Page 13 of The Endless War

Servants might well be listening. God help him,Lestaramight be at the door listening, which meant the prudent course would be to shrug. Except he could see the interest in Sara’s eyes, knew that she’d been quite taken with Zarrah, who had shown his sister kindness and respect. Rising, he filled his glass and then went to sit next to her. “The Empress has sent her to a Valcottan prison.”

Sara’s eyes widened. “Whatever for? Zarrah is her family.”

This was dangerous ground. Sara was a child, and giving her valuable information put her at risk. Except if his enemies ever got hold of her, ignorance would not save her. “Serin told the Empress some things about Zarrah that she didn’t like. Things she thought made Zarrah a traitor to Valcotta.”

His sister’s face filled with disgust. “Lies. Zarrah told me of the importance of honor. She’d never do anything to harm Valcotta.”

“She didn’t betray Valcotta,” he said quietly, lifting his glass to hide his lips from anyone peering through a spy hole. “But she did choose to stop seeing the world in the same way as the Empress, who saw that as the worst sort of betrayal.”

“It’s not reasonable for her to expect everyone to think exactly as she wishes.” Sara held up her milk glass, mimicking his method. “She is an empress, not a god.”

“I’m not entirely certain she agrees, and Zarrah has been made to pay the price.” Setting down his glass, he rose, helping her up. “Lestara will have a room made up for you, as well as proper clothing brought so that you might change out of these wet things before dinner.”

Sara’s jaw worked back and forth. “May I go with you to Ithicana?”

Even if his intent had been to remain in Aren’s kingdom, he still wouldn’t consider bringing her. The Tempest Seas were too wild, too dangerous, and then there were the Ithicanians themselves … “Not this time. Perhaps during the calm season, arrangements could be made with Lara to visit her.”

Sara looked away, chin quivering.

She thought he was abandoning her. Which was fair, because, in a way, he was. “It’s not forever. I’ll be back.”

He hoped. There was every chance that he’d never step foot in Vencia again.

Guilt twisted in his stomach, along with the rising need to make Sara understand why he had to go. Why it had to be him. Keeping his voice low, he said, “If I explain my plans, will you keep them secret for me?”

“Of course,” she said without hesitation. Yet though she’d kept many of his secrets in the past, Keris’s throat still constricted. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to speak, his voice still low. “I’m going to Ithicana to ask Aren and Lara to help me rescue Zarrah from prison.”

His sister’s eyes brightened with delight. “Will you marry her?”

If only that were in the cards. “I will march armies to save her, and that’s all you need to know. Now do you understand why I need you to remain here?”

She nodded, and he helped her to the door. “Let us go find Lestara.”

“READ SOMETHING TOme,” Zarrah murmured, her breath warm against his chest. “Something about somewhere else.”

Keris blinked against the glow of the sun shining in the window of the stateroom, watching the endlessly rolling waves. “Do you want to be somewhere else?”

Her body shook with silent laughter, and she lifted her head to meet his gaze, her dark-lashed eyes capturing his soul. “No, but last time I let you choose, I was subjected to an hour on the history of coin making. I’d thought your voice could make anything interesting, but you proved me wrong.”

“My voice?” He lifted an eyebrow. “I hadn’t realized it was so intriguing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Please. You know precisely the effect it has.” Taking a deep breath, she lowered her voice in mimicry of him andsaid, “The first known coins were made from electrum, a combination of silver and gold, with trace amounts of other metals.”

“Hmm.” He furrowed his brow at her. “I understand what you mean. When you say it that way, it’s far more fascinating.”

Zarrah gave a soft snort. “I’m going to choose.” Rolling off him, she rose naked to walk to the chest of books where it sat in front of the stateroom door. The sunlight illuminated the taut muscle and feminine curves of her naked body, and Keris rolled onto his elbow to drink her in. The most beautiful woman in the world trailing her fingers over the spines of his books, searching for the perfect volume.

Why couldn’t this be for forever?

A shadow fell over the room, and he glanced from Zarrah to the window to discover the idyllic seas had turned rough, the sky dark with ominous clouds. “I think there’s a storm coming. The sky—”

He broke off, for Zarrah had turned, the books in her hands slipping to fall with heavy thuds, her abdomen pierced with a dozen knitting needles. She opened her mouth, and blood dripped down her chin as she whispered, “Why wouldn’t you let me go?”

Keris jerked awake, heart hammering and sweat slicking his skin, the room around him dark.

Just a nightmare.

Knowing it was such didn’t make him feel any less sick, Zarrah’s voice still echoing through his mind, the accusation always the same.

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