Defend the Dawn (Defy the Night #2)(119)

“But you had Moonflower!” I say. “If you didn’t know about it, how did you know to bring so much?”

“I didn’t bring it as a cure,” he says, looking at me like I’m crazy. “In Ostriary, we recognize Moonflower for what it is—a poison.”

I roll that around in my head and say, “How is Moonflower a poison?”

“When you boil the stems,” he says. “It causes the fever and the cough. That’s how I’ve been able to keep Bella subdued. If you do it long enough, it can be permanently debilitating, but I only needed a few weeks. Making an elixir of the petals will generally reverse the effects.”

I’m pressing my hands together over my mouth. I need Tessa. I need her knowledge.

But Rian is talking. I need to stay right here.

“Are you saying the people of Kandala are poisoned?” I say quickly. “How?”

“I don’t know—but I admit to being curious when I learned that two full sectors are almost solely dedicated to growing Moonflower now—and there seems to be quite a wealthy trade to be had in selling petals to cure the ‘sickness.’ All Captain Blakemore knew was that the attempt on Harristan’s life was thwarted when he was young, but it wasn’t until later that—”

“What attack on Harristan’s life?”

“Your Consul Montague tried to poison him to force your parents into demanding a higher price on steel—but Ostriary felt betrayed and refused to barter. Maybe Montague figured out a new way to make silver … or someone did.”

Consul Montague—who later tried to assassinate my parents.

I run my hands through my hair.

Not only do I need Tessa, but I need Quint and Harristan, too.

I need to be back in the Royal Sector.

But now I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

“All this time, you thought we were poisoning the people?” I say sharply. No wonder he hates me so much. Locking people in a room, indeed.

“I wasn’t entirely sure,” he says. “King Harristan was so invested in a new source of Moonflower that I didn’t believe it was him. I suspected you for quite a while—but then you and Tessa were almost religious about ensuring your people took Moonflower tea once you climbed on board. But it’s obviously someone in your inner circle.”

I still can’t make this make sense in my head. “For what purpose?”

Rian shrugs. “To prevent an uprising? It’s clear one is brewing anyway.” He pauses. “Once we docked in Artis and I learned of your reputation, it was clear to me that we could not begin as equals. Your country is overrun with sedition and sabotage.”

I can’t even argue the point. He’s right.

“So now what?” I say.

“Now I’m going to do exactly what I said I’m going to do. We’re going to dock in Ostriary. You will grant me a trade agreement—or I will hold you for ransom and demand one from Harristan.”

“But—but I saved your life.”

“I wouldn’t have needed saving if those ships hadn’t followed. As far as I’m concerned, that was an act of war.”

I almost can’t believe I’m hearing this. “So you’re going to retaliate from your broken-down ship?”

“I don’t need to retaliate. I need steel. Again, I have been mostly forthright from the beginning. I don’t care about Kandala. I have no desire to go to war. Neither of our countries can sustain it. I need steel. You need to help your people. I will not get embroiled in your political scheming. Trade or not, but you have until we dock to make your decision. For now, we just need to get past Oren Crane.” His expression is tense. “With a ship that’s taken heavy damage, a hamstrung crew, and no Bella to trade for safe passage.”

“When will we reach his territory?” I say.

“It’s my territory,” he snaps.

“Fine, when will we reach your—”

I break off when I hear a distant whistle, and then a flaming arrow comes sailing out of the darkness to strike the sail.

Rian swears. “Right now.”





CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Tessa

I’m woken by shouts and screaming. I sit straight up in bed just as the boat shudders with the sound of an explosion.

We’re under attack again.

I’m barefoot, in nothing more than my chemise and trousers, but I sprint for the door and find Rocco in the hallway. I stitched up the knife wound on his abdomen hours ago, but his coloring is a bit ashen instead of the warm brown I’m used to, and I’m worried he’s lost too much blood.

Another explosion rocks the ship, and I put a hand against the wall to brace myself. We have bigger problems.

“Is there another brigantine?” I say.

“We need to get above,” Rocco says.

I have to use hands and feet to climb the stairs because the water is so choppy. Rocco is right at my back. When we make it onto the deck, one of the smaller sails is on fire, red flames crawling along the edge to snake into the night sky. Brock is climbing the rigging with a bucket of water over one arm.

“Get that fire out!” Rian is shouting. “It’s giving them a target!”

Brock tosses the water at the fire, but it only douses half. While I watch, another flaming arrow comes sailing through the air. Rocco pushes me out of the way as it embeds itself in the deck, just where I was standing.