Page 77 of The Endless War

Everyone is going to die because of you.

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 allowhimto 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 nowheretorun.

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.

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.

ZARRAH SLAMMED INTOhis back, knocking him from his feet and sending the bridge swinging sideways. Keris rolled, and suddenly there were no longer planks of wood beneath his body.

Only open air.

He grasped wildly, hand latching on to a rope and his shoulder nearly dislocating as he fell to dangle from one arm beneath the bridge. Below him was only blackness, but Keris could hear the water. Knew that the prison was doing its best to pull him back to its heart.

It was going to have to try harder.

Reaching up, Keris caught hold of the rope with his other hand. Through the planks, he could see Bermin had Zarrah pinned beneath his tremendous bulk of muscle, close to triple her weight and crushing her.

Anger chased away reason, and reaching up, Keris caught hold of Bermin’s sword belt. Then he allowed his weight to drop. The other man grunted in surprise as he was pulled sideways, catching his balance with a rope. But not before Zarrah took advantage.

Wriggling out from under him, she rolled onto her back andkicked, heels catching Bermin in the face even as Keris heaved, using the man’s belt to pull himself back onto the bridge.

“You bitch,” Bermin shrieked, reaching blindly. Zarrah scrabbled backward.

But not quick enough.

Bermin caught her ankle, spinning her sideways so that she was dangling upside down from the bridge.

“I’ll drop her,” Bermin said. “Don’t think that I won’t.”

Keris went still.

Behind him, Bermin’s soldiers were easing onto the bridge, and once they reached the skirmish, this was over. They’d throw Keris over the edge and take Zarrah prisoner, then cut the ropes to keep the others from coming to their aid.

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