The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2)

by Danielle L. Jensen

“Your people will never accept her as queen. She’s the traitor who cost them their homes and the lives of their loved ones.” “I am aware. The answer is still no.”

Lara considered the situation, realization dawning on her. “She made Valcotta’s assistance dependent on my death. That’s what she wanted, isn’t it?”

“Agree. Give her what she wants. It’s not as though I’m going to be able to live with myself if we lose Ithicana because of this.” Her heart was a riot in her chest, terror and sorrow twisting through her veins because she didn’t want to die. But she would. For Ithicana. For Aren. For herself, she’d do this. “Let them kill me.” Aren lowered his head. “No.”

“There was no honor in what I did, Your Grace. I will not insult you by asking for your forgiveness, but please know that I will fight until my last breath to see Ithicana liberated.”

“The heirs to the greatest enemies in the world are allies,” Lara mused. “I wonder how they met.”

But he only pulled her into his arms and said, “I wish things could be different.” Hot tears spilled onto her cheeks. “But they can’t.”

“I need you to know that I forgive you, Lara. That I—”

Aren lifted a hand, cupping the side of her face. “I have enough to worry about without you attempting to assassinate Silas. It’s bad enough that I have to—”

This was where it was going to end. And it was not, Aren thought, the worst way to go: with his queen fighting at his back.

“It’s time we went home.”

“I’m not here for forgiveness. I’m here to ask you to allow me to fight because I assure you, I hate my father more than any of you ever could.”

“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.”

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

“You don’t honestly believe we aren’t all keeping a close watch on you, do you, boy? We only just got you back, and we aren’t keen to lose you again. Especially not to her.”

What was the point? Why was she even trying? She wasn’t wanted here—not by the Ithicanians and not by Aren. So why should she stay? Because you promised. Because you said you wouldn’t stop fighting until Ithicana was free.

It was over. Just like that, it was over. Ithicana was free. Pressing her face into the dirt, Lara wept.

“She challenged her father. Killed him. It’s why they retreated when they did. She saved us, and now we need to save her.”

“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.”

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.”

“Since the day we met, there has never been anyone but you. And there never will be anyone but you. You are my queen, and I need you.”

“You can.” He kissed her hard. “I’ve never once seen fear make a decision for you.”

“I need you.” His breath was hot against her lips. “And I need you to keep fighting.”

You are a princess, she told herself. A queen. But above all, she was the little cockroach.

The torchlight illuminated her face, her eyes open and unseeing. Gone.

“Get a healer!” someone shouted, but it didn’t matter, because Lara was gone. His wife, his queen, was gone.

“I love you.” He could feel his people gathering around, feel the rain pouring from above. “I need you. Please come back.”

“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.”

Aren was silent for a moment. “If that’s your decision, I won’t stop you.” “Decision implies a choice, Aren. And in this there is no choice. I’m not wanted here.”

“I want you here, if you’re willing to stay. If you want to stay.”

“Ithicana needs you, Aren. It needs its king.” “And its queen.”

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.”

“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.”

They killed every single soldier in the water, but not you. And no one is calling you the traitor queen any longer.”

“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.”

“Idleness is a blight upon your soul,” he said. “You need every minute of your life filled with the things you love and the things you hate. To battle for the sake of the former but fight just as hard to change the latter. You are a woman who must be consumed to thrive.”

“When we three are together, it does not matter where we are. For we are home.”

“We need to press on to Vencia. My brother is going to set the world on fire.”