“Majesty?”
Josef looked to see the admiral standing in the door. “The fleet is ready, sir.”
“Good,” Josef said. He turned to go, but stopped again as Eli’s hand closed on his wrist.
“Are you sure about this?” Eli whispered.
“Doesn’t matter,” Josef said. “If even one of those ships makes landfall, we’ll be overrun. Our only hope is to sink them before they reach the shore. The real question is, are you sure you can hold up your end of the plan?”
“Not in the least,” Eli said with a broad smile. “But we’re going to try.” As he said this, he laid his hand on his chest, just above the burn that held his lava spirit.
Josef nodded and started for the door. “Tell Nico to meet me on the ships when she gets back. And Eli,” he said, glancing over his shoulder. “Good luck.”
“You too,” Eli said.
Josef waved and stomped down the stairs. When he reached the landing, he saw Eli turn back toward the window, his face strangely determined, almost angry. The light around him seemed wrong, too white for this time of the afternoon. And then, as the door swung, Josef caught a glimpse of what looked like a woman’s white arm slide around Eli’s chest. Josef froze as the door clicked shut, and then he shook his head. It was way too early in the fight for him to be seeing things. He took a deep breath to clear his mind and hurried down the stairs.
Eli stood perfectly still as the Shepherdess wrapped herself around him from behind.
Why so dour, darling? she whispered in his ear. I told you this was coming, didn’t I?
Eli closed his eyes. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
Benehime laughed in delight and spun him around. You were waiting for me?
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Eli said, pulling away. He reached out, pointing to the endless line of ships. “Did you do this?”
Benehime tilted her head. Do what?
Eli had to fight to keep the shaking rage out of his voice. “You said that the Empress was coming to kill me in revenge for taking you away. Did she think of that herself, or did you plant the idea in her head?”
What a thing to say. Benehime pulled her arms back with a pained expression. I’m the Shepherdess. I don’t start wars. She paused, waiting for Eli’s expression to soften. When it didn’t, she walked to the window with a sigh. I don’t see how this is so difficult for you to grasp, love. Nara is a warrior; war is her nature. What other retaliation can she have but to come and kill the one who stole me from her?
“She could be mad at you,” Eli snapped. “You were the one who left. I was eleven and unconscious when you made me your favorite. That hardly counts as stealing.”
She can’t be angry with me, Benehime said, her voice ringing with musical laughter. Nara loves me. Everything does. You said it yourself.
Eli could feel the anger boiling up his body, and he forced himself to bite his tongue before he said something he’d regret. Beside him, the floor creaked in reverence as Benehime leaned over and laced her arms around him.
Don’t be stubborn, darling, she whispered, pulling him close. I don’t want this war any more than you do, but I can’t help you unless you ask. Your rule, remember? Not mine. Even so, I tried to warn you. I told you to come home, but you never listen.
Eli jerked out of her grip. “The moment you say something that isn’t self-serving, I will.”
Benehime’s eyes narrowed, and her fingers tightened, digging into his shoulders like claws. Must you always be so stubborn? she hissed, pulling him against her with terrifying strength. How can you stand there and play that you’re still capable of getting by on your own? Give up, darling! It’s over. You and I both know your swordsman’s pathetic little country has no hope of beating the Empress. All those men down there are going to die if you don’t ask for my help, maybe your Josef along with them. Can you bear that much blood on your hands?
“Blood on my hands?”
The words ripped out of him before he could stop them. This was too far.
“What of that is my fault?” he cried. “You were the one who abandoned the Empress. You were the one who made me your favorite. I had no say in any of it! I was a child. All I wanted was to live my own life. Now the Immortal Empress is here to destroy a kingdom in order to kill me because you don’t care for her anymore, and you’re saying the blood is on my hands?”
Dress it up however you like to make yourself feel better, Benehime said, her white face cold and haughty. Nothing changes the fact that you could stop this war right now. All you have to do is draw on my power, your rightful power as my star, and you could set everything right, but you won’t. People and spirits are going to die today, and it’s all because you’re a prideful, hateful boy who’s too stubborn to know his place and come back home where he belongs.
“You think I don’t want to go back because of pride?” Eli shouted. “Do you have any idea what it was like to live with you?”
Benehime’s voice grew frigid. Yes, she hissed. It was paradise, but you were too spoiled to know it.
Eli squeezed his eyes shut. He was going too far. The Shepherdess was very dangerous when she got cold, but he was so sick of this. So sick of walking the line of her favor. So sick of pretending.
“I’m not going to ask for your help, Benehime,” he said, his voice as cold as hers when he opened his eyes again. “I’m not going to use any power you gave me. And I’m never coming back to you.”
The temperature in the room dropped as the Shepherdess studied him. You shouldn’t tell lies, Eliton.
Eli balled his hands to fists at his sides. “I’m not lying.”
The Shepherdess looked at him a moment longer with that cold, terrible expression, and then she turned away. We’ll see how you hold on to that arrogance once the dying starts, she said, her voice tight. I will see you soon, beloved, and when I do, it will be on your knees. She looked over her shoulder one last time. That I can promise you.
She pursed her lips in a silent kiss, and then she was gone, vanishing through a white hole in the air.
Eli stood with his fists clenched and his chest straining, holding in all the foul names he desperately wanted to fling after her. Some risks were too great even in his anger, but he didn’t hide the look of disgust as he turned away from the empty air where she had vanished and began marching toward the door.
“Eli?” Karon whispered cautiously. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” Eli snapped, nearly pulling the door off its hinges. “We’re going downstairs, and we’re going to help Josef win this bloody war.” And he was never going back to her. Never. Never.
Karon didn’t say another word as Eli took the stairs three at a time down to the storm wall.
Josef’s admiral was waiting for him on the vertical stair leading down the storm wall to the bay. Tesset was standing beside him. They both stepped aside to make room as Josef joined them.
“You coming out on the water with us?” Josef said, studying the Council man.
Tesset smiled politely. “Absolutely not. I don’t care for boats, and I have a feeling I’ll be more useful here.”
“Have it your way,” Josef said. “But it’ll be a boring post. Nothing’s getting to the shore.”
“Consider me as insurance,” Tesset said. “On the off chance anything should slip by your blockade.”
Josef shook his head and pushed by, slapping Tesset on the shoulder as he passed. Tesset didn’t even wobble under the blow. He just stood there, smiling as he watched Josef and the admiral head down to the beach.
“Are the boats supplied like we talked about?” Josef asked, taking the steep, treacherous steps two at a time.
“Yes, majesty,” the admiral said. “All our remaining clingfire has been loaded, though I don’t know what good it’ll do.”
“We only need a little,” Josef said. He jumped the last stair and hit the sand running. All the boats but one were already out in the water. The last and largest, the Oseran flagship, was waiting for him at the end of the dock. It was a beautiful runner, twenty feet long and narrow as a barrel with a crew of fifteen strong oarsmen as well as a high, narrow sail. The men saluted as Josef ran up the plank, jumping onto the deck with a force that rocked the ship.
“I’ve put archers on the cliffs to cover your retreat, my lord,” the admiral said from the dock. “Remember, there’s only two hours left until the tide. I’ll set the signal fire thirty minutes before. You’ll have that much time to
