And, since Varek knew where we’d be going, it was the perfect opportunity for him to lay a trap.
“Do we have any beasts to worry about at this site?” Oz asked around a mouthful of bread.
“I’m less familiar with water beasts, but…” My mind whirred as I sifted through years of reading from Hireath’s library. There wasn’t much to go off. Charmers hardly left behind knowledge of beasts since our bestiaries recorded everything for us. Instead, we set out on beast hunts after sharing information via word of mouth. And not many of us had ever ventured into ocean waters.
Except your parents.
One memory bubbled to the surface, and I swallowed hard. Ever since Yazmin’s threat, visions of them kept surfacing in my mind. I didn’t even remember them, not really. But I remembered that day. The way my aunt had wailed and the deep, unbearable sense of agony that her voice carried. One I felt in my bones, but didn’t fully understand. They’d journeyed to the southern coast to tame a beast that could safely transport us across the open seas. They wanted to travel the world with me at their side.
They never came back.
“We might run into a Revmandra.”
Calem set his food down in his lap and scowled. “I can’t take another run-in with an S-Class monster.”
“Not S-Class. A-Class. Still dangerous, though. It’s the beast my parents were after when they disappeared.”
Disappeared. Not died. Pressing my eyes shut, I shook my head. I needed to stop doing that. Stop pretending,hoping, that they were among the missing Charmers Yazmin kept raving about. But her lies were tantalizing. A past I never had. A chance at something I’d long forgotten. If they were alive…
“Leena.” Noc brushed a gentle finger along my cheek, startling me. I blinked up at him. “Are you okay?”
“Yes.” Turning my face toward him, I sighed. “I promise.”
His smile was sad. “Okay.”
“So is this another cut-and-run type of deal?” Calem asked.
“Maybe. I know the ingredients necessary to charm one, and if we were successful, it would make traveling to Rhyne much safer. A rowboat across open waters sounds…awful.” She grimaced. “But I’m not sure we have everything to tame the beast.”
Oz polished off the last of his bread and brushed his hands along his loose work shirt. “What do you need?”
“Fish, seashells, pearls,” I said, ticking off the items on my fingers as I began to pace. “The first two are easy enough to acquire on-site. Pearls are a bit more difficult. Manageable, but if we’re pressed for time, then not so much.”
“Does it matter what color they are?” Noc asked.
I frowned. “No. Why?”
“Yuna’s Ruins is covered in pink pearls. But stealing them is considered sacrilegious. I suppose we could ask Yuna beforehand, but I can’t promise she’ll say yes.” Noc turned so his back was to the sea, white hair framed by the moon and stars above.
Frowning, I peered out over the endless ocean. “We’ll try that first. If she disagrees, then looks like we’ll go oyster hunting and hope we find a pearl before Varek finds us.”
“Great.” Calem glanced between us. “Is that it?”
“Ah, well, no.” I cleared my throat. “There’s still the matter of the final taming ingredient: a pirate’s treasure.”
“What, like buried treasure? A chest of aurics?” Oz leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees.
“Not necessarily. The treasure just has to be something invaluable to said pirate.”
Slowly, Noc turned his gaze on Calem. “Good thing we know a pirate.”
Calem blanched and shook his head. “No. You’ve got to be kidding me.” He turned toward me with a pleading look as he wrung his hands together. “We don’t need that, right? I changed my mind. Let’s just flee. We can outswim a terrifying water beast. Totally. No need to involve Harlow.”
Oz’s laugh rolled from somewhere deep in his chest. “Who said anything aboutinvolvingHarlow? Just steal some of her treasure.”
Calem launched to his feet, kicking his chair out from under him. “Did you not hear that thinly veiled threat earlier?”
“That was thinly veiled?” I mused. Noc chuckled.
