I’m not useless. I have no idea what to do with children but surely a show of courage will comfort them.
Tahra darted away, in the direction of fire and smoke, clearly thrilled to be part of the action.
“Go, Lorcan. I’ll be safe enough here.”
After a beat of hesitation, he ran after Tahra.
We waited. Dawn stained the sky gray, then pale blue. The alarm bells stopped ringing. I bade the rest of the women stay and ventured out into the town, surveying the damage, alone. Dead bodies were piled in the center of the city, awaiting burial. Two houses and a tower aflame, though the blaze was controlled by a line of men and women passing buckets. The fires presented no danger to the rest of the village. Lorcan was nowhere to be seen.
“Out with Tovian,” Keryn informed me when I came across them near the rock wall, breaking down Saskaya’s new gun.
Alive—this time. How many more chances will we have before our luck runs out?
Squinting at a bit of metal that refused to come free, Keryn said, “They’re plotting how to get onto that island and drive the pirates out of the encampment. Problem is they can see you coming, and these waters are filled with sharks. As long as the pirates are resupplied, we’re in a stalemate.”
“He’s solved worse problems,” I murmured, thinking of the Sentinels in The Walled City.
“Patched things up, have you?”
“Not really.”
They glanced at me, skeptically. “Suit yourself, then.”
I moved down the beach, seeking a private spot, satellite phone in hand.
Time for me to implement my plan. I send a few messages to my friends, to get them out into the world ahead of my discussion with King Humayun.
I hit the call button to reach Humayun’s direct line. The time zones were favorable. Humayun was by turns insulting and cajoling, demanding to speak with the king (what king?) and then deriding my kingdom as, quote, “an antidemocratic theocracy led by a girl,” (apparently antidemocratic theocracies led by men are fine) and not just any girl, but an “unfaithful girl who breaks her word.”
Fair. I did that. I own it. Although, technically, I hadn’t promised anything when I left. Sohrab and I negotiated an agreement but nothing was formally signed. I didn’t quite apologize, though I did make a few conciliatory noises which did nothing to dampen Humayun’s ire.
I let the king rant and rave at me for some time before gently but firmly informing him, in a tone I might use with Sethi, that Laila wished to remain here, that her sister, mother, and the ship’s captain would all attest to the fact that she left of her own volition, and that I had, in fact, saved them from a pirate attack, though we lost the ship. Lying about that last part, but no one can prove it. Since his son’s well-armed, helicopter-toting yacht is in the vicinity of my island anyway, how about he come and reclaim his fancy boat?
Cursing; threats. Humayun disconnected the call.
I spotted Lorcan loping up the beach with Tovian, backlit by the rising sun. Lorcan peeled off and dropped onto the ground beside me. There was soot smudged on his forehead and cheek. His knuckles bled. The knee of his pants had a hole. His eyes are bright, but I can see he’s tired.
Weary of fighting, though it’s all he’s ever known.
I tossed my phone aside and rubbed my temples.
“That bad?” He kissed my shoulder through the nightgown.
“It went better than I expected it to.” I couldn’t hide my despondency. This is my life, forever, now. Dealing with international leaders, half of whom are, frankly, egotistical lunatics on a power trip. Coming up with ideas to fend off disaster. I’ve trained for it, but I, too, am weary of the responsibility. “I expect the pirates will be missing their prized resupply ship by this evening.”
“Nicely done, Princess. Clever.”
“If it works. I’ve sent out the press releases, too. Getting ahead of the inevitable messaging war in the global press.”
We sat on the sand, together, watching the waves. Watching the sun rise over the churning ocean with the past at our backs and an uncertain future ahead. A fleet of pelicans dipped into the water, one at a time.
“Zosia?”
“Hm?”
“Marry me?”
I glanced sharply at him. I don’t know why I was surprised to see him holding a ring. The timing, probably—I’m in my rumpled nightdress; he’s filthy with battle. Yet it’s right, somehow. The past twenty-four hours have been a culmination of everything that has brought us to this point. We’ll fight together to save this country. Side by side.
