underestimated how angry she’d be. I knew there would be consequences, but …” He hesitated. “The “No,” she muttered, because it had to be the bridge. There was no other way to rescue the injured.
Her eyes trailed over the soldiers illuminated by torchlight. If escape could not be won by force, it had to be won by duplicity. “Bermin hasn’t once tried to kill me, likely because my aunt has given him strict orders that I be kept alive. What are the chances that every guard on this island hasn’t been given the same instruction?”
“What precisely are you proposing?”
He’d fight this plan. Do his best to convince her of another route forward, even if it resulted in everyone else dying so that she might live. Zarrah refused to allow that to happen again, so she turned on her heel, walking swiftly to intercept the larger party before they crested the rise. Aren walked with Daria at the front of the group, the tension between the two palpable. “I’ve a plan,” she said, Immediately, Zarrah bit down on her tongue. Why, of all the things, had that been what had come from explaining the situation at the bridge and her gambit.
“It’s too risky,” Daria muttered. “You’re banking your life on them not shooting first and begging of the heart, and it had cut her deep. Not only to be replaced,the Empress for forgiveness later.”
“I’m only one life.”
“A life that everyone here has risked themselves for,” Keris snapped.
She turned to see that he had come silently up from behind. His face was hidden by the darkness, but she could feel displeasure radiating from him, and her irritation rose that once again, he was putting her life before others. That once again, he would refuse to acknowledge the merits of her plan because it put her in jeopardy.
Which meant he might well try to sabotage it.
“This isn’t Maridrina. Or Ithicana,” she added, seeing Aren’s shadow cross its arms. “It is Valcotta, and every Valcottan here has recognized my authority. I choose to use that authority to enact a plan that will get my people out alive.”
She’d not allow her people to die for the sake of keeping herself out of danger. It wasn’t who she was.
“Not minutes ago, you apologized for your actions at Southwatch, yet I can tell you’re conspiring to do the exact same thing again,” she said, keeping a careful distance from Keris. “Give me your word that you won’t interfere.”
“No.” Keris’s shadow shook its head. “I’ll not put myself in the position of having to make a foolish decision just to honor my word. We’ll try your plan, but as you have said many times yourself, not even the best-laid strategies go smoothly.”
He turned back down the path, and once he was out of sight, Daria whistled. “You told no lies,
“Shame,” Keris murmured. “Part of me hoped he’d have to spend time alone on that island with the Zarrah. He’ll risk everything and everyone but you. It’s admirable. And damnable.”
“It’s fucking infuriating.” She looked to Aren. “Don’t let him interfere.”
He didn’t answer.
“We need to move.” She gestured to the torchlight moving outward around the spiral. “Bermin and he’s alive or dead, though. Bermin’s force has given no signal beyond the horns for a prison break, so his remaining forces will reach us soon, and we need to be on the other side of that bridge before they do. Gather everyone fit to fight.”
There was no hesitation, those who could carry a weapon gathering while the rest assisted the injured.
“Stay out of sight until my signal,” she said to the injured, then started down the path, sword in hand.
Her pulse throbbed steadily as she allowed herself to sink into the moment, everything else fading away as she approached the large stone mooring posts to which the bridge was anchored, torchlight glowing atop both of them. On the far side, a mass of soldiers scanned the darkness, expressions tense and their weapons in hand.
“Halt,” the leader among them shouted as she stepped into the pool of light, at least a dozen archers had to be won by duplicity. “Bermin hasn’t once tried to kill me, likely because my aunt has given himtraining their arrows on her.
“My name is Zarrah Anaphora,” she shouted. “Daughter of Princess Aryana Anaphora and niece to Empress Petra Anaphora.”
She held her breath, waiting for the soldiers to react. Waiting for the proof that her aunt had given orders that she not be harmed, for if she had not, one of those arrows would swiftly find her heart.
everyone else dying so that she might live. Zarrah refused to allow that to happen again, so she turned Mutters spread among the men and women, none lowering their weapons. “Where is Prince
Bermin?” the leader called. “Why aren’t you with him?”
“He was injured,” she responded, stopping just before she reached the bridge moorings. “His men are bringing him around the spiral, for the first bridge was cut to contain the prisoners.”
Answers that were full of holes. Something all the soldiers realized, given none lowered their weapons. But neither had they killed her, and her confidence grew.
“Put down your weapon,” their captain called to her, and when she obliged, he gestured for several of the soldiers to cross.
Zarrah’s chest tightened painfully as she watched them cross over the channel. Valcottans, the very people she had sworn to protect. Soldiers who were only following the orders of their Empress, who had caused no harm to her, and yet …
She lifted her hand.
Arrows shot past her, punching through leather and flesh. The soldiers screamed, several toppling off the bridge to fall into the channel below while others attempted to run back to cover.
Only for arrows to take them in the back.
“Take cover!” the captain shouted. “Cut the ropes.”
Zarrah stepped out onto the bridge, walking until she reached the center, where she stopped, the structure swaying beneath her weight. The captain stared at her in horror even as he caught hold of the
“Not minutes ago, you apologized for your actions at Southwatch, yet I can tell you’re conspiring to arm of the soldier who had been about to slice the mooring ropes.
“Put down your weapons, and you’ll be spared,” she said as her companions raced down to the bridge. “Surrender.”
“Are you mad?” he shouted. “The prisoners on this island are more beasts than men. Killers and foolish decision just to honor my word. We’ll try your plan, but as you have said many times yourself, rapists and cannibals, and you’d set them loose on the world?”
“These people were unlawfully imprisoned by the Empress because they dared to criticize her,”
Zarrah countered as the bridge shook, the rebels pouring onto it. “This is your last chance. Surrender or die.”
“The Empress was right to send you here,” the captain hissed. “You are a traitor to your people, and I will personally throw you back on that island, where if there is justice, you’ll spend the balance of your days.”
his remaining forces will reach us soon, and we need to be on the other side of that bridge before they
“So be it,” Zarrah answered, right as Saam and Daria pushed past her, weapons in hand.