And the two executioners kicked out the stools from beneath us.
I jumped forward in the instant Vargan gave the order. It only gave me a little traction, but it was enough to keep me suspended in air for a precious second or two. I tore my hands free from the ropes and grabbed the noose to give myself some air. Vargan called out that I had a knife, but when I swung back, I kicked one executioner into the other and both toppled over the edge of the platform. Other soldiers were rushing forward though. I had to be fast.
I used my weight to swing toward Roden, who was quickly losing consciousness. I grabbed on to his rope and with the knife sliced through the cords. Roden fell to the platform, and listlessly rolled over the edge to the ground below. Harlowe and Tobias rushed forward to help him.
With one hand still holding the dangling portion of Roden’s rope, I sliced through my own noose with my free hand, then jumped to the ground beside Roden. Harlowe had already loosened Roden’s rope and Tobias was feeling for his pulse.
“Keep him alive.” For Roden’s protection, I pressed the knife into Harlowe’s hands. “His life means everything to you.”
The soldiers who had been slowed by the crowd were now advancing on me, but I ran the other way, beneath the gallows and back up Farthenwood’s steps. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, “Erick, call your men!”
Erick withdrew a horn from his side and blew on it, and the result was so instantaneous from within Farthenwood that the bulk of the pirates must have already left their place in the secret passages to wait for the signal. Back when we were alone in his office, Conner had confirmed that they were there — the many secrets I had crowded within his walls.
I’d never been sure exactly how this would come to be the final battle of the war. But I had always known this was where it must happen, and that it could not succeed without the pirates. I was certain it had been no small job to persuade them to fulfill their oaths. My gratitude to Erick was deeper than he could ever understand.
When Mott and I had visited the pirates, I had asked Erick to come here regardless of whether he was successful in bringing his men. But they were here, and they had clearly found the secret passages, as I had requested, though I couldn’t imagine how long they’d had to hide in there, all the while completely silent. I hoped their anger for the endless wait would be exhausted on Vargan’s armies.
At the sound of fighting, the bottoms of my wagons of gold collapsed — another use of the false floors designed by Tobias. Out poured one of my lieutenants, along with hundreds of weapons, enough for most of my soldiers who had been compelled to come here unarmed. Dozens more poured from the woods for a fight. It wasn’t as many as I would have wanted, but Vargan had been a fool to believe every soldier I had was gathered in the audience. They stampeded from the woods outside Conner’s estate, each heavily armed and ready to battle.
That was all wonderful to see, but in the present moment, it wasn’t wise of me to stand and watch for long. Several Avenian soldiers chased me up Farthenwood’s stairs, including Commander Kippenger, who was spending far more energy than he should have hurling threats my way. Once I reached the top, I leapt over the bronze railing to the ground. My landing on the grass below wasn’t particularly graceful, but I thought my clumsiness here could easily be overlooked based on the art of my escape from the noose.
I ran across the back lawn with the Avenians in pursuit, and, due to my youth and lack of weighty armor, was getting a fair lead on them. But I stopped when I saw Mendenwal had rounded the far side of the estate and was coming at me from ahead.
There was nowhere to go but up.
I had not made a successful climb since the night I’d climbed the pirates’ Tarblade cliffs, shortly after Roden broke my leg. I’d made many attempts since then, most which nobody else knew about, because it would’ve embarrassed me and made the castle surgeon furious. Also because they had all ended in failure.
This one could not.
I took hold of the square-cut rocks and reminded myself that while Conner had kept me here at Farthenwood, I’d made this climb several times. I might yet have a chance at winning, and I would not fail because of something as simple as a weakened right leg.
So I brushed my hands on my clothes to dry them, and climbed, just out of Kippenger’s reach when he leapt for me. He cursed at me and kicked against the wall, then yelled, “If you go much higher, we won’t need to hang you. Your fall should easily take care of your own death.”
I wanted to retort — so many possibilities came to my mind that it was hard not to. But the climb needed my full attention. As easily as I had scaled these walls before my injury, now my hands seemed to grip smooth glass and my legs felt as if they were made of straw.
My right leg was the worst. It trembled beneath my weight and after one small slide I knew it could not be trusted.
“I’ll be waiting here at the bottom when you fall,” Kippenger yelled.
I would not fall. Never again. Gritting my teeth, I replayed Mott’s voice in my mind, telling me that I was the Ascendant King. Meant to rise. And so I would.
From far below, Kippenger screamed at me, “You cannot win, Jaron! Those chains that held you in the dungeon aren’t gone. I know you can feel them. All I must do is pull at the chains and you will fall.”
By then, I had reached Conner’s balcony. I paused just a moment before rolling over the balustrade. My hand dug deep into the pocket of my pants and withdrew a single garlin. I’d had it with me since the first night Kippenger placed it high on my prison walls in that camp. He had meant for it to be a lesson, that there was no point in me trying to win. But I had taken it as a challenge. Getting it had cost every ounce of strength I had, and I fell dozens of times in the attempt before figuring out how to maneuver my chains so that I could reach it. By the next day, Kippenger had forgotten his cruel game. I had not.
Now I held up the coin for him to see. “You were wrong, Commander. Whatever chains you try to place on me, I will always, always rise from them. I’m not buying my freedom because you never owned it. But I am taking it back, for me and for my country.”
Then I set the coin on the edge of the balustrade and told him to reach for it, if he wished to purchase his own freedom. As I opened the door to Conner’s old bedroom, Kippenger yelled at his men to get inside. I was only barely through the door when I heard his men pounding up the stairs.
I stepped forward but my tired legs turned to lead. So I braced my weight against the wall until I was all the way inside. At one time, a tapestry had masked the secret entrance to the passages. But even though the tapestry was missing now, the construction of the secret door remained impressive. If I had not already known where it was, I wouldn’t have found it. Kippenger’s men wouldn’t find it now either.
Once the passage door clicked in place behind me, I took a single step forward and then my leg faltered, sending me to my knees. I wouldn’t get another climb out of it today, and probably couldn’t rely on it for fighting. Back in Conner’s room, I heard the Commander ask, “Where did he go?”
It was time to leave. I got back on my feet and silently limped toward the main floor. Once I reached the bottom of the hidden stairs, I realized I wasn’t alone. Imogen greeted me first, with a look that soured from loving to scolding once she noticed my limp and the dried blood from my head wound. There were others with her, and I whispered a promise not to betray them, unless they wished to reveal themselves. Then I left the passages and found myself alone in Conner’s office. The door from his great hall was open, but I decided it would draw attention to this room if I shut it. Enough fighting was happening out in the main room; it was better if no one knew I was here.
