Page 77 of Four Ruined Realms (The Broken Blades #2)
Mikail
Quu Harbor, Khitan
An enormous halo of golden light, ten times larger than the first, fills the harbor. I shield my eyes and squint. But the light quickly fades into the most incredible sight I’ve ever beheld. The hulls of the imperial ship of Yusan and the ship of the priest king of Wei are now made of gold and sinking fast.
Aeri just sank their ships.
Quilimar gasps with her mouth open. Sora puts her hands over her lips. I stare, as do the soldiers of three realms.
The world has never seen anything like this.
The shoreline is almost silent as we all try to process what we just saw. I’m sure the people on the royal ships are screaming, but we can barely hear them from here.
As the ships go down, I realize that it’s not possible for the ring to have done that. The ring requires touch. What Aeri just did was a power far beyond one relic. And yet it happened. And since one relic can’t do that, and all the other relics are accounted for except one, that can only mean…
She has the Sands of Time.
I draw in a sharp breath, trying to hide my surprise as the pieces all fall into place. That’s how she was able to steal the million-cut diamond in Pyong from right under everyone’s noses, to save me in the warehouse in Oosant, to survive. Aeri has had the Amulet of the Dragon Lord this entire time. And if I had to bet, that’s how she survived Prince Omin.
She doesn’t have incredible sleight of hand. She has etherum. Now, with the ring and the amulet, her power is unmatched.
And she’s never been in more danger.
“Stay here,” I say to Sora.
I spur my horse down into the harbor. It’s dry again because the scepter wielder diverted the water around the royal ships to save the people on board. Weian boats are flat-bottomed, so the priest king’s boat sits idly on the seafloor. Joon’s boat has tipped onto its port side.
This is my chance to kill Uol and Joon. And I’m not the only one who senses the opportunity. A vicious smile lights Quilimar’s face as she charges into the harbor next to me and calls for her army to follow her. But I need to get to Aeri before anyone else does. Quilimar would want to capture, not kill her, but I can’t say the same about anyone from Yusan or Wei. Either realm would become unstoppable with the two relics Aeri holds in addition to their own. Either of those kings would become a god.
Half of the Khitanese forces follow us into the harbor. The reserves hold to the shore. Weian dignitaries who, no doubt, felt safe aboard their unsinkable navy are scrambling through the muddy harbor, trying to get to the safety of dry land. A cadre of Weian guards runs, surrounding the priest king. They’re trying to reach the shore…or Aeri, who is halfway between us.
Royo stands in front of her body with his sword out, as does General Vikal. I’m not sure if Aeri is even still alive, but they stand guard as if she is. I’m awfully glad our interests align with Khitan for the moment.
I’m galloping as fast as this warhorse can go. I’m almost to the isle when I realize that in this chaos Wei left the Water Scepter bearer nearly unprotected on their ship. I can get to him and kill him. And if I do, the sea will fall and all of them will die—Joon, Uol, and Quilimar.
All debts will be settled at once.
But then Aeri and Royo would be forfeit, and Sora, too. She’s slightly behind me, more careful in the debris, but she followed the moment I took off. I wish she hadn’t. In fact, I’m positive I told her to stay behind, but she didn’t listen.
Now, by killing my enemies, I’ll also kill my friends—the closest thing I’ve had to family since Ailor took me in.
It’s a surprisingly easy decision, but one I fear I’ll regret for the rest of my life.