My chest heaved from running and my breaths were uneven.

He stood staring down at me, just as he’d always done, as chaos filtered around us. His lips were tight, his eyes colder than I’d ever seen them.

I’d done what I’d always feared. I’d made him look weak.

Yet I didn’t feel weak in response. I felt strong. As strong as the desert.

“The people will have to pay for what you’ve done,” he said. He pulled his sword from his scabbard. The hiss of the metal echoed around us.

“They’ve suffered enough under your rule,” I spat back. I raised my sword and pointed it at him, my chest shaking with rage at the thought of how many third children—tiny babies like the ones Insa cared for—had died because he’d been too afraid to lose his throne. “Your fake drought, your two-child law, your tiger trials. It all comes to an end now.”

“You wouldn’t even have people to rule if it weren’t for my actions. When the water returned years ago, I knew they’d all want to leave if I gave it to them.” He slowly advanced down the stairs toward me.

I took measured steps back, keeping him in my sights because I knew the height gave him the advantage.

“How long?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice level. “How long has the drought really been over? How long have you kept these people chained to you when you knew there was plenty of water, when you knew you could’ve ended the two-child law?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he spat. “The desert started the drought so that I could continue it, so I could continue ruling over my people.” He glared down at me. “That’s what you never understood, Kateri. If you don’t control the people, you don’t control anything.” The crown atop his head gleamed in the early morning sun as he continued his slow, regal saunter down the steps. “Do you really think any of them would stay now if they had enough water to cross the desert?”

“Achra could’ve rebuilt. It could’ve become even greater under your rule—under our rule.” My back hit the railing. The heat of it burned through my dress. I kept my sword aimed at his chest. “But you never wanted me to rule.”

He sneered. “You were weak, like your mother. I constantly had to bandage your wounds, to make sure you’d be capable of fighting again. But even a rat like Rodric who crawled out of the desert could beat you.”

“Is that why you adopted him to be the son you were never able to have after you killed your own wife and daughter? You chose a Desert Boy over me?”

“Prove it to me,” he said. “Prove I should’ve picked you over Rodric. Prove to me that the desert didn’t send him to us because he was the better choice.” He swung his sword toward my chest.

The railing behind me shook as I blocked the blow and knocked it to the side.