Page 187 of Children of Blood and Bone

“Just cold.”

Amari tilts her head, but she doesn’t pry. Instead, she laces her fingers through mine and looks back out at the sea. Her touch is kind. Forgiving. Like she already knows the truth.

“We’ve got company, boss.”

I whip around to find the silhouettes of large, three-masted warships on the horizon. There’s far too many to count. The wooden beasts cut through the water, metal plates marking the cannons lining their decks. Though they fade into the sea’s mist, the moonlight illuminates Orïsha’s seal. My chest tightens at the sight and I close my eyes, willing the image away—

—the heat intensifies my pain as the knife rips through my back. No matter how much I scream, the darkness never comes. I taste my own blood—

“Zél?”

Amari’s face swims through the blackness. I squeeze her hand so hard her knuckles crack. I open my mouth to apologize, but I can’t form the words. A sob threatens to creep up my throat.

Amari puts her other hand around me and turns to Roën. “Can we avoid them?”

Roën pulls a collapsible telescope from his pocket and presses it against his eye. “That one’s easy, but not the fleet behind it.”

He hands me the telescope, but Amari comes to my rescue and snatches it away. Her body goes rigid as she takes in the sight.

“Skies,” she curses. “Father’s battleships.”

Saran’s cold eyes flash into my mind and I whip around, gripping the wooden ledge of Roën’s boat to stare out at the sea.

I wouldn’t be doing my job as king if I didn’t remind you what you are.

“How many?” I manage to croak, but that isn’t what I want to ask.

How many of his lieutenants are on the ships?

How many wait to scar me again?

“At least a dozen,” Amari answers.

“Let’s take another path,” Tzain offers.

“Don’t be foolish.” The mischievous glint in Roën’s gray eyes reignites. “Let’s take the closest ship.”

“No,” Amari objects. “That will give us away.”

“They’re in our way. And by the looks of it, they’re headed to this island, too. What better way to get there than on one of their own warships?”

I stare at the colossal vessels in the crashing sea. Where’s Inan? If Saran’s aboard one of those ships, is Inan with him?

The thought is too hard to speak out loud. I lift up another silent prayer. If any god above cares for me, I’ll never have to face Inan again.

“Let’s do it.” Dozens of faces turn to me, but I keep my gaze on the sea. “If all those ships are headed to the island, we have to be smarter, efficient.”

“Exactly.” Roën tilts his head in my direction. “Käto, head for the nearest ship.”

As the boat speeds up, my heart beats with enough force to break free of my rib cage. How will I face Saran again? What good will I be without my magic?

I grab my staff with shaking hands and flick to expand it.

“What’re you doing?”

I look up to find Roën at my side.

“We need to take the warship.”

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