“That I’d give birth to a prince who’d deliver our people into a brighter era. And I have done it! Against all odds, in defiance of every monster you gave me to, I have done it!”
“What else?”
Lestara didn’t answer.
“What else?” Ronan roared, and when she still did not respond, he continued, “That your name would be a curse, and death would follow you. That you would one day face a choice, and that day has come. Take off the crown and give Virginia the child, and death will cease to follow at your heels.”
“I hate you.” Lestara spat the words, her eyes glowing like suns. “I have hated you and Mother all my life. All of this is to prove Mother’s power, because if she isn’t right about me, how else has she led you astray? Fuck you, Father. I will give you nothing! You threw me to the rats, and I climbed higher. They threw me to the spiders, but I crushed them all beneath my heel. Now the last spiders think to throw me to the snakes, but I will burn this nation of serpents to ash.”
James wanted to pity her, because the world had been unkind to his cousin. But it was hard to pity her given the harm she had done to those who’d had no part in the hurt done to her.
“Is that your choice, then?” Ronan demanded. “You choose power?”
“I choose the bridge,” she spat. “I don’t need Cardiff, because I am the queen of Harendell. I sit on the Twisted Throne. I will be the Mistress of the Bridge, and all the world will bow to me!”
No one spoke. No one even seemed to breathe, Lestara’s words having reached the ears of everyone on deck, and though it was midday, James swore the world darkened. Like all the stars in the sky had turned their backs, and not even the sun could make up for the loss of their favor.
His cousin looked to the sky, and her throat moved as she swallowed hard.
“Ships spotted to the north,” a voice shouted from the crow’s nest,whoever it was seemingly oblivious to the conflict below. “Amaridian! It’s the Amaridians!”
“That would be Queen Nina and her fleet,” Virginia said. “It seems she was quite won over by the Ithicanians during her time here. Enough that she answered the call to sail in their defense.”
“They’re surrendering on the south side,” another voice shouted. “The fleet is surrendering to the Valcottans! To the Maridrinians!”
Ronan crossed the deck, and none of the soldiers protested as he said, “You truly think that James is the traitor? James, who fought at your side all these long years? Let him go, you daft fools.”
The ropes unraveled from his wrists, and James ripped the gag from his mouth as Ahnna was also unbound.
“It’s done, Lestara,” James said, moving cautiously closer to her as she backed to the edge of the deck, resting one hand on the rail. Ahnna moved to the other side, her eyes fixed on the baby. “It’s over.”
“No!” Lestara gave a rapid shake of her head. “The stars saw it, James. They saw my future. That I would be queen. That I would rule, and my son would bring in a golden era.”
“And you did rule. Queen of the most powerful nation in the known world, Lestara. But Caly never said you’d rule for long, did she? What did she say?”
“She said that death would demand payment,” Lestara whispered. “But I have paid and paid and paid.”
As he kept Lestara’s focus, Ahnna moved in from behind.
“Let it end, Lestara,” James said. “Quit paying, and turn away from this path. Give us Oliver and surrender.”
“No!”
“You can’t win.”
Lestara tilted her head. “If I can’t claim the golden era, James, then neither can you.”
He lunged, sensing her intent, but Lestara was too quick. In a flash, she hurled herself over the side of the ship, plunging toward the shark-infested water with the baby clutched in her arms.
Ahnna didn’t hesitate.
His wife leapt onto the rail and jumped, falling toward the splash that Lestara had left in the sea.
“Ahnna!” James screamed, trying to go after her, but his uncle caught hold of his arms. “No!”
It was a churning mass of wave and foam, and James screamed at the Ithicanian ship, wordless demands that they help her.
Then Ahnna’s head broke the surface, the baby clutched in her hands. She shoved Oliver into Mara’s grip, but then she was yanked under.
