Page 82 of The Endless War

Aren’s words echoed through her skull even as her chest constricted.Life or death.

Zarrah’s eyes locked on the other longboat. It had reached the ship, the Ithicanians scrambling up the rope ladder that had been tossed down while others secured lines to the fore and aft of the boat. Only three figures remained inside as it started to rise. Aren’s large form. Lara’s much smaller one. And …

An Ithicanian aboard the ship leaned down with a torch, illuminating the rising boat, and Zarrah’s heart stuttered.

Keris’s shirt was brilliant red with blood, an arrow jutting terrifyingly close to his throat.

She felt the scream build deep in her core, wild and full of terror as it burst from her lips. “Keris!”

His head lifted, eyes searching the darkness before moving back to his sister. Then he slumped, only Lara’s reflexes keeping him from falling.

There wasn’t going tobea later.

If there were thoughts that came after that realization, Zarrah didn’t remember them. Only felt the bite of cold as water closed over her head, the shouts from the rebels a distant drone as she swam toward the ship.

She needed to be away from him to think clearly, to stand on her own feet, but this wasn’t what she’d meant. This was a twisting of words, a twisting of sentiment, as though some divine power was mocking her, giving her freedom from love by cutting out her heart.

No!she screamed into the void.I will not let you have him!

Waves splashed her in the face, her exhausted body almost spent. “Aren,” she shouted, and was rewarded with a mouthful of water. “Lara!”

The longboat had reached the deck rails, Ithicanians lifting Keris onto the ship.

“Aren!”

But Ithicana’s king didn’t hear her over the shouts of his crew. The noise of the sea. The threat sailing this way.

“Make way,” he roared, and panic filled her.

“Keris!” she screamed, reaching for the ship. Knowing this was it, that her chance was slipping through her fingertips.

He turned his head. Searched the water, then pulled from Lara’s grasp and fell against the rail, his voice weak as he called out, “Zarrah!”

She had to get to him. Had to help him.

A ladder flew over the edge of the ship, Aren shouting, “Pull her up! They’re nearly on us!”

Fueled with a burst of adrenaline, Zarrah drove toward the drifting end of the ladder, reaching fingers snagging the ropes. Her muscles trembled as she pulled herself up it, and as soon as she was clear of the water, the ship lurched.

Gritting her teeth, Zarrah clung to the swinging ladder as those above drew her upward. Then hands had her by the back of her trousers, hauling her over the rail. She landed with a thud on her ass, those who’d lifted her already racing to other tasks.

Zarrah didn’t care, not as her eyes found Keris. He was on his knees, Aren holding him upright and Lara shouting, “You have shit for brains, Keris! Why not just throw yourself overboard so I’m spared the trouble of stitching up your idiot self.”

If Keris heard his sister’s berating, he didn’t react. Only pulled against Aren’s grip, reaching for Zarrah.

She scrambled on hands and knees, slivers digging into her fingers. But the pain didn’t matter as her hands locked with his. “Who did this to you?”

It was Aren who answered. “Bermin.”

Bile burned up her throat because she’d had the chance to put her cousin down. Had left him alive for fear of the consequences of killing him, only to pay the price of allowing him to live.

Lara knelt next to Keris, fingers hovering over the arrow where it jutted through the muscle at the top of his shoulder. Another inch to the right, and he’d already be dead. “This idiot decided to jump in front of the arrow.”

“Child should meet her father,” Keris said between his teeth, swaying sideways as the ship tilted, the sails catching the wind. “If only to better appreciate that her brilliance came from her mother’s side.”

Lara is pregnant,Zarrah thought. They’d risked more than she’d realized to help her.

“You’re an asshole, Keris,” Aren said, but Zarrah didn’t miss how his grip on Keris’s arms tightened, eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and guilt.

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