They’d both blurred the rules between knight and Odega the last few weeks. Choosing desire over duty. Want over sacrifice. But there was nothing blurred about this. This was clear, a sharp line in the sand, and Nora placed herself on the other side, leaving Aesira to choose.
Duty.
Desire.
Her eyes flicked to Stone’s. “We don’t have to go in there, Aesira,” he said.
“My sister is in there.”
“And so is mine.” Nora stepped forward, letting Patch and Stone fall back. “This doesn’t have to be your fight. Doesn’t have to beourfight.” She took Aesira’s hand. “Nev is smart, if the rebels are here she’ll get Kamari out. When we’re safe, we can send word for them to meet us. Think of everything you saw out there, Aesira. Think of what you know is true.”
Over Nora’s shoulder she could see Stone watching her, waiting to see what she’d do. If she’d cross the line. They’d seen the truth in Ravki. Seen theastraand the water and thelife, but her sister was not on that side of the line.
“Rule number two,” Patch said, catching Nora’s arm and linking it with his own. “Never leave anyone behind, that goes for you as well now. Find the queen, we’ll stay here. Keep things ready just in case.”
“Thank you.” The words burned up her throat. They’d wait for her because she wasn’t just a knight overseeing them, she wasn’t someone they feared or hated or resented. She was their friend.Theywere her friends.
The line then didn’t seem so hard to cross. She’d tell Kamari everything they’d found. Tell her the truth aboutastra, about what Vargah might be hiding, then they’d flee. They’d sail to the Isles and figure out the rest. “I’ll be back as quickly as I can.”
“I’m still going.” Stone stepped to her side.
“No.” Aesira put a hand to his chest to stop him. “I need to go alone.” She leaned close, pressing her lips to his ear and whispering so only he could hear. “I will not be able to do my jobwell if I think you’re unsafe and what I might have to do in order to get to Kamari will not be pleasant.” When she pulled away, his face was marred with a frown. “Stay here, wait for me, if I’m not back by sundown promise you’ll leave as planned.”
He tipped her chin up and kissed her and it was almost enough to convince her to stay. “As you wish, Commander.”
The looming spires of the Citadel blocked the sun, casting wickedly sharp shadows over the courtyard where even more people ran frantically.
Handmaids and servants darted past her, all flooding for the door. Some crying, most shouting. She worked her way through dozens of people shouting at each other until she broke free from the mayhem and made it to Kamari’s rooms.
Hanna was there, tears staining her cheeks. “Commander,” she said through a broken cry, wrapping her arms around Aesira’s middle.
“Hanna, where is Kamari?”
“She’s gone.” Hanna cupped a hand over her mouth. “She was the chosen sacrifice but the rebels came and she’s gone and there was nothing we could do. Nev tried, she tried to stop them but...” The rest of her words were drowned out by a sob.
Aesira’s entire world came crashing down, the walls of the room closing in. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Her knees gave out so she braced herself on the back of the chair.
You couldn’t save her just as you couldn’t save Eldrin.
“What do you mean she’s gone?”
“The rebels!” Hanna shouted. “They took her.”
“So she wasn’t sacrificed?”
Hanna shook her head. “No,” she said. “At least I don’t think so. Everything happened so quickly.”
“Start from the beginning.”
“Her name was called,” Hanna said, “but when she got to the dais, something happened. People dressed as sentries ambushed the stadium and then, Kamari disappeared.”
“But she isn’t dead?” Aesira ran to the window, following the sound of screams, then drew the curtains shut.
“I don’t know.” Hanna cradled her face in her hands.
“We have to go,” Aesira said. “If there are rebels here, it isn’t safe. I need to find the others. Nev. Rahashi.”
“But you don’t understand,” Hanna said through a sob, “they’reallgone.”
