Page 34 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

His smile disappeared. “Then kill me.”

She recoiled. “What kind of nonsense are you—”

“I’m about to commit treason by disobeying my queen.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “So either give me a traitor’s reward or stop trying to convince me not to follow you every step of this journey, no matter the cost.”

She shook her head, momentarily speechless. He was using the same tone of voice that always sent Nalani into fits of despair because it meant nothing would change his mind. Still, she had to try.

“I appreciate your loyalty, and you know I love you. But everyone on board this ship is going to an almost certain death—”

“And how dare you try to leave me out of such a grand adventure.” He leaned closer, a rare move for him, and said softly, “I’m going. Now, let’s figure out how to do this right.”

She could force him to leave with the other ship. Have him tied up in a cabin until she was too far away for him to fight the fate she’d chosen for him. And maybe she should. Maybe that was the right choice for Calera.

But it would crush Holland. He would forever feel responsible for not fighting for her to his last breath.

And if she was honest, the despair that lurked within her lost some of its bite when she considered facing capture with her cousin by her side.

“Fine. You can come. Now, let’s start planning. I want us sailing out of here by the end of the day.”

Thirteen

BY MIDDAY, EVERYTHING of value had been transferred to the abandoned pirate ship. Charis stood on the deck of the Caleran boat facing her entire crew one last time, feeling as hollow and delicate as spun glass. The small leather pouch of moriarthy dust she’d retrieved from Holland was tied to her belt.

There was no point putting off the inevitable. There was only her duty and the force of willpower it took to see it through.

“I’m proud of you,” she said, grateful her voice didn’t shake. “You carry the hope of Calera with you.”

Rithni made a strangled noise and began sobbing into her hands. Several other crew members looked near tears themselves.

“I know some of you believed I was the salvation of our kingdom, but the truth is that, as long as there are loyal Calerans willing to fight for our people, we have hope. You have a very important task ahead of you. I hope to be alive to see you all in Calera again, but if Lord Farragin and I perish, you will have a new queen in Lady Nalani Farragin, and she is kind, fair, and committed to justice for every Caleran.”

Her throat closed, and she paused while she worked to take one deep breath and then another. Beside her, Orayn sniffled, and the bruise in Charis’s heart seemed to spread to her veins until she ached from head to toe.

Reaching out, she placed a hand on the big man’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “Your captain was a close friend of my father’s. Orayn is capable, wise, and loyal, and he will guide you all to Verace and then on to northern Calera, where King Alaric and his army will be waiting. I hereby transfer my authority to Orayn for as long as you are at sea. Obey him, respect him, and work hard for him, and you will be hailed as the heroes you are.”

Turning to her right, she looked at Holland, Reuben, Dec, Grim, and the four other crew members who had elected to sail with their queen to bait their enemies into an attack. She’d been surprised when the Montevallian spies had volunteered, but they seemed to believe serving her best interests would make their traitor of a prince happy, and as it meant that two more Calerans got to stay on the newly acquired pirate ship, she didn’t argue.

The Montevallians looked determined, as did the rest of the skeletal crew. Even Holland appeared somber.

To them, she said, “Each of you are heroes as well. Without your brave sacrifice, we couldn’t fool our enemy into leaving the rest of our crew alone. Without you, the weapon that will destroy them would sink to the bottom of the sea.” Her mouth was dry, her hands shaking. The weight of their faith in her—their willingness to follow her, even to an early grave—sat on her chest like a boulder.

When she was sure she could speak with the confidence their faith in her deserved, she said, “I thank you for your service to me and to Calera. Because of you, Calera will one day be free again.”

Her gaze met Holland’s, and he drew his sword from its sheath and raised it high. “For the queen and for Calera!”

His shout echoed across the lagoon. The rest of the crew raised their weapons and shouted, “For the queen and for Calera!”

For a moment, their fury, grief, and stalwart faith seemed to shimmer in the air like a living thing.

It should never have come to this. She shouldn’t be choosing which of her people would be tasked with carrying a weapon to Verace and which would help her sail their boat into the arms of their enemy. She shouldn’t be so far from home with a crew of Calerans who’d all lost loved ones to the invaders.

None of them should be facing death.

With everything in her, she wished she could undo it all. Wind back time to the moments before the Rakuuna set their sights on Calera as the bargaining chip that would give them access to the jewels in Montevallo.

But wishes were distractions, and she couldn’t afford to lose sight of what was at stake. She had one move left in the deadly chess match she was waging against her enemy. It was time to let them take the queen and assume they’d won the war.

“Go in strength and fortitude,” she said, holding herself as rigid as stone, an immovable pillar worthy of her people’s faith. When the last of the crew had crossed the ramp from her boat to theirs, she turned to Orayn. “Thank you for everything, my friend. I’m trusting them to you.”

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