Page 54 of Seaborn and the Seven Seas

The boarox’s eyes found mine, holding my gaze one long moment. My heart squeezed and sorrow filled my chest. Then the creature lumbered into the dark tunnel, the gate dropped behind it with a heavy clang.

Pierre’s jaw tightened. “Take them to the dungeon.”

The guards closed around us, steering us back toward the tunnel. I pressed my hand against the wound, still bleeding, still burning with that relentless gnawing pain that showed no sign of easing.

I glanced back over my shoulder as they marched us out. The queen sat perfectly still, her expression unreadable. Beside her, both princes had their jaws clenched, something cracked in their composure they hadn’t bothered to hide.

In the front row, Theron’s eyes followed me, features strained. Was he upset I didn’t die? Or relieved? I couldn’t tell. With Theron, I never could.

Fraya beside him, had her chin raised, fierce, and pride in her eyes. Jina had buried her face against Ranis’s chest, his arms encircling her as he whispered in her ear.

Minha draped an arm around my shoulders, careful with my wound. Neither of us spoke. Talking would come later. Sister love never dies.

Chapter Seventeen

The soldiers threw Jina and me into a dungeon, dirty hay scattered across the stone floor, the stench of urine thick enough to make me gag.

Across the narrow passage, another soldier stopped at the cell near ours. The door groaned open and hands reached in, dragging out two men, their clothes little more than rags. The prisoners grabbed the bars, the walls, anything from being taken.

“Please.” One of them dropped to his knees. “Please, I have children—”

“You’re to face the serragator.” The guard’s voice was flat.

How many times did the soldier have to drag a prisoner out? How many times did he have to say those words? And what in the world was a serragator? Another wild animal Theron caught on behalf of the queen? Only to be credited, not to Theron, but to the crown prince.

Soldiers hauled the men to their feet and dragged them down the passage, their voices fading into the dark until there was nothing left but the drip of water somewhere in the walls and the distant sound of the crowd above us, cheering.

With the soldiers gone, I pulled Minha close with one arm, sobbing into her shoulder. She held me tighter, careful of my wound and holding on like I might disappear.

“It’s so good to see you alive,” I murmured into her hair. “I’ve missed you so much.”

She placed her forehead to mine and held it there. “I’ve missed you more, Sis.”

We inhaled and exhaled a long breath, relieved to see each other.

“How are you in Caelum?” I managed between breaths, pulling back.

She was leaner than I remember. Her ash brown hair braided back like mine, sharp features harder than before. Whatever she’d been through in this castle had carved something new into her face.

“The same way you got here, I suppose.” She dabbed the corners of her eyes.

“Tell me everything.” I slid down until the cold stone met my back, my arm still burning where the horn had wounded me.

The Seaborn healed almost any wound. That’s what Nira said. So why was the pain getting worse? Was the boarox the exception to “almost”?

“Wait. Let me check.” Minha walked the perimeter, running her hands along the walls, pressing at the stone, checking the floor with the toe of her shoe.

That was Minha. We hadn’t been locked up long and she was already planning.

“What are you doing?”

“The one down there.” She pointed toward the west. “There are holes like someone was trying to dig out the bricks.” She exhaled and sat beside me. “I bet we can dig ourselves out of here.”

Later I would examine our possible breakout, but I had no strength in me. Exhaustion had taken its toll on my body.

“Tell me your story.” I winced at the pain, shifting for a comfortable position.

“The fisherman took me on his ship,” Minha said. “But then a pirate with a dark coat and a hat, a very handsome man indeed, bought me with gemstones. Ones like the queen wears on her fingers.”