Endure (Defy Book 3) Sneak Peek

Copyright 2016 by Sara B.
Larson
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc.,
Publishers since 1920. scholastic, scholastic press, and associated logos
are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any
responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.
For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention:
Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously, and any
resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events,
or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Larson, Sara B., author.
Endure : a Defy novel / Sara B. Larson.First edition.
pages cm
Sequel to: Ignite.
Summary: Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married, but the kingdom of
Antion is besieged, their friend Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy, and Alexa has not
told Damian that she is at the mercy of the evil Rafe, bound to obey one command
of his choosingbut now Alexa must travel deep into enemy territory and
confront an army of black sorcerers to rescue Rylan.
ISBN 978-0-545-64490-7 (jacketed hardcover : alk. paper) 1. MagicJuvenile
fiction. 2. Kings and rulersJuvenile fiction. 3. RescuesJuvenile fiction.
4. ConspiraciesJuvenile fiction. 5. Adventure stories. [1. MagicFiction. 2. Kings,
queens, rulers, etc.Fiction. 3. RescuesFiction. 4. ConspiraciesFiction.
5. Adventure and adventurersFiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.L323953En 2016
813.6dc23
[Fic]
2015015932
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 16 17 18 19 20
Printed in the U.S.A. 23
First edition, January 2016
Book design by Elizabeth B. Parisi
one
Alexa
amian paced in front of the large window overlooking

the courtyard, his crown nestled in his dark hair, the after-
noon sunshine gilding everything in the library. General Tinsos

missive lay open on the desk, his threat of war hanging in the air,
heavy and unfathomable. The same foreboding Id felt before, that
much more was happening around us than we realized, pressed
down on me, along with the guilt of what I still had to tell him.
I cant let you go after him, Damian said at last, his voice
tight with frustration. I know youre his best chance, but I need
you, too. Especially if I cant stop another war from beginning.
I know. I stood by his desk, watching him, trying to decide
whenand howto tell him. I had to go after Rylan. Not just
to save my friend, but also to find some way to kill Rafe and free
myself from his control.
Finally, he stopped and turned to me, bruise-like circles underneath his brilliant blue eyes, the exhaustion and worry of the last
few days etched onto his face. The shadow of stubble darkened his
jaw, a sure sign of his distraction. Id never seen him anything
other than clean-shaven, except on our trek through Antion to
Blevon, when he was pretending to be a hostage. Im the king;
Im supposed to know what to do to save my people from more
5
death. Ive already done so much. I spent years figuring out how
to stop Iker and my father. His expression was so bleak. He closed
his eyes briefly and shook his head. Was it all for nothing?
No, not for nothing. I hesitantly stepped toward him. Hed
been so full of hope this morning when Id returned to the palace,
when wed gone to visit Jax and seen for ourselves that Lisbet had
healed him from the wounds and illness hed suffered in the jungle.
But then General Ferraun had shown up, demanding an audience
with him immediatelyalone. Damian had reluctantly left me,
with a promise that he would send for me the moment he was done.
Once Id reassured myself that Jax was truly well, Lisbet had
sent me back to my room, forcing me to rest. Shed come with me,
removing the stitches Tanoori had given me to heal my back. Id
been shocked to fall asleep as soon as she left, but horrible nightmares had plagued me, until Id bolted up in bed, yanked from
sleep by a knock on my door. Damian was in his library and wished
to see me.
When Id entered the room, it was to find a different man from
the one whod run to meet me outside the palace walls in the pale
light of dawn. Hed turned to me, and the expression on his face
had sent a shiver down my spine. Gone was the hope Id seen this
morning, replaced by something darker, wilder.
They attacked again, hed told me. General Ferraun just
received word. Another village completely destroyedeveryone
killed except for one woman, half-crazed with grief, sent to bring
word of the massacre. If I dont start fighting back, they are going
to kill us all and leave me the king of a graveyard. They are leaving
me no choice. And thanks to my father, we have no sorcerers to defend
ourselves, except for me and Eljinif hell even fight against his
own people. No matter what I do, my people will die.
And then hed begun to pace, while I stood near his desk,
watching. Aching to help him, to comfort him, to prevent this war
from happening, and not knowing how.
As I slowly neared Damian, he watched me, silent. Finally, I
stopped in front of him, tipping my head back to look up at him.
I reached up to cup his jaw, and he closed his eyes, turning to press
a kiss into the palm of my hand. It wasnt for nothing, I repeated.
And we cant give up now. Bring your people here. Send out
notices for the villages and towns to evacuate, to bring all the food
and supplies they have and come to Tubatse, to the palace. Gather
every weapon left in Antion and make your enemies come to you,
rather than roaming freely through the jungle, murdering your
people in their homes.
And give them one big target to destroy? Damians eyes
were bleak. General Ferraun and I have discussed every option we
can think of. People are already panicking and flocking to Tubatse.
There isnt enough space to house them all, or food to feed them.
Families are living on the streets, too terrified to go back to their
homes, fearing that their villages will be next.
I understand what youre saying, but our army is depleted, I
argued. We dont have enough men to send patrols through the
jungle. If we bring as many people here as we can, at least we can
set up a perimeter. We will have a chance to fight.
And we will all die. Damian turned to look away, out the
window. Probably trying to hide the hopelessness from me, but I
saw it. I saw the defeat in his eyes.
Stop it. Right now. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it

tightly. You cant give up. If you do, youre right, we will all die.
He continued to stare out the window.
Damian. My voice was sharp, and he finally looked back at
me. Weve beaten insurmountable odds before. Do you remember what you told me this morning? Together, we can do anything,
right?
He nodded, a muscle tightening in his jaw.
We wont let Antion die. I promise.
Damians eyes roamed over my face with such a desperate need
lurking in their depths that it sent a responding surge of emotion
through my belly and down into my legs. This was the one thing
I could doI could love him. I could hold him and tell him
everything was going to be fine, even if we both knew it was a lie.
He had just bent toward me, his lips inches from mine, when there
was a knock at the door. He was motionless for a long moment,
and then finally straightened and called out, Enter.
I stepped back and turned to the door.
Deron entered the library and smiled at Damian. Sire, I bring
good news. Eljin is awake and asking for you.

Endure (Defy Book 3) Sneak Peek

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Endure (Defy Book 3) Sneak Peek

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Endure (Defy Book 3) Sneak Peek

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Copyright 2016 by Sara B.

amian paced in front of the large window overlooking

noon sunshine gilding everything in the library. General Tinsos

Stop it. Right now. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it

You might also like