soldiers moving closer, for their desire to protect Zarrah was more likely to get her killed.
“What you can’t stand is that she’s no longer yours to play with as you will, but rather her own woman.”
“I gave her everything!” Petra stomped her foot hard. “She’s nothing without me!”
She stomped her foot again.
Keris thought it a fit of temper; then Zarrah’s eyes widened, and both women dropped from sight.
“Zarrah!” Keris sprinted up the steps, nearly losing his footing as he raced around the stone table, eyes latching on the square opening right as the hatch door was pushed back into place. He threw himself at the stone slab, hauling on the metal handle bolted to it.
But the hatch wouldn’t budge. Was either stuck or latched from the far side.
“Pry it open!” he shouted at the Valcottan soldiers who’d followed him up, several of them taking his place to pull on the handle. It was to no avail.
Raking a hand back through his sweaty hair, Keris fought his panic. “Where does it lead?”
The soldiers exchanged looks, everyone shaking their heads; then Saam and Jor appeared, Arjun with them. “Where does the escape tunnel lead?” Keris shouted at Saam. “We need to find them before she hurts Zarrah!”
“I don’t know.” Light from the flickering lamp illuminated Saam’s pale face. “When the games were active, it was a close secret known only to the game masters in case there was a riot. I never had a chance to explore the stadium myself. It’s only because the tunnel from the other pavilion caved in that we knew where to find it.”
“I shouldn’t have left her alone,” Arjun said, pressing his hands to the sides of his head in panic. “I shouldn’t have let her risk it.”
“If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t have known she was here,” Keris snapped. “Does anyone know where the tunnel leads?”
A Valcottan captain stepped forward. “A dozen of the imperial guard rode northeast when we began the march to the stadium. No information was supplied as to where they were going, but they were all members of her personal guard. Someone among them must have known where the exit to the tunnel was and been waiting below.”
“Fuck!” Keris slammed his hand down on the hatch door.
“You in charge?” Jor demanded of the captain, who nodded. “Send riders to the town. Those living there might have answers. Have the rest of your soldiers start a search heading northeast.”
The Valcottan captain opened his mouth as though to argue but then thought better of it, turning around to shout orders.
Keris stood but didn’t move from the pavilion. This was his fault. Zarrah had it in hand, and he’d had to provoke Petra. Had to twist the knife. Had to have the final fucking word.
Zarrah was fighting for her life because of it.
“Shit.” He doubled over, his stomach roiling because he didn’t know what to do. The Valcottan army was well trained, the thousands of soldiers pouring out of the stadium all going to search. “I need to find her. I …”
“You need to move your pretty arse out of my way is what you need to do.”
He lifted his head to see Jor waving a hand at him. “Down the steps. We’ll wait until that lot is clear before getting underway. We can’t be certain all of them are loyal to Zarrah, and I’m not keen on being attacked from behind.”