Page 122 of What Fury Brings
“No. Here is what I need from you. Swap places with your brother. Andrastus will come here. You will go home and return to your life in Brutus. This is the only way I have a chance of winning my throne.”
“And I will do this for you just because you ask it?”
“If you do this for me, then I swear to you that I will get your mother and sister out of Brutus. They will come here and be my special guests until such a time as you take your throne, and Atalius will be none the wiser.”
All the air left Sanos’s lungs. She knew him. Knew what he cared most about. She knew that if she dangled this in front of him, he would agree to just about anything.
“We both win, Sanos. I get Amarra, and you get to protect the ones you care about most. And with your mother and sister safely here, perhaps you might get to finally challenge your father.”
He wanted to argue. This didn’t feel like winning. Andshewas now in the category of people he cared about most.
Sanos’s whole life had been about sacrifice. He went without companionship, friendship, to keep others safe. He fought on the front lines of Ephenna to keep his family safe. And now he would do this so his mother and sister wouldn’t have to live with violence hanging over their heads.
“Very well,” he said, matching her lifeless tone. “What do I have to do?”
“Walk with me. We don’t have much time.”
As they wove through Ydra’s estate, Olerra said, “You are dressed this way because I need to use you to make your father angry. I will say things and do things that will be unpleasant for you. You must bear it. Unchained. You must stand there and take it.”
They entered a carriage that took them toward the main gates. The streets were busy despite the late hour. People rushed to and fro, carrying their belongings. Closing windows and shutters.
Preparing for war.
“I can do that,” he said. He would withstand anything she threw at him.
“Good.”
“Are we going to talk about what happened?”
“There is no point.”
“Can I apologize at least?”
“I would rather remain angry at you. It will make all of this much easier, don’t you think?”
A low rumble carried on the wind. It was nonsense at first, but the closer they got to their destination, the better he could hear the chanting.
Meet the might of Brutus.
Meet the might of Brutus.
Meet the might of Brutus.
It was a shout he knew well. His father’s troops repeated the refrain. It was so loud, the company had to be at least two thousand strong.
This would not go over well. He was wearing a fucking skirt, and hundreds of his countrymen were about to see it. The embarrassment would push his father to do terrible things. Sanos’s very life might be in danger.
But if it meant his sister and mother would finally be safe, then he would take whatever came his way.
It was time to finally embrace being Amarran on the last night he would be considered one.
25
Olerra was quite pleased with the way the battlements had turned out. There were archers at every section of the wall. Each gate had vats of pitch and rocks for throwing. Her soldiers had even gotten at least four hours of sleep before the king arrived. His own forces would be tired from marching.
Olerra took the stairs confidently with Sanos at her side.
She was still unused to attaching that name to him. It wasn’t the name he’d worn when she’d fallen for him, but it was the name he now used when she had to give him back.
