Page 129 of Falling Princess

I hope he isn’t gone.

Raina’s cheeks were damp with tears.

I can’t cry at all. I felt so much that it all turned to numbness.

Lorcan pushed his mount hard. We stayed close on his heels. As we approached the castle, a massive blaze lit up the horizon.

“What is that?” I asked with trepidation.

“The Walled City is on fire. The pirates sacked it,” Lorcan said grimly. Not long after, we saw a long trail of refugees, carrying what belongings they could salvage, running away from the once-thriving city into the night.

There was nothing we could do for them. I’ve never felt so helpless.

We rode on. Our horses tired, forcing us to slow, resting them briefly at a stream.

“Are we going to survive this?” Raina asked quietly. She passed me a canteen of water. I know she’s thinking of Bashir’s sacrifice. I can’t stop thinking about Cata and Kenton. Grief is a boulder crushing my heart.

“Do we want to?” I drank. “If we’re caught, what do you think they’ll do to us? To Lorcan?”

Raina took back the water bottle. She took a long swig, then screwed on the cap and dropped her chin onto her knees, forlorn. “At least our fathers are still alive.”

“For now.” As far as we know.

Fireflies danced around us in the darkness.

At Lorcan’s word, we pressed on.

* * *

The Sentinels caught us at dawn, near Marsh Hollow, going up the pass toward the sheltering foothills of Mount Astra.

If we could get to Covari Village, we could regroup and plan a counterattack. We didn’t make it that far.

Lorcan slid off his horse and sent the animal trotting back down the hill.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

“Go on. I’ll create a distraction here. Block the pass. Buy you time.”

I refuse to lose him, too.

“Lorcan. No. We’re not leaving you.” Raina slipped off her horse as well, letting the rope reins hang free on its neck.

“You can’t stay here. I’ll catch up,” Lorcan said.

He’s tired. We’re all tired. I know he’s been in bad situations before, but those were mortal enemies. Not these deranged robots that seem to shoot anything that moves, that never tire, that can see us in the darkness. I shook my head.

“I won’t leave you.”

“Zosia.” He pulled me in close. “As long as I live—”

“That’s the part that scares me.” I cut him off. I don’t like that this is happening in the same spot where my mother was ambushed. “You promised. We have a deal.”

He stroked my hair. “I love you. Wait for me.”

“As long as it takes,” I said, heedless of what Raina overheard. “Don’t you dare die. You owe me a wedding night. I’m holding you to that.”

“Good.” He kissed me, hard. “Now go. I’ll meet you in Covari Village. You know the path that takes you there.”

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