Nala didn't want to die without seeing Jasper again.
Regardless, that seemed her fate. If this desperate plan failed-and it seemed likely that it would, she would die without fixing their relationship, without mending the past.
"Should we tell Myra about Jasper?" Kestra asked. "I know he wanted to be the one to tell her, but..."
"Give this to her," Nala instructed, passing Kestra a folded note that she'd already penned an hour ago."Tell her to open it if all is lost, and not before."
"And if we survive...?"
"Then she gives it back to us and Jasper tells her as planned."
"What if she just opens it no matter what we say?"
"Then we yell at her and tell her to act surprised when Jasper tells her everything."
"Now?"
"I guess so," Nala shrugged, just happy to be alone again.
Her thoughts turned to Lysandra and her own note. She was slightly jealous of the princess for getting to say what she wanted to when Nala might never get a chance to confess everything.
Every moment you're in there is killing me. Why can't you have some mercy and either die or don't? The tension is eating away at me.
I wish I could see you again. I wish that we had more time. I wish that we had a chance to build a new Kallias together.
Oh, my brilliant, devious, wonderful Nala. You'll figure out something to get us out of this mess, won't you?
I need you to come back. If you die on me now, I'll kill you.
Nala stared at the dark and gloomy sky, a lump bubbling in her throat.
If she died now, she died with a hundred regrets and a thousand might-have-beens. I'm sorry Sandy. I'm sorry Jasper. I think I might have failed you.
————————————————
The army divided into a perfect half, each side sliding to the very edges of the mountain where-hopefully-the Kallians wouldn't knock into them as they passed. They all moved comically slowly in order to make the illusion easier for the twins to maintain.
"How's the illusion?" Nala asked. Naturally the rebels themselves couldn't see it otherwise they'd all have been knocking into another.
"Steady," Rhea forced out, beads of sweat already sliding down her face. She had caught the elf staring up at the sky they loved, as much as she loved wild and flickering flame. That look—that last, mournful look—had almost been enough for her to call it right then and there.
"Is everything ready?" Reyna asked.
Nala shot a glance over to the two halves of the moving army, carefully out of the way of the Kallians.
"Yes," she told them. "Are you sure they'll fall for the ruse?"
"Yes," Rhea answered. "We worked everything out last night, remember?" Of course Nala remembered. She was simply nervous from anticipating.
"Let's get ourselves out of the way too," she muttered and half-carried the twins across the field. They probably could have walked alone but their energy had to be saved at all costs.
"Now?" Rhea asked, a hint of fear colouring her eyes.
"If you don't want to do this—"
YOU ARE READING
Queens & Liars-Sequel to Three Broken Kingdoms (Completed)
Fantasy'She was a blade, forged in the flames that had burned her kingdom.' Book 2 of the Lost Continent Asriel and Miras have fallen. Their legendary armies are gone, their cities burnt to their ground, their people enslaved or murdered. The Empress now r...
