A horn was sounded, loud enough that most fighters stopped in their places and turned toward Sir Henry, who called out, “I am told that my beloved daughter is here. You may know her as the Infidante. I will guarantee the life of anyone who turns her in to me. However, if she is not turned over in the next fifteen minutes, all of you must die.”
My shoulders fell. Apparently, to him, I was only an enemy. Nothing more.
They must not have known where I was, or Sir Henry simply would have ordered the remaining Corack Ironhearts near me to attack, knowing I’d never harm them. That bought me a little time … but time to do what?
I wasn’t as strong yet as I wished to be, but even if I were, I couldn’t turn this battle. At best, I’d take down a few of their soldiers, and in response, the Dominion would finish the battle with total destruction laid at my feet.
There was only one solution. My hands trembled at the thought of it, and I didn’t know how I’d get the courage to walk down the hill, but I had to do it.
I had to surrender.
I rose to my feet, but paused to see a girl riding across the clearing toward Sir Henry. I squinted, trying to get a better look. It was that Halderian girl I’d met earlier—Harlyn Mindall. I snorted and shook my head. Of course she would be the one to turn me in. I wondered if Simon knew what she was doing.
Did he?
Simon’s reaction to seeing me again had been even colder than I’d expected, proof of the pain he must still be feeling. I couldn’t fully understand it, but I did know that when I’d seen fear—of me—in his eyes, it had shattered my last hope for us, if there ever was much hope.
Harlyn finished her conversation with Sir Henry, ending with a handshake, and her wiping tears from her eyes. Then she gestured some sort of signal toward my side of the lake, where the bulk of the Halderians had gathered.
Harlyn would not shed tears for me, so they must’ve had a different conversation. Which meant there was no point in delaying my surrender. Feeling stronger now, I began to walk downhill, but a hand grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth. I thrust an elbow backward and heard a grunt, then a hand clutched my sword arm. Trina said, “Kestra, stop, it’s me!”
I turned enough to see Trina behind me, though I was being held by an enormous Corack she introduced only as Huge. As soon as I relaxed, he released me. I said, “This isn’t necessary. I was already going down there.”
“What?” Trina’s face twisted. “No, Kestra, that’s not the plan. Follow us.”
I glanced down to the clearing. The fighting had ceased as everyone silently counted down their fifteen minutes to a fate that now depended entirely on me.
With a heavy sigh, I lowered my sword then followed Huge and Trina behind a ridge of the hill, as heavily wooded as the rest of the surrounding forest, which meant I didn’t see Simon until I was almost beside him. But he certainly was looking at me, his gaze as intense as it ever was.
If only it had not come so late. My time was running out.
“Will everyone leave us?” Simon asked, keeping his eyes on me. His request was honored. Trina and Huge and a few of the Coracks I’d rescued immediately vacated the area.
“You left before our conversation was over,” he said.
I shifted my weight, too uncomfortable to remain in one position. “Your feelings were clear. You’re afraid of me, maybe even revolted by me now, with magic.”
I turned to leave, but Simon moved so as to block my path and to keep himself in front of me. “I’m afraid of your magic, yes, of what it means for your future, but what I feel for you”—he stopped, as if overcome by his own words—“is so much more than simply caring.” Now he took my hand in his, adding, “I wanted to share your life, share in every moment I could. I start each day hoping you will be there. I haven’t ended a day since we parted without torturing myself by wondering where you are.”
There was no more fear in his eyes, no more suspicion or silent accusations against me. All I saw was tenderness and affection. I gave his fingers a squeeze and he smiled, but it was hollow and forced. Something was still terribly wrong, I just didn’t know what it was.
From wherever she was stationed, Trina called out, “It’s almost time.”
I nodded, accepting my fate. It was good they had kept track of the time, because I’d almost forgotten about it.
Simon grabbed my arm, pulling me back. “You’re not going out there. Henry saw you storm into the clearing a few minutes ago, how upset you were. Harlyn convinced him that you left the battle.”
