As we approached the hidden crevice, we passed the first statue: the child. Waves crested against her calf as she stood on one foot, the other kicked out behind her. With one hand upstretched and face upturned, she reached for the heavens with a blissful smile. She was the symbol of innocence and wonder. More than that, of pure, unrestricted belief. A necessary conviction any ascending prince or princess needed to have in order to become a ruler of Lendria.
You are the child.Tyrus’s words rumbled through my mind, low and demanding.You possess pure belief.I frowned. I’d never oncebelievedI was the best ruler for this country. His conviction still baffled me, and yet… I cut a glance to myanam-cara. To her wide-eyed wonder and heartwarming smile.
I believed inherunconditionally. In the good she’d bring to our kingdom. And maybe I could even believe in the man she inspired me to try to be.
Something warm ignited in my chest.
Next came the mother. Still smiling, but a bit more subdued. Her expression was one of love as she looked upon the child. Hands clasped before her, she watched after her family with total devotion. That, too, was a necessary trait to becoming king or queen—compassion and dedication to one’s people.
You are the mother.The warmth in my chest spread to my limbs.You love fervently.This, I believed. I would die for my brethren—had died for my country—and I would do it again if it meant the people I loved were safe. And Leena felt the same, that much I knew. My desire for her to be queen wasn’t just because she was myanam-cara. It was because her benevolence, her kindness and compassion, knew no bounds.
And finally, the elder. She looked at no one. Instead, her gaze was cast far out to sea, scanning the horizon for what had yet come to pass. Her wisdom and the ability to consider not just her current predicament but the future as well was what, above all else, it meant to be a ruler. To think critically, to act appropriately, to make hard decisions to ensure prolonged happiness for her people instead of immediate gratification that would fade with time.
You are the elder. Your decisions are guided by wisdom.
A deep sense of acceptance flooded my body. I’d always valued the counsel of my friends and family. I’d listened to people like Gaige and Kost as they’d strategized for a better future, just like my father had done with his own advisers. There were always other perspectives, other ways of approaching things, and true wisdom meant considering all viewpoints—not just my own. Maybe Tyrus was right. Maybe I did possess the values needed to rule. A slow-moving, cautious smile tugged at my lips.
“Noc.” Ozias cleared his throat, pulling my attention to him. “Where are we supposed to dock?”
We’d reached the side of the mountain a few feet away from the crevice. Waves crashed rhythmically around us, and our boat nudged the sheer, water-slicked surface. There wasn’t a single hold we could use to secure the boat with rope, and the water was much too deep for an anchor. Not that we had one to begin with. I doubted any royal previously visited this ruin without the comfort of a fleet at their backs, or at least one solid ship to drop anchor and await their return—warm cabins, food, and blankets at the ready.
“Selenis can hold the boat from beneath the waves while we visit the ruins, just in case we’re unsuccessful in taming the Revmandra,” Leena said, flexing her fingers. Rosewood light bloomed around her hand, and she summoned the Vissirena that’d helped us tame Jax and Lola, the Laharocks, so long ago. Selenis manifested before us and batted her fishlike tails against the waves.
Ozias grinned and tossed the rope off the side of the boat. “There ya go, Selenis. Hold onto it for us, will you?”
She flipped her seaweed and tentacle hair with one of her webbed hands before snagging the rope.
“Stay out of sight,” Leena added. Her beast nodded once before diving deep into the ocean, her iridescent scales glimmering in the sunlight until she disappeared in the mountain’s shadow.
Calem dropped his oar in the boat, drove his hand into the sea, and cursed. “We’ll freeze our asses off.”
Following suit, I dragged my fingers through the ice-cold water. A shiver raced up my arms. Cold wouldn’t kill an assassin of Cruor. Touched by death, we could withstand dangerously low temperatures. It wouldn’t be comfortable, but manageable. For Leena, though… My eyes slanted to her. She worried her lip between her teeth and stared at the choppy, blue-green sea.
“You should stay with Selenis and the boat.”
She jerked her head my way and frowned. “No. We’re doing this together, Noc. All of it.” She pierced me with a fierce stare that had me swallowing my retorts.
Ozias grimaced and laid his oar flat across his thighs. “Plus, if the Revmandra shows up, she’s the only one who can charm it.”
Tension coiled tight in my shoulders, and I rubbed the back of my neck. We couldn’t afford to dally. If Harlow discovered we’d stolen the conch, she still had time to come after us. Not to mention, there was the very real threat of Varek. He’d coordinated an ambush at Tyrus’s Ruins. But that force was just a small showing of the power he wielded. Varek had an entire armada he could’ve unleashed on us. And while they’d all likely returned to port for Winter Crest, that holiday had since passed. Which meant his ships could be lying in wait anywhere.
“All right. Let’s move quickly. The sooner we’re out of here, the better,” I said.
“Agreed.” Leena stood slowly, keeping her balance in the rocking boat. With nimble fingers, she took off her overcoat and let it fall to the floor. Her long-sleeved blouse and skintight breeches would do little to protect her from the icy sea, but wearing her leather coat would only weigh her down. Before I could warn her, she jumped into the water. Bubbles and foam rose to the surface as she sank down, and I gripped the edge of the boat. She popped her head up, wet hair floating around her in a halo, and yelped.
“Holy gods, it’s cold!”
“I wasn’t exaggerating.” Calem glanced between her and me. “Here goes nothing.” Jumping in after her, he sprayed us in a sheet of ice-cold water. He surfaced quickly with a litany of curses that sent Leena’s brows skyward.
Ozias and I abandoned ship together. Needles pricked at my skin the moment I submerged, and a deep tingling started in my extremities. Kicking to the surface, I treaded water near Leena. “You okay?”
“For now.” Her teeth began to chatter. “Let’s just hurry.”
“We’ll stay above water as long as we can. But when I dive, you all need to dive, too. There’s an underwater current in the crevice that will drag us straight to the ruin. It’s the only way we’ll make it there and not drown. Understood?”
They nodded their agreement, and I began to swim toward the ruin’s entrance. Blue-green water shifted to ink-black the moment we passed into the mountain. The farther in we swam, the darker it became. Soon, the morning sun was just a blip at our backs, a glittering reminder of where to go once we returned. I tossed a quick glance behind me to check on Leena. Visible gooseflesh covered her flushed cheeks, but she didn’t complain. Instead, she nodded my direction and kept swimming. The path narrowed until I reached a point where I could graze the mountain on either side of me with my hands.
“Here,” I said, treading water. “Make a chain so we don’t lose each other.” Grabbing Leena’s hand, I indicated for her to do the same. She snared Ozias’s forearm, and he gripped Calem’s wrist. “Take a deep breath and hold on.”
