“Which means Kian and his tribe have been given incentive to keep her alive.” Keris stared blindly into the distance, then focused on Daria. “Food? Drink? Premium supplies?”
The woman gave a slow shake of her head. “That’s a promise easily broken, and Kian’s no fool.
What’s more, he risked his own life to try to take her, and I don’t think he’d do that for a few extra bottles of rum.”
“Then the incentive must be freedom,” Keris said. “And there are very few people who
from the commander that Petra had turned on her heir and was sending her to her prison. The idea that realistically have the gold and the connections to deliver: your rebel commander—”
“The commander would not deal with Kian,” Daria snapped. “We are his people.”
“Perhaps he believes he is dealing with his people,” Keris said. “Perhaps Kian intercepted a was given orders to secure her at all costs and protect her until the commander was able to organize a message intended for you.”
Or perhaps, Keris thought to himself, the commander made arrangements with both factions.
“We must consider that Petra is behind this,” Aren said. “There has always been the risk that this was a trap for you. Perhaps she’s made an agreement with Kian to double her odds of killing you. A trap within a trap.”
It made sense that Petra was behind this. Perfect fucking sense, yet something about it felt wrong to Keris. If all she cared about was killing him, that could have been accomplished long ago by an assassin.
Petra’s obsession was the Endless War. She wanted glory and the accolades. To go down in the history books as the empress who’d triumphed and expanded the Empire to rule over its ancient enemy. Having Keris killed on this island by nameless prisoners would not satisfy that need.
But capturing him and publicly executing him might.
The thought made him wonder if the teeth of the trap had already closed around him and he just hadn’t realized it.
Keris rubbed at his temples, trying to think, trying to come up with a strategy, but he felt sick with fear. Not for himself. But for Zarrah. For Aren. For all of those he’d dragged into this mess with no clear plan to get them out of it.
“So you believe it’s you Kian needs to deliver to get his freedom?” Daria asked. “Petra was that certain you’d come yourself?”
“She’s a monster,” he muttered, trying to steady his breathing. Trying to think. “But a very clever monster.”
“Kian doesn’t know we’re here,” Aren reasoned. “We have time to strategize a way to get Zarrah back from him. Daria, do you have the manpower to retrieve her by force?”
The woman tensed. “We’ve got more people, but not all are fighters. And Kian has more weapons.
We’d take heavy losses. If it’s freedom on the line, they’ll pursue, which means that whatever plan you have to get yourselves and Zarrah off the island better goddamn include us.”
Silence stretched, and Keris exchanged another weighted look with Aren, who said, “When does the commander plan to make his move?”
“I don’t know. Days. Weeks. Months, maybe.” Daria scowled. “Why? Because you plan to use us to get Zarrah, then leave us to war with Kian until the commander can make it here to rescue us? Half of my tribe will be dead by then. Maybe all.”
The warriors surrounding them muttered angrily, and Keris held up a hand. “We ask because we don’t have a route off the island, nor the manpower for an outright attack.”
No one spoke, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.
“If you don’t have a route off, then you are no rescuers.” Daria stood. “You’re prisoners, just like us.”
“Which means Kian and his tribe have been given incentive to keep her alive.” Keris stared blindly She wasn’t wrong.
Rising to his feet, Keris walked through the warriors who’d surrounded them, the men and women stepping aside to give him a path. Zarrah was so close. So painfully close, and part of him wanted to break into a run. To race across the island and find her, never mind the obvious consequences.
Instead he forced himself to think, because allowing his emotions to drive strategy was what had gotten him and Aren onto this island with no path for escape.
It might well be true that they had time, that Zarrah would be safe enough in Kian’s camp while they were ignorant to Keris’s presence. But the longer they were stuck here, the more desperate Lara would become. Perhaps desperate enough to take risks she should not, which could get her killed.
He couldn’t leave the problem in his sister’s hands. He needed to solve it himself.
Going back to Daria and Aren, he said, “We’re going to spring the trap.”
“Keris—” Aren started to argue, but Keris cut him off.
“I’m the prize that Kian needs to deliver to gain his freedom. So Daria organizes a trade. Me for Zarrah. She …” He swallowed hard. “She was just the bait, so I think he’ll agree. If Kian is as smart as Daria claims, he’ll demand that he and his tribe be allowed off the island before they give me up.
These are dangerous men and women, so the entire island garrison will be required to keep them under control.”
Aren’s brow furrowed. “They’d have to leave other posts undermanned.”
Keris nodded. “If we time it for the cover of darkness, all Daria’s man in the guard need do is get a rope stretched between the cliffs. You, Daria, and the rest of the tribe can climb across the water and make your way to the pier to signal the ship. You’ve enough manpower to take the pier from behind, and then it’s only a matter of your ship sailing in to take everyone aboard before the navy is the wiser.”
“What about you?”
“Never mind me. Tell Zarrah everything and then get her to the rebel commander. She has the power to rid Valcotta of Petra, and if she does that, Maridrina will be protected.”
“We have time,” Aren argued. “We don’t need to make this decision now. Give Lara a chance to find another solution.”
Keris shook his head. “How long do you think Lara will go without communication from you before she gets desperate?” Seeing Aren was going to keep arguing, he added, “Lara asked me if there was a limit to what I’d sacrifice, and this is it. She’s the limit. I won’t allow my sister to die for the chance of me living—not if my capture will ensure every last one of you gets out alive.”
“It’s a good plan,” Daria said.
“It’s a shitty plan.” Aren crossed his arms. “And it’s not like you to submit, Keris. You’re a survivor.”
“Then trust that I will.”
“That’s not good enough. I’m not leaving you to fight this battle by yourself.”
Keris’s chest tightened with emotion he couldn’t quite put words to that the man he’d once thrown to the wolves was willing to risk so much for him.
Even if he wasn’t worth it.
So Keris struck the final nail that he knew would secure Aren’s cooperation. “It’s not just Lara’s life that is at risk anymore.”