Page 69 of Triplets for the Barbarians

“I know what he was going to say because you, you little tart, managed to get into his head!” Shaytan growls. “I noticed it in Pearl City, too. Don’t think I didn’t sense it back then. The doubt. The questions he asked when you weren’t within earshot. The second thoughts. It was only a matter of time before we’d get to this. I’d hoped he’d be a while, but you, Jewel, oh, you’ve caused so much damage, I can’t wait to destroy you.”

“It’s a shame how you’re unable to take any accountability for the horrendous things you’ve done,” Fadai mutters, unable to hide his disgust. “It’s always Jewel or the Kreeks or the Fire Tribe. But it’s never the Sky Tribe, is it? You cannot look at yourselves in the mirror anymore, yet you keep searching for the villains of your story elsewhere.”

“Does it even matter at this point?” Shaytan laughs. “I’ve won. I’ve conquered Opal City. I’ll have your precious queens in chains by noon and Jewel carrying my heir soon enough. But you two need to die first.”

Above us, the morning sky awakens to brighter shades of red. The smell of death lingers in the air. Burnt flesh. Molten steel. Charred wood. Misery and despair will cover the world in darkness and coldness by the time Shaytan is done with us. There’s only one way this will end, and if the Sunnaites reach Earth with their starship, it will prompt a greater and infinitely worse war.

If they start taking our women, if they attack our planet for this purpose, I know my people well. They will point their nuclear weapons upward and seek retribution. Eventually, both realms will burst into flames and become engulfed in disasters of their own making, simply because Solomon wanted to be a god and Shaytan wants to be a king. For too long, Sunna has suffered at their hands.

I cannot let Earth suffer on their account, as well.

It is pure madness what I’m about to do, but I have run out of options.

“Fine, Shaytan. I’ll tell you what,” I say and take a knife out of my thigh holster—the last of my weapons and the one blade I dreaded having to use. “I’ll let you take me if you let Yossul and Fadai go.”

Shaytan looks at me for a moment, then bursts into mad laughter. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m serious. Take me and let them go. They’re my men, my soulmates. I need them to live. If you let them live, I’ll go with you.”

Fadai exhales sharply. “Jewel—”

“No, we’ve done it your way, and look where it got us,” I say and bring the blade up to my neck as I give Shaytan a sour glance. “Take me on my terms, or I’ll end myself right now.”

“You’re bluffing,” Shaytan scoffs.

“Why? Why would I be bluffing? I love Fadai and Yossul. I love them both so much; it’s the kind of love you’ve never had, nor will you ever get to experience. You want me, Shaytan? Well, here I am. Otherwise, I might as well just end it and spare myself the misery of a lifetime spent in your company. If you kill them now, I will follow them into the next world.”

“I don’t believe you.”

I press the blade against my throat and feel the sting as blood trickles down and seeps into my shirt. “I won’t live in a world without them. You’re right. We’ve lost the war. But the little time I’ve got left in this life, I wish to spend it with some measure of peace in my heart. I will accept my fate as your wife as long as you let Yossul and Fadai live. Otherwise, we all die.”

Before Shaytan can ruminate on the possibility of me plotting to do something before he can even consider saying yes or no, I fling the knife at him with all the strength I can muster. He growls and ducks. I miss, of course, but that wasn’t the endgame.

Fadai drops to the ground and grabs my sidearm.

Yossul swings his leg out and trips Shaytan as he shoots back up.

“For Sunna!” Fadai shouts and fires the weapon.

The laser beam hits Shaytan in the chest, drilling an instant black hole through his torso. He’s stunned and wide-eyed as he stares at us, the shock imprinted on his face. He drops to his knees, but it’s not over yet.

Yossul roars as he grabs the knife I just threw and uses it to slit Shaytan’s throat.

I turn away, both disgusted and relieved.

But there’s no time to truly register the moment.

More of Shaytan’s men are coming up to the roof. Yossul scrambles off the ground and takes hold of the Sky Tribe commander’s weapon. Fadai takes Blaze’s. Both leaders are dead, but the battle rages on, and that starship is still about to take off.

“Go, Jewel! Do it!” Fadai shouts.

I give him and Yossul a final glance and a faint smile before I run.

From every side of the building, Sky Tribe soldiers climb up and rush toward us. I hear the laser guns firing. I can’t look back. Only forward. The long-range tower. It’s getting bigger. Taller. Closer.

One mercenary lunges at me. I swerve and jump out of his way, my heart twisting and smacking against my rib cage as I escape capture yet again. Their jets survey the building, their weapons locked and loaded.

They’re already firing shots against the first tower, and my men are firing back. It’s only a matter of time before the lasers melt through their defenses and kill my officers, thus dismantling one of two precious weapons.

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