Page 74 of Children of Blood and Bone

In her despair, I see my own. My concession, my defeat. But that is not my place. I must be a stronger king.

“Stop moping,” I snap. We haven’t lost the war yet.

Magic has a new face.

That simply means I must attack with a new blade.

“There’s a guard post east of Sokoto,” I say.Find the maji. Find the scroll.“We can send word of the collapsed bridge with your firehawk. If they dispatch a legion of stock laborers, we can build another one.”

“Brilliant.” Kaea buries her face in her hands. “Let’s make it easier for the maggots to return and kill us when their powers are restored.”

“We’ll find them before that happens.”I’ll kill her.

I’ll save us.

“With what leads?” Kaea asks. “Getting the men and supplies alone will take days. Building it—”

“Three days,” I cut her off.How dare she question my reasoning?Admiral or not, Kaea cannot defy an order from me.

“If they work through the night, they can get it done,” I continue. “I’ve seen stockers construct palaces with less.”

“What use will a bridge be, Inan? Even if we build it, there’ll be no trace of that maggot by the time it’s done.”

I pause and look across the cliff. The sea-salt scent of the girl’s soul is almost gone, fading in the jungle’s underbrush. Kaea’s right. A bridge shall only take us so far. By nightfall, I won’t be able to sense the divîner at all.

Unless…

I turn back to the temple, recalling the way it made voices surge in my head. If it could do that, perhaps it can allow my magic to sense more.

“Chândomblé.” I shift the sênet pieces around in my mind. “They came here for answers. Maybe I can find some, too.”

Yes, that’s it.If I discover what’s amplifying my curse, I can use it to pick up the girl’s trail. Just this once.

“Inan—”

“It’ll work,” I interrupt. “Summon the stockers and lead the construction while I search. There will be traces of the girl there. I’ll uncover the clues to where they’re headed.”

I pocket Father’s pawn; in its absence, the air hits cold against my skin. This fight is not over yet. The war has only begun.

“Send a message and gather a team. I want those laborers on this ledge by dawn.”

“Inan, as captain—”

“I’m not addressing you as your captain,” I cut her off. “I’m commanding you as your prince.”

Kaea stiffens.

Something between us breaks, but I force my gaze to stay even. Father wouldn’t tolerate her fragility.

Neither can I.

“Fine.” She presses her lips into a tight line. “Your desire is my command.”

As she stalks away, I see the maji’s face in my mind. Her wretched voice. The silver eyes.

I stare across the void to where her sea-salt soul has disappeared among the jungle trees.

“Keep running,” I whisper.

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