The Deepest Blue(66)

She was so earnest that Mayara knew she wasn’t going to talk her out of it. Mayara glared at Roe, then threw her hands up in surrender. “Fine. But if we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it as safely as possible. So that means you can’t be the one to go out there. Your leg isn’t perfect yet. I can run faster. Besides, you’re better at sensing spirits anyway. You watch for them. Give three bird chirps if the spirits notice me, and I’ll bolt for the nearest cave.”

Thanks to their explorations, they knew the island was like a beehive of stone and bone beneath the surface. The coconut grove was near at least three openings. If Mayara was quick enough, she should be able to outrun the spirits, hide in the tunnels, and return via underground routes. Provided there weren’t any spirits in the caves, of course.

“I’ll be your lookout,” Roe promised. “I won’t let the spirits catch you.”

“Just because I’m agreeing to this doesn’t mean it’s not a terrible idea.”

“I need this,” Roe said. “I can’t just hide here any longer. It’s the same reason why I forced Lord Maarte to send me here—yes, I may have been ‘safer’ as his hostage, but at some point choosing to be safe can destroy your soul.”

Maybe that’s true, Mayara thought. But this better not get us all killed.

AS THE SUN DIPPED BELOW THE HORIZON, MAYARA CRAWLED OUT of their cave and scrambled over the rocky shore. The sky was an array of colors: clouds stained rose and deep orange; the sea was black with blue, amber, and rose glints. It crashed against the rocks in rhythm. Out above the reef, water spirits were dancing. Three of them, vaguely human-shaped with bodies made of water, pirouetted on the waves. Their watery arms stretched and waved like grass in the wind. Every once in a while, they’d seem to merge, swirling together, and then they’d break apart.

Ugh, this is a terrible idea.

But Roe hadn’t given her much choice. She has too much of a selfless streak in her. I just want to go home; she still thinks she can save the world.

Mayara kept low and to the shadows. They were far enough out and so absorbed in their dance that they shouldn’t spot her, but she wasn’t going to take that chance.

Creeping up to the coconut grove, she unearthed the first snare, half buried in the sand. Using her glass-shard knife, she sliced through the vines, dismantling the trap, and then she moved on to the next one. How did anyone have time to set so many? she wondered. And why would they do it? There were traps on nearly every other tree. She worked as quickly as she could, relying on Roe to be her lookout.

She was halfway through when she heard three bird chirps.

She did a quick calculation: the closest bolt hole was on the other side of the coconut trees, behind a clump of suka berry bushes. Dropping the vine she was cutting, Mayara ran. She cast her mind out—it was the three spirits who’d been dancing on the waves. Drawing a stream of seawater behind them, they were speeding toward the land. As Mayara ran, they slashed through the sand.

And then, up ahead, near the mouth of the cave, she saw movement.

Another spirit!

She tried to feel with her thoughts and met only emptiness.

Nothing’s there.

It wasn’t a spirit, she realized. A spirit sister? Or a Silent One? Mayara didn’t see the telltale gray robes or white mask. Instead she saw a wave of bright hair as the woman jumped back into the hole. She didn’t remember any of the other spirit sisters having red-streaked hair.

Who is she? How did she get here?

And why is she fleeing from me?

Did she set the snares?

Maybe the stranger had alerted the three spirits as well.

Mayara chased after her. She reached the hole as the spirits’ wave crashed behind her. She didn’t slow—she jumped in and kept running. Pulling out a clump of firemoss, she squeezed it until it shed enough light to see the rocks directly in front of her.

Ahead of her, in the darkness, she heard the footfalls of the other woman. Behind her, she heard the spirits—they’d followed her into the cave. They shrieked to one another in wordless screams. She hoped they couldn’t see in the dark. She held the firemoss close to her chest, ready to snuff out its light if they drew too close.

Moving as quickly as she dared, she kept trailing the stranger, hoping that the other woman had a plan for escape. At the same time, she needed to make sure the spirits weren’t led back to Roe and Palia.

Ahead she saw the glow of firemoss light—I know this place! It was the cavern with the underground lake. She saw the silhouette of the woman just before she dived into the water.

Brilliant! she thought.

Without hesitating, Mayara dived in after her, plunging herself into liquid darkness. She felt the cool water close around her as she propelled herself deeper.

It was dark, and though her eyes were open, she saw only murky grayness. She hoped she’d been fast enough and the spirits hadn’t seen them dive.

As the swimmer went deeper, Mayara followed, trusting the other woman knew where she was going. Mayara didn’t know if this pool was endlessly deep or if it led anywhere. But she knew she couldn’t return to the surface, not if she wanted to live. She figured the woman wasn’t suicidal, so she pressed on.

The water had a greenish glow to it, as if there was another light source ahead. With it, she could see the faint outline of the other swimmer, as well as feel the movement of the water. She kept her own movements as smooth as possible so that the other woman wouldn’t sense her.