“You feed them to the sharks.”
A faint smile grew on his face. “There’s more to it than that. We suspend the accused traitor in the sea, then chum the waters. If the sharks kill the person, it means the charges were deserved, as was the punishment. But if the sharks leave the person be, that means the person isn’t a traitor—that they are true to Ithicana.” His gaze sharpened, focusing on her. “I’ve never seen the sharks do anything but feast. Never heard of it. Until now.”
Lara’s heart skipped.
“Ahnna saw. Taryn saw. Aster, God bless his superstitious soul, saw you jump off that ship and then swim, bleeding and thrashing, through shark-infested waters, and not one of them touched you.”
“Luck,” she breathed, but Aren shook his head.
“There were hundreds of them. And Ahnna said the biggest swam right up next to you, looked, then swam away. Over and over again. They killed every single soldier in the water, but not you. And no one is calling you the traitor queen any longer.”
A hot tear trickled down Lara’s face, because she was true to Ithicana. She loved this kingdom and she loved its people, but . . . “It will take more than myths and legends for the people to grant me their forgiveness, Aren.”
“True. But those myths and legends mean they’ll give you the opportunity to earn their forgiveness. If you’re willing to try.”
She was crying now, gasping sobs of relief. That was what she wanted more than anything else. The opportunity to atone. The opportunity to be better. The opportunity to love.
“Will you stay?”
“Yes.” She smiled as he helped her sit, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. Breathing him in. “I’ll stay.”
There was a knock at the door then, and Ahnna came in. The Princess of Ithicana’s eyes were cool, but she inclined her head respectfully to both of them. “Everyone is assembled, Your Grace. They’re waiting to hear you speak.”
Aren rose. “I’m going to tell them my plans. You stay here. Rest. I’ll be back.”
But Lara shook her head. Biting down on the pain, she rose to her feet, accepting Aren’s arm for balance. Taking the clothing Ahnna passed to her, she carefully pulled it on, feeling the strain of stitched wounds and the ache of cracked ribs, and yet she’d never felt stronger. Never felt more alive.
Aren shook his head. “You don’t need to prove anything to me, Lara. I know better than anyone how strong you are.”
Buckling her belt, she looked up at him. “I swore to fight by your side, to defend you to my dying breath, to cherish your body and none other, and to be loyal to you as long as I live.” Picking up her knives, she slid them into their sheaths with twin thunks. “And that means where you go, I go, too.”
His eyes were full of heat. Of desire for her. Of respect for her. “As you say, Your Grace.” Offering his arm, Aren bent low, his breath warm against her ear. “There’s no one in the world like you, you know.”
“No, there isn’t.” Lara squared her shoulders as the doors to the balcony were flung wide open, revealing a crowd of their people waiting below. “Because there is only one Queen of Ithicana. Just as there is only one King. And if any of our enemies dare come for our kingdom, we will bring them to their knees.”