The Rogue Queen (The Hundredth Queen #3)(6)

I pray they are already there.

“We haven’t seen or heard from them,” replies Admiral Rimba, squashing my hopes. He continues, speaking around his mint chewing. “But they could have arrived after we left this morning. We’ll soon find out. We must leave now to reach the isles by sunset.”

He and Indah direct us to a cabin at the center of the deck. Pons falls in line behind them, his expression sterner than usual. It is strange not seeing him beside Indah. Prince Ashwin and Kali follow next with Chitt, who chats politely about the humid weather.

Ahead of me, Natesa whispers to Yatin, “Does the ambassador look familiar to you?”

So it isn’t just me.

I step inside a half second after them and miss Yatin’s answer. Benches with pillows line the rectangular cabin, and the doors slide closed to circumvent the wind. Everyone finds a secure place for travel. Of course Ashwin occupies the seat beside Kali. I sit near the exit, splitting my attention between the foreign navy and my rani.

Sailors shut the sliding doors, leaving the door facing the stern open. The Aquifiers manning the deck lift Enki’s Heart on a mountainous swell and fly us forward on a continuous wave. My fingers curl around edge of the bench. In no time, the ship rocks Kali to sleep. I keep alert, less trusting of our hosts than the others, but my attention wavers as nausea dangles in my belly.

Everyone else watches the passing scenery, unbothered by our bumpy speed. Natesa and Yatin point out seabirds and jumping fish to each other. I scan Natesa’s hands for the lotus ring Yatin saved for her. When he was ill, he asked me to give it to her on his behalf. I told him to hold on to it. Now that he is well, I thought he would propose, but Natesa is not wearing the ring.

Yatin notices my ashen pallor. “Do you need a bucket?” he asks in his gentle burr.

“No, just fresh air.”

I compose myself and leave the cabin. When I am out of the others’ view, I stagger to the rail and retch overboard. Spray shoots up, cooling my cheeks. I empty my stomach and slump over. Past the bow, the sea rolls on with no end in sight. I have never seen anything more empty or dreary.

Chitt steps on deck and joins me. “General, do you know Mathura Naik?”

I gulp down more nausea. “She’s my mother. How do you know her?”

“We met years ago at the palace. She had a little boy with solemn eyes about this tall.” Chitt measures the height of a small child. “He wouldn’t fall asleep without his wooden sword.”

“You spent time in the courtesan’s wing,” I say flatly. They only could have met there. My mother was one of Rajah Tarek’s courtesans.

“Mathura was sent to my chamber.” At Chitt’s use of my mother’s first name, I grip the hilt of my sword. “We talked all night long about my travels. Her curiosity for the world was infectious.”

Tarek forced my mother to entertain his men of court and visiting dignitaries. “You never touched her?” I press.

Chitt’s golden eyes flash. Antagonizing a powerful Burner may not be my brightest idea. “General Naik, I do believe that’s a question for your mother.”

“I’ll be certain to ask her.”

“I hope you do.” He considers me closer. “I heard Mathura has another son.”

“My half brother, Brac.”

“You mentioned you were separated from your family. Are they in danger?”

“I don’t know.”

A frown marks Chitt’s brow. “When we reach Lestari, I’ll do what I can to find them.”

“Why?”

“That’s another question for Mathura.” The ambassador pats my upper back in an overfamiliar gesture. “You had the same grave stare when you were a boy . . . and the same affinity for weapons.” He eyes my sword with a side smile that sends a jolt through me.

I gawk after Chitt as he returns inside. I have seen that smirk a thousand times from someone else . . .

Holy gods, I just met Brac’s father.





3

KALINDA

I wake to find I am alone in the cabin. Out the open doors, our party congregates along the bow. Deven braces against the portside rail, wearing a dazed expression. I meet him on deck, achy but rejuvenated.

“Are you all right?” I ask.

“It’s been an odd day.” When no one else is looking, I stroke his hand. His distracted mood peels away, and he smiles. I want to wrap my arms around him, but propriety must be upheld. Deven points past the bow. “We’re here.”

The afternoon sun lights up a far-off wall. The towering pile of stones shoots up from the sea, many times higher than our vessel’s mast. While squinting, I make out a passageway in the barrier. A low, arched bridge, like a strand of a spider’s web, spans the gap.

“What is it?” I ask.

“A breaker. Indah said it encircles the whole island. It fortifies against intruders and errant waves.” Deven sounds impressed, as am I. This wall in the middle of the sea is remarkable.

A dark line on the northern horizon draws my attention. Admiral Rimba stands on the lookout deck on top of the cabin. I call up to him. “What’s that behind us?”

The admiral swivels around and stares past our stern. The line comes into focus—a tremendous wave advances toward us at an alarming pace. He shouts from above, “Sailors, full ahead! Passengers to the cabin!”