“Kill them,” the captain roared, “but leave the traitor alive!”
Archers crouched behind stone barricades loosed arrows, and Zarrah clenched her teeth as
screams filled the night, every instinct demanding that she join the fight. Except she was the only thing that was keeping the soldiers from cutting the bridge ropes, so she held her ground as her friends threw themselves into the fray.
Aren passed her, ducking as an arrow whistled past his head. “Bermin is nearly upon us.”
Horns sounded, so close it was all Zarrah could do not to look back.
glowing atop both of them. On the far side, a mass of soldiers scanned the darkness, expressions tense
“They’re coming!” shouts echoed from behind her, the air filling with cries of terror. “We need to cross!”
“Halt,” the leader among them shouted as she stepped into the pool of light, at least a dozen archers
“Not yet!” she shouted. “Give them time to secure the opposite side!”
“Shoot them!” the captain yelled. “Secure the traitor!”
Bowstrings twanged, and prisoners screamed.
“Hold your ground!” She half turned to see them massed well within bow shot, the torches held by Bermin’s forces drawing closer by the second. The children, the infirm, and the injured were caught between her cousin and the cliff top, pushing closer despite the arrows flying across the channel.
Then she heard Keris shout, “Rocks!”
The rebels behind her all lifted their arms and threw, a wave of small rocks flying overhead to smash into the archers. Many fell short. Others struck the stone barriers. But some aimed true, screams of pain rising from the archers as they were struck.
“Again!” Keris shouted, and more rocks flew. “Go! Hurry!”
“Put down your weapon,” their captain called to her, and when she obliged, he gestured for several No. No no no! They hadn’t secured the far side of the bridge. It would be certain slaughter.
“No!” she screamed at the rebels, the children wide-eyed as they clung to the hands of their mothers. “Go back!”
people she had sworn to protect. Soldiers who were only following the orders of their Empress, who Then a roar of voices filled the air, coming from the far side of the raging battle. “In the name of the True Empress, attack!”
The battle paused as both sides lifted their heads, staring in shock as another force appeared. It was at least one hundred strong, all heavily armed, and for a heartbeat, panic filled her veins that the navy was already here. Except none of them wore uniforms, and fairer-skinned individuals peppered their ranks. Then her eyes latched on the familiar face of a blond woman running at their head.
It was Lara.
An unfamiliar Valcottan man ran at the Ithicanian queen’s side, and he shouted, “Fight for your structure swaying beneath her weight. The captain stared at her in horror even as he caught hold of the freedom! Fight for the rightful empress!”
Then all was chaos.
But it was not to the battle that Zarrah looked, but behind. Racing toward them were Bermin and eight soldiers. A paltry force, but more than enough to defeat the one man who stood between them and the escaping prisoners.
Keris.
“God damn it!” Swinging over the side of the bridge so as not to impede the flow of escaping injured, Zarrah edged back to the cliff top. Leaping the last bit of distance, she raced up the slope and skidded to a stop next to Keris.
“We cannot fight them alone on open ground,” she said, hauling on his arm. “We have to …” Words and I will personally throw you back on that island, where if there is justice, you’ll spend the balance stalled on her tongue as she looked backward. The bridge was full of injured who could go no farther, for beyond was a teeming mass of people trapped by the battle. Several tried to press sideways down the cliff tops, only to be jostled, and Zarrah clenched her teeth as they fell, screaming, into the water.
And there was no swift victory in sight.
Everyone is going to die because of you.
screams filled the night, every instinct demanding that she join the fight. Except she was the only thing Grinding her teeth, Zarrah forced the thoughts from her head right as Bermin leveled a finger at them. “You didn’t get very far, little Zarrah. You never were very good at cutting your losses.”
“Retreat to the bridge,” she said to Keris under her breath.
Keris didn’t argue, walking backward with her as Bermin closed the distance. Her cousin’s face was slick with sweat, and given the awkward hunch of his body, it was from pain, not exertion. Yet his voice was steady as he said, “Trapped once again. Makes you wonder if there is some truth to the devil claiming the souls of all who walk this ground.”
“It has certainly claimed yours,” she answered. “And it didn’t have to be this way. You could’ve chosen to be better than her.”
Bermin huffed out a breath. “Enough stalling, Zarrah. It’s over. Surrender and I’ll allow you to live.”
“You think I care about my life?”
“Surrender, and I’ll allow him to live,” he countered.
“Zarrah,” Keris warned as Bermin’s men moved to flank them.
“I’ll allow the prisoners to go back to the island,” Bermin said, moving closer. “On my honor, just lay down your weapons and surrender.”
A roar filled her ears, deafening her. “No!”
“Fine,” Bermin snarled.
But as he did, Keris caught hold of her arm and hissed, “Run.”
There was nowhere to run.
Yet as he twisted her around, Zarrah saw the bridge clearing, the injured rebels hurrying through a gap carved in the battle by the newly joined forces.
Then a roar of voices filled the air, coming from the far side of the raging battle. “In the name of the She and Keris raced toward the bridge, Bermin’s boots pounding in pursuit. Ahead, the last few injured were struggling onto the far side. Keris’s feet hit the bridge, then hers. They just needed to get across it—
A weight slammed into her back, crushing the thought and what hope she had of escaping this alive.
injured, Zarrah edged back to the cliff top. Leaping the last bit of distance, she raced up the slope and
“We cannot fight them alone on open ground,” she said, hauling on his arm. “We have to …” Words stalled on her tongue as she looked backward. The bridge was full of injured who could go no farther, for beyond was a teeming mass of people trapped by the battle. Several tried to press sideways down
“You think I care about my life?”
“Surrender, and I’ll allow him to live,” he countered.
“Zarrah,” Keris warned as Bermin’s men moved to flank them.
“I’ll allow the prisoners to go back to the island,” Bermin said, moving closer. “On my honor, just lay down your weapons and surrender.”
A roar filled her ears, deafening her. “No!”
“Fine,” Bermin snarled.
But as he did, Keris caught hold of her arm and hissed, “Run.”
There was nowhere to run.
Yet as he twisted her around, Zarrah saw the bridge clearing, the injured rebels hurrying through a gap carved in the battle by the newly joined forces.