The Traitor's Game

Kestra knows that there has long been a struggle over the control of her country, Antora, between her family, the Dallisors, and an opposing family, the Halderians. After the last war, Lord Endrick emerged as the ruler of Antora, and his realm is called the Dominion. The Dallisors serve Endrick, and the exiled Halderians became known as the Banished. There is a third group, the Coracks, who are rebelling against Endrick’s rule. Kestra believes the Coracks “were ripping apart our country from within” (9).

Identifying their attackers as Coracks, Darrow tells Kestra to flee the carriage. The rebels call for her to surrender, and one fires a lever blade, injuring Darrow. Kestra pulls a knife on a rebel who approaches her and stabs him, but another rebel captures her from behind and tells her to drop her knife.

The rebels are called “Coracks” after a weed that grows in Antora. Kestra tells herself the people taking her captive are only “weeds.” The leader of the rebels has a mechanical leg and many scars on his face and neck. She tells the leader her father won’t pay a ransom for her. She also refuses to defend Lord Endrick, who took power shortly before Kestra was born. He exiled the Banished and seized the Scarlet Throne of Antora, “once a symbol of honor and nobility” (16).

Kestra asks to try to save Darrow. Darrow tells her not to do what the Coracks ask. Kestra finds that the rebel holding her, Simon, is only a year or two older than she is. He takes her grip glove, a weapon that enhances the strength of the wearer’s hand. Kestra recalls a boy named Simon who lived at her family home of Woodcourt. He was a servant whom her father once tried to kill.

Tenger, the leader of the Coracks, tells Simon to push Kestra back into her carriage, where they can converse. Kestra challenges Simon that her father ordered him hanged. Simon replies that he was 11 at the time. He calls her “Princess” as an insult. Tenger asks why she was sent away. When Kestra says she was kidnapped, Tenger insists she refer to the Banished as the Halderians.

In the War of Devastation, the Halderians were led by King Gareth and were initially winning. In consequence, the Dallisors chose to ally with the Endreans, who lived in the Watchman Mountains and possessed magic. Endrick, an Endrean, made himself ruler of Antora after he helped the Dallisors win the war. The Halderians are still considered enemies, and after Kestra was kidnapped, her father had 40 people executed—Tenger says some of them were innocent citizens.

Kestra remembers that the kidnapping took place in the days after her mother’s death, and her father blamed Kestra for being taken. Tenger reveals that the Coracks want to topple Endrick from power, but Kestra believes Endrick cannot be killed, wounded, or defeated. Tenger asks what she knows about the Olden Blade.

Simon hadn’t expected Kestra would remember him. He had thought they were friends until she accused him of a crime he didn’t commit and never blinked when he was dragged off to her father’s dungeons.

Kestra says the Olden Blade is a myth. Tenger explains how Endrick made it, using Endrean power and forging it from dirilium, a metal harder than diamonds. It is the only blade that can kill Lord Endrick, but no one else is supposed to be able to wield it. Risha Halderian stole the blade 17 years ago, and it is believed that her heir will be able to wield it. Tenger believes that they can use the Olden Blade to find the Infidante, the challenger who will kill Endrick. Before her death, Risha was imprisoned in Henry Dallisor’s dungeons along with her maid, a woman named Anaya. Tenger believes the Olden Blade is hidden in Kestra’s father’s dungeons.

Kestra declares that she won’t help them find it. Tenger uses the grip glove to squeeze her knee, but she refuses to give in. Tenger orders for Celia to be tortured. Hearing Celia’s screams, Kestra shouts that the Coracks are monsters. Simon feels ill about this mission, thinking, “I’d joined the Coracks to fight the Dominion, not to threaten and terrify their daughters” (37). Tenger says Kestra has four days to find the Olden Blade, or her servants will be killed. Trina, a Corack rebel, will pretend to be her handmaiden, and Simon will go with her. Simon objects to being assigned to this mission. He fears Kestra will destroy the rebellion.

Kestra notes that Simon carries a satchel, a sword, and a knife, and that they are enemies now. Simon drives the carriage away, and Kestra realizes that complying with this mission will make her a traitor. If her father finds out, he will kill her, but she is also certain that Tenger means to kill her, too. Trina hates Kestra and says, “Your heart is as black as Lord Endrick’s” (43).

