Sea Spell (Waterfire Saga #4)(77)

“I’m glad to hear you can sing again, Astrid, but you’ve been songcasting for what, a few weeks? Orfeo’s been at it for four thousand years. He has a slight edge,” Sera said, worried about her friend.

“Yeah, but I have a partner in this particular crime, and she has an edge, too. A big one.” Astrid smiled like an excited child, then said, “Sera, it’s Thalassa! She’s alive. Orfeo’s been keeping her prisoner, but she’s okay. She’s my teacher!”

Sera gasped. “Thalassa’s alive?” Her heart swelled with happiness. This was a miracle. She was certain Miromara’s canta magus had been killed by death riders. But her happiness was immediately pushed aside by anger. Thalassa was alive, yes, but she was in Orfeo’s brutal hands. “Tell her I’m going to bring her home, Astrid,” Sera said fiercely. “Tell her I’ll find a way.”

Astrid nodded. “I will, Sera. I promise.”

“Wait, Astrid, exactly how are you going to get the talismans?” Becca asked, always practical.

“Orfeo takes the black pearl off at night, and puts it in a safe in his room. The ruby ring’s there, too. I know because he showed it to me after Traho delivered it.”

“Why would he do that?” Ling asked.

“Because he totally trusts me. I’ve made him think I’m on board with his plan to free Abbadon and attack the underworld.”

“Okaaay,” Ling said, skeptical. “But he’s going to stop trusting you pretty quick when he catches you trying to steal his talismans.”

“But he won’t catch me! That’s what I’m trying to tell you! Thalassa taught me how to cast a superstrong somnio spell. I’m going to use it on Orfeo, make sure he’s sound asleep, and then figure out how to break the safe’s enchantment.”

Sera shook her head. “I don’t like this plan. Too dangerous.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll just reach into my bag o’ plans and pull out a different one, then,” Astrid said, rolling her eyes.

Sera gave her a look. “Does sarcasm really help at a time like this?”

“I know it’s dangerous,” Astrid said in a more conciliatory tone, “but it’s all I’ve got. And I’m doing it.”

“How long will it take you to get to the Southern Sea?” Becca asked. “Where is Shadow Manse?”

Astrid snorted. “The Black Sea. Where else?”

“Wow. That lumpsucker’s seriously hung up on black,” Neela said.

“It should take me about two months to get to the Southern Sea. Orfeo told me exactly where the Carceron is.”

“Where?” Sera asked excitedly.

“At the north face of Bleak Mount, on the Weddell Plain.”

“Astrid, that’s huge! It will save us weeks of searching, if not months,” Becca said.

“You’re welcome,” said Astrid. “I could get there a lot faster if I went through the mirror realm, but I don’t dare risk it. If Rorrim caught me, he’d turn me in in a heartbeat. He and Orfeo are close.”

“Funny how soul-stealing fiends tend to stick together,” Ling observed.

“Two months is tight to move a large number of troops, but I think we can do it,” Sera said.

“How many have you got?” Astrid asked.

“One hundred thousand,” Sera replied.

Astrid whistled. “I don’t know what Orfeo has, if anything,” she said. “But I bet it’s not a hundred thousand.” She glanced over her shoulder again. “Someone’s coming. I’ve got to go!”

“Be careful, Astrid!” Becca said.

“I will,” Astrid said. Then she looked directly at Sera. “I can do this. Have faith in me.”

“I know you can,” Sera replied.

And then Astrid was gone.

“Wow,” Neela said.

“We’re closer than we’ve ever been to uniting all six talismans, and defeating Abbadon,” said Sera.

“Or getting ourselves slaughtered,” Ling pointed out.

“Sitting here worrying won’t get one hundred thousand soldiers ready,” Becca said. “Getting to bed so we can wake up at first light and get busy, will.”

“True,” agreed Sera.

The five friends rose. Becca, Neela, and Ling already had rooms in the palace and knew how to get to them. Sera summoned Gianna to take Ava to hers. But before they said their good nights, they turned to each other once more. Astrid had found out where the Carceron was. She’d been training her voice. She might even be able to snatch the last two talismans. That was all good. The five friends sensed that they had a new advantage, and they were excited about it, but a new solemnness had settled over them as well.

“Surviving on the swim, building an army, convincing Alítheia not to eat me, battling my uncle…it all feels like child’s play compared to what’s ahead of us,” Sera said.

Ava nodded gravely. “That’s because it is. Your uncle and Lucia were mortals with flaws and weaknesses that you could use to defeat them. But Orfeo’s immortal. Abbadon, too.”

“The Antarctic waters are going to make the North Sea feel like the Bahamas,” Becca said. “Food will be scarce. Some of the soldiers won’t make it. I wouldn’t be surprised if skavveners follow us the whole way.”