Page 121 of These Divided Shores
Lu had squished into the narrow window seat in Fatemah’s office. Her interactions with Fatemah had been brief and abrupt, but her loss had left an enormous hole in this sanctuary, as though its strongest wall had crumbled around it.
“That is the beginning of a plan,” said Kari. “We approach New Deza armed with Bright Mint. We do not know whatElazar will do, but we need to either have him agree to withdraw his presence from this island—unlikely—or find a way to force him off.”
“Kill him,” Rosalia spat. “Nate can tear his way through the defensors now. I can fly up over him. Lu already proved she’s lethal with her Incris.”
Lu cringed. Thankfully, Kari spoke up.
“Such acts would only confirm the lies Elazar has spread. This island has fallen under his false report that raiders are a danger, and that the Council—and Argrid—supports him. The attack on the sanctuary proves that Elazar has turned this island against us, and even if we manage to kill him now, I fear it will only make him a martyr. His cause and beliefs will linger. How can we undo his falsehoods?”
“Lu?”
She didn’t turn to Nayeli as the raiders and Kari continued to discuss—argue—plans. But morning had dawned, and Rosalia, Nate, and Pierce hadn’t fled as they’d threatened.
Others had left, though. Most of the refugees. Vex.
“Hey,” Nayeli whispered, poking Lu’s side. “You shouldn’t sulk right now.”
“I’m not sulking.”
Nayeli poked her again.“Liar.”
“Nayeli—I’m not sulking.”
Kari was trying to figure out how many boats they had, whether they could approach New Deza under a banner of truce—too many would seem hostile, but perhaps theyneeded a show of strength. Should they even try to negotiate peace? But what else could they do to prove that Elazar had lied to Grace Loray, and that he was the true threat? They needed the people of this island to turn against Argrid and trust their Grace Lorayan leaders again—otherwise Kari and the raider Heads would have to spend the foreseeable future fighting to keep their citizens from overthrowing them in fear.
Lu’s eyes went to Rosalia—who was glaring at her. She hadn’t looked at Lu with anything other than murder in her eyes since Lu had decided to stop trying to make magic permanent.
Lu turned away, staring out the window. Beyond the warped glass, Port Mesi-Teab was a ripple of sharp buildings and teetering slums, with far fewer twists of steamboat fog than usual. Lu imagined, beyond the edge where the horizon turned green with tangled jungle, Vex and Jakes on theRapid Meander, sailing hard for New Deza.
If Tom had Teo there, Vex and Jakes would need a distraction to free him. What would draw all attention but not be a direct attack? What would ensure Elazar’s full focus on them?
A word welled in Lu’s mouth. She twisted in the window seat, leaning half off it, on Nayeli. As though Nayeli had any more strength to give than Lu herself.
Across the room, Ben was propped against the wall, his arms folded. Gunnar stood next to him, not as close asusual—the two of them had been unsteady since the attack.
Lu didn’t speak until Ben met her eyes, a questioning furrow to his brow.
“Surrender,” Lu said.
The whole of the room turned to her.
“Excuse me?” Pierce demanded.
“Ben and I will surrender,” Lu amended. “Elazar has wanted it all along, hasn’t he? He’ll stop anything for it, including whatever he has planned. Tell him we will come to him under a banner of surrender.”
Shock choked the room.
Ben straightened. “I agree.”
“What?” Gunnar spun on Ben, fury incarnate.
Vex would have objected too. Even now, Lu imagined if Nayeli had the shared Budwig anywhere nearby, he would be raging against her plan.
“It wouldn’t be true surrender,” Lu told the room. Told herself. “But if Elazar thinks it is, he will prepare for it. Me and Ben, willingly kneeling at his feet? It is a sight he will want this island to see. It will confirm everything he has promised about himself, his power.”
“His errant son, returned at last,” Ben picked up for her, and Lu sagged against the window frame, grateful. “He will gather crowds, if he hasn’t already for whatever he himself has planned. He will relish our supplication.”
Gunnar growled, speaking in a patchy mix of Grace Lorayan and Argridian. “You will give yourselves to him.He will suspect a lie. There is too much risk. Benat—”
