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In my arms, Prisca stiffened, immediately wriggling free. “What did you say?”
“The Sea Shadow. The captain is one of Regner’s best. I was pleased when I heard this ship hadn’t been seen in the area. Obviously, we celebrated early.” Her frown deepened. “What is he doing?”
“He’s going to ram us,” someone screamed.
The ship barreled toward us, the wind pushing it forward. I lifted my hand, but Prisca grabbed it. “Dance the sails toward the sun,” she said.
“What?”
“The prophecy. It’s the shadow. Dance the sails toward the sun.”
I had no idea what that meant, but I grabbed Daharak as she ran past. “Lift anchor and dance the sails toward the sun.”
“What?”
“Just do it.”
“We need to—”
“Do it, or you’re on your own.”
Daharak glared at me through slitted eyes. “Pushy fae bastard.” Realization slid over her face. “My mother’s prophecy.”
She screamed something to her captain, who spun the wheel, angling the ship. Our sails caught the wind. The Sea Shadow was so close, I could make out the faces of the crew. Grabbing Prisca, I pulled her into me, covering as much of her as I could.
Our ship lurched, leaning to the left.
Slam.
The Sea Shadow’s prow sliced through the water, smashing into the stern of our ship. Someone screamed. Wood splintered as the two ships collided violently. Daharak’s captain continued turning the ship out of the Sea Shadow’s path…
And then the Sea Shadow smashed into the coral reef so close to us, its rear deck instantly reduced to a mess of broken planks and railing. Crew members were thrown from the ship, while jagged fissures arched through the shattered bow, tilting the deck precariously.
Daharak’s crew were already rushing to patch our damaged ship. In my arms, Prisca shuddered. I knew it wasn’t from watching the ships sink.
No, it was because the seer’s prophecy had been correct. The last-second turn had saved us and ensured the Sea Shadow would never hound Daharak again.
We spent the next several hours sitting on the stern while the others gave us some privacy. Prisca didn’t seem to want to talk about the prophecy, and I couldn’t blame her. So I held her tightly as she laid her head on my chest, napping occasionally, until Madinia appeared, her eyes wild.
She held up a message. “The queen’s spies have reported both Eprothan and Gromalian ships leaving their docks in the hundreds. Regner knows what we’re planning.”
Prisca lifted her head. Her eyes were hard. Focused. “Send every message that needs to be sent. We’re taking the barrier down now.”
* * *
Daharak was livid. She didn’t rage, didn’t snarl, didn’t even say a single sharp word. But her silence ate at the air between us.
I had thought I liked to pace, but she had stalked back and forth between the walls in her cabin so many times, it was making me dizzy.
She stopped moving long enough to glower at me. “You knew Regner was going to bring the barrier down.”
“Yes.”
“And how long have you had the boy?”
“Jamic? Since the attack at Lesdryn.”
“That was you.”
