Nineteen

Eris had never told that story to anyone. She only told it now because it might earn her Safire’s sympathy. If she had Safire’s sympathy, she might be able to change the commandant’s mind about handing her over to the empress.

But another part of her told the story because ever since Kor told Safire it was Eris who burned down the scrin, Eris couldn’t stop thinking about the look that had come into Safire’s eyes. Horror. Then disgust. And last of all: loathing.

Normally, these things didn’t matter to Eris. Who cared what other people thought about her?

But for some stupid reason, it mattered what Safire thought.

In the silence after finishing her story, Safire stood immobile, staring out the porthole. Eris shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her to say something. The pain in her wrists made her jaw clench, and her legs shook from being forced to stand all night.

Finally, Safire turned. “You expect me to believe,” she whispered, “that the empress slaughtered a temple full of people devoted to her patron god . . . and blamed it on a child?” Her voice had gone strangely hollow. “How stupid do you think I am?”

Swallowing the knot of disappointment in her throat, Eris bit back the first cutting retort that came to mind.

What did you expect? Eris thought. That she would believe you—a petty thief in the service of a horrible pirate—over the benevolent ruler of a peaceful society?

Of course Safire would side with the empress. She was royal—just like Leandra.

Eris watched Safire roughly untie the pale blue ribbon keeping her black hair off her face only to retie it around her wrist. She then ran frustrated fingers through the strands, pulling them back, her fingers working an angry knot. “It’s in your best interest to win me over,” she said, her voice heated now as she slid a slender knife through the knot, pinning it in place while concealing the blade. “You need me to let you go.”

Well, yes, that was exactly what Eris needed. But that wasn’t the only reason she’d told the story. It also happened to be true.

She felt like she’d been tricked into giving away something precious, only to have it spat on.

When did I get so naïve? she thought bitterly.

Safire shook her head in disgust. “I can see why you’re invaluable to Jemsin. You’re not just an excellent thief. You’re a masterful liar.”

“You’re right,” said Eris in defeat. “I made it all up so you’d set me free.”

Safire scowled. “Free to hunt down my cousin the moment you have the chance? Even if I did believe you, I wouldn’t set you free.”

Someone called from above, interrupting. Eris glanced to the door, her body tense.

“We’re coming into port,” said Safire, looking out the porthole.

Axis Isle. Where Leandra’s citadel resided.

“Perfect,” she murmured, even as a sick feeling festered in her gut. “The sooner we get this over with, the sooner you’re out of my life.”

“Can’t wait,” said Safire.

After the ship dropped anchor, Safire and a handful of others went to find the king and queen’s escort, leaving Eris in the charge of two soldats. The dragons were taken away for a brief quarantine. Apparently, they made the empress uneasy.

Eris’s guards forced her to sit at the edge of the dock, where her only mode of escape was the sea. With her hands bound, if she tried to jump in and swim, she would drown.

Eris was contemplating such a fate as she stared down at her wrists. Her skin was caked in dry, cracked blood now; and the wounds were getting deeper. By tomorrow she’d be able to see the bones. If she lived that long.

What would the empress do once she finally had her precious fugitive?

A sudden splash interrupted her thoughts. The smell of rotten fish wafted over her.

Eris’s skin prickled. She knew that smell.

Turning toward it, she found two eyes greeting her. Bulging and fish-like. The thing had pulled itself up out of the water and now sat on the dock, perching there and staring at Eris. Its lithe body sometimes made of scales, sometimes made of starlight.

A sea spirit.

Eris’s heart thumped wildly as the rest of her went stone-still. She remembered the sound of teeth tearing the flesh of Kor’s crew as they rowed for shore.

“I know you,” said the spirit, its voice liquid and lilting.

“I doubt that,” said Eris, her lungs freezing in her chest. She didn’t dare look back over her shoulder to where her guards stood. Eris didn’t want to make any sudden movements. Right now it was being friendly. But that could change in an instant.

