Page 50 of The Endless War

Aren looked down at Lara, who smiled and nodded, and then the King of Ithicana blurted out, “Lara’s pregnant. There’s going to be another Kertell for you to watch over, you old bastard.”

Jor gaped at them, then flung his arms around the pair of them, pounding Aren on the back. “Let’s hope the little bugger inherits their mother’s brains, because I won’t survive another idiot like you!”

Word spread through the Ithicanians, smiles breaking over their faces and soft words of congratulations filling the evening air, and Keris stepped away. This wasn’t his moment; it was theirs.

Walking to the front of the ship, he checked that all his weapons were firmly in place. That his boots were tied tight. That his hair was fastened away from his face.

“I’ll get you out.”

He turned to find Lara behind him, the pieces of blond hair that had escaped her braids blowing in the wind.

“I’m not sure how, yet,” she said. “But between Aren and I, we’ll get you two out.”

They stood in silence while darkness fell and the ship sailedtoward Devil’s Island. As the glow of its entrance appeared, Keris said, “If things go badly for me, help Sarhina take the throne. She’ll be twice the ruler of any of our idiot brothers.”

“Does shewantto be queen?”

“Not in the slightest,” he answered. “Which is exactly why she’ll do a good job of it.”

Aren abandoned the helm and approached. “We’re going to stop here and go the rest of the way by longboat. We’ve got supplies, though there is only so much you can take in. You ready?”

Could one ever be ready for something like this? “Looking forward to it.”

Aren handed him a wax-wrapped package. “Once you’re in and safe, put some of this into a fire at night and cover your eyes. The glow is bright enough to blind permanently, which is why we’ll see it.”

“And if I don’t survive long enough to do so?”

“We’ll do what we can for her, within reason,” Lara answered. “I won’t promise more than that.”

Lara told you that she won’t risk her life for Zarrah, but in the moment, she’ll change her mind. And she can’t keep dodging death forever. So please use this journey south to ask yourself just how much you’re really willing to lose,Aren’s voice said inside his head, and Keris reached out to grip her shoulders. “I’m not willing to lose you again, sister. Don’t do anything you shouldn’t.”

She bit her bottom lip, then nodded. “Good luck.”

Keris clambered over the rail and down the ladder, landing with a thud in the now-lowered longboat. He sat on a bench, the wood wet and cold through his trousers, a prelude of what was to come.

Moments later, Aren landed with a soft thud, settling himself next to Keris, eyes on the faint glow cutting through the fog. “Row.”

ZARRAH STARED ATKian, skin still crawling. “Bullshit. I’ve spent weeks in their camp. Do you think that I don’t know what they eat?”

“You tell me,” he answered. “You’ve seen the meat in their pots. Looks like pork, but ask yourself, have you ever seen a pig on this island?”

“They eat birds. Fish. And what they steal from you!”

Kian laughed. “Do you think there’d be a damn bird left on this island if that was what they were putting in their pots?” Resting his hands on his hips, he added, “We hold the beach, and our nets take most of the fish. All of the supplies. You think that what Daria and her ilk steal is enough to fill all those bellies?”

It wasn’t, but she’d assumed they had hidden stores.

“They’ve been feeding you my tribe members, Zarrah. Still feel comfortable in their camp?”

“They don’t share.” She swallowed hard. “I have to hunt formy own food.” A rule intended to keep everyone accountable. A rule intended to ensure that the strong didn’t steal the pickings of the weak.

Or was it a rule to keep the prey from discovering they lived within their hunters’ camp?

No.No, she knew these people. Would have noticed the smell of human flesh cooking over fire. There was no way they could have hidden such a horrible way of life from her. “You’re full of shit, Kian.”

He shrugged, then cast out a hand. “Where are the bodies of my men? We found a few of the dead, but we’re missing at least two scouts.”

“Probably hidden in the bushes.” The words came out too quickly, and she knew it. So did Kian, who gave a slow shake of his head. “I could take you by force now, Zarrah. You know that. But I’d rather you see for yourself and choose to come to our camp of your own volition. They’ll do their butchering in the graveyard tonight. We’ll wait here for you.”

---