In the dark hours just before dawn, Calem had exited our hidden cabin and snuck into Harlow’s sleeping chamber in search of some treasure we could use. Ozias, Leena, and I had all remained behind so as to not draw further attention to Calem’s plans. Only when the early morning rays slanted through the stained windows did we rise and dare to enter the main area of Harlow’s quarters. Calem had exited her room just as we’d exited ours. With a wide grin, he lifted a small pouch to the ceiling in triumph before hiding it in one of the inner pockets of his coat. Relief sang through me. He’d gotten what we needed, but more importantly, he was safe.
“What now?” Ozias asked.
“We wait,” I said, placing a finger against my lips. The last thing we wanted was to discuss our plans in the open or let Harlow know we’d stolen from her. From beyond her door, I could just detect the sounds of her waking. A long, exaggerated yawn. Feet padding against the floor. Any minute now, she’d emerge ready to escort us to our rowboat.
Leena shifted, facing the windows stretching across the back wall. Kings Isle loomed before us, a slate-black mountain jutting out of the ocean and reaching toward the sun. Right at the curve of the bay, where water sucked into a hidden crevice leading to Yuna’s Ruins, stood three massive statues made of soapstone and lime. The child, the mother, and the elder. Not quite as tall as the island, they stood guard over the mage’s burial site, and for a moment, I smiled. My mind rewound to the night I’d had dinner with Leena while journeying to Ortega Key, how I’d quizzed her about these very statues.
She’d stolen my attention from the moment I met her, with her determination, her passion, the way she never backed down from what she thought was right. As she studied the ocean, I looked at her. Deep-brown hair fell around her face in waves. Her hazel eyes were full of wonder and worry. She was easier to read now. Less of a puzzle than she used to be, but somehow more intriguing. Her gaze snagged on the statues, and she stilled. Then, she turned my way and tossed me a knowing grin.
Harlow’s door opened, and the captain appeared fully dressed with a bright smile on her face. None the wiser, it seemed, about Calem’s theft. “Ready to get the hell off my ship?”
A loud clank sounded as the anchor dislodged from the side of the boat and rushed toward the seafloor. Her crew was directing the passengers to the prow of the ship. A sightseeing distraction so we could slip away unseen.
Calem draped his arm over Ozias’s shoulder and offered her a blazing grin. “Lead the way, Harlow.”
She turned, hair bouncing against her shoulders, and strolled out onto the deck. As promised, there were no people to be found. We could hear their voices carrying over the ocean breeze—a mixture of breathless exclamations and adoration—as crew members shared the lore of the statues. Still, we were careful to move quietly and quickly, following Harlow in a single line until we reached our rowboat. It had already been lowered into the calm waters below, and a ladder hung off the side of theSea Mare.
Harlow gave me a curt nod as she folded her arms across her chest. “Pleasure doing business with you.”
The trade routes. I’d almost forgotten. I schooled my irritation into a look of indifference. Pirate or no, she’d gotten us out of Invere safely. “Thank you for your assistance.”
Ozias shimmied down the ladder first, dropping into the rowboat and steadying himself before reaching up to help Leena.
Harlow watched them go. Just as Calem started his descent down the ladder, she caught my gaze. “I’ll be waiting for those trade agreements.”
“I’ll send them as soon as I can.” I nodded a goodbye and then followed after my family. The moment my feet met the wood, Calem and Ozias thrust the oars into the ocean and guided us away from theSea Mareand Harlow’s weighted stare. Once we’d put some distance between us, I finally allowed myself to breathe.
“You think Harlow will come after us?” Leena asked, eyes still locked on the ship.
“Most definitely.” Calem’s proud grin stretched his lips tight. “Not now, though. She’s got a schedule to stick to with all those nobles aboard. Let’s just hope she doesn’t notice the conch is gone until after they’ve set sail.”
“Conch?” I asked.
Calem paused in his rowing to extract the pouch and toss it to me. “Queen Jessamine’s Conch.”
I blinked, fingers tight against the cord. “She had that?”
“Yup.”
Leena sidled up beside me and pressed her chin to my shoulder. “What is it?”
Gently, I undid the cord and removed the conch. Larger than my fist, it glittered in the morning sun. Rows of white diamonds alternated with chocolate ones, highlighting the dual tones of the shell beneath. A small sapphire indicated the clasp, and I opened it to reveal the iridescent, pale-pink interior.
“It was my great-grandmother’s. My great-grandfather had it made for her as a wedding present. No one knows where it ended up.”
“Well, until now.” Calem smirked.
Leena’s eyes went wide. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s yours.” I handed it to her, and she let her fingers dance across the shell, hesitant. “It was meant to be passed on from queen to queen.”
Her hand stilled. Her gaze, full of quiet warmth, met mine. She looked at me as if I’d just given her the world. Just knowing that she would rule over Lendria with me, the very same woman who’d eradicated my curse, who brought joy to my life and my family, who cared more about everyone else than herself… There’d never been a better queen in the making. If only I was a better king. Taking the pouch from me, she secured the conch shell to her waist and smiled. She, at least, was determined to take on the world.
“Where exactly are we heading?” Calem asked.
I shook free the lingering self-doubt and took in the mountain behind him. Slate layered upon slate created a sheer surface, but there was a small sliver of darkness. A crack where two faces of rock had crashed together and then fallen away.
“There,” I said, pointing to the entrance.
