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A boot scrapes on the cobblestones beside me, and I look over to find Corrick at my side. His rough fingers lace through mine. “You don’t trust me,” he calls to the rebels. “I don’t expect you to trust me.” He glances at me, and his blue eyes are full of emotion. “But you trust Tessa.”
“I trust Tessa,” says Earle.
“I trust Tessa,” says Bree.
Slowly, it turns into a chant that tightens my chest and makes it hard to breathe. They have so much faith in me—and they’re all a heartbeat away from being slaughtered by this army if they don’t lay down their weapons.
Lochlan is still staring at me. “You trust the king,” he calls to me.
“I didn’t before.” I pause. “But I do now.” I swallow. “Lochlan. Please. There are so many people here. Please don’t risk them all.”
Lochlan looks at Harristan. “Amnesty?” he says. “And eight weeks of medicine?”
King Harristan nods. “You have my word. It has been witnessed by the consuls.”
He sighs. “Fine. Let’s hope we’re not both fools.” He sets down his crossbow. The other rebels do the same.
For a breathless moment, Harristan says nothing, and I wonder if this was all a trick, if the army is going to start picking off the rebels one by one.
But then the king turns to face his army. “Stand down. Allow them to leave.”
I’m suddenly giddy with relief. I turn to look up at Corrick. His eyes are full of pain, and I realize he’s bearing no weight on his injured leg, and the cut over his eye is bleeding.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I say. “You’re injured.”
His hands close on my waist, and they’re trembling a bit, belying his confidence. “Someone once told me that we should be riding at the front, not hiding in the shadows. I couldn’t let you and Harristan have all the fun.”
He leans down to press his mouth to mine, but just for a fleeting moment before he pulls me against him. His arms are warm and sure against my back, but he’s heavy with exhaustion. Behind us both, the army retreats as the flames die and the rebels allow their hostages their freedom.
Tension fills the air around us, but for the first time, it’s undercut by a tentative hope.
