Immortal Reign(111)

After the incessant jerking motion of the wagon became so unbearable she wanted to scream, the vehicle came to an abrupt halt. She heard indiscernible shouting, a clashing of metal, and finally a frightening silence.

Amara couldn’t see a thing, could only imagine a thousand possibilities of what had just happened, none of which ended well for her.

She waited, tensely, a line of perspiration trickling down her spine as the sound of footsteps moved around to the back of the wagon. The latch clicked, and then the door swung wide open.

Sunlight streamed into the darkness of Amara’s temporary prison. She blocked the blinding brightness with her hand until she could register who stood right in front of her.

“Nerissa . . .” she whispered.

The girl’s dark hair had grown a little since the last time Amara had seen her. It was now long enough to tuck behind her ears. She wore black trousers and a dark green tunic. And she carried a sword.

“Well?” Nerissa said as she sheathed the weapon at her waist. “Are you going to look at me like an absolute fool, or are you going to get out of there before your guards wake up from the knocks they just took to their heads?”

Amara stared at the girl in disbelief. “Are you here to kill me?”

Nerissa raised a brow. “If I were, you’d already be dead.”

Perhaps this was only a dream. It had to be a dream. Or a hallucination of some kind from the heat and claustrophobia. “You should have returned to Mytica weeks ago, with Felix and Lyssa.”

“I did return. You don’t honestly think I would leave Felix Gaebras all alone with a baby, do you? He wouldn’t have had the first clue what to do with her, even without his seasickness to contend with.”

This was happening, Amara realized. It wasn’t just a dream. “You went home . . . and now you’re back?”

“Mytica was never my home, just a brief stop on my journey—one I certainly enjoyed for a time.” She jumped up into the back of the wagon and, with the key in her grip, unlocked Amara’s chains. “In case you’re still confused about all this, I’m rescuing you.”

Amara shook her head. “I don’t deserve rescue.”

I deserve escape, she thought. And continued survival. But certainly not rescue by outside forces.

Nerissa leaned her shoulder against the side of the wagon as Amara rubbed her sore wrists and tried to stand up. Her leg had mostly healed, but she still had a limp. Perhaps she always would.

“We all deserve to be rescued,” Nerissa said simply. “Some of us take longer to realize it than others.”

Amara stepped down into the daylight, again shielding her eyes from the sun. They hadn’t made it very far—they were almost at the docks, the Silver Sea just a stone’s throw away. She looked around at the unconscious guards, realizing that Nerissa wasn’t alone.

She was with three other rebels, including Mikah.

Her breath caught at the sight of him.

Mikah gestured at Amara with the tip of his dagger. “I know you told Nerissa and Felix about me, and if you didn’t, I’d be dead. But know this: If you show your face in the Jewel after today, it’s over. You’re not welcome here anymore.”

Amara pressed her lips together and nodded, resisting the urge to speak. She could only make this worse by trying to explain herself.

Mikah didn’t wait. He and the other two rebels walked away without looking back.

“I don’t think organizing my rescue won you any friends,” Amara said.

Nerissa shrugged. “I’m fine with that. Come, let’s walk along the shore. I have a ship waiting for us at the docks so we can leave this place far behind us.”

Amara followed her, her limp even more pronounced once they walked along the sandy beach. “Why did you do this for me?”

“Because everyone deserves a second chance.” Nerissa cast a look at the white beach and blue ocean that spread out before them. “Besides, the dust has settled in Mytica. Kyan and his siblings were defeated, their magic returned to . . .” She shook her head, frowning. “Lucia explained it to me, but I still don’t really understand it. The magic is everywhere now. It’s spread out . . . in everyone and everything, where it always belonged, and where it can do no more harm.”

Amara felt a knot in her stomach loosen.

Kyan was gone. The world was safe again.

“I’m glad,” she said, her voice barely audible.

“I was happy to help out there for a while, to do what I could.” A smile touched Nerissa’s lips. “You’re not the only one who’s been given a second chance in this life. I’d been using mine the best I could.”

“How curious. I’d like to hear more about that one day.”

“One day,” Nerissa agreed.

A thought occurred to Amara. “Did you see my brother?”

“Briefly. I told him what you did and that you’d helped us save Lyssa.”

“And what did he say?”

“Not much.” Nerissa grimaced. “You were right: He will need time to find forgiveness in his heart for you.”

The very heart that I stabbed, Amara thought. “I don’t think an eternity will be enough time,” she said.

“Perhaps. But we all make our choices and then must deal with the consequences, whatever they are.”