Ending Maker novel · Chapter 9 of 24
Chapter 9: Brightwater
We reached Brightwater at dawn on day twenty-five.
The village sat in a valley of apple trees, and the apples were red against a grey sky.
Tavi ran ahead of us down the hill, and I let her go, because I could not keep her from it.
Then I saw the square.
Every villager was kneeling on the cobbles with their hands tied behind them.
Soldiers in silver stood at the edges, and in the middle stood a wooden frame with six ropes hanging from it.
Six elders stood under the ropes, with their hands bound and sacks in their hands.
Rennard Vosk sat on a horse in front of them.
He looked up when he saw us, and he looked pleased, not surprised.
"The Sunblade and the Nightwarden," he said. "Right on time."
"Let them go," I said.
"Gladly. As soon as you keep your oath."
"I broke the oath blade."
"There are more blades," said Rennard. "Look."
He held up a second sword with a red thread on the hilt.
"This one is for the duel. Fight here, in the square, before these good people. First blood. If you refuse, I will hang one elder every hour until you do."
Tavi cried out behind me.
Her grandmother was in the front row, grey-haired, bound, staring straight ahead.
I felt the leash tug at my chest and Emmett's hand on my shoulder.
"Don't do it," he said, very low.
"I know."
"Don't give him a reason."
"I know, I know." I breathed in. "Do you trust me?"
"No."
"Do you trust me for ten minutes?"
His mouth twitched.
"Ten minutes."
I stepped forward, and the crowd of soldiers went quiet.
"I'll fight," I said. "But I have a condition."
"You are in no position."
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