“I’m coming,” I said. “These people need our help, and I’m not going to sit by while they slowly die of thirst.”

I couldn’t stand back anymore and let my father drain the life out of these people—my people—like he’d done my mother and sister. I climbed to my feet and stood before Cion, forcing him to look at me, to see the fire burning in my eyes.

Cion studied me for a moment.

I clenched my jaw and stared him down, daring him to tell me no.

Finally, he nodded. “Then let’s get going. The well’s this way.”

CHAPTER

16

Rage still burned through me as I walked alone into the square. Bodies were smashed into every available space. Sunken eyes watched me warily as I approached, wondering if I was going to shove myself in front of them or steal the ration coins they clutched in their hands.

“Water,” voices rasped, holding buckets in the air.

“Stay back,” a voice called. “Form a line.”

It was like everyone had scuttled out like scorpions, hoping to be the first to the well after the storm. In this crowd, it’d be nearly impossible for the Desert Boys to make a quick entrance and exit. But Cion had said the crowd would part for them, and if they didn’t, the boys were good at ducking under arms and through small gaps.

I couldn’t see Cion and the Desert Boys on the other side of the square waiting for my signal, but I knew they were there. The plan was to wait until after my father spoke and left the area, hopefully taking guards with him.

I still hadn’t decided if I was going to let my father leave that square alive. If anyone deserved to be thrown into the arena with two tigers behind the doors, it was him. But today, I felt more powerful than those tigers and had already passed judgment on him. So I ignored the protests of the crowd as I shouldered myself closer to the front. I wanted a good view. If my father was going to torture these people, I wanted to be close enough to stop him. I wanted to be close enough to kill him.

I waited with the crush of bodies. The whole mass swayed and shifted as some tried to push to the front while others gave up and moved backward. Elbows caught me in my ribs and side. Feet stomped on my exposed toes. It was a constant battle just to stay on my feet with the sun beating down from overhead and the people crushing me from all sides.

Sweat slid down my collarbone, but I didn’t take off my cloak.

Finally, a tall figure pushed through the crowd, and people parted for him and the trail of guards at his heels.

The crowd stilled. Wind passed through, dragging the edges of tunics and tendrils of loose hair to the side. Everyone’s eyes stayed forward.

My heart beat twice as fast, begging me to release the energy building like a sandstorm in my chest.