Sea Spell (Waterfire Saga #4)(76)

As they ate and drank, Ava related her trip in more detail. Sera told her about Mahdi. Neela, Ling, and Becca filled Ava in on the battle for Cerulea and the progress they’d made since taking the city back.

“And Astrid? Have you heard from her?” Ava asked, when the others had finished speaking.

“No,” Sera said. “Not a word since she left to find Orfeo. I can’t even tell you how scared I am for her.”

“So we don’t know if she has the black pearl,” Ava said.

“Or if she’s okay,” Ling said, stating their deepest fears.

“What do we do?” Ava asked. Sera heard a plaintive note in her voice.

“We go to the Southern Sea. Just as we planned,” Sera said. “The balance of power has shifted in our favor.”

“What do you mean?” Ava asked.

“Defeating Vallerio not only gave me my realm back, it gave Matali back to Mahdi. Emperor Aran and Empress Sananda were imprisoned by Portia, but now they are free again and ruling in his absence,” Sera explained.

“They’re my parents,” Neela cut in. “I told them about Abbadon months ago, and they didn’t believe me. But they do now, and they’ve sent troops to help us defeat it.”

“Ondalina sent troops, too,” Ling added. “And the Elder of Qin did also, out of gratitude to Sera for ruining Vallerio’s plan to take over his realm.”

“Orfeo had hoped to have control of the armies of Matali, Ondalina, and Qin through Vallerio,” Sera said. “He planned to use them after he freed Abbadon to help him attack the underworld, but those armies are ours now.”

“And our talismans,” Neela added. “All except two.”

“The black pearl and—”

“The ruby ring,” Ava said hopelessly.

The heaviness Sera had sensed in Ava earlier descended again.

“Ava,” Sera said, taking her hand, “you’re not yourself. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, mina. I—I’m just tired, that’s all.”

“No,” Sera said. “There’s more to it than that.”

A sob escaped Ava, and then another. “I failed you. All of you. And I failed myself. I didn’t get the ring,” she said, her voice hitching.

Instantly, the other four mermaids were out of their chairs, or off the floor, surrounding her.

“Failed us? Are you crazy, merl?” Neela said.

“You did get the ring,” Becca insisted. “Traho ganged up on you two hundred to one!”

“You did an impossible thing,” said Ling. “You survived the Okwa Naholo and the death riders!”

“Baby didn’t,” Ava said softly. “I miss him. I loved him so much. I had him since I was a tiny merl. I’ve depended on him for everything. How am I going to manage without him?”

“We’ll help you, Ava,” Neela said fiercely, squeezing Ava’s hand. “We’ll be your eyes.”

Becca took her other hand. “We’ll take care of you. We love you, Aves, don’t you know that? We’d do anything for you.”

Sera placed a gentle hand on Ava’s arm. “We’ll figure it out. Together.”

It was at that very moment, when they were united and supporting one another, that they heard it. A voice, inside their heads.

“Merls? Are you there? Can you hear me? Please say something! It’s me, Astrid!”





“ASTRID!” SERA CRIED, overjoyed to see her, but terrified they’d lose the connection to her. “We’re here! All of us! Can you see us?”

Astrid held a finger to her lips, then said something, but Sera and others couldn’t understand her. She flickered and faded.

“Focus, people, focus!” Neela ordered.

The five mermaids all joined hands and concentrated on Astrid.

“—can’t talk long,” Astrid said, her image suddenly vivid and sharp. “His servants might hear me and tell him!”

“Merl, look at you!” Neela said. “I barely recognize you. That is one invincible outfit! And your hair!”

Astrid looked down at herself and smiled wryly. “That’s what happens when you have a reincarnated death-mage for a stylist.”

She was wearing a fitted black dress and a beautiful pearl bib necklace. Her blond hair was sleek and short. Squid ink lined her eyes; silvery-blue ground mussel shell dusted her eyelids. Rings of obsidian and garnet glinted on her hands.

“Where are you?” Becca asked.

“In Shadow Manse, Orfeo’s palace,” Astrid replied.

“Are you okay?” asked Ling.

“I’m fine. Look, I don’t know how long I’ve got, so”—she gave a wary glance over her shoulder—“I need to convey the essentials. Fast.”

“Go ahead,” said Sera. “We’re listening.”

“Orfeo’s got the ruby ring. I’m going to take it, and the black pearl, tonight. And then I’m going to haul tail for the Southern Sea. Meet me there.”

“Astrid, how? This is Orfeo we’re talking about,” Ling said. “He has powerful magic, you know? He might see this coming.”

“I have magic now, too. Orfeo cured me. We’re super tight.” She smirked, then added, “At least that’s what he thinks.”