The village is riled up after our arrival. The electricity in the air reminds me of the minutes before prom. Girls with crowns of leaves and branches walk past me whispering behind their hands. They could make themselves invisible, but they want to be seen. And I’ve never been one to shy away, so I offer my best Tristan Hart smile.

The judgy elders don’t follow me out of the tent, which makes them the worst hosts in the Vale of Tears.

Or they trust me enough not to raze their village when left to my own devices.

Even though I’m miles away from Coney Island, I still feel like one of the freaks on display at the sideshow. Hundreds of eyes follow me as I walk through the tents, along paths lined with smooth stones.

When I hear my name, I freeze. I’m dreaming. I have to be.

Brendan and Kai—clean and clothed in the green leather of the tribe—push their way through the scattered throngs of villagers to get to me.

“You’re alive!” I say, seconds away from pulling them into an after-school-special group hug. But I’m keenly aware of the villagers watching our every move.

“Can’t let you have all the fun, now can I?” Brendan says, patting my back. “Arion?”

I shake my head. We look down at our feet. Kai holds on to my hand and squeezes for a while.

“Have either of you seen Dylan?” I ask. “I found him on the outer ring. How did you guys get here?”

They lead the way through the clearing. They’re so—happy. Unburdened. How can they be, with all that’s going on?

“Dylan is pillaging the food supply,” Brendan says. “Cousin, this place is marvelous. These people are marvelous. Everything is—”

“Marvelous?” I finish for him.

He nods rapidly. His turquoise eyes are glossy and dilated. Perhaps it’s all this fresh air.

“I’ve nearly forgotten,” Brendan says. “It’s time for the falls!”

“Time for what falls?” I pull him back from the direction he’s going and close our triangle so I can whisper.

“We’ve been invited by the daughters of the tribe to attend. Come now.”

“We can’t go to any falls.” I hold his arm so he won’t run off. “We have to figure out what’s going on here.”

Brendan slings his arms around Kai and me. His smile is infectious. “What did Isi tell you?”

“She said they would welcome me to the village tonight and then start my training to kill the beast.”

He smacks my back. “See? Let’s go to the falls.”

“Why don’t you go,” Kai says playfully, “and I’ll take Tristan to our tent. We’ll meet you there.”

Brendan gives us a thumbs-up then sprints down through the trees, his red hair a beacon in the green.

“Did he smoke their magic mushroom?” I ask Kai.

“It’s this place, Tristan,” she says. “Ever since he was a guppy, he’s talked about finding fantastical worlds outside our own, just like this one. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“It’s something all right,” I mumble to myself.

She leads me to a tent just like the one we left. There are furs and cots that look inviting.

“Isi has been very kind to us,” Kai says, sitting on one of the four cots. “The minute we got here, we told her you wouldn’t be far behind. What happened there?”

She points to my sternum harness hanging on my shoulder.

“They were just being very welcoming,” I say, using the same wondrous tone she was.

She rolls her eyes, a habit she picked up from Layla. “Take out the weapons, please.”

I do and hand her the leather straps. She pulls a thick needle and thread from a wooden box in the corner of the room. There are other supplies there—fresh fruits, a wooden comb (not that I need one anymore), and folded throws. It’s a five-star magical-island hotel.

I sit beside her while she sews. “Kai, what do you know about the trident?”

She sticks the needle into the leather and snaps the string with her teeth. “I told you all I know when you put me in that Wonder Wheel contraption that nearly killed us. Why?”

“I’ve been having these dreams. It’s like I’m watching Kurt and Nieve and I’m right there, but they can’t see me. Sometimes it hurts when I wake up, like a side effect.”

Kai pricks her finger and curses. “I’m not very good at this.”

“Just leave it.”

“I can’t. It was made for you.” She shakes her head. Threads the needle again. “I can’t say why you’re having visions of the other champions. Perhaps it’s brought on by the trident pieces.”

“Then they can have visions of me too.”

