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“You believe her far too quickly,” said Merrick to Dunn. “Perhaps they may not have been dead then, but marooning them with criminals on Ash Island is a guaranteed death sentence. Don’t you see what she's doing here, Dunn? She’s conspired with the outlaws and is trying to lure us into danger with her lies. Look—” She crouched in front of me. “The fact that at least seven nobles have disappeared while caught in the net of your conspiracy won’t be forgiven, by any means. Whether Brennin’s alive or dead, youwillbe tried for treason. Maeve Brennin is demanding that we discover the truth about what happened to him before the Fourth House inherits the throne, but she and the First Immortal both made it clear that you cannot be trusted.” She stood up, preparing to leave. “I don’t know why we’re even wasting our breath.”
“The First Immortal?” I asked. “You don’t mean . . . Cael Ruskin?”
“Yes, but probably not for long, unless—” Dunn began.
My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe Cael had managed to keep his title even after I’d left. He must’ve avoided any blame and I didn’t understand how.
“Quiet!” said Merrick from the doorway. “This murderer is not entitled to our answers.”
“I’m not a murderer!” I yelled, getting to my feet and pulling against my shackles. “The closest I’ve come to killing anyone was faking my own death.”
Merrick turned and kicked the sack away from the door. Then she and Dunn exited into the sunlight and slammed the door, leaving us to our dark, foul-smelling, rat-infested prison.
“Why didn’t you tell them about Cael’s treason?” Cait asked. “He’s as guilty as you are.”
“If I say that, they’ll be one hundred percent convinced I’m a liar. If he’s still First Immortal, that means they’re taking orders from him. They won’t believe he had any part in this. Besides . . .” I paused. I wasn’t sure my instincts were right on keeping his involvement secret, but it seemed like it might be the only chance I still had of getting away with my crimes if he still had influence. “Maybe it’s better if he stays in power, at least for now.”
“Why?” asked Cait. “He’d love for your secrets to die with you.”
I sighed. She was probably right.
A shout from above cut through my grim thoughts and the boat careened to the side.
I yelped as I rolled with it, righting myself as the boat did the same.
Footsteps trampled the deck and shouts filled the air. A pistol cracked.
The noise ascended into chaos, more pistol shots adding to the din. A bullet smashed through the ceiling, wood slivers cascading over us in a narrow beam of sunlight.
We ducked and gasped, covering our heads with our shackled hands.
An ear-splitting sound, like impossibly fast thunder on repeat, rumbled through the entire frame of the boat. I gritted my teeth. A dozen more holes ripped through the ceiling.
Cait screamed. I squeezed my eyes shut and flattened myself to the ground, sure this was the end of my life, maybe even the world.
Then, all at once, it stopped. Something hard hit the deck above, and a final sickening thud followed.
We were frozen, peering at each other in the dusty rays of light cast by the shredded holes in the cabin ceiling. Cold water touched my hand, and I pulled it away in shock.
The holes weren't only on the ceiling. The cabin floor beneath us was riddled with plenty of its own. My ringing ears finally registered the sound of water bubbling up from the deep sea. We jumped up, tugging away from the wall, but our chains held us fast, the water quickly rising to our ankles.
“Help!” Cait screamed, fighting against her shackles.
I was about to question her trust in the attackers who’d probably just killed someone—until I realized how fast the water was rising. So, instead, I joined in, shouting for help in case anyone might listen.
The door burst open.
We stopped yelling and squinted at the silhouette in the doorway. It was a man in a loose uniform and a ponytail, his face in shadow.
“Is that you, blondie?”
“Keane!” I nearly shrieked his name.
He raised his fingers and whistled. Within moments, two men came down the steep stairway behind him.
“Find the keys, Vaughn,” he said.
One man nodded and hurried back up to the deck.
