Word spread through the Ithicanians, smiles breaking over their faces and soft words of
congratulations filling the evening air, and Keris stepped away. This wasn’t his moment; it was theirs.
Walking to the front of the ship, he checked that all his weapons were firmly in place. That his boots were tied tight. That his hair was fastened away from his face.
“I’ll get you out.”
He turned to find Lara behind him, the pieces of blond hair that had escaped her braids blowing in the wind.
“I’m not sure how, yet,” she said. “But between Aren and I, we’ll get you two out.”
They stood in silence while darkness fell and the ship sailed toward Devil’s Island. As the glow of its entrance appeared, Keris said, “If things go badly for me, help Sarhina take the throne. She’ll be twice the ruler of any of our idiot brothers.”
“Does she want to be queen?”
“Not in the slightest,” he answered. “Which is exactly why she’ll do a good job of it.”
Aren abandoned the helm and approached. “We’re going to stop here and go the rest of the way by longboat. We’ve got supplies, though there is only so much you can take in. You ready?”
Could one ever be ready for something like this? “Looking forward to it.”
Aren handed him a wax-wrapped package. “Once you’re in and safe, put some of this into a fire at night and cover your eyes. The glow is bright enough to blind permanently, which is why we’ll see it.”
“And if I don’t survive long enough to do so?”
“We’ll do what we can for her, within reason,” Lara answered. “I won’t promise more than that.”
Lara told you that she won’t risk her life for Zarrah, but in the moment, she’ll change her mind.
And she can’t keep dodging death forever. So please use this journey south to ask yourself just how much you’re really willing to lose, Aren’s voice said inside his head, and Keris reached out to grip her shoulders. “I’m not willing to lose you again, sister. Don’t do anything you shouldn’t.”
She bit her bottom lip, then nodded. “Good luck.”
Keris clambered over the rail and down the ladder, landing with a thud in the now-lowered
longboat. He sat on a bench, the wood wet and cold through his trousers, a prelude of what was to come.
Moments later, Aren landed with a soft thud, settling himself next to Keris, eyes on the faint glow cutting through the fog. “Row.”
ZARRAH STARED AT Kian, skin still crawling. “Bullshit. I’ve spent weeks in their camp. Do you think that I don’t know what they eat?”
“You tell me,” he answered. “You’ve seen the meat in their pots. Looks like pork, but ask
yourself, have you ever seen a pig on this island?”
“They eat birds. Fish. And what they steal from you!”
Kian laughed. “Do you think there’d be a damn bird left on this island if that was what they were putting in their pots?” Resting his hands on his hips, he added, “We hold the beach, and our nets take most of the fish. All of the supplies. You think that what Daria and her ilk steal is enough to fill all those bellies?”
It wasn’t, but she’d assumed they had hidden stores.
“They’ve been feeding you my tribe members, Zarrah. Still feel comfortable in their camp?”
“They don’t share.” She swallowed hard. “I have to hunt for my own food.” A rule intended to keep everyone accountable. A rule intended to ensure that the strong didn’t steal the pickings of the weak.
Or was it a rule to keep the prey from discovering they lived within their hunters’ camp?
No. No, she knew these people. Would have noticed the smell of human flesh cooking over fire.
There was no way they could have hidden such a horrible way of life from her. “You’re full of shit, Kian.”
He shrugged, then cast out a hand. “Where are the bodies of my men? We found a few of the dead, but we’re missing at least two scouts.”
“Probably hidden in the bushes.” The words came out too quickly, and she knew it. So did Kian, who gave a slow shake of his head. “I could take you by force now, Zarrah. You know that. But I’d rather you see for yourself and choose to come to our camp of your own volition. They’ll do their butchering in the graveyard tonight. We’ll wait here for you.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time,” Zarrah answered, but the shadow that was Kian only lifted its shoulders.
“Quiet while my men return,” he said. “I trust you can get yourself down?”
She fell still as his warriors approached, cursing and swearing and demanding retribution. All Kian said was, “Once we have her, she’s our ticket to freedom. The only ticket those fuckers have is to hell.”
Then they were gone.
Zarrah waited until their footsteps faded, then cut herself down. She hit the ground hard and off-balance, rolling into a bush, where she took only a heartbeat to let her spinning head clear. Then she was running.
Her pulse throbbed, a stitch forming in her side, but it was what Kian had told her that consumed her brain. It couldn’t be true. It had to be some trick. Had to be a lie.
She hit the cut line right as a large rebel force crossed the wall, though they slowed at the sight of her. Daria was with them, and she pushed her way through the others to Zarrah’s side. “Are you all right?” she demanded. “I blackened Saam’s eye when I realized he’d left you.”
“Fine,” Zarrah answered, the feel of Daria’s hand on her arm making her skin crawl. “They passed right beneath me and didn’t even notice. Cut myself down after they left.”
Daria nodded, then swayed. Instinctively, Zarrah steadied her. “How’s the head?”
“Goose egg the size of a new mother’s tit,” Daria muttered. “But I’ll live. And Flay will regret not killing me when I track that little monster down. Let’s head back to camp and assess whether this debacle was worth it.”
Zarrah remained silent as they returned to camp, forcing a smile to her face as they examined the fifteen weapons they’d stolen, all of far better make than most in the camp possessed.
“I think this is worthy of celebration,” Daria announced. “But some unfortunate souls will have to join me on patrol so that the rest might relax.”
Zarrah tensed, knowing full well that the woman had already assigned warriors to guard duty.
Taking advantage of the distraction of those celebrating, she went into the woods as though to piss, then picked up Daria’s trail. They didn’t head to join those guarding the border, but rather to the gully holding the graveyard.
It wasn’t true.
It couldn’t be true.
Except with every step she took, Zarrah saw clues that she’d previously turned a blind eye toward.
Saw how she’d readily accepted Daria’s explanations. There was no doubt that Kian was attempting to manipulate her into joining his camp, but that didn’t mean that there wasn’t a kernel of truth.
Daria’s camp had to have another source of food beyond what they could steal and forage.
And Zarrah intended to find out what it was.