Page 48 of The Endless War

Silence stretched between them, and Keris waited for her judgement. Waited for her to say that Zarrah wasn’t worth so many lost lives and that it was better to turn back.

A loud thud sounded and Lara twitched. Keris said, “It’s just driftwood hitting the hull. The seas around here are full of it, especially close to the island entrance.”

Their eyes locked, realization striking at the same time, though it was Lara who spoke. “When we were surveying the pier, did anyone see them making an effort to prevent driftwood from entering the channel into the island?”

Aren frowned, then shook his head. “No.”

“If a prisoner is able to pass down the channel, is there any reason a sizable piece of driftwood wouldn’t be able to do the same?”

Keris tensed, his heart latching on to this bit of hope even as his head screamed that the solution couldn’t be so simple.

“Lunacy,” Jor interjected. “Even if you aren’t turned to pulp against the channel walls, this isn’t Ithicana—the water is freezing. It’s snowing, for God’s sake.”

Lara shrugged. “I didn’t ask if it would be easy, only if it would be possible to get past the guards on the pier using driftwood as cover.”

“Maybe.” Aren rubbed his chin. “I’ve not ever seen anything like it, but the island draws the current into that channel, along with everything in it. The guards would constantly see driftwood pass—likely enough so that they barely notice it. In the dark, if you kept low, they wouldn’t see you.”

“You aren’t actually considering going in totally blind?” Jor demanded, then threw up his hands in disgust. “All that will happen is whoever goes in will end up as much a captive as Zarrah. This is a prison—the way out is the problem.”

“But not the most urgent problem,” Keris snapped. “You heard Bermin’s soldiers—Zarrah’s in the hands of cannibals. Rescuing her fromthemis the foremost concern; getting out of the prison itself is secondary. We wait any longer and all we might rescue is bones! Even if I have to do it alone, I’m goingnow!”

“Then go,” Jor shouted at him. “But don’t expect a rescue!”

“It’s not your call, Jor,” Aren said, then jerked his chin at the rest of the crew who were present. “After dark, we’ll get as close as we can. The Valcottans won’t buy another excuse for us lingering another day in these waters, so we need to move now. Let’s go catch ourselves some driftwood.”

The other king stood, as did the rest of the Ithicanians, all of them filing out of the room until only Lara and Keris remained.

Lara was quiet, fussing with the buckle on her sword belt. Then she said, “Even if you free her, Zarrah may not be grateful. Aren certainly wasn’t. His anger at seeing me came close to hindering our escape more than once.”

“I don’t expect gratitude. I …” Keris scrubbed a hand over his hair. “I … I just don’t want her to be punished for making the mistake of choosing me.”

Silence stretched between them, and he could feel his sister’s scrutiny. Then she said, “It wasn’t a mistake.”

Surprise froze his tongue, and Keris lifted his head to meet her gaze, waiting for the axe to fall. Because Lara disliked him and there wasn’t a chance that—

“You are an irritating, egotistical prick.” Her breath caught. “But the only flaw in Zarrah’s choice in you was that all the world was against it. They never gave you a chance.”

Emotion twisted his stomach because what she was saying … it wasn’t just about his relationship with Zarrah. It was about his relationship withher. His sister, who’d been stolen as a child, only to be found, lost again to Ithicana, and then again to the consequences of his actions. Lara’s words weren’t quite forgiveness, but … they were something. A candle in the night. “Lara, I—”

The color in Lara’s cheeks abruptly disappeared. “What’s that godawful smell?”

Sniffing the air, Keris started to say, “It’s”—then Lara lurched and puked on his boots—“dinner.”

“Oh, God.” She wiped at her mouth with the back of her hand. “I’m so sorry. Normally the seasickness eases after this long on the water, but I can’t seem to shake it this time.”

More confirmation of what he’d already suspected, so he said, “Congratulations,” hating the selfish part of him that wondered how this would affect Aren’s choice to help him with the rescue.

She gaped at him. “What?”

“Congratulations on your pregnancy. I’ve lost count of my nieces and nephews, but this one will be special.”

“No … no, I’m not …”

“You most definitely are,” he said. “I grew up in the harem, sister. You’re not the first pregnant woman I’ve seen vomit over the smell of cooking.”

Silence.

“How is this possible?” she finally whispered, turning away from Keris to stare out the window.

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