Page 103 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

“What do you propose we do?” Calroy lowered his guard, willing to listen.

He took my hand and held on, smiling, like he still didn’t trust I was real.

Minha lowered her weapon and moved toward the pool, Ranis beside her. The keeper had vanished without a sound.

“The queen’s power is not an object she wields.” Palto hovered near the waterfall, his form shifting with the mist. “The energy lives inside her now, fused to her blood the moment the earth god’s power transferred to her. You cannot take it from her the way she took it from him. The only way to end her is to restore the earth god. When he returns, his power will revert to him.”

Calroy’s jaw tightened. A low sound left his throat, close to a growl. “You think me a fool?” The air around him crackled. “You want me to restore the god who helped destroy everything we built. Who handed the queen the means to kill us.”

“No.” Palto’s form flickered in and out. “I’m not saying he deserves his power back. I’m saying the moment the power reverts to him, use the pure stone to capture the energy before he can claim it. The stones merely hold the essence of gods. It is the only vessel strong enough to contain what she carries.”

“And what happens to the queen?” I asked.

“She becomes mortal,” Palto said. “Then you do with her what you will.”

“Good,” Ranis murmured.

I turned the word mortal over in my mind. For someone who had ruled as immortal, who had never feared death, what would that feel like? Would she know it the moment it happened? Would she feel the edges of herself suddenly becoming fragile?

“Then we march to her castle and bring her down.” Minha’s expression hardened, her jaw set.

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Ranis countered.

“It’s not.” Calroy exhaled a long breath. “She had onyx embedded within the walls around the castle.”

Palto nodded. “It was built for one purpose. Any divine power that crosses that threshold is absorbed into the stone. She cannot be challenged on her own ground. Not by any god. Not even you, Calroy.” He looked between us. “Which means she will try to draw you there. But won’t she be surprised to find out Theron is Calroy.”

“So we draw her out instead,” I said.

Palto’s gaze settled on mine. “But she will not come without leverage. She has had it for some time now.”

“Nam and my family.” I sighed. I didn’t want them to be taken as hostages. “She knows they’re Seaborn, but she doesn’t know I’m Yeri. So we get them out first. Between Calroy’s power and mine, we can bring down the royal family of Jeju too.”

“Don’t forget me.” Minha twirled her dagger, smirking.

“And me.” Ranis bowed.

“Thank you.” I meant it to the depth of my marrow. “So that’s our plan?”

I wanted to rescue my family. And this felt like the moment everything we had been building toward.

“There is something else you should know.” Palto’s form stilled. “Yeri, you don’t have your power back.”

“What do you mean?” Calroy’s expression darkened. He looked like he wanted to hit him, but his fist would go straight through water.

“I felt something when Calroy and I touched.” I glanced down at my fingers. “Energy moved through my blood.”

“That was recognition,” Palto said. “Your souls knowing each other. But you are the goddess of the sea, Yeri. You must return to your full form before that power can resurface.”

“Speak plain language.” Minha pointed the dagger at him. “Or I’ll introduce you to your own keepers.”

Palto’s form flickered. If a spirit could look unsettled, he managed it. “Yeri’s memory only just returned,” Palto said. “Her power hasn’t had time to catch up yet.”

Catch up. “How long will that take?”

“I have no answer.”

“It’s fine, love.” Calroy’s thumb traced my cheek. “I’ll carry the weight for both of us.” His eyes held mine. “We’re going to get your family out of Jeju. And my mother out of Caelum. I don’t know the exact plan yet, but I’ll figure it out.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “Don’t I always?”