That was why she’d ridden out there? I was missing something. “Henry set new terms?”
He nodded. “They favor us. He’s agreed to release the Coracks, and all our fighters here can leave in peace. We couldn’t have hoped for more.”
My eyes narrowed. “What did we promise him in exchange?” It must have been something big, and if it wasn’t me …
Simon kicked at the leaves beneath his feet and my heart sank. “No, Simon. You are not taking my place!”
“I’m not as valuable a prize to the Dominion as you’d be, but I’m enough for them to claim some sort of victory.”
Anger rose in me. “I have no value as Infidante. I still don’t know where the Olden Blade is. I have few friends and even fewer people I can trust. Nowhere is safe for me, especially now that I have magic.”
He shook his head. “I’ve made the agreement with Sir Henry. Let it be.”
“I will not! He won’t save the Coracks, he probably won’t even end the fighting. Your agreement is madness.”
Simon gestured toward the valley below us. “This battle is madness! The fact that we continue fighting despite everything Lord Endrick has done to us is madness!”
“It’s nothing to what he’ll still do if he is not stopped.”
“Yes, he must be stopped. That’s why you have to live.”
“No, you listen to me!” I felt how quickly each second was passing before I’d lose him all over again. “I can’t fight him alone. I came here for you. I came to save you.”
“Kestra—”
“How could you make such a foolish bargain?”
“I did it for you!” He drew in a sharp breath. “If I go out there, you will live.”
Silence followed his words and every thought in my head emptied, except for one: This was for me.
He stepped closer and wiped the tears from my cheek. “You will defeat Endrick one day.” How tender his voice was, how gentle. “I wish I could be there to see it.”
“Don’t do this,” I said.
He shrugged. “It’s done.”
“Not for me. Your mother’s life was a sacrifice so that I would live. Do you know how that tortures me? I will not play these games of whose life is most valuable.”
Now Trina crossed the ridge and coughed to get our attention. “We have to go, Simon.”
He nodded and started to climb up to her, but turned back long enough to say, “Your life is most valuable. If necessary, we will all die for you.”
Words that would haunt me forever. Unless …
I waited until he crossed the ridge, then started off in a different direction, immediately bumping into Huge, who must have been sent to keep me here.
I folded my arms and in my sternest voice said, “How will they do it?”
Huge frowned, though it still took him a moment to say, “Simon will go halfway across the bridge. Our archer will fire the shot and he will fall into the river.”
“The disk?” I asked.
As if he hardly dared to speak the words, he whispered, “White. They’re not taking any chances.”
My breath caught in my throat. A white disk. A fate worse than death, forever suspending Simon in a half-life of wandering and misery.
“I’m leaving,” I said. “And you will not stop me.”
Huge blocked my way. “I have to stop you. Those were Simon’s orders.”
“Simon is not your captain.”
“Nor are you
, Infidante.”
“Huge, if you saw me on the battlefield, you know that I can get past you if I want to. Don’t make me hurt you.”
He widened his stance. “My lady, it’s not only Simon who will die for you. If you want to get past me, you’ll have to take my life, for I will give it if necessary to keep you here.”
I sighed, then reached out a hand. “As you wish.” Before he could react, he dropped to the ground. Seconds after that, he was flat upon it.
I hated the way I’d left. I hated that a fight would be our last moment together. Maybe that was for the best. It might be worse for her to have a final memory of us that was happy … that was hopeful.
Except that I knew Kestra wasn’t out there dwelling on hope. She’d be searching for a solution, for some way to save me. And knowing Kestra, she’d convince herself that whatever plan she came up with actually had a chance.
It didn’t. I knew what the Dominion had planned for me. It was terrifying, but it had to be me. Justice demanded it. I was the one who’d infiltrated Woodcourt, embarrassed the Dominion, and forced Kestra to find the Olden Blade. Trina had been there too, of course, but Sir Henry didn’t know about her, and I intended to keep it that way.