Kestra reflects how, 1,000 years ago, Gridwyn Dallisor took control of Antora from its founder, a Halderian king, and built the Scarlet Throne, which he swore would always be occupied by a Dallisor. Only five pure-blooded Dallisor families remain. Kestra is rude to Trina and hints that she might be luring Trina and Simon into a trap. Trina gives Kestra a small cut on her wrist with her knife

Simon reflects on his orders to kill Kestra if she doesn’t find the Olden Blade, but he also realizes that if she succeeds, Endrick will find Kestra and kill her. Simon resolves, “this was a rebellion, not a tea party. Sacrifices had to be made for the Coracks to succeed” (47). He reflects on an early mission where he trusted what he thought were elderly women, who turned out to be Dominion soldiers in disguise. They slaughtered the rebels and cut off part of Tenger’s leg.

They reach an inn on the borders of All Spirits Forest. The innkeeper is expecting Kestra. For payment, Trina gives him a necklace Kestra had been wearing. Simon hates killing, but he thinks Kestra has no respect for the lives of others; “Dallisors killed for pleasure, and power, and to gain favor from Lord Endrick” (51). Simon insists that he and Trina will stay in Kestra’s room. He reminds himself he only has to endure this for four days.

Simon comes between the girls, as Trina is furious at Kestra for denying her food. Kestra chastises them for not behaving as servants. She is hurt that Trina took her necklace, which is all Kestra had from her mother. She is convinced their plan won’t work.

Simon asks how she can support Lord Endrick. Kestra claims the rebels force Endrick to be cruel. Simon says, “Think back, Princess. When did you decide that some lives were more important than others?” (57). When Trina secures food, Kestra trips her so that Trina spills the stew on the floor. Simon gives Trina twine to tie Kestra up.

Kestra wants to talk about why Simon was sent to her family’s dungeons. She claimed he stole her mother’s ring. Both Simon and his friend John were accused, beaten, and imprisoned. Kestra vows she will send them to the dungeons again.

Kestra pretends to be asleep and listens as Simon and Trina talk. Simon notices that Kestra’s wrists are raw from the ropes. Kestra wakes to the sound of horses outside and wakes the others.

Halderians come to Kestra’s room, looking for her. The innkeeper shows them a small space in the wall where they can hide. Simon huddles with Kestra in the room. He can tell she is close to panic and tries to soothe her. Thorne, one of her kidnappers from three years ago, bursts into the room and confronts Trina.

Simon is distracted by his feelings of attraction for Kestra as they hide away. Though she almost killed him six years ago, he still wants to kiss her.

In the larger room, Thorne tells Trina that Darrow arranged for the Halderians to meet Kestra and gives her a sack. The Halderians relay the message that they are coming for Kestra and will let nothing stand in their way.

Kestra kicks a hole in the outer wall, and Trina follows her. Simon stabs Thorne. Kestra jumps on a horse, and Simon leaps up behind her. They ride away, avoiding All Spirits Forest, where magic is said to reside. Simon begins to doubt that he will be able to kill Kestra as ordered.

The three stop for the night, and Simon tells Kestra that Darrow betrayed her. Kestra is angry that he keeps calling her “princess.” She asks what is in the sack Thorne brought, but Simon refuses to tell her.

Kestra forces Trina to help her dress. Trina says Kestra must find Risha Halderian’s diary, which is somewhere in Kestra’s house, as it will lead them to the Olden Blade. As she fixes Kestra’s hair, Trina tells her, “Beauty hides your ugly heart” (86).

They ride toward the town of Highwyn, past farms where Simon knows the farmers are forced to surrender half of their crop to the Dominion. Simon wonders why Tenger has resisted uniting the Coracks with the Halderians, since they share the goal of wanting to remove Lord Endrick from power. Kestra needles Simon by asking why he stares at her.

They pass through a market, and Kestra wonders why the people are so poor. Trina informs her that Endrick takes most of what they make. Kestra admits she didn’t realize such oppression was going on in the kingdom.

Kestra observes a thief stealing from a girl selling bread. An older man says the girl, Rosalie, will have to pay for the theft. Kestra intervenes to try to free Rosalie from the man. Two Dominion soldiers are there; Simon recognizes they are Ironhearts, who give up a piece of their heart to the control of Lord Endrick. When the soldiers learn that Kestra is the daughter of Henry Dallisor, they offer to escort her to Woodcourt. Simon is disturbed by the way Kestra stirs his emotions.