Page 139 of The Endless War

In three strides, Keris was on him, Welran’s eyes widening in shock. Warm blood slicked his fingers as he plunged the blade into the bigger man’s throat, following as Welran staggered backward several steps, falling on his back. Keris’s armor creaked as he knelt on theman’s chest. “I told you if you insulted Zarrah again that I’d have your tongue,” he said, then reached into the hole his knife had made and pulled out Welran’s tongue, slicing it free at the base. “Now I have it.”

Keris blinked away the vision, Welran’s smirking face coming back into focus before him, the blood and violence nothing but a short-lived fantasy.

God help him, but Keris wanted to make it reality. Knew that for all of Welran’s insults, hecould.But the world had enough men who reached for blades first. Men like his father, and all the Veliant kings who’d come before him.

I swore to be different.

Keris squared his shoulders. “Zarrah Anaphora is the rightful empress. She is the future of Valcotta, a leader and a peacemaker, and whether I remain on the throne of Maridrina has no bearing on that. She will find a way to end the war that has ruled us for generations, a way to rip the crown from the tyrant usurper who stole it, and there will soon come a day when men such as you are given less space than an ink splotch on the history books. I will bet my crown, my kingdom, and my very life upon it.”

Welran gave a dismissive snort, but Keris didn’t miss the unease in the man’s eyes as he said, “Your crown and kingdom are already lost to you, Your Grace. Your life will soon join them.” He turned to Philo. “I know that the attack on the fleet was not your doing. Give Keris Veliant over to us, and we will hold him to account. Then you will be free to choose a king fit for the throne of Maridrina.”

Philo gave a sharp shake of his head, then fixed his gaze on Keris. “You were supposed to be different. Instead you are the same as your father, tramping over our backs in pursuit of your obsession. Maridrina needs a ruler who will put the people first, and that ruler is not you.”

Philo was not wrong.

Keris drew in a breath, knowing that it was over. That he’d failed her. He only prayed that Ithicana would go to Zarrah’s aid, and that it would be enough. That she’d keep fighting and achieve everything they’d dreamed of, and that the stars would one day tell the story of a love that changed the world for the better. “Peace is not a product of complacency, Captain. It is won by those who look at the past and thepresent and say, we can do better.”

“Pretty words will not save you, Your Grace. Put down your weapons.” Philo started toward him, then stopped, his gaze fixing on something behind Keris. “Why are they here? What have you done?” he demanded, even as Welran’s brow furrowed first with surprise, then concern.

Heart in his throat, Keris slowly turned, his mind taking far too long to grasp the enormity of what he was witnessing.

When it did, the breath disappeared from his chest.

IT WAS NOTZarrah’s first hard march, but never in her life had the stakes been so high, the ceaseless worry exhausting her far more than the riding and walking. It was certainly what kept her awake every night.

But they’d made it. Had reached the place where she’d hoped to stand her ground, the midday sun shining down upon them.

Dismounting her horse, she handed the reins to a groom, her father doing the same. Together, they waited while the camp formed around them, taking reports in the open air until the command tent was raised. “We moved faster than expected,” her father said. “Our spies may be having difficulty finding us, which is why we’ve not received news.”

Zarrah gave a short nod, her eyes on the horizon. It was too distant yet to see, but Pyrinat, Valcotta’s capital and largest city, was within a day’s march. They had made good time, for everyone near Arakis who could give up horses and oxen to the cause had done so, even as they made preparations to evacuate the city. She’d been confident that the Usurper would choose to redirect her army to protect the capital, yetit had still been a relief to learn that plans to attack Arakis had been abandoned and the Imperial Army was gathering near Pyrinat. Only a small relief, though, for it meant the full weight of the Imperial Army was waiting to face her.

Outnumbering her force, six to one.

“He may yet be coming,” her father said, knowing the direction of Zarrah’s thoughts. “I’ve sent out scouts to look for signs the Maridrinians are marching, but they have to proceed with caution to avoid the Usurper’s soldiers.”

Zarrah didn’t answer, as they’d had this conversation many times before. The report she’d received yesterday was that Keris remained in power and had been joined by Lara and Aren, the intent to sail to Nerastis. There’d been no news since. No word of whether his army had agreed to march in support of the rebellion, or whether they’d killed him for having the audacity to ask such a thing.Aren and Lara are with him,she reminded herself.If it comes to the worst, they’ll get him out alive.

Or so she hoped. For all the strength of Ithicana’s rulers and their soldiers, they were in no position to take on the might of Maridrina’s army in Nerastis, which was well equipped to repel sea attacks. Especially if the Valcottan garrison there chose to engage.

There were so many unknowns. Too many, and though no one said so to her face, Zarrah heard the whispers among the rebels.Maridrina isn’t coming. They’ve abandoned us.

We stand alone.

If Keris didn’t come, it meant he was dead. Or imprisoned. Because even if his army refused to follow him, he’d have returned to her. There was no doubt of that in her heart.

So Zarrah watched the horizon, waiting, waiting, even as she quietly planned for what would have to be done if his familiar form never appeared.

“Tent’s up,” Daria said as she approached. The other woman’s presence was an endless comfort to her. Their friendship had grown during the journey, Daria taking on the role of captain of Zarrah’s bodyguard, with Saam as her lieutenant, and most of the individuals she chose to fill the ranks being survivors of Devil’s Island. Zarrahhad made the choice partially to counter the negativity they faced as a result of their choices on the island, but also because they were the only ones who never whispered, never doubted. While some might accuse Zarrah of surrounding herself with sycophants who didn’t challenge her, that couldn’t be further from the truth. She surrounded herself with those from the island because they alone knew and understood what sort of man they’d allied themselves with, which meant their faith that Keris would come was just as strong as hers.

She, her father, and Daria went inside the tent to silently eat their rations, the elephant in the room growing larger with each passing second that no more scouts arrived, no messengers with news that the Maridrinian army was on the horizon.

“You have a decision to make,” her father finally said. “We need to accept that for all they might be on the march, the Maridrinians are not herenow.The Usurper will make a move soon enough, and though we have the high ground here, victory is not in the cards. We need to consider retreating until we have more information about what occurred in Nerastis. Buy ourselves time.”

Zarrah exhaled, then drew in another breath, trying to calm her thundering heart. If they retreated, the Usurper’s army would put on the chase, driving them farther and farther south. If the Maridrinian army was on the march, they would have to pursue, every day a drain on resources and morale, and she wondered how long they’d last before digging in their heels.

“This was always a leap of faith, Zarrah,” her father said softly. “But we must now face reality. Retreat, so that we might fight another day.”

A leap of faith.

---