War's Ending

by A J Park

  “Yes.”

  “Kellji, I didn’t realize you…” he paused, looking at her, and took a deep breath. He took her hand in his. “When you and Shalyrie disappeared, we were so afraid that we’d be too late to save you. We were so relieved to see you alive. But last night, even after you were safe, when I saw the marks of his hands on your skin, I was so angry.” He touched the skin of her throat with his fingertips, and she closed her eyes for a moment. She looked up when he spoke again. “I would have been angry at what he did anyway. But I was so much angrier because it was you. I didn’t realize…”

  He stopped talking and took his hand away. What did he mean? He didn’t realize what? Please, Sinnar… Tell me what you’re thinking.

  She said it out loud. “Please tell me what you’re thinking.”

  “I have to go,” he repeated. “No matter how much I want to stay.”

  “I want you to stay,” she said.

  He looked down at her, stunned.

  She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his mouth, a soft gentle kiss.

  “I didn’t know you felt that way.” He sounded surprised.

  “I do,” she said, reaching up to touch his face. “And I have for a long time now.”

  “Kellji, I…” He stopped, as if he couldn’t find the words, then he pulled her close and kissed her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back. All the shyness she had felt for years was gone. It was better than she had imagined it would be. She wanted the moment to last forever, but it didn’t.

  He released her and took a step back. “I’m going with Kalleck,” he said. She could see the pain in his eyes as he said it. “It will be dangerous. So many lives depend on our success, and it’s up to me to make sure he gets through. I will do anything I can to make sure that he does. Kalleck is the one who can talk to them, not me. And if only one of us can come back… it will be him. Not me. Because that’s what our people need. You can’t expect me to come back. Kellji, I don’t want to make this worse than it already is. Please be safe.” He kissed her on the forehead and departed through the trees, going back to the others.

  Kellji sank to her knees on the fallen leaves. The warmth of his kiss was still on her lips, and the feel of his strong arms around her. He knew how she felt now, and his kiss had answered her unspoken question. Her secret was out—everything she’d been holding inside for so long. She had expected to feel better now that she had told him and he had held her, kissed her. It was what she had wanted more than anything. But he was leaving anyway. There was nothing she could do to stop him. She wrapped her arms around herself and bowed her head.

  CHAPTER 24

  Lady Shalyrie Almorin

  Kalleck was packing the last of the food, and Sinnar was adding a few more knives to his collection. Ren had given Finn a couple of blankets, and Shalyrie tied them with her own behind her saddle.

  “Are you sure you can trust him?” Sinnar asked Shalyrie, looking at the Almorian soldier. “No offense.”

  “I think so,” she said. “Finn already fought for us.”

  “You know if he sells us out, we’ll be dead,” Sinnar said grimly.

  She took a deep breath and nodded.

  He tossed her a small knife in a sheath, and she fastened it onto her belt. She’d never carried a weapon before. Ever.

  Ren was gathering the horses, and they were all preparing to ride.

  Kellji came and hugged Shalyrie. “Please come back,” she said. “Be safe. Keep them safe.”

  “We’ll be back soon,” Shalyrie promised. Her voice sounded more confident than she felt.

  Kellji hugged Kalleck and wished him well. She turned to Sinnar. For a moment, they just looked at each other. Then they shared a brief, tender embrace. Something had obviously passed between them. She must have spoken, and he must have answered. Kellji watched as Sinnar mounted and rode away down the hill.

  Shalyrie knew how much the exchange must have meant to Kellji, but she also hurt for her friend since Sinnar was leaving.

  It was time for her to go now too. Shalyrie got on her horse and followed Sinnar, and Kalleck and Finn came behind. She looked back to see Kellji standing alone.

  They rode warily, watching for patrols and staying out of sight as well as they could. They went up and down through the hills, but always making their way farther downhill. Sinnar halted them before they came to the rise of land where they had looked down on the river earlier. “Be careful. We don’t know if there are any sea-folk around.”

  They dismounted and crept to the top, staying low so they wouldn’t be seen. The bridge was somewhere below them, still a distance away, but they could see smoke from the campfires of the enemy.

  Shalyrie gasped in horror. “There are even more than there were before. Now they’re on both sides of the river. The soldiers must be headed for the valley. Even if we make it to the king, how can we stop them in time?” Shalyrie looked at Kalleck.

  His head was bowed. His shoulders bent as if he carried a great weight. “There’s too many,” he said in a strained voice. “They’ll overwhelm our people. I left Hannal in command. They’ll kill him and everyone we left behind.”

  “We have to go on,” Sinnar said. “Hannal will hold them off until we get back. But, for now, we have to go. There are too many of them near the bridge. We’ll stay on this side of the river for a while and cross below the rapids.” He grabbed Kalleck’s arm. “Kalleck, we have to go, now.”

  They all followed Sinnar. There was nothing else to say. With or without hope, they had to go on.

  They hurried on all that day. The west side of the river was rough going. They went up and down steep brush-covered hills, climbed among rocks and boulders, and crossed smaller rivers as they joined the larger one. They finally halted when the light was gone.

