Page 106 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

“Then you answer to me.” Calroy pocketed the stone. “Every move. Every decision. You do nothing without my word. Are we clear?”

“Clear.” Rowhan glanced back at the pool, at the four remaining forms still sleeping beneath the surface, then to Palto hovering. “In the pool we have had a long time to speak among ourselves. To sit with what we chose. Are you bringing the others back?”

“Just Palto,” Calroy said.

Rowhan nodded once, accepting it without protest. “Very well.” Something hardened in his expression. Resolution perhaps. “We can bring down the Seelie queen together. I know her weakness. I have my own vendetta against her.”

“Don’t we all.” Minha crossed her arms, standing beside me.

“Explain her weakness,” Calroy said.

“The onyx in her castle wall works in her favor.” Rowhan’s gaze moved between us. “It was built from earth stone—my element. Her power and the onyx are the same frequency. It feeds her rather than draining her.” His jaw tightened. “I helped her design it when she promised it was for our benefit. Before I understood what she truly was.”

“We’ve already established she’s untouchable in her castle,” I said.

“Yes. But outside those walls,” he looked at me, recognition dawning in his eyes, “the earth god’s power inside her has nothing to anchor it. No fortified stone. No onyx to feed it.” He paused. “She weakens. And it will be enough.”

“Enough for what?” Ranis asked.

“Enough for water to destabilize her.” His eyes settled on mine. “Earth and water are opposites. The sea goddess’s power is the only element that can unmake what lives inside her. If Yeri gets her power back and faces the queen on open ground near the sea—”

“Absolutely not.” Calroy stepped in front of me, shoulders squared, every line of him taut. “How do you know she’s Yeri? How do you know anything about her power?”

“I told him.” Palto’s form drifted closer to Rowhan. “I had to. We needed to know our full strength and our weaknesses going in.”

“You’re giving me every reason not to bring you back.” Calroy’s voice dropped to quieter than a growl.

“I understand your anger.” Palto held his ground. “But we have all had years to sit with our regrets. Rowhan included. Either you trust us and we move forward together. Or we stand here and waste time the queen is already using against you.”

“Give me one reason,” I said. “One reason you didn’t just watch us stumble through this blind.”

Palto’s light dimmed. “I carved the illustration in Mount Kael. So when the Seelie queen sent you there, you would find it. I also had someone plant a rumor about the pure stone in the queen’s ear.”

My breath caught. “That was you?”

Calroy arched an eyebrow. “What carving?”

“I’ll explain later.” Anger and gratitude tangled together, and I didn’t know which one was winning.

I thought of the two figures reaching for each other, forever falling short, the ache that carving had left in me before I understood why.

Calroy’s jaw worked.

I put a hand on his arm. “Calroy.”

He exhaled slowly, then stepped aside.

“One wrong move,” he said to Rowhan, then to Palto, “Either of you.”

Neither answered. They didn’t need to.

“Enough of pleasantries,” Ranis chuckled nervously. “Do you hear The Priestess urgent voice for us to come back?”

“I do.” Minha’s eyes rounded.

“I don’t.” Theron furrowed his brow.

“I don’t either.” I looked at Palto for guidance.