His voice was so quiet. “And if you can’t?”
“He was your friend once.” My voice was as hard as steel. “Are you so willing to condemn the boy you once knew? Tell me, Ian, if Darren was willing to call off his men and rescind his claim to the throne, if he left Jerar to spend the rest of his life repenting his crimes, would you call his murder justice?”
Ian stared at me, his jaw clenched, but he didn’t respond.
“All I want is a chance.” I met his hard gaze with my own. “Alex and Ella will hold you off here, or you can come with us. But I’d rather have my friend’s support.”
“Ryiah won’t tell Darren there are others.” Alex came forward to press a hand on Ian’s shoulder. “The three of us can keep guard at the front of the cave… We will still have the element of surprise. Darren won’t know we are there, and he won’t know the rebels are coming.”
“If she fails…” Ian locked eyes with my brother. “…you know what that means, Alex.”
“I do.” My twin was doing his best not to look at me, so was Ella. They supported me, but that didn’t make them unafraid. “But it’s still Ryiah’s choice.”
“Three hours.” Ian looked to the sky. “I promise you three hours, Ryiah, and not a second more. If you still haven’t convinced him by the time the rebels arrive…”
We all knew the answer.
*
For a moment, I could pretend this was the apprenticeship and we had never actually left. Ian, Alex, Ella, and I were scaling the side of a mountain as we prepared for a mock battle ahead.
Only this time, the adversary was the boy I’d been competing with all along. The non-heir was playing the part of the villain, and it was up to us to capture the leader.
Darren had used me to get to Ian that first year in the desert. Now the rebels were using me to get to Darren. Our strategy hadn’t changed at all. And once again, I was leading the fight.
A frozen stream wove around a pile of towering granite covered in snow and ice.
“That’s the trail.” I pointed to the map. We were minutes away. The cavern was just beyond it—and with it, the overlook.
And just like any mock battle, we ran into a cluster of sentries before we could reach the final base. We didn’t know the guards were there until the path took a sudden dip. They caught us by surprise.
The eight Combat mages took one look at the four of us, and it took all of us a second to react.
Ian, Ella, and I threw up our casting just in time.
Our magicks melded together at once.
My whole body shook with the effort to hold. Our barrier hummed and groaned, but none of us buckled under the weight. Alex drew his blade, guarding our backs.
The other mages advanced, shooting a second round of castings at our defense.
“We can’t keep this up forever.” I addressed the others loudly as the others’ attacks drowned out my voice. “We have to fight.”
“No.” Ella shifted against my arm. “We fight. You go on ahead, Ry. You are losing time.”
I was losing time, but I couldn’t bear to leave them alone. Two Combat mages and one healer against eight of the King’s Regiment. I didn’t like those odds.
“We can take them.” Alex’s voice was muffled as our wall shook and held. The assault was relentless. “You asked us to trust you, and we do. Now trust in us.”
“But…” I hesitated. My three hours are slipping away.
“Take them from the left?” Ella jerked her chin toward a mage much older than the rest. “His castings are barely making a dent. Ian, you cast Ry’s shield, and I’ll blast them out of the way.”
Ian’s nod was barely perceptible from the corner of my eye. “Sounds like a plan.”
“On the count of three, Ryiah,” Ella said. “Then you run.”
Go save Darren.
It was the apprenticeship all over again every step of the way.
“One. Two…”
On “three” I took off, sprinting as fast as my legs could lunge. Ian’s defense kept off most of their attacks, but it did not keep my boots from skidding along the ice.
I swerved right just as Ella’s powerful gust sent half the men sprawling against granite and snow.
A second later, a blade came at my head. I swung with all my might. The impact with my speed sent the man stumbling back. Then I blocked another before it caught me in the ribs. Two more mages sent castings and Ella sent out another gust of wind.
Only kill if there is no other choice. My friends were upholding their vow.
The mages fell to more shouts, and Ian’s casting paved my defense. A part of me begged to help, but then their sacrifice would be for nothing.
Now trust in us.
I continued to run, slip-sliding along the ice until I reached a second narrow ledge. It led straight to a thick, towering structure of granite and compacted snow.