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“The vines!” Aurelius said. “You made the vines even though you aren’t in satyr form! And we are just a few days from a bronze moon!”
Calix bore a look of relief mixed with an awful pallor.
“Gods, you’re exhausted. Just stay a moment. You have to rest.”
“No!” he wheezed, dragging himself back to shaky feet. “We have to go after her!”
“Her? Her who?”
Calix’s eyes were more wrathful than Aurelius had ever seen them. “We have to get Ramuna Securia!”
89
TEIGRA
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the prince’s spurned little lover!” said Pikra. She pulled at Teigra’s sweat-soaked fabric with an exaggerated upturn of her sharp nose. “One minute she is walking the agora with the queen—practically trying on the coronet for size—and now, she is stuck on a boat with the rest of us. Oh, how the mighty have fallen!”
“Now, now, Pik,” said Elexis. “Leave the girl be. Can’t you see she saved the captain!”
“Yes, she did,” said Zosime—to Teigra’s surprise, who’d expected her to deny it.
“And look, she’s a natural!” said Elexis. “Still clutching ’er weapon, ready for the next attack.”
Teigra was indeed still gripping the harpoon, blood and chunks of flesh coating her fingers. But it was more from shock than anything else, and certainly not a battle tactic.
Pikra gave her a long glare. “Oh, yes. Yes, that must be it. An utter natural. And so then, your naturalness, I am sure you have a good explanation for how you ended up on our ship?”
Whatever battle bond that’d formed vanished in an instant. Now, Teigra was back where she’d started—a stowaway staring into the suspicious eyes of three soldiers who could cut her dead in an instant.
“I... I...” she stammered.
Zosime stepped forward. “She’s with me.”
Pikra looked as shocked as Teigra felt. “With you?”
“Of course. I’ve been cultivating her as a recruit for weeks now. And as a final test, I set her a challenge to get onto the ship and remain hidden without either of you noticing.”
Elexis looked hurt. “You never told us about a fourth Sister, Cap!”
“No,” said Zosime, pointedly. “Because I thought you’d both spot her right away!”
Pikra rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on. How were we supposed to know she was onboard? We thought we were just relaxing before the big mission.”
“And you think Xiber will give us a big scream and a wave before sending an arrow through our chests?”
“Yes, yes. Message received. But why would we need her?”
“When was the last time you left Ardora? Ever been to Mestibes? Apart from the Emphanisi Springs?”
“She’s got you there, Pik!”
“Granted, but—”
“Enough of this,” said Zosime, glaring at Pikra. “Clear this deck before any more of them come. That’s an order, Hoplite Trypono.”
When the two Sisters had trudged away, Zosime reached out her hand. “I owe you my life.”
In her eyes, Teigra could see that this was no idle statement.
