Atsadi let out a gritting yell, the muscles in his arm straining to hold him in place. It was a sound laced with panic and desperation.
He was going to lose her.
And Kai was going to lose thembothto that darkness below.
Kai dropped to her knees mid-sprint, sliding hard into the spray. It stole her breath, but she locked every muscle to hold steady. She’d only get one shot at this. The slightest miscalculation would kill them all.
She aimed for Atsadi’s tense body like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Three…
Two…
Kai slammed a boot down, halting her momentum, just before she struck Atsadi. With only her waning body strength and the traction of one sole to hold her in place, Kai fisted Atsadi’s belt.
“I’ve got you!” she shouted, the spray stinging her cheeks and eyes.
“Pull!” he shouted back, as he clawed deeper into the stone and strained. His shoulder muscles bulged as he lifted Fala’s weight.
Fala’s hand appeared—then her soaked head—gasping, choking, alive. She coughed and spluttered as Atsadi pulled up, up, up?—
Atsadi and Fala rolled away from the ledge, and the three of them half-crawled, half-stumbled free of the geyser.
They collapsed to their knees together, arms tangled, sharing trembling breaths between them.
A growl echoed off the cavern walls.
Kai turned toward it.
Usti stood over Inola’s motionless body, knife still in hand, his entire body trembling with rage. His dark gaze lifted to Kai. “You ruined everything.”
Kai rose—empty-handed. Her sword lay just out of reach. “No,” she said, meeting his wild gaze. “You chose your path. You risked our people for your own gain.”
“You of all people…” He barked a laugh. “You should understand. You turned your back on tradition when you took a wife from outside your clan. No one else would get away with that so easily, but you’re First Daughter. You can dowhatever you want.”
Kai’s mind went quiet, because that was the thing… He was wrong. She’d never asked to lead. Never asked for a husband. But now—now she understood.
Some burdens were too heavy for one soul. She needed someone beside her who could carry them, too.
Kai took careful steps forward. “You’re right, Usti. I’ve been blessed in many ways. And I have a unique perspective on our traditions. One day, I mayeven be the one who calls for change.” She grew ever closer to her sword, but dared not look at it. She held his gaze. “You’ve proved to have a unique ability to lead as well. You dreamed of a better way, and yet you lacked the patience to achieve it. I could have been your ally. Instead…”
She raised her hands to the broken room, the ledge crumbling away bit by bit as the water weakened the stone.
“Instead, we face each other as enemies,” she said.
His breathing increased, and his hold on his knife tightened. A battle cry gathered low in his chest?—
Kai didn’t wait for him to charge. She ran at him and snatched up her sword mid-run, meeting him where he stood.
He swung wild, too emotional, too slow.
She ducked, spun, and slashed. The blade opened his side.
Usti screamed and stumbled.
Kai didn’t stop. She wouldn’t—not after what he’d done. Her sister. The matriarchs. How many more innocents fell for this?
She fought for Sitsi and Inola. For the younglings and elders alike. For the future he tried to steal.
