The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom #1)(115)

“You have a lot of nerve coming back, I’ll give you that.”

The hood was ripped from her head. Pushing upright, Lara met Ahnna’s gaze, her stomach tightening at the cruel scar that now ran from the midpoint of the woman’s forehead down to her cheekbone. That she hadn’t lost her eye was a miracle. Surrounding her were some half a dozen soldiers, all who bore the marks of having barely escaped Southwatch with their lives. And behind them, hanging on the wall, was a large map of Maridrina.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t slit your throat, you traitorous bitch.”

Lara forced a smile onto her face. “It’s not very creative.”

A boot caught her in the ribs, flipping her over. Pressing a hand against her side, Lara cast a dark look at Nana, whose boot it had been, before returning her attention to the woman in power. “You won’t slit my throat because my father has Aren as his prisoner.”

Ahnna’s jaw tightened. “A fact that does not help your cause.”

“We need to get him back.”

“We?” The princess’s voice was incredulous. “Your father has Aren inside his palace in Vencia, which I’m sure you know is a veritable fortress guarded by the elite of the Maridrinian army. My best haven’t been able to so much as get inside. Every one of them has died trying. By all means, humor me with why you will be any help at all. Will you seduce your way in, whore?”

Lara stared her down, the silence hanging in the room stifling.

For fifteen years, she’d been trained how to infiltrate an impenetrable kingdom.

How to discover weaknesses and exploit them.

How to destroy her enemies.

How to be merciless.

She’d been born for this.

Yet Lara said nothing because words would not convince these people who believed—rightly—that she was a liar.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

She moved.

These were battle-hardened warriors, but the element of surprise was hers. And she was what she was. Holding nothing back, she whirled, fists and feet a blur as she disarmed the soldiers around her, knocking them down. Driving them back.

Ahnna launched at her with a scream, but Lara snaked a foot around her leg, and rolled with her, coming up with the tall princess in a chokehold, the other woman’s knife in her free hand.

Silence filled the room, the warriors regaining their feet and eyeing her with a new and healthy respect even as they considered how they could disarm her.

Lara cast her eyes around the room, meeting each gaze individually before releasing Ahnna’s throat. The other woman rolled away, gasping, eyes full of shock. Lara rose to her feet.

“You need me, because I know our enemy. I was raised by them to be their greatest weapon, and you’ve seen firsthand what I can do. What they never considered is that their greatest weapon might turn on them.” And Lara wasn’t the only weapon they’d created: There were ten other young women out there who owed her a life debt, which she fully intended to call due.

“You need me because I am the Queen of Ithicana.” Twisting, she threw the knife in her hand, watching as it embedded in the map, marking Vencia—and Aren—with perfect precision. “And it’s time my father was brought to his knees.”





Thank you for reading! Lara and Aren’s story continues soon in THE TRAITOR QUEEN.