  Shalyrie was so exhausted that she just lay on the ground while the others were making camp.

  “Are you all right?” Kalleck asked, sitting beside her. He unrolled her blanket and wrapped it around her.

  “Fine. Just tired,” she murmured.

  “Here.” He offered her his flask of sacred water.

  She took a few swallows gratefully. “Thank you.”

  They all sat together, and Kalleck looked at Finn. “Do you know what will happen if they find you with us?”

  Finn nodded soberly. “They’ll kill me for being a traitor. But I’m not! It’s my duty to keep Lady Shalyrie safe, no matter what.”

  “And you realize they will kill Shalyrie if they find her? Whoever tried to kill her before will not leave her alive to reveal their plot.”

  “I swear on my life, I will do everything I can to keep her safe,” Finn said.

  “Thank you,” Shalyrie said. It felt good to have their support.

  She ate a little food right where she was, too tired to move. It was getting colder, and then Kalleck lay down beside her—and that was all she remembered. She half-woke in the middle of the night. Kalleck was still there, keeping her warm, but she realized that someone else was very near on the other side of her. She was too tired and too grateful for the warmth to object.

  When she fully awoke in the morning, Kalleck was still there, and she saw that it was Finn on her other side. He was still sound asleep with one arm thrown across her body.

  “Can I kill him now?” Kalleck whispered in her ear.

  She fought the urge to laugh.

  They followed the west bank of the river down toward Newport. They had passed the rocky band of hills that forced the river into a narrow channel. The rapids were swift and dangerous, so they had kept to the hills.

  Sinnar knew his way through, but now the land grew flatter and the river was wider and slower. They were getting close to the city. “It’s time to cross,” Sinnar said. “We’ll leave the horses on this side.” They unloaded their gear.

  Shalyrie st
ood stroking Sea Mist’s neck. “Will she be all right?” she asked.

  “If we don’t come back soon, they will go home on their own,” Kalleck said.

  “They’re safer than we are,” Sinnar said, throwing his saddlebags across his shoulder.

  The horses stood patiently, waiting behind the cover of some thick brush. It was time to cross the river.

  “Be careful,” Sinnar warned. “The current is stronger than it looks.”

  The day wasn’t very warm and the night would be colder. Finn turned to Shalyrie, “May I carry your bag, my lady?”

  “Thank you,” she said. The river was wide and her shoulder was not completely healed yet. Except for the mountain river Farak had pulled her into against her will, she had not tried to swim since her trip with Sinnar. She hoped it wouldn’t hurt too much.

  From the cover of the rocks, they watched up and down the bank for a long time. Finally, Sinnar nodded, and they went to the water’s edge. It was cold, but not as bad as it had been higher in the mountains.

  She followed Finn into the river, and soon it was too deep to touch the bottom. Her shoulder was still sore, but it was bearable, not like the day she dove after the fireweed. She was fine.

  The current carried them a long way downstream before they got to the other side. Finn offered his hand and pulled her into the shallow water. The others were close behind her. They moved quickly from the open bank into the cover of the trees. There, they stopped and stayed still, watching for any sign of trouble.

  Shalyrie tried to catch her breath. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. Almorians, coming down the river toward them.

  “Soldiers,” Kalleck said grimly. “They must have seen us.”

  “How many?” Sinnar asked in a tight voice.

  “Too many,” Kalleck said pointedly.

  “We have to run!” Shalyrie said.

  Kalleck shook his head. “They’re too close now. They’ve seen us.”

  “What are we going to do?” she asked desperately. Panic was rising in her belly.

  Sinnar had his sword ready.

  “Wait,” Finn said. “Stay here.”

  He walked out into the open toward the soldiers.

  “He’s going to betray us,” Sinnar hissed.

  “No… wait,” Shalyrie protested.

  Finn had reached the others. Shalyrie saw him salute. Their commander came forward to speak with him. She could barely hear their words.

  “Who are you, Soldier?”

  “Baylen, from Captain Calreth’s guard,” Finn answered casually.

  “I was told he sent all the companies west into the hills days ago.”

  “Of course, Commander,” Finn answered. “But the Captain sent us on a special mission. We’ve been traveling in disguise. I was ordered to report back to Newport. Is Governor Galenor still there? I need to see him at once.”

  “The governor is still there,” the man said, sounding uncertain. “I saw men in black clothes with you.”

  “Yes,” Finn said. “I’m sorry for the confusion our disguises must have caused. We will all be back in uniform shortly.” He straightened his blue tunic. “It’s not good for your health to wear blue over there.” He nodded to the hills across the river.

  Shalyrie saw the commander smile grimly in agreement.

  Finn shook his head. “We knew it would be a problem to be dressed in black on this side. I’m sorry. We must have startled you.”

  The soldier looked toward Shalyrie and the others. She held her breath.

  “If the governor is expecting you, you should be on your way,” the man said. “I’ll send some men to escort you.” He held up his hand and six men left the group and came forward.

  “Three days ago, that would have helped!” Finn exclaimed. “We ran across a group of horsemen. I lost two men. But we’re back across the river now and you’re heading into dangerous territory. Keep your men with you. We won’t see any of those filthy savages on this side. We’ll soon be back in the city.”

