The Bridge Kingdom (The Bridge Kingdom, #1)

Lara’s reputation among the Ithicanians improves after she saves many of them from the battlefield. Aren announces that they must leave, but Lara wants to stay because so many people are still wounded and unattended. As they argue, Aren grudgingly agrees to wait until reinforcements arrive; he sends most of his soldiers ahead. When Aster and his soldiers arrive, Aren berates him for leaving his post unattended to visit his mistress. Aster sneers at Lara’s presence, but a young woman defends her, and Aren appoints her as Aster’s replacement until a new commander is chosen.

When Aren, Lara, and the others leave, a squall sets in, and they decide to move to one of the safe houses on the small islands. They find a box of wine and toast the fallen and Lara’s heroism. In a Maridrinian wine bottle, they find a smuggled ruby but think nothing of it. Aren and Lara share a bed for the first time, and in the early morning, they go to the east side of the island to watch the sunrise together. Lara describes the stories she was told about Ithicana’s greed; she now understands that the Ithicanian tariffs were a necessity so that the people could do more than merely survive.