The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2)

by Danielle L. Jensen

Aren caught hold of Coralyn’s arm, but, knowing what sort of woman she was, he didn’t ask her to run. “Thank you.” “Forgive her. She loves you.” He dropped the old woman’s arm, feeling Lara’s gaze on him. Knowing she was listening. “She doesn’t know what love is.” “That’s why you should forgive her.” Before Aren could answer, Coralyn extracted a glass jar from the folds of her dress and threw it to the ground, thick, choking smoke filling the room. They needed to get out. Now.

Abruptly Aren found himself on his back, a knife pressed against his jugular. “Let me make myself abundantly clear, Your Grace,” Sarhina hissed, the only thing visible in the darkness the white of her teeth. “You will never speak about my sister in that way or it will be you whose throat is slit. Understood?” Glaring at her, he didn’t answer. The knife blade pressed harder, a droplet of blood trickling down his throat. “You mean nothing to me. You are nothing. The only reason that the rest of my sisters and I agreed to help you was because Lara loves you, and we love her. Never mind that we owe her our lives.”

“You have no idea what she has endured,” Sarhina continued. “What we all endured at the hands of my father and Serin and the rest of them. Fifteen fucking years of being brainwashed to believe that our people were starving and dying because of Ithicana. They beat us and starved us and turned us into murderers, and through every bit of it they whispered that it was all to save Maridrina from you. That it was because of you that we needed to suffer. That you were a hateful demon who cared nothing for the innocents you harmed, only for the satisfaction of your own greed!”

Though unlike you, she isn’t willing to let him win. Lara remains Queen of Ithicana even if you’ve given up on being its king.”

Lara’s chin trembled as she struggled not to sob, then she clamped her teeth down hard. She was a queen. A warrior. But more than that, she was the little cockroach. And she had no intention of dying.

“The sort who’s had his fill of backstabbing pricks,” Aren replied before sliding his blade across the man’s throat. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get my wife back.”

“Easy,” he murmured, his hands catching her under the arms for added support, careful not to touch where it would hurt. “You’ll be okay.” “You came back for me.” “You thought I wouldn’t?” Though his voice was nothing more than a whisper, she heard his incredulity. Her jaw trembled, and she gave the slightest of nods.

God help her, but she loved him. Needed him like she needed air to breathe. Wanted him, despite her body feeling like it was on the brink of death.

“Lara, no matter where you are in the world, if you need me, I’ll come for you. Please know that.”

She started to unload the tent from a camel’s back, but Aren caught hold of her wrist. “I’ll do it.” She looked up at him, her azure eyes drawing him in. Drowning him, as they always had. “I’m fine, Aren.” “I know you are. And I know you can do it yourself. But let me do it for you anyway.” Color rose to her cheeks, and she looked away. “As you like.”

She was everything. Mind, body, and soul, she was everything he wanted. Everything he needed. The queen Ithicana needed.

“I love you, Aren.” Her eyes were gleaming. “But it’s over between us. It has to be, and we both know it. Pretending otherwise is only going to make it worse when I walk away.” She was right, and he knew it. But in his heart, he knew that even if he never saw her again for the rest of his life, it would never be over. She would always be his queen.

Unsure of the answer, he said, “It’s time we went home.”

A sob tore from her lips, and she twisted to press her forehead against the table, fighting the dizziness before pulling the thread and knotting it. Taking a deep breath, she pressed the needle against her flesh again, but her hands were shaking so hard she lost her grip on the muscle. Tears poured down her cheeks as she struggled to get it back into place, to get a grip on the needle with her blood-soaked fingers. Then familiar hands closed on her wrists. Lifting her face, she met Aren’s gaze, the lantern light flickering in his hazel eyes. “Why didn’t you ask for help?” “Because I don’t have the right to ask any of them for anything,” she said between sobs, turning her face away. “It’s fine. I can do it. I just need a minute.”

“Awake or asleep, all I see is your face. All I hear is your voice. All I feel is you in my arms. All I want is you.”

“There is no one in the world like you.”

“You are my goddamned damnation, but there will never be anyone but you.”

She knew he was right, but still she said, “I love you.” Aren only walked toward the door. He paused with his hand on the latch, before turning to look at her. “I’m sorry.”

Her sob as he’d left had been worse than a knife to the gut, the anguish in it a thousand times greater than when he’d stitched up her leg. All he wanted was to go back. To scoop her up and lose himself in her. To keep her safe until she was strong. To never be away from her again.

Because she refused to let Eranahl fall without a fight.

Then her body jerked to a stop, a strong hand gripping her wrist. Looking upward, Lara saw Ahnna’s face. The princess smirked. “We just can’t get rid of you, can we?”

