Page 141 of Queen of Shadows and Ruin

They had to warn everyone.

Finally, the line of advancing nairatta dissipated as Zarya and the others dealt the final blows of death.

When they were gone, an eerie silence fell over the landscape as she stared into the distance. The wind tugged at her hair as tears slipped down her cheeks.

This wasn’t a victory. There was nothing to celebrate.

This was not an ending. It was only the beginning.

She inhaled a deep breath and pressed her hand to her chest as her gaze met Row’s and then Yasen’s, reading the truth in their faces.

Again, they turned to watch the nairatta snaking over the landscape, crawling over Rahajhan like a plague.

Soon, everyone would feel their wrath.

Rabin dropped into the trees and shifted into his rakshasa form.

He jogged through the trampled snow, leaping over bodies. Zarya turned at his approach as she inhaled a shaky breath. Black smoke swirled around her, and black lightning flashed across the sky.

His attention fell on Andhera’s army—or what was left of it. Why were there so few?

“Where are your soldiers?” he asked Ekaja.

She shook her head. “The king… needed them.”

“For what?” he asked as he stalked towards her.

“He asked me to gather my best generals and prepare them to march for Gi’ana.”

“Gi’ana?” Zarya asked. “Why?”

Ekaja pressed her mouth together as she glanced at her soldiers.

“To help quell the resistance.”

Rabin blinked. This was Dishani’s mercenary army? He couldn’t believe she would do this.

“Is there no level to which you won’t sink?” he asked, and her face turned pale.

“I tried to stop him,” she said softly.

He scoffed and turned to Zarya.

“We have to warn the others about the nairatta,” she whispered. “They’ll hit Gi’ana next.”

He studied her face, trying to detect her reaction to yet another of Abishek’s betrayals, but she gave nothing away.

“Just give me a moment to catch my breath,” Rabin said, his chest heaving in and out. “We can get ahead of them.”

“You’re exhausted,” Ekaja said. “Stay for tonight and leave in the morning. You need food and rest, all of you.”

The corner of Rabin’s mouth curled up. “Now you’re concerned about us?”

She flinched like he’d slapped her.

“I’m sorry,” Ekaja said. “He promised that no real harm would come to you…” She chewed her lip. “And I believed him. I wanted to believe him.”

“Did you know?” Rabin asked. “Who I was all along? Who Zarya was? Did you know he was manipulating me from the moment I arrived?”