The Deceiver's Heart (The Traitor's Game 2)

I continued running, dodging every possible fight while Simon’s words streamed through my head, asking if the powers I had would eventually fracture me. It was only a question, only an idea concocted from his belief that all magic was inherently bad.

But it had also unnerved me, and I was no longer sure if I should use these powers again. That is, until my gaze turned onto a hill on the far side of the lake, to the strangest thing I’d ever seen: Coracks I recognized from the Lonetree Camp, simply standing there watching, with Tenger at the forefront. They were statues that breathed and blinked but did nothing, even as the battle raged on. They were Ironhearts now.

Thanks to Wynnow’s betrayal, and the necklace I’d worn in camp, Endrick had captured them and done this. I knew what th

ey were experiencing, how it felt to be controlled by orders that took over thought or reason, to instinctively know that disobedience equaled death. I also understood that if Endrick killed Tenger, the rebellion would receive a fatal blow.

Whether Simon was right or wrong about the magic within me, I had to help the Coracks now. I charged up the hillside, fighting only when necessary. Tenger was too visible for me to dare rescuing him, but I put a hand on the heart of the nearest Corack at the back of their two lines, the boy who had shown admiration for Simon when he first brought me into the camp.

I gave him from my strength, hoping to heal the piece of his heart that Endrick had taken as his own. It put a pinch in my chest, but I was strong enough to manage that, and seconds later, the boy came to, as if awoken from a daze.

He recognized me and seemed to know exactly what was going on. “We can see the fighting, my lady,” he said. “We just can’t do anything about it.”

“Now you can. Go!” I did the same to a dozen other Coracks along the back line. I wanted to do more, and I knew I had to get to Tenger. But by then, I was too weak to help anyone else. I needed to take some strength too.

But not yet.

Instead, I hid within the tall grasses of the hill and watched the unfolding battle. For as fiercely as the Halderian soldiers and Reddengrad armies were fighting, we had no chance of winning. Not unless I could get stronger and return to the battle.

Then, from out of the forest, eight men on horseback entered the clearing, all in Dominion colors. I immediately recognized the man in front, Sir Henry, and my fingers grew numb. Despite knowing exactly the kind of monster he was, including what I’d suffered at his hand, it disturbed me to know I might have to use magic on him as well, whether today or in the coming weeks. He was my enemy, he served the king who had tortured me, and he detested me above most others in his world. But in some small way, he’d also been my father once, and maybe deep inside me, I had a measure of love for him. Henry surveyed the scene and by his gestures to his officers, he seemed to be pleased with their progress in battle.

A horn was sounded, loud enough that most fighters stopped in their places and turned toward Sir Henry, who called out, “I am told that my beloved daughter is here. You may know her as the Infidante. I will guarantee the life of anyone who turns her in to me. However, if she is not turned over in the next fifteen minutes, all of you must die.”

My shoulders fell. Apparently, to him, I was only an enemy. Nothing more.

They must not have known where I was, or Sir Henry simply would have ordered the remaining Corack Ironhearts near me to attack, knowing I’d never harm them. That bought me a little time … but time to do what?

I wasn’t as strong yet as I wished to be, but even if I were, I couldn’t turn this battle. At best, I’d take down a few of their soldiers, and in response, the Dominion would finish the battle with total destruction laid at my feet.

There was only one solution. My hands trembled at the thought of it, and I didn’t know how I’d get the courage to walk down the hill, but I had to do it.

I had to surrender.

I rose to my feet, but paused to see a girl riding across the clearing toward Sir Henry. I squinted, trying to get a better look. It was that Halderian girl I’d met earlier—Harlyn Mindall. I snorted and shook my head. Of course she would be the one to turn me in. I wondered if Simon knew what she was doing.

Did he?

Simon’s reaction to seeing me again had been even colder than I’d expected, proof of the pain he must still be feeling. I couldn’t fully understand it, but I did know that when I’d seen fear—of me—in his eyes, it had shattered my last hope for us, if there ever was much hope.

Harlyn finished her conversation with Sir Henry, ending with a handshake, and her wiping tears from her eyes. Then she gestured some sort of signal toward my side of the lake, where the bulk of the Halderians had gathered.

Harlyn would not shed tears for me, so they must’ve had a different conversation. Which meant there was no point in delaying my surrender. Feeling stronger now, I began to walk downhill, but a hand grabbed me from behind, covering my mouth. I thrust an elbow backward and heard a grunt, then a hand clutched my sword arm. Trina said, “Kestra, stop, it’s me!”

I turned enough to see Trina behind me, though I was being held by an enormous Corack she introduced only as Huge. As soon as I relaxed, he released me. I said, “This isn’t necessary. I was already going down there.”

“What?” Trina’s face twisted. “No, Kestra, that’s not the plan. Follow us.”

I glanced down to the clearing. The fighting had ceased as everyone silently counted down their fifteen minutes to a fate that now depended entirely on me.

With a heavy sigh, I lowered my sword then followed Huge and Trina behind a ridge of the hill, as heavily wooded as the rest of the surrounding forest, which meant I didn’t see Simon until I was almost beside him. But he certainly was looking at me, his gaze as intense as it ever was.

If only it had not come so late. My time was running out.

“Will everyone leave us?” Simon asked, keeping his eyes on me. His request was honored. Trina and Huge and a few of the Coracks I’d rescued immediately vacated the area.

“You left before our conversation was over,” he said.

I shifted my weight, too uncomfortable to remain in one position. “Your feelings were clear. You’re afraid of me, maybe even revolted by me now, with magic.”