Kai yelps when she sticks her finger again, but she doesn’t stop. “I doubt it. In the Vale of Tears, the outside world exists but with a thin separation and at a different pace. Life goes on here forever, while only seconds pass in our home. Only one is unaware.”

“Like a two-way mirror. So when we go back home, Kurt and Nieve will be able to see me.”

“It only happens when you dream?”

I nod, rubbing my aching head. “So far, yes. I can’t control it either.”

She smirks. “Then try not to fall unconscious.”

“Real funny.”

“Perhaps Isi can help.”

“Yeah, they were really helpful to Dylan and me when they sneaked up on us.” I run my hand on the soft animal fur on the bed and think of the Naga. Where do creatures like that come from? How do a lion and a dragon and a serpent get together to make that beast? How do half humans and half fish? Then I count. One, two, three, four beds. They were expecting us.

“Tristan,” she says in that warning way of hers. Like I’m the one being unreasonable.

“Did they greet you with bows and arrows?”

“They did. But they can’t be too careful, Tristan. That terrible creature is out there. We tried to go with them, but they told us we’d slow them down. But they’ve kept us safe. They gave us this tent.”

“Not many tents to go around?”

“Many of the river people don’t have beds.” She bites the thread then restrings it. “They sleep in the river. If they sleep at all.”

“Makes sense.” I don’t want to come right out and say, “Hey, I don’t trust these people.” For all we know, they could be listening to us, and as of now, I don’t know where the Exit sign is.

“Did they know Dylan was out there with that beastie?” I ask.

She doesn’t respond because she knows that they knew. That they left him out there. So much for their hospitality.

“The warriors are making a bow for Brendan,” she says lightly. “They’ve even let me look at their scrolls.”

“When I go to new places, I also love to check out the library,” I say. Not.

She has a curious look in her eye. “It’s the best way to learn about your hosts. Through their history.”

“What have you learned so far?”

She smiles. “Tristan—there’s an oracle here.”

We’re silent, looking at the silhouettes that pass in front of the tent like our own black-and-white movie.

“The trident pieces have been found,” I say. “Does it matter?”

“When one of the five oracles is dead, and another is trying to shape our future to her own liking? I’d say it’s worth a small conversation.”

“I’m tired of chasing them.” I sit up. “All I want is to drive this pointy end through Nieve after I get the staff and Layla back.”

“And Kurt? Will you be able to do the same to him?”

I open my mouth to answer the same question I’ve been asking myself since I found out who Kurt was—what it would mean for us.

“I beg your pardon,” Kai says. “I shouldn’t have asked.”

I let it go for now. “Is time moving back home?”

“The way I understand it, if we go back now, seconds will have gone by. How do you say, ‘Take it easy, dude’?”

I laugh. “I can’t take it easy. Not ’til this is over. How can Brendan go to a pool party at a time like this? Let’s snoop around.”

“Snoop?”

“I have a feeling Chief Yoda is hiding something from me.” There, I said it.

Kai gives me a sideways glance, like she’s expecting watery shapes to materialize and take us away. But she doesn’t disagree. “I can’t. I can only look at their archives when one of the elders is there.”

“Then I have to snoop around myself.”

She snaps the needle from the thread. “My work is not as good as Blue’s is”—she catches herself— “was.”

I strap the leather across my chest and over my shoulder then sheathe my weapons. “Fine. You read. I explore. I’m serious Kai. My merman senses are tingling.”

She gives me a small smile. I want her to see what I see, beyond the hospitality and land of paradise. I want her to be careful.

“I’ll see you then.” I grab a fruit from the tray of supplies. It’s as hard as an apple, with deep violet skin.

“Tristan,” Kai says. It’s the smallest of movements, her head cocked to the side, as if she’s playing with her hair. But her eyes are steely, warning as they look to me then to the outline of a guard standing outside our tent. Totally betraying the smile on her lips as she whispers, “Whatever you do, don’t eat that.”