A Thousand Heartbeats by Kiera Cass

Author:Kiera Cass
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2022-09-26T00:00:00+00:00

Annika

I didn’t tell anyone what I saw. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to talk about it, not even to Escalus. There was a world of difference between worrying people were going to die and watching it happen.

We were at war.

There were no gifts on these boats, only tons of soldiers. We weren’t making a treaty on the Island, just fighting where it wouldn’t hurt our kingdom. We weren’t even brave enough to be honest about it; we’d walked them into a corner.

“My lady?”

I startled at Noemi’s touch.

“I’m so sorry, my lady,” she said, coming in front of me.

I placed a hand on my heart, trying to steady it. “Just Annika today, Noemi. What’s happening?”

“We’re almost there. It seems we’ve suffered very little damage and almost no loss of life. Based on what he saw, His Majesty says we greatly outnumber them. It should be a quick and easy defeat.”

I nodded. That was what we wanted, right? What I’d said I wanted? If it came down to them or me, it was going to be me. And if not me, at least Escalus. Escalus had to survive.

“Did you suspect?” I asked her. “That we were going to attack them?”

She shook her head, her eyes holding the same horror mine did.

“I’ll go up now. I want to be out there, Noemi. I want to be beside Escalus.”

“The king won’t like it,” she whispered.

“Oh well.” I stood and made my way to the upper deck.

It was peaceful out here now, with men moving around, preparing muskets and ammunition. I had my sword at my waist, not bothering to hide my intentions anymore. Looking to the horizon, I saw the Island as we approached.

I could see there was an inlet perfect for disembarking ships of our size. Most of the land was forested, though the trees looked foreign to me, and I could see mountain peaks in the distance. The only thing menacing were the clouds coming from the northeast, thick and imposing. In my head, I’d painted this place as unwelcoming, but the trees were so green, the sky was so bright that, if I’d been forced to describe the Island in a word now, I’d have chosen inviting.

The men pulled the ship in to the old docks, and I mounted my horse.

Noemi went to mount up as well, as I’d instructed her to, but Escalus came over.

“No! Under no circumstances are you disembarking. It was one thing to have you come along when we thought it was a small envoy, but now that there’s an entire army out there, you will not be leaving this ship.” He took the reins of Noemi’s horse in his hands, swallowed hard, and spoke. “I forbid it.”

“I unforbid it,” I called.

“Annika, do not push me today,” Escalus warned.

I sighed. “If things get too intense, she can come back to the boat.”

He was still angry at me, still enraged that I could be putting her in danger. But after a moment, the tension in his shoulders relaxed.

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