Survive.
Josie drove her blade into the gut of the first man she could reach. He fell with a splash, his blood seeping into the clear blue like watercolor on a canvas.
She found no beauty in it.
But it did not stop her from swinging her blade with deadlyprecision as she took down another, and another. She was on the beach before she knew it, and seven hells, there weremore, so many of them that she could not see how the Visya force could possibly overpower them, even with their affinities. The crescent moon beach was a cacophony of screams of the injured and grunts of fury and metal clanging, all backed by the crackle of Incend fire and howl of Caeli wind and—
Josie paused, her eyes scanning the beach.
They weren’t fighting with affinities. The attackers, they weren’t—
Josie’s observation was cut short as a woman came at her with a dagger. Josie ducked, her body twisting as she evaded the woman’s assault, and in the next breath, Josie’s blade found her neck.
She sliced true, blood seeping from the woman’s pale skin as her sword drew across her neck…
Right below her rose tattoo.
“Fucking hells,” Josie breathed.
The Bellare.
How were there so many of the rebel group here? And where the hells was the City Guard? Hells, where was the Royal Army?
Josie’s breath sawed from her chest as she scanned the beach again. Aleissande was a few paces away, locked in a dance of steel against steel. There was blood running down the general’s face and matted in her blond plaited bun, but she did not waver as she met the rebel strike for strike. Her brow furrowed, a telltale sign that she was reaching inward for her Sensainos affinity, and Josie watched as she extended a hand and sent the rebel crumbling to the ground.
Aleissande let out a hard breath as she drove her sword into the rebel’s chest, and Josie’s heart lurched as another rebel came for Aleissande’s back.
Josie grabbed the pommel of her sword with both hands as she lifted it over her head and threw it as hard as she could.The rebel screamed as the blade embedded itself in his back just as Aleissande struck the other attacker down.
Aleissande whirled, wide-eyed and chest heaving as she glanced from the dead rebel to Josie.
“I told you todisappear!” she snarled as Josie retrieved her blood-slick sword.
“I just saved your life,” Josie shot back, her adrenaline shortening the wick to her temper. “Show some grat—” Her words were cut off by Aleissande’s tight grip on her arms as she dragged Josie closer.
“Open your eyes, Josephine,” she hissed as she shook her. “This is a coup. You are theprincess of this kingdom.Run.” Josie wrestled against Aleissande’s grip, but the general held firm as something pleading entered her gaze. “I am giving you a direct order.”
Josie frantically scanned the beach again. She could not leave her companions. She could not leaveCole.
“I will find him,” Aleissande insisted, ducking her head to meet Josie’s gaze. “I swear on my life I will not abandon your friend. He is one of us. I will not leave him behind. But you have to go.Now.”
It went against every instinct Josie had. But there was desperation in Aleissande’s usually steady gaze, and it sharpened her voice until it was tight and uneven in a way she’d heard only once before.
Run, Aidon.
Aleissande released her, and Josie knew she would hate herself for it, but for once in her life, she obeyed.
She took off down the beach, weaving in and out of the fight. Chaos reigned around her, and it was nearly enough to keep from drawing attention to her retreat.
But then shouts were arising, and an arrow was soaring past her ear, close enough that she swore it nicked her lobe, and a rebel was turning and locking eyes with her, his own going wide as he yelled, “The princess!”
Josie put on a burst of speed, her boots sliding over the loose sand that gave way to the cobbles of the main thoroughfare. She raced past abandoned carts as she veered left, away from the palace. She could hear the rebels behind her, and a quick glance over her shoulder showed three in pursuit. A stream of Incend fire caught the shoulder of one, sending her careening to the ground with a scream.
Josie didn’t dare risk looking for who had aided her escape. She grabbed the basket of fruit from the nearest cart and flung it into the street behind her as she ran. A few paces ahead, a merchant was crouched behind his cart. He stood as he saw Josie racing toward him and gave a subtle dip of his chin. Then he upended his cart, sending jewelry and collectibles flying into the street behind her, his cart rolling with it and blocking the rebel’s path.
Josie darted into a side street, the furious shouts of the two Bellare members echoing across the cobbles. They were followed by a higher yelp—a pained sound—and Josie ground her teeth as she fought the urge to turn back and fight.
There was nothing she could do now. The merchant was likely dead.
