Page 5 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

They dropped, crimson pooling in the dirt. Nam had told me not to take one of Minha’s weapons. But she had.

To my horror, boils formed on their exposed skin and burst, black blood seeping out, as if poisoned. I’d known the contact of a shell made them recoil as if burned, but watching what the oyster-shell blade did after it pierced flesh—that was a revelation.

Nam shook me to get my attention, shock rendering me speechless. “Go with Mac. He’ll take you out of here.”

“What?” Did I hear her right? “What are you talking about?”

“I’ve been working with Mac for weeks to get you out.”

Not Bora. Not herself. Not all of us. But me.

“What about you?” The words came out broken. I couldn’t fathom what was happening. It felt like a dream. “What about everyone else?”

“Only three,” Mac said. “We must leave. Now.”

Nam grabbed Jina’s arm and pushed her toward Mac. Minha gave a curt nod to Nam and stood beside Jina.

None of the others said a word. I couldn’t process any of it—the dead guards on the floor, Mac’s hand still shaking, Nam’s face completely calm, like she had been preparing for this moment for weeks.

Nam embraced me tight and kissed my cheek, then murmured, “I know you. You don’t belong here.” She shoved me toward Mac. “Jina. Minha. Go now. Go.”

What did she mean? What did she know about me?

I tried to break free of his hold, but Jina and Minha dragged me along. Tears streamed down my face as I looked back. Bora had buried her face against Sohee’s side. The others stood frozen, watching us go, like they already knew this would happen. But Nam… she stood apart from all of them, spine straight, chin lifted, hands loose at her side.

Nam didn’t reach for me. She didn’t cry. She just watched with those dark steady eyes, the way she always had, like she already knew how this story ended and had made her peace with it. Nam gave one small nod when my eyes found hers.

Go. I did it for all of us.

I turned away before I lost what little was left of me. But what would become of my family?

Punishment? Death? I couldn’t bear the thought.

We rushed up a slope at the back of the cavern, opposite the metal gate, then turned into a dark tunnel. The walls narrowed, close enough to graze both shoulders, and the ground beneath my feet changed from pebbled dirt to smooth stone. The air shifted, damper, colder, carrying the smell of deep earth.

The sound of crashing water grew louder, then a cold gust of wind carrying a scent of salt hit my face.

“What did Nam offer you?” I whispered.

He kept walking.

“Hey.” I poked his back. “I’m talking to you.”

He clenched his jaw. “I’ll explain later.”

We passed through the kitchen, past a few servants who paid us no mind. I caught a glimpse of fire burning in a hearth, iron pots hanging above it, the smell of honey that made my stomach clench with hunger. The heat grazed my arm as we passed, the first warmth I felt that didn’t come from another body pressed against mine.

A woman in clean linen stirred a pot without looking up. Others peeled skin off potatoes, some chopped onions. Then we were out into the hallway.

“Where are we going?” Minha yanked at Mac’s shirt. “This doesn’t look like escaping to me.”

No answer. He walked even faster.

Jina lagged as the hallway opened into a vast area filled with soldiers clad in black, a symbol on their chests, spears in hand, swords at their waists. Too many to count. Nam had trusted Mac. But why did I get the feeling he had betrayed her?

Mac finally halted and turned to us. “This is the only way to get you out of here. Whatever I say or do, is in the best interest. You must trust me.”

Jina held my hand as she counted silently, and I held on to Minha. Together we walked into the throne room.