“That… actually sounds reasonable,” Luca whispered from Amarande’s side.
And it was.
No Inés? No war for the whole of the Sand and Sky? Just a simple agreement, a handshake, and a parting of ways? No. It couldn’t be.
“Taillefer,” Amarande called, “I will recognize you as King of Pyrenee if you will honor my claim as Queen of Ardenia and the Otsakumea’s birthright to the newly reformed Kingdom of Torrence.”
That fox smile flashed. “As you wish, Your Highness.”
“No!Ithink not!” Geneva shouted, twin swords clanging as she crashed them together for emphasis. “The continent will not be decided this way! By the fickle wishes of children with no basis in fact. These words mean nothing.”
Just that moment, the doors burst open and General Koldo, Ula, Urtzi, and Osana came in, breathing hard and worse for wear. Their weapons had been used, but they’d made it despite whatever obstacle Geneva had clearly created for them.
“Ah, look at that,” Taillefer observed, gleefully. “They were coming after all.”
The Warlord’s eyes narrowed upon the general, yet another assumed ally who became a traitor.
Koldo stepped in line with her son, shoulders back and sword out. “This is the end, Geneva. You are defeated. As the Warlord, as the Runaway Queen, as the Queen Mother. You hold no titles now. No land. No army. Nothing. The Sand and Sky has been forever changed but you will no longer play a part in it.”
“What I did, I did for Ardenia.” Geneva’s furious blue eyes found Amarande’s face. “I protected my daughter’s legacy from the threat of Koldo’s child.”
She wheeled on Ferdinand. “I protectedyoufrom death. You could’ve been my first kill, and instead you became my son.”
Ferdinand shook his head. “You stole me from my rightful mother and then dangled me as blackmail for the entirety of my life, right up until the moment you regained Ardenia’s throne by using me.”
“I did it for you. I did it for both of you. I did it to stave off war. I did not know what Inés would do.” Geneva pointed a sword at Taillefer. “Or her psychopathic children.”
“Hey there, that is akingyou are talking about,” Taillefer cut in. “At least call me a genius instead of a child—psychopathic genius. Yes, thekingwill take it.”
Everyone in the room ignored him.
“You did not do it forus,” Ferdinand said, his fury evident even if his voice stayed restrained. “Youstole Amarande’s chance to grow up with her mother, and at the same time you stolemychance to grow up with my mother and father. Think of what we’ve lost.”
“No! I did what was best for both of you whenshe,” Geneva gestured to the general, “attacked my daughter’s legacy.”
Again, Ferdinand shook his head. Lowered his sword and tried to touch her heart—the only mother he had known for fifteen years, no matter how twisted that love turned out to be, letting his words be both his offense and defense. “You cannot blame Koldo for whatyoudid.”
“No—I gave you so much. I didn’tstealanything!” This time her voice shook. “From you, from Amarande, from anyone else. I—”
“Stars,”Ferdinand swore, “you even stoleLuca’schance to grow up with his mother.”
“What…?” Luca’s voice was tight. “What do you mean?”
Koldo answered, gently. “Your mother did not die of lung disease, Luca. She witnessed Geneva running away with Ferdinand. Geneva admitted to strangling her. I’m so sorry to tell you this now, this way—”
A moment of thunderstruck silence.
Then Ula let out a cry of rage. “Youwhat?” The pirate lunged forward, curved sword at a deadly angle. “You killed Lygia? Strangled her?”
Luca caught her arm as she passed but Ula furiously shook him away, advancing on the Warlord, step by step. For the first time, Geneva inched backward, retreating from the fury in Ula’s eyes, covering that involuntary weakness with a scoffing laugh.
“Whothe starsare you and why do you care? Lygia wasn’tactuallyQueen Elixane, I killed some lowly nursemaid.” Her voice was all taunting bravado, and Taillefer actually had the gall to chuckle, thoroughly entertained from his corner. “You have summarily ruined my son’s glorious speech vilifying everything I’ve done for the past fifteen years. Stop ruining the flow—I’m sure he’s about to move on to theway I ruled with fear and an iron fist in the Torrent, even though hegladlystood by my side and watched each victim burn.”
Ula lifted her chin. Sword out straight. Shoulders back. Luca moved closer, but did not attempt to restrain her again. “My name is Ulara Vidal. You killed my mother. You made my homeland a wasteland of fear. And—”
“And what?” Geneva narrowed her gaze. “I’m going to die at your hand? Get in line, girl.”
With a cry, Ula lunged, her curved sword held high in both hands. With deadly force, she sent it arcing downward—only for the blow to be parried aside by the crossing thrust of Geneva’s twin blades. The momentum sent Ula in a spin that turned her around, back to Geneva, vulnerable to the next slash of the Warlord’s sword. One quick shove and Luca pushed Ula out of the way.