She looked past it instead, around the wharf, where the crews of other ships were milling about. Did no one else see it?

“The Shadow God grows stronger.” The creature kicked its scaly legs, letting them dangle off the dock. “We thought you’d want to know.”

“Why would I want to know?” asked Eris, keeping her eyes on the wharf.

“Because you feel it, too.” The sea spirit smiled a sharp-toothed smile. “Once he’s free, he’ll come for her.”

Eris frowned. This thing was talking nonsense. She felt no such thing. “Come for who?”

“You know.”

“I really don’t,” she said.

Suddenly, it leaned closer, reaching scaly fingers toward Eris’s wrists. “Who did this to you?”

Eris pulled her bound hands back. “Please. Just go away.”

“I could help. I could soothe.”

Eris paused, studying it. The thing had no eyelids, only liquid black eyes. Its feet were slightly webbed, and its teeth were needle sharp. But there was something ethereal—something almost serene—as it pursed its thin lips at the sight of her bound wrists.

“I could . . . remove.”

“Yeah?” Eris hissed under her breath. “I know your kind like the taste of flesh. Is that what it would cost me?”

It wrinkled its nose. “Silly thing. Not you. It would be a gift . . . from those who want him free.”

A sudden chill swept over Eris. She glanced up into gleaming, razor-sharp teeth.

“Want who free?”

It sighed a long sigh. “I just told you. The Shadow God.”

A noise interrupted. Footsteps on the dock.

Behind them, a familiar voice said, “Eris, we’re—”

The sea spirit’s eyes snapped toward the sound. Eris turned to find Safire, frozen at the sight of the monster. When Eris looked back, she realized why. The sea spirit’s eyes were now blood red, its face changed from serene to . . .

Hungry.

It lunged for Safire, its white teeth flashing as its jaw yawned open.

Eris grabbed its scaly leg. The creature hit the dock. It kicked, hands scrabbling for a hold on the wood, trying to drag itself toward Safire. Desperate. Crazed.

Safire drew her knife, trembling as she did.

Eris’s grip was slipping. Knowing exactly what would happen if it slipped entirely, she dug her fingers in hard.

The spirit screamed, then swung back to face Eris. It hissed in her face, angry and wild.

But it didn’t bite. It didn’t want Eris.

When it hissed again, Eris hissed back.

The spirit blinked, as if startled. “Fool,” it spat, then it glanced back once at Safire, eyes ravenous, before turning sharply toward the dark sea. Eris let go as it dived into the water and disappeared with a plop.

Safire’s chest heaved. She lowered the knife.

Eris held up her bound hands, signaling for her not to step any closer to the water. But the sea was calm, and all sign of the sea spirit was gone. The only sound remaining was the rubbing of hulls against the wood of the wharf.

Beyond Safire, the soldats had all drawn their blades, their eyes on Eris.

She ignored them, looking Safire over. “Are you all right?”

Safire tore her gaze from the water to stare at Eris. After a long moment, she whispered, “Why did you do that?”

Eris’s mouth parted, but she didn’t have an answer.

The sea spirit had been offering her freedom. It would have killed Safire—the very person determined to bring Eris to her enemies. It would have even taken the manacles off Eris’s wrists.

If Eris hadn’t stopped it, she’d be free right now.

She clenched her teeth. Why are you so stupid today?

And then the sound of heavy footsteps thudded down the dock. Eris looked to find several men dressed in black. The lamplight pooled around their polished black boots, reflecting off the silver buckles. Blades crisscrossed against their backs.

Lumina soldiers.

The sight of them brought a rush of panic.

She saw Day, suddenly, kneeling before one of those blades. Smelled the scrin burning behind him. Heard the weavers screaming, trapped beyond the doors.

She stumbled backward.

Safire grabbed her, stopping her from falling into the sea.

As the Lumina shoved her up the dock and through the city gate, she said to Safire, “I wish you had let me drown.”

Better to drown than be given over to them. The ones who took everything from her.

This was Eris’s worst nightmare come true.