Trina had silently accompanied me down the hillside, but before we left the thicket, she touched my arm. Her face was deeply lined with worry and she was blinking too fast, as if fighting back tears. That was all right. So was I.
“Are you ready?” she asked, her voice quivering.
I took a deep breath before turning to her. Nothing could possibly make me ready for what was about to happen.
“Let’s keep walking,” I said. We had to keep walking because if I stopped too long, I knew I’d turn and run.
“I need to tell you …” Trina’s eyes darted, then she exhaled and looked at me again. “Someone needs to thank you for doing this. It might as well be me.”
“He’s not really going through with this!” Harlyn ran into the thicket and must have been close enough to overhear us. She looked at me and her eyes widened with fear. “There has to be a distraction, Simon, a trick. Let me help.”
When neither of us answered her, she stepped toward me, and now her breaths came out in harsh gasps. “I only made the bargain with Sir Henry because you said it was part of a larger plan!”
“It is.” I forced myself to look at her, knowing how she’d respond. “But not to save me.”
Harlyn shook her head, becoming angrier as she did. “Kestra Dallisor’s life is not worth losing yours! We can find another Infidante.”
“But not another Kestra.” I frowned at her, deeply sorry to be causing her so much pain, then kissed her cheek and walked from the grove with Trina at my side. Harlyn called after me, “What kind of person is Kestra anyway, that she would let you die to save herself?”
I started to turn, but Trina linked her arm with mine, keeping us moving forward. “You won’t change her mind, Simon, and besides, we’re already late.”
Also, we’d been spotted. A lookout on the bridge called that I was on my way. As the bridge came better into view, I saw Dominion armies lined up in formation on the far side of the lake while the fighters from Reddengrad and the Hiplands were on this side.
Without looking directly at me, Trina said, “I know we haven’t always agreed with each other, but my heart is breaking right now. I—”
I cut her off, saying only, “You’ll have to protect Kestra from now on. Including from Harlyn, I think.”
“I will, I promise.” Trina paused a moment, then added, “Your sacrifice on that bridge won’t be in vain. Promise me that you’ll look Sir Henry in the eye in your final moments. For your own sake.”
I stopped to look at her. “Why?”
She only teared up again, then pulled me into a hug, wrapping one arm around my neck and keeping the other at my waist. Into my ear, she whispered, “You don’t deserve the fate of a white disk.”
I stepped back from her and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. “Don’t join me on the bridge. It’s too much of a risk.”
“You and Kestra are not the only ones willing to take risks,” Trina said. “I am going up there. I need a final assurance of his word to free the Coracks.”
As if Sir Henry’s word meant anything. “All right, but keep your head down and let me do the talking.”
Trina snorted, but I hoped she’d do as I asked. This was hardly the moment to be proud of taking risks.
With those thoughts, the remaining walk to the bridge seemed to last for hours, the worst of it being when the Reddengrad and Halderian fighters parted to allow Trina and me to pass through. They looked at me with respect, as if I were doing this for them, or for Antora. As if I’d thought of anyone but Kestra when I suggested this plan.
Sir Henry stood halfway across the bridge with what I guessed were most of his officers from the battle, along with an entire squad of men surrounding them, well-armed and with expressions of victory on their faces. Any one of them seemed capable of crushing me between his fists without breaking a sweat.
Meanwhile, I had Trina.
I faced Sir Henry, arms folded and as defiant as I could make myself appear. Inside, I felt made of pudding, as if I’d collapse at the slightest touch, but I’d faint in this position before letting him know it.
Sir Henry tsked. “I must admit, I didn’t think you would come. I had suspected you sent that pretty Halderian girl out as a distraction while you escaped with my daughter … again.”
“Kestra is not your daughter,” I countered.
