Huge frowned, though it still took him a moment to say, “Simon will go halfway across the bridge. Our archer will fire the shot and he will fall into the river.”
“The disk?” I asked.
As if he hardly dared to speak the words, he whispered, “White. They’re not taking any chances.”
My breath caught in my throat. A white disk. A fate worse than death, forever suspending Simon in a half-life of wandering and misery.
“I’m leaving,” I said. “And you will not stop me.”
Huge blocked my way. “I have to stop you. Those were Simon’s orders.”
“Simon is not your captain.”
“Nor are you
, Infidante.”
“Huge, if you saw me on the battlefield, you know that I can get past you if I want to. Don’t make me hurt you.”
He widened his stance. “My lady, it’s not only Simon who will die for you. If you want to get past me, you’ll have to take my life, for I will give it if necessary to keep you here.”
I sighed, then reached out a hand. “As you wish.” Before he could react, he dropped to the ground. Seconds after that, he was flat upon it.
I hated the way I’d left. I hated that a fight would be our last moment together. Maybe that was for the best. It might be worse for her to have a final memory of us that was happy … that was hopeful.
Except that I knew Kestra wasn’t out there dwelling on hope. She’d be searching for a solution, for some way to save me. And knowing Kestra, she’d convince herself that whatever plan she came up with actually had a chance.
It didn’t. I knew what the Dominion had planned for me. It was terrifying, but it had to be me. Justice demanded it. I was the one who’d infiltrated Woodcourt, embarrassed the Dominion, and forced Kestra to find the Olden Blade. Trina had been there too, of course, but Sir Henry didn’t know about her, and I intended to keep it that way.
Trina had silently accompanied me down the hillside, but before we left the thicket, she touched my arm. Her face was deeply lined with worry and she was blinking too fast, as if fighting back tears. That was all right. So was I.
“Are you ready?” she asked, her voice quivering.
I took a deep breath before turning to her. Nothing could possibly make me ready for what was about to happen.
“Let’s keep walking,” I said. We had to keep walking because if I stopped too long, I knew I’d turn and run.
“I need to tell you …” Trina’s eyes darted, then she exhaled and looked at me again. “Someone needs to thank you for doing this. It might as well be me.”
“He’s not really going through with this!” Harlyn ran into the thicket and must have been close enough to overhear us. She looked at me and her eyes widened with fear. “There has to be a distraction, Simon, a trick. Let me help.”
When neither of us answered her, she stepped toward me, and now her breaths came out in harsh gasps. “I only made the bargain with Sir Henry because you said it was part of a larger plan!”
“It is.” I forced myself to look at her, knowing how she’d respond. “But not to save me.”
Harlyn shook her head, becoming angrier as she did. “Kestra Dallisor’s life is not worth losing yours! We can find another Infidante.”
“But not another Kestra.” I frowned at her, deeply sorry to be causing her so much pain, then kissed her cheek and walked from the grove with Trina at my side. Harlyn called after me, “What kind of person is Kestra anyway, that she would let you die to save herself?”
I started to turn, but Trina linked her arm with mine, keeping us moving forward. “You won’t change her mind, Simon, and besides, we’re already late.”
Also, we’d been spotted. A lookout on the bridge called that I was on my way. As the bridge came better into view, I saw Dominion armies lined up in formation on the far side of the lake while the fighters from Reddengrad and the Hiplands were on this side.
Without looking directly at me, Trina said, “I know we haven’t always agreed with each other, but my heart is breaking right now. I—”
I cut her off, saying only, “You’ll have to protect Kestra from now on. Including from Harlyn, I think.”
“I will, I promise.” Trina paused a moment, then added, “Your sacrifice on that bridge won’t be in vain. Promise me that you’ll look Sir Henry in the eye in your final moments. For your own sake.”