Kingdom of Sea and Stone

“I’m sorry,” Talin said, still standing. “I didn’t want to ask for your help before you understood the magnitude of what we were up against.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Roan asked, sitting up. “I knew your purpose from the start. Why else would you elect to stay, when your mother is about to start a war?”

I wasn’t entirely surprised Roan had guessed our plans. “You understand why we didn’t mention it to the rest of the council, though, don’t you?” I said. “We couldn’t risk being thrown out of Galeth.”

“I do understand. What I can’t figure out,” Roan went on, “is why you didn’t tell me you were on the side of the woman king.” He was looking at me when he said this, but Talin answered.

“I did. I told you my mother and sister were alive and my sister was the rightful heir of Ilara.”

“But you didn’t tell me she was the woman king.”

“I’m sorry,” Talin said, blinking. “I thought that part was obvious.”

Roan sighed in exasperation. “It wasn’t. And besides, do you know what this so-called woman king—I imagine that refers to your mother, since your sister is barely out of her swaddling clothes—is doing?”

My thoughts went immediately to Shale and Ella. I had wanted to believe that they were wrong about Talin’s mother, but if Roan had heard something similar, it would be harder to dismiss.

“I’ve heard rumors,” Talin said, his voice hardening. “But they are just that, rumors.”

“Most rumors have some truth to them,” Roan retorted. “Even if she isn’t conscripting everyone to her army, why should we side with her any more than Ceren? We’re not interested in a monarchy, whether it’s a kingdom or a queendom.”

“I would think some people would be very fond of the idea,” I mumbled.

Roan smirked. “Yana likes to believe she’s in charge. She’s not.”

“I can assure you that my mother is nothing like Ceren,” Talin said. “She’s the gentlest woman I’ve ever known.”

My eyebrows rose at that, but I kept my mouth shut. Talia had survived a murder attempt, escaped New Castle while pregnant, and raised a child—and an army—in exile. I doubted anyone who knew her now would describe her as gentle. But Talin had only known her as his mother.

“Gentle women don’t command armies,” Roan said. “And we won’t commit our forces to hers. You were delusional for thinking we would.”

“Even after what that Jerem said?” Talin asked, his voice rising with anger.

“He told us what Ceren wants to do, not what he’s actually doing. We’ve protected our borders without breach for decades. If we send our fighters south, how will we do that?”

“You don’t need to send everyone,” Talin said. “A thousand riders would—”

Roan laughed, a deep, booming chuckle that rang completely false. “You’d be lucky if we gave you a dozen.”

Talin turned and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

“Listen,” I said, stepping next to him. “A dozen riders wouldn’t help your mother, but it might be enough to get us to New Castle.”

“You know we can’t go there yet—not without the backing of my mother and her army. We’ll be slaughtered if we attempt to rescue the Varenians on our own.”

I raised my voice so the others would be able to hear. “What if we didn’t need to launch a full-scale attack on New Castle? What if we could get right to the source of all of our problems?”

“You mean Ceren?” Talin asked. “Are you suggesting we assassinate him?”

“Cut off the head to kill the body,” Roan said. “It makes more sense than trying to face his army.”

“New Castle is a thousand times harder to penetrate than Fort Crag,” Talin countered. “There is only one way up the mountain. Ceren will have sealed up the exit you used by now, Nor.”

I’d already considered that, of course. But on the ride here, a new plan had begun to formulate in my mind. Now that I knew exactly what Ceren wanted, and why, the solution seemed almost too simple. I knew Talin wouldn’t like the next part of my plan, but if I could learn to trust the people around me, he would have to do the same.

“What if we could lure the eel out of his cave, rather than try to enter it?”

Roan and Talin both turned to look at me. “What?”

I took a deep breath. “Ceren still needs my blood. Why else would he chase us here? He’s using a lot of magic to control minds with the bloodstones, and I believe my blood is giving him the strength he needs to wield it.”

Roan looked horrified, but it was Talin who spoke up. “You’re not going anywhere near New Castle.”

“Believe me, I have no intention of ever going there again. I was thinking more of using me as bait.”

Talin frowned. “How is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“He can track me,” I said, “through the visions.”

Zadie, Sami, and Roan turned to stare at me, but I held up a hand to quiet them. “If I leave the safety of Galeth’s borders, I believe Ceren will come for me.”

Talin folded his arms. “I know I can beat him one on one, even with his newfound strength.”

“Thank you, but I wasn’t finished.” I took a deep breath. “I think we should split up.”

Now it was Talin’s turn to stare at me, but I continued on before he could protest. “If I’m reading Adriel’s book correctly—”

“That’s a big if, Nor,” Adriel interjected.

“If I’m reading the book correctly, then Ceren can’t control people who are far away from him. It explains why he came to Varenia and Galeth himself, and why the guards he left behind are essentially mindless. Which means New Castle would be vulnerable. You could potentially take it on your own, without Talia’s army.” I knew it was all a risk, but it might prevent a massive war and give us the chance to rescue my parents much sooner.

“There would be no guarantee you could outrun Ceren,” Talin said. “Or that I’d be able to breach New Castle.”

“Do you have another idea?” I asked.

He gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.

There was one more thing we needed, and unfortunately, it would depend on the last person I wanted to ask for a favor. “Do you really think you can get us a dozen riders, Roan?”