Fireblood (Frostblood Saga #2)(103)
I turned to Master Dallr. “You must know how dangerous Eurus is, and that we need to act quickly.”
“The masters have never lost our connection to ancient knowledge,” he replied. “It’s now a question of which steps to take to avert this disaster.”
I sighed my relief. I’d been afraid that they’d continue to fight against us.
“Have you considered that Eurus hopes you will follow him?” Master Dallr said. “He could be luring you into a trap.”
“All the more reason for both the king and me to be there,” Kai jumped in. “Our combined power will give us the best chance of success. And we’ll both guard Ruby with our lives.”
I looked at him with surprise. He was arguing on Arcus’s behalf?
The queen looked down for a moment, touching her wedding band lightly before squaring her shoulders. When she spoke, her voice was still weak—but the old note of determination had returned. “I have been entrusted by birth with the responsibility of caring for an entire kingdom. When King Rasmus took the frost throne, I was helpless to stop the massacre of my people. We were caught unprepared. Not enough ships. Not enough weapons or soldiers. Unable to fight.”
She stared at Arcus, and my heart lodged in my throat. She was going to throw him in prison, question him, kill him. She would do all the things she’d threatened and more, taking her rage and pain out on him. My whole body was filled with bated breath.
“I will not be responsible for another massacre,” she said, a fierce light shining in her dark eyes. “I will not stand by as tragedy unfolds.” She turned to me. “If you, my niece, tell me that you must go, then I must place my trust in you… and you will go.”
I let out the breath. “Thank you.”
“You will all go, then. And you will take Master Dallr and a contingent of masters with you.”
Arcus cleared his throat. “Respectfully, Your Majesty, even if my crew accepts the presence of Fireblood masters, the enmity between our people goes back too far. I’m afraid we have a long way to go before Sudesians adjust to a cordial relationship with Tempesians, and vice versa. Though, to be clear, I very much hope our kingdoms will be allies again.”
“Allies or not, my masters are going,” she declared. “Rest assured they’ll behave with admirable self-control. See that your crew does the same.”
“We could take two ships,” Kai suggested. “The Fireblood masters could travel on mine. As my ship is faster, I’ll take Ruby with me. The king and the Frostblood crew can follow in theirs.”
Arcus made a quiet sound, a low growl deep in his throat. “Ruby will be with me. That is not negotiable.”
The queen’s eyes narrowed. “You will do what is best for the mission.”
“Then we’ll take one ship,” Kai conceded. “And we’ll combine our crews.”
She gestured to the door. “Go, then. Take all the supplies you need.”
My throat was tight. “Thank you for your faith in us.”
She turned her gaze on Arcus. “I will hold you responsible if my husband and my niece are not safely returned.”
“I would feel the same in your position, Your Majesty,” he replied. “I would tear the world apart if someone took Ruby from me.”
She gave him a long, considering look. Their eyes held, some message passing between them.
She leaned into Master Dallr and whispered into his ear. He nodded and led her carefully, step by step, to the doorway. She looked as if she’d aged by decades. The loss of the Minax had ripped something important from her.
I wondered if she’d ever be herself again, or if some essential part was lost forever.
A chill ran through me. Is that how I would look one day?
What would be left of me once I finally found a way to destroy the Minax I held in my heart?
TWENTY-NINE
“YOU MIGHT AS WELL WRAP ME IN sailcloth and dump me over the side,” Jaro moaned, gesturing past the railing to endless rolling waves. “Those Frostbloods will be the death of me!”
“All they want is to be given berths, same as the Sudesian sailors,” I said in a placating tone. A northeastern breeze grabbed my words and threw them back at me. Even the wind was arguing tonight. “Surely you can find room in the forecastle.”
“But I’ll have to put them right next to each other,” he cried, oblivious to the attentive ears of the crew, keeping busy at their newly assigned tasks on the main deck. “They’ll kill each other!”
I reached up and patted one of his hands, both of which were fisted in his already thin hair, one frustrated tug away from ripping out strands he could ill afford to lose. “You’ll find a way, Jaro. You always do.”
His shoulders slumped as he dropped his arms. “The prince can pay me double my usual wage for this trip.”
“I’m sure you can negotiate some extra pay with the captain.” I had no idea if that was true. I’d been telling everyone what they wanted to hear, walking on eggshells strewn over a tightrope for the past day. I was weak and hungry and could barely see straight, my eyes nearly crossing from exhaustion.
After leaving the cavern, Kai and I had accompanied Arcus to his ship. Kai had inspected the vessel thoroughly and quickly declared it too old, too slow, and in need of several repairs. After a certain amount of bickering, bribing, begging, and grudging compromise, we’d all agreed to take Kai’s ship with a combined crew of Sudesian and Tempesian sailors, along with a half dozen Fireblood masters, as decreed by the queen. The Sudesian sailors had only agreed to crew a ship alongside Frostbloods after we’d informed them that Kai would captain the ship.