Page 55 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

Anger seared through me before she even finished.

“Is his name Theron?”

“Yes.” She picked at the hay. “He brought me straight to his queen.”

My jaw tightened. “Then what happened?”

“That woman cut my face with a weapon she had under her sleeve.” Minha touched her cheek. “When I healed and my blood dripped blue, she told me I was Seaborn. I thought that just meant we could breathe underwater, like when Mac threw us into the sea. But no.” She let out a short, humorless laugh. “Apparently it also means fighting wild animals for sport. The boarox was the largest and most dangerous I’d ever faced,” she added, like it was nothing.

“You’ve been fighting the whole time you were here?”

She nodded, her gaze distant, like she was trying to forget.

“Minha.” My chest ached. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She shrugged. “I’m still here.”

I stared at the wall across from us. “I’m going to hurt Theron.”

Minha was quiet for a moment. “Don’t blame him. I think he had a debt to pay.”

There was that word again. Life is a debt you spend your whole life repaying. Theron had said that on the ship.

“What do you know of his debt?” I asked, wincing, sweat beading across my forehead.

“Every time I get dressed for the arena, one of the servants dresses me. Some spill more than others.” She lowered her voice. “They despise the royal family. Every last one of them. They want the true crown prince to take the throne.”

“Who is—” The question died in my mouth. Because I already had an answer I didn’t want. When are you going to stand up to them and take what’s rightfully yours? Fraya’s words came back to me, words I shouldn’t have heard.

Theron had a room in the castle. A chamber kept ready, as always, Pierre had said. Like he had always belonged there.

He couldn’t be.

Minha narrowed her eyes at my wound. “Why aren’t you healing? Let me take a look.” She gently peeled the shirt more and examined, her stoic expression giving nothing away. “When did you know your blood was blue?”

I turned away. I didn’t want to see. “I never told anyone.”

“Neither did I.”

“When the general whipped me, I healed so fast, I never bled.” I sighed, my body hot to the touch. “When did you know?”

“When I was making the special dagger.” She patted her waist, her weapon tucked away like mine. “You still have your pearls?” She placed a hand to my forehead and worry etched her features.

“I do,” I said.

“I tried to give Theron some to help me rescue you, but he refused them.” She shrugged. “What pirate would refuse pearls? I guess he doesn’t need riches. But the fisherman, on the other hand, when he found out what I carried during my conversation with Theron, he grabbed them from me during sleep.”

“I’m sorry.” I had no other words of comfort.

“It’s fine. We have each other and that’s all that matters.”

I managed a small smile. “We could still use mine to bargain with if needed.”

“Perhaps.” Minha rose and headed to the metal bars of our cell. “Hey, guard. We need help.”

No answer, but moans of other prisoners echoed.

“Do you think Nam knew we’re Seaborn?” I asked. “But she bled red and still was able to open oysters.”