Seyin’s tone was derisive. “And you’re going to take her at her word?”
Before Yuri could reply, shouts came from outside, followed by thundering footsteps. Ana’s eyes fluttered open as Seyin and the other Redcloaks pivoted, arms raised to defend themselves from the impending attackers.
“Ana.” Yuri shifted her in his arms, and she found his coal-gray gaze, burning into hers through the dust and smoke. “Forgive me. This was all a mistake.”
Ana reached for Yuri’s hand; his fingers were there, solid and warm, just as they’d always been when they were children.
“Can you stand?” he asked. When she nodded, he set her down. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her waist to steady her as the world spun.
Outside, someone called her name: someone whose voice was utterly familiar. Through the plumes of smoke, Ramson emerged, decked out in his full Bregonian naval uniform and blackstone-infused armor. His misericord glinted in his hands as he strode toward them. Behind him followed his squad of soldiers, weapons drawn, several coated in soot and dust.
Seyin and the Redcloaks had drawn their own daggers, but even as Affinites, they were outnumbered. The Second-in-Command’s face was furious, his eyes cold with the intent to kill.
A battle here would end badly for both sides.
Yuri’s gaze never left Ana’s face. “Give me the chance to make it right. We started this together, with May; now, let’s finish it together.”
Ana studied his face, searching for a trace of the childhood friend she’d known and loved. The one who had stood up against injustices in his own ways, back at the Palace. The one who’d never been afraid of the consequences for his own life if he’d been caught talking to her or sneaking her treats or even sitting outside her door for all the lonely nights. That Yuri had held the spark of what had begun his revolution: a quest to make things right.
“Let her go,” Ramson called from near the opening in the wall. “If anything happens to her, I’ll make it so you’ll wish you were dead.”
At last, Ana squeezed Yuri’s hand. Drew a breath. Her voice came out as a rasp. “Ramson,” she said. “Stand down.”
She would never forget the look of fury that flashed across Ramson’s face as he beheld her. His lips tightened; his gaze pinned Yuri like daggers. “Let her go first,” he snarled. “And tell your men to stand down.”
Yuri’s hand tightened around Ana’s waist, but he stood his ground. “Redcloaks, fall back,” he said.
Seyin was the last to lower his daggers.
Ana straightened, testing her weight. There was a pain in her chest that she’d have the healers examine later—but for now, she could stand. From all around came the sound of more footsteps as soldiers from her army congregated, weapons drawn. She needed to de-escalate the tension, before a full-on fight broke out.
Ana straightened and, wrapping her cloak tightly around her, pushed past Ramson and his men. Her soldiers were emerging from all corners of the camp, weapons drawn.
Ana held up her hand. “This is a misunderstanding,” she called, and was grateful for the utter silence, the way her soldiers watched her with rapt attention. “We are in alliance with the Redcloaks. I am safe, and I am repeating this order for my forces tostand down.”
She caught Daya’s face among the group. Ana gave her a nod; her friend nodded back, then held up her hand in a motion to her troops. “Stand down!” she shouted. “The Red Tigress is safe!”
As the command was passed through the soldiers, Ana turned back to Yuri. The commotion outside fell away as she spoke again. “You once said we would come full circle again.” Ana held out her hand. “Let us make it right, together. And let us finish it, just as it was meant to be.”
Yuri broke into a smile as he wrapped his fingers around hers.
“Together,” he said. “We’ll come full circle again, Ana.”
—
“Ana.”
She kept walking, trying to ignore the stir of emotions in her stomach at the sound of that voice.
“Anastacya,stop.”
Ana whirled round. The name cracked like a whip; she’d never heard Ramson use it. He strode behind her through the jagged silhouettes of conifers, the sky breaking silver over them. A few dozen steps away, she could see the shapes of the dacha where her soldiers gathered, listening to Daya’s orders on repairing the camp.
“Ramson,” she said, unable to keep the weariness from her voice.
He came to a stop before her, navy-blue cloak billowing about him, cutting him in a crisp, sharp outline. His eyes were cold as he spoke. “I want to know what you were thinking, allying with them after they’ve betrayed you round after round after round.”
“Yuri and I have reached an understanding,” Ana replied. “We’ll campaign together to gather an army and overthrow Morganya’s regime. Then I’ll transition the government and step back.” She lifted her chin, daring him to challenge her. “The Redcloaks are our allies now, so you’d do well to remember that.”
