Page 55 of The Endless War

Keris hazarded a glance up. Pools of light whipped past, but if archers watched, it was impossible to see through the spray.

Crack!

Horror filled him as the tree split, the half Aren clung to spinning away.

Then a monstrous wave slammed into them from the right, sending the driftwood spinning round and round before the violence of the water eased. Gasping in a breath, Keris fixed his eyes on a rocky beach illuminated by more basins of oil. He couldn’t see the cliff tops from this angle. Couldn’t tell if the guards were watching.

But they were running out of time.

The current was taking them around the island, and once they reached the end of the beach, there’d be no getting out. They’d be sucked into a drowning machine. They needed to get on that beach.

Then mist began to rise from the water.

In the dim light, Keris saw Aren dumping out the contents of a waxed package, the powder seeming to turn to mist as it mixed with the water. Not enough to cause alarm, but hopefully enough to provide them cover.

Aren abandoned his shattered piece of driftwood and swam hard for shore. Keris clenched his teeth and followed.

There was no point in looking up. No point in looking back. This would work or it wouldn’t.

Keris swam like he never had before, panic fueling his strength. Then his hands struck rock, pain slicing up his wrists, which he ignored as he clambered to his feet.

Faster.

Doing his best to remain silent, he waded inland but then hit the beach at a run, chasing Aren up the slope and not stopping until they were into the trees.

Keris dropped to his knees, dragging in ragged breaths. Aren was crouched next to him, equally winded, and Keris asked him, “You all right?”

“I’m fucking freezing. We need to find a way to warm up.”

“If you wanted someone to cuddle, you should’ve brought your wife. You aren’t my type.”

Aren huffed out a breath. “It’s amazing you’ve lived this long, given the shit that spews from your mouth.”

There was no arguing that point, so Keris focused on calming his pounding heart. Wasted effort, for it only hammered faster. Zarrah was here, on this island, which meant he was closer to her than he’d been since that fateful moment on Southwatch. Yet as he took in the shadowed forest, the only sounds the roar of the water and the rustle of the wind through the branches, he felt further from her than he’d ever been. “It feels bigger than I’d thought it would be.”

Aren grunted in agreement. “You have that package I gave you? We need to signal the ship while it’s still dark.”

Keris dug into his coat, then made a face. “It’s gone. Lost it in the water.”

“Might be just as well. I’m not sure we want to draw attention to the island.” Aren rose from his crouch. “My bet is that the prisoners have formed at least one camp. We’ll pose as new convicts until we can find Zarrah, then wait for Lara to figure out a way to get us free. Keep your weapons hidden.”

Neither of them moved.

For his part, it was because Keris had no clue which way to go.

“Lost already, are you?”

He couldfeelthe smirk on Aren’s face even if he couldn’t see it. “You’re the king of the jungle—you lead the way.”

Aren laughed softly, then turned on his heel and walked without hesitation through the forest. Keris followed him, trying to curb the anticipation rising in his chest.

How would Zarrah react? There was a chance she’d follow through on her promise and kill him. But she wouldn’t want to riskAren, which he hoped would temper her reaction long enough for him to explain himself.

Just what, precisely, needs explaining?the voice in his head whispered.What can you say to her that hasn’t already been said?

I’ll tell her that I’m sorry,he answered.That I regret betraying her confidence. That I shouldn’t have burdened her with so many lives lost to spare hers.

The voice cackled in his head, wild and maniacal, like the Magpie’s laugh just before he jumped.A hollow apology, given that you are risking lives for her again.

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