‘He’s made his choice. We can’t do anything now.’
‘Ah, ah, ah,’ the empress cried, her voice carrying away on the wind. ‘You’re going nowhere. Asmar. I want your wife.’
‘No,’ his voice ripped as he screamed, his body twitching.
‘Tough. Shit. Asmar. Get her.’
Matthias’s head twisted in our direction.
Asher grabbed my arm. ‘C’mon.’
‘I can’t…we can’t leave him.’ I wrenched my arm from the captain’s grip.
‘Sorrow.’ Pain ran through his eyes as they flicked over my shoulder and back to me. ‘I’ve lost my king, my friend. If you don’t come now. I’ll lose my queen too.’
Smaller boats rowed towards us from the empress’s ships anchored out at sea.
‘We have to go, now.’
I grabbed him and we turned, tearing up the beach to where our boat lay.
The splashing got closer. Matthias screamed my name; I glanced back, and he gained with every step.
‘We can’t… outrun… him.’
‘Then I’ll fight him,’ Asher said.
And Matthias would kill him. The guilt would destroy him. I had to stop this getting even worse than it was.
We dodged a body, floating face down as it was swept out to sea. Purple threads sprang forth. I had no choice but to trust them.
Matthias grunted. My lungs burned as we tore around the rocks and bodies to the boat. There was only one way we were going to escape. I dug deep down, calling to every limp form lying rent on the sands. I sent dark, shimmering threads out. Behind us, the water churned as those alive screamed. I let them take control; yet, as Asher threw me onto the deck and Pablo fell on top of me, I sent out one request.Let Matthias live. No matter what, let him survive.
Asher screamed as he pushed out the boat, guards slamming into the incoming tide to help him. Skye let down the sails as Enfys and a guard went to the helm.
‘How will we outrun the ships?’ Skye cried. ‘The mad bitch has a whole armada out there. We’re done for.’
Pablo nudged me.
‘Get us out a bit further. I’ll call help.’
‘Help?’ Asher asked.
I withdrew them, shuddering as the violet threads settled within their nest in my soul, switching for the familiar cool of the silver and called out across the sea, almost crying as the beasts of the water answered, swarming our boat to aid us. I peered out to the hazy dots on the horizon, desperately seeking out my husband. I fought back the urge to scream his name as tears tore down my cheeks at the thought of what he’d done to us.
EPILOGUE
And Vyrus? Some say he locked himself away in his halls, mourning the loss of Evella. Some say that he still schemes to destroy us, or that he’s caught in an eternal sleep. Others claim he has a new love and locks her away, terrified she’ll find a planet to tempt her from his side. Some say he’s here on Eusis, wearing our skins and planning our demise. Wherever he dwells, we refuse to risk his ire, which is why you, dear blessed one, have been selected by your country to become a Tribute.
— BROTHERHOOD OF TRIBUTES’ LETTER TO THE TEN BLESSED CHOSEN
The Gods have a fucked-up sense of humour. We swept north, the gulls above keeping watch. A pod of porpoises informed me three ships followed, keeping close to the shoreline and away from the threat of the humpback who’d destroyed several of the empress’s armada.
I turned back, tucking a lock of unruly hair behind my ear and pulling my shawl across me. A few guards looked nervouslyover to the man refusing to relinquish control of the helm. The one who’d burst through the hatch, cursing and slurring, brandishing his near-empty whiskey bottle. He’d blazed with anger as we’d stolen his boat; but once he learned he had royalty on board, seemed happy enough to allow us to continue using his craft – in return for a reward once we’d reached Drufaera, anyway.
I sat next to Enfys who trailed her fingers through the fur on Pablo’s head.
‘How are you doing?’ she asked, and I closed my eyes, sick to my stomach of answering the question.
