Boots pinned my wrist. I looked up into a soldier’s face—young, maybe twenty—as he leveled his rifle at my head.
“Don’t move.”
I froze.
They hauled Tomás up, arms wrenched behind his back. His wife Lydia appeared through the chaos, dragged between two more soldiers. Her shirt was torn, face bloodied. Next was Lucas—their son, four years my junior—who fought against the arms restraining him until a rifle butt cracked across his skull.
The soldiers moved with purpose, herding the three of them toward Sentinel Rock. The massive black stone jutted from the sand like a broken tooth, twenty feet high and flat across the top. We’d played on it as kids. Jumped from it into the waves. Carved our names into its surface.
No.
I surged forward, boots scrambling against sand. Had to reach them. Had to—
The rifle barrel pressed hard against the base of my skull, stopping me cold. If I got shot, I’d be useless to everyone. The young soldier’s grip tightened on my shoulder, fingers digging through fabric to bone.
All I could do was watch as the soldiers dragged the governor’s family up Sentinel Rock.
They positioned the Veruses as if they were goods on display, every eye on the beach locked on them. Three soldiers arranged themselves behind each of them, blades at their throats—identical short swords, polished steel catching the growing dawn light.
My chest constricted.No.No, this wasn’t—
“I hear you people think this family runs things here,” the commander called out. He stood at the base of the rock, arms crossed, that scar pulling his smile crooked. “That’s cute. Real touching.”
Tomás lifted his head. “We’re—”
“Victoraowns every inch of this land.” The man’s voice hardened. “Every rock. Every wave. Every pathetic little island full of people who forgot their place.”
Lydia was crying. Silent tears cutting tracks through the blood on her face. Lucas’s eyes found mine across the beach—dark and terrified and so young.
“Let me help you remember that.”
The commander raised his hand.
Everything slowed. I saw his fingers curl into a fist. Saw the soldiers behind the prisoners tense. Saw Tomás try to turn his head, lips forming words I couldn’t hear.
The hand dropped.
Three blades moved as one.
Blood sprayed black against the graymorning sky.
A scream split the air—high and broken—before someone’s hand clamped over the source.
The bodies slumped forward. Tumbled off Sentinel Rock onto the sand below with wet, heavy thuds.
My knees almost buckled.
“Take everyone useful!” the commander shouted. “Anything of value. You know what to do.”
Soldiers moved through our ranks like reapers. Grabbing arms. Shoving people to their knees. I tried to back up, boots sliding in blood-soaked sand.
Something hard cracked against the base of my skull.
The beach tilted sideways. My face hit wet sand.
Esme.The image of my sister’s face pushed through the haze. Was she still hidden? Still safe? Would they find her? I tried to push myself up, but my arms wouldn’t obey.
Rough hands yanked me to my feet, cool metal sliding against my arms.
