XXII

Each pass through a hell gate brought them to a different place. Each time she would have to stop to make pleasantries with the ruler before adding their troops to hers and moving through another gate into another territory.

Country after country, ruler after ruler, until her army was too large to move all at once, and they had to split off to enter Iran from different gates. Adorna led one battalion for her, Jinn and Elaheh had another, and each ruler who sided with her had their own. Her father, Kang Dae, and she stood in front of her own battalion, ready to go through their own gate. The twins stood near, ready to fall in line and protect their lady when the time came.

Sauda’s fingers itched as she tried to keep her sweaty hands from caressing the guns at her back. With so many eyes and ears on her, she had to remain cool to be their fearless leader.