He smiled, his only acknowledgment of my comment. “I almost wish you hadn’t come. It forces me to end a battle in which we were performing quite well. We would have won, although as soon as you fall, I’ll order my men to follow Kestra and return her to Lord Endrick’s control.”
“She’s probably already past the Mistriver by now.” Trina’s lie was surprisingly bold and hardly what I’d had in mind by suggesting she keep her head down. “But if Simon keeps his word, will you keep yours? Lord Endrick will release the Coracks on that hill?”
Sir Henry’s smile reeked of insincerity. “Of course.”
Trina nodded at him, then looked in my eyes to say a sorrowful, “Good-bye, Simon.”
My heart pounded, but I no longer trusted myself with words. I merely squeezed her hand and nodded back at her. Notably, she turned me to face Sir Henry before she released my hand. Whatever her purpose in doing so, that was obviously her real reason for coming onto the bridge.
Trina started to leave when Henry said, “Wait. Turn around, girl.”
Trina huffed, but obeyed, looking down as she turned to face him. Now her eyes were down.
“You were at Woodcourt too,” Henry said. “My daughter’s handmaiden. Correct?”
Before Trina could protest, he cocked his head and three of his thugs stepped forward, grabbing Trina by the hands and feet. She tried pulling away but failed and screamed as they lifted her into the air.
I touched Trina’s arm but was pushed back before I could help her. The terror in her expression turned to a calm realization that her fate was now as sealed as mine. She locked eyes with me and mouthed, “I’m sorry!”
“Let the Coracks die!” Henry screamed to our side of the lake. “With my authority as Lord Endrick’s representative, I order your hearts to be crushed!”
“No!” Trina cried. But even as she did, every single Corack that had been on the hillside instantly fell to the ground, unmoving. Dead. Including Tenger. There was nothing I could do for them, but I could still save Trina.
I tried again to reach her, but another of Henry’s men grabbed me from behind. “She was only following my orders!” I shouted, still struggling.
“Then she’ll receive your punishment.” With another nod, Trina was thrown backward off the bridge, screaming as she fell into the icy water, her voice immediately drowned out as she sank. Halderians watching us gave audible gasps, but I heard none of their shouts above the
man holding me, who said, “What is this?”
Henry’s face reddened as he reached into the left pocket of my longcoat and withdrew the Brillian fire pellet, about the size of my fist.
I cursed under my breath and looked down while I put everything together. This was why Trina had apologized. In our brief embrace back on land, she must have slipped this into my coat, telling me she would save me from the white disk. And she had wanted me to face Sir Henry so that when she left the bridge, the pocket with the fire pellet would be closest to her. It would explode when squeezed, but I suspected her alternate plan was to shoot me with something to ignite the pellet, killing me before I was hit with the white disk and bringing down everyone on this bridge.
Sir Henry must have realized this too. His eyes became thin slits as he said, “How dare you?” He speared a fist into my gut and I doubled over with pain. I hadn’t fully regained my breath when I straightened up, hoping to get a hand on the pellet, but Sir Henry lifted it out of my reach.
And I was too late. Directly in front of me, a Dominion archer already had me in his sights with a white disk in the pocket. Tenger had once told me there was peace in a person’s final breath of life. In that moment, I knew he was wrong.
The instant the blade hit me, I fell backward over the thin railing, just as Trina had done. It felt like hours until my body splashed in, fueling the pain in my chest where the disk had hit. Somewhere above me came a loud thundering noise but I couldn’t imagine what it was, nor did it matter. The current was rapidly carrying me downstream, but I felt myself separating from my body as if part of me was already somewhere else, somewhere dark and bleak.
I clutched at the blade in my chest, hoping to pull it out, then gave up. It wouldn’t matter. The water blurred my vision, or maybe this was the beginning of my end, to lose focus on the real world. At least I wasn’t in pain anymore. I wasn’t anything.
From the corner of my eye, some movement caught my attention. I wished I were stronger, or that I could make myself care. But this wasn’t my world anymore. This wasn’t my life.
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