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Back The Endless Skies Save as PDF
Chapters (57)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. Map
  4. PROLOGUE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. EPILOGUE
  54. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  55. Also by Shannon Price
  56. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  57. Newsletter Sign-up

“Noam is staying in the palace. He has been since the sentinels realized they needed his help,” I continue. “I talked with him myself. Since he deserted, he’s lived peacefully with the humans. That’s what they’ve wanted all along. Did you know the humans offered peace before? I didn’t. And that’s because the king and sentinels turned them down.”

With the weight of both commanders’ judgment bearing down on me, I barely keep the courage to keep my head up. “Seth,” I say. “Please say something.”

He looks away. “I don’t know what to say. You deserted.”

“I didn’t desert,” I protest. “Not really. I had to go. I was the only one who knew everything.” The firelight casts desperate shadows on the rocks around us. “You know me. You know I would only do what was right.”

“What would have been right,” he says, standing up, “was for you to never have left the Heliana and to have trusted that the sentinels know what they’re doing. The sentinels and scholars are one voice, and that keeps the city safe. Children are dying as we speak. If what you say is true, and Noam helping us after all, what good would it have been to remind the people of his disloyalty?”

I don’t know. But I stand up, too, meeting Sethran face-to-face. “I wanted to make a difference, Commander. And I did. I survived long enough to find Isla and the cure. Without me, you’d be empty-handed, and Tabrol would be dead long before you decided to call off the mission. I am not afraid of the consequences at home. Not anymore. I can defend my actions. Loyalty above all. Sir.”

“Enough,” says Io. “Sit down, both of you. Orders or no orders, we’re no good to the prince or any of the other sick kids if we bicker ourselves to death out here.” The bite fades from her tone. “For now, we rest. That’s an order. Especially for you, Warrior-Elect.”

“Yes, ma’am.” But I don’t sit back down. Instead, I walk determinedly away from the rest of them and take a spot alone in the shadows of the nearby trees. Leaning against a sturdy redwood, I bring my hands to my face and breathe. In, out. In, out. Don’t let any of them hear your crying.

Deserter. The word rings in my mind like a bell. Sethran’s disappointment is palpable, but I didn’t desert. It wasn’t like that, not entirely.

But if Sethran isn’t able to see past my actions to my intentions, what hope do I have that the king will? You’ll save his son, I think, gripping the waterskin at my hip. You’ll have saved the city.

It will be enough. It has to be.

38

CALLEN