  “As you wish,” the commander said. “Good journey, Baylen.”

  “Good journey to you.” Finn saluted, then turned and began walking back.

  “Baylen,” the commander called after him. “Keep a sharp eye out. You never know what they might try. There could still be horsemen around.”

  “It makes me never want to cross the river again! We’ll be careful,” Finn promised with a wave. He kept walking. The others turned and went on their way.

  “He did it,” Kalleck said in disbelief. “They’re leaving.”

  Shalyrie felt overwhelming relief. They weren’t going to kill Kalleck and Sinnar right now. She gripped Kalleck’s arm and leaned against him.

  “It will be all right,” he whispered. “We’ll be all right.”

  “What did he tell them?” Sinnar asked, and Kalleck explained quickly.

  The other soldiers were almost out of sight now, going up the river, and Finn walked back to join Shalyrie and the others.

  “Thank you!” Shalyrie exclaimed. “You were amazing out there.”

  Finn sat down and took some deep breaths to calm his nerves. “I wasn’t sure they’d believe me,” he said, rubbing his face.

  “They’re still going away,” Kalleck said, looking out toward the river. “Thank you, Finn.”

  Finn looked up at him. “I swore I would keep her safe, didn’t I?”

  “You did well,” Kalleck said.

  “We need to stay out of sight. We’ll travel at night and hide during the day from now on,” Sinnar said. “As soon as we put some distance between us and this place.”

  They all agreed on that. Quiet and watchful, they crept through the woods. They found a hidden spot and rested until the sun sank.

  As night fell, they continued on. It was hard traveling in the dark, and the night seemed endless. They were following Finn now, and Sinnar was right with him. Shalyrie had fallen a little behind, and Kalleck was near her.

  It was just getting light when they suddenly heard Almorian voices very near. Kalleck pulled her into some bushes. It sounded like the Almorians were between them and the others. Oh, no. No! Had Finn and Sinnar been caught?

  She and Kalleck had to know what was happening. They crept carefully to where they could see Finn and Sinnar facing an Almorian patrol.

  “Let me through!” Finn protested, sounding annoyed. “Governor Galenor ordered me to get this prisoner back to the fort. He’ll kill me if I’m late!”

  Through an opening in the foliage, Shalyrie saw him shove Sinnar, who appeared to have his hands tied.

  “Where did he come from?” an Almorian asked.

  “We captured him back near the river. We’ve been on a special mission for Captain Calreth.”

  “And you’re guarding him alone? He looks dangerous.”

  Finn had his sword point against Sinnar’s back. “He’s not going anywhere,” Finn sneered. “And I’m not alone. The others are meeting me again in a moment. My commander thought he saw more of them and they went to investigate. Have you seen anything?”

  “Not lately,” the other soldier said.

  “Maybe you could help them check out the area,” Finn suggested. “We were just on the other side of that hill when we thought we saw something. My company will still be there. And they’re going to need help if they find more horsemen.”

  “Go,” the man instructed his patrol, then pointed to a single soldier and said, “You, stay here and help him. Keep your eyes open.”

  Soon there was only one of the Almorians left with Finn and Sinnar.

  “What’s that?” Finn said, pointing away into the trees. The man looked where Finn pointed and Sinnar hit him. He crumpled to the ground.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Finn said.

  “We’re here,�
� Kalleck responded as they left their hiding place.

  They left the vicinity quickly. When they felt they were far enough away, they found a place to hide for the remainder of the day. Once they were out of sight, they took off their packs and stretched out. Shalyrie tried to slow her racing heart. Kalleck put his arm around her and she leaned against him.

  “That was close,” Sinnar said.

  “Too close,” Kalleck agreed.

  Finn looked at Kalleck and Sinnar. “Tell him I’m sorry I shoved him,” Finn said to Kalleck, nodding at Sinnar. “I’m pretty sure if I do that again, he’ll kill me.”

  Kalleck translated for Sinnar.

  “Maybe I would have,” Sinnar sighed, “but I can’t kill him now. He saved my life.”

  Kalleck relayed his words, and Finn grinned. “I told you I would keep her safe,” he said.

  “Thank you, Finn,” she said quietly.

  They stayed still, resting quietly but also taking turns watching the woods for any sign of movement.

  Shalyrie huddled close to Kalleck. “I’m afraid,” she whispered quietly, so the others wouldn’t hear. “Will we make it? It feels like it’s only a matter of time till they find us.”

  “We’ll make it,” he whispered reassuringly.

  “I told Kellji that as long as we’re alive, there’s still hope.”

  “We are still alive,” he said. “Try to get some sleep. We’ll move on again when it gets dark.”

  She slept a little, but every sound startled her. She kept thinking she heard footsteps or voices. Kalleck’s arm around her was comforting, though, and she felt safe beside him, but she knew it was only an illusion. If they were caught… She tried not to think about the possibility.

  Shalyrie was still tired when Kalleck roused her at sunset, but they had to go on. They needed to reach Uncle Telthan. It was the only way they would be safe. She gathered her courage.