“Well, she found a way.” Lia held out a torch, illuminating the water surging into the cave, then retreating with equally violent force. “She challenged her father. Killed him. It’s why they retreated when they did. She saved us, and now we need to save her.”

“You need to let me go.” She was so exhausted. So tired of fighting. “You need to get somewhere safe.” “No! I’m not leaving you.” He slid an arm through the bars, wrapping it around her waist. She flinched as fingers pressed against the wound on her side, saw the way his face tightened as he realized how deep it was. Turning his head, he shouted, “Where the hell are those tools?” But Lara knew they’d never make it in time.

Reaching through the bars, she caught hold of his face. “Look at me. Listen to me.” He resisted. Like he knew what she was going to say. But then he met her gaze. “I’m sorry.” A wave hammered her in the back, forcing her to pause while she fought the current. “I’m so sorry for all the hurt that I caused you. All the hurt I caused Ithicana. And I need you to know that I’d die a thousand times over if there were a way to undo it.” “Lara—” She shook her head violently, because she didn’t want his forgiveness. She didn’t deserve it. “My father is dead. He’s dead, and he can’t hurt you or Ithicana anymore. Keris will be king, and there will be a chance for Maridrina and Ithicana to be allies in truth. For the first time, Ithicana has a chance at a better future. But it needs you to make it happen. Don’t sacrifice that for me.” “But I need you.” He pulled her tight against the metal, his forehead pressing against hers through the bars. “I love you, and I’ve never stopped. Not once, not even when I should have.” He kissed her then, his mouth hot against her chilled skin, his tongue tasting of the sea. And she leaned into him, the tears running down her face washed away as the waves hammered them.

“Since the day we met, there has never been anyone but you. And there never will be anyone but you. You ...

“You can.” He kissed her hard. “I’ve never once seen fear make a decision for you.” Lara shook her head. This was too much. “I need you.” His breath was hot against her lips. “And I need you to keep fighting.”

“I love you.” He could feel his people gathering around, feel the rain pouring from above. “I need you. Please come back.” She seemed so small. So unlike the indomitable warrior he knew her to be. “Lara!” He screamed her name. “Fight!”

Her name. Heard the only command he’d ever given her.

“Yes.” His hazel eyes gleamed with unspent tears as they met hers. “You were dead. Dead in my arms,

and I . . . I . . .” He rubbed a hand across his face, shaking his head. “I heard you call my name,” she whispered. “I heard you order me to fight.” “First damned time you ever listened.” She smiled, but sadness swelled in her chest. “Don’t get used to it.”

But she remembered. Remembered him telling her that he loved her. That he needed her. That he wouldn’t let her go. But those had been words spoken in the heat of the moment, when they’d both thought death was upon them. When anything seemed possible as long as they survived.

“You feed them to the sharks.” A faint smile grew on his face. “There’s more to it than that. We suspend the accused traitor in the sea, then chum the waters. If the sharks kill the person, it means the charges were deserved, as was the punishment. But if the sharks leave the person be, that means the person isn’t a traitor—that they are true to Ithicana.” His gaze sharpened, focusing on her. “I’ve never seen the sharks do anything but feast. Never heard of it. Until now.” Lara’s heart skipped. “Ahnna saw. Taryn saw. Aster, God bless his superstitious soul, saw you jump off that ship and then swim, bleeding and thrashing, through shark-infested waters, and not one of them touched you.”

“Luck,” she breathed, but Aren shook his head. “There were hundreds of them. And Ahnna said the biggest swam right up next to you, looked, then swam away. Over and over again. They killed every single soldier in the water, but not you. And no one is calling you the traitor queen any longer.” A hot tear trickled down Lara’s face, because she was true to Ithicana. She loved this kingdom and she loved its people, but . . . “It will take more than myths and legends for the people to grant me their forgiveness, Aren.”

“Will you stay?” “Yes.” She smiled as he helped her sit, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Breathing him in. “I’ll stay.” There was a knock at the door then, and Ahnna came in. The Princess of Ithicana’s eyes were cool, but she inclined her head respectfully to both of them. “Everyone is assembled, Your Grace. They’re waiting to hear you speak.”

Buckling her belt, she looked up at him. “I swore to fight by your side, to defend you to my dying breath, to cherish your body and none other, and to be loyal to you as long as I live.”

His eyes were full of heat. Of desire for her. Of respect for her. “As you say, Your Grace.” Offering his arm, Aren bent low, his breath warm against her ear. “There’s no one in the world like you, you know.” “No, there isn’t.” Lara squared her shoulders as the doors to the balcony were flung wide open, revealing a crowd of their people waiting below. “Because there is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees.”