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“Damien brought her to the Order after everything.” The words were so cruel, Myrrah had to whisper them to the sea and not at me.
The blood drained from my face. “He didwhat?”
Myrrah’s chin trembled in disgust. “He said that it was important that the Shades knew what had happened to their teacher. That they knewno onewas coming for them and that we would serve him just as loyally as we served his father.” Myrrah’s lip curled up like she had a putrid taste in her mouth.
“What happened to her …” I couldn’t bring myself to say the wordbody. “Did you bury her?”
Myrrah shook her head. “We weren’t allowed on the grounds. Damien was very strict about it. We lost a dozen Shades those first few nights.” She looked up at me and patted my arm. “Elaran has some knowledge of Elvish burials. She was able to preserve the body until you came for us.”
“You have her here?” I choked.
Myrrah took a deep breath and nodded. “Perhaps we can set a pyre wherever you are taking us?”
My heart snagged at the broken way Myrrah’s brows quivered as she looked up at me. All her easy laughter was gone, left in the kingdom as yet another tribute Damien had demanded. I kneeled and held both her hands across her lap. “Of course. I will speak to the Elverin as soon as we return.”
Myrrah cupped my face in her hands. “Hildy was right about you, Keera.”
I froze against her palm. Hildegard had too many opinions about me to narrow down a single one.
Myrrah’s icy eyes glinted in the light of the suns. “She always knew you would be the one to bring the Shades out of the kingdom.”
I swallowed the tightness at my throat and shook my head. “She was wrong.” I looked down at the lower deck where Gerarda was bandaging one of the younger initiate’s legs. “I fought Gerarda every step of the way here. It washerwho demanded this.Shesaved you all.”
Myrrah blinked. “The world really must be changing if you’re giving Gerarda the credit.”
“We don’t need to tell her how much it’s changed.” I winked. Gerarda looked up at us as if she knew we were talking about her.
“If you’re done gossiping,” Gerarda shouted, standing beside a different initiate wincing in pain, “there are a few down here who probably shouldn’t wait for a healer, Keera.”
Myrrah raised her brow and I fluttered my fingers. “I have a few new tricks up my sleeve.”
“Apart from the wind and the fire?” Myrrah quipped.
I flicked my wrist and a small gust of wind blew Myrrah hard enough that her chair rolled backward. When she was done blinking she smiled so widely I thought her cheeks would burst. “How long can you hold that for?”
I smirked at Myrrah’s quick mind and nodded for her to grip the steering wheel. “Brace yourselves!” I called across the lower deck before casting a braided orb of wind into the sails. Even though it had been less than a day since I depleted my powers, I felt strong. I didn’t know if it was renewed hope at bringing the Shades home or the release of magic from the second seal, but I knew we would get home quicker than when we left.
Myrrah stared up at the sphere of wind in awe. She glanced along the horizon and realized we were sailing faster than she everhad before. She pulled on one of the custom riggings Nikolai had installed and opened the sail as tall as it could go.
A childlike grin spread across Myrrah’s face and it numbed some of the guilt in my chest. “I like this ship,” she whispered to herself.
“Gerarda, stop glancing at the door.” I gritted my teeth for the third time. “Myrrah has everything under control.”
Gerarda straightened her back. “You have an initiate on lookout.”
I closed my eyes and took a long, steadying breath. Gerarda had been nothing but anxious since we left the capital. To her the mission wasn’t over until the Shades were asleep in their new beds thousands of leagues from Damien or his men.
“I havethreeinitiates on lookout.” I crossed my arms behind the small desk in the captain’s quarters. “Three pair of eyes are better than your one.”
Gerarda’s lip fell flat, obviously insulted.
“Gerrie, sit down,” Elaran said, patting the tiny bit of spare cushion on her chair.
My neck tensed, still not sure how I felt about the former Lady Curringham, but I was grateful to see Gerarda take a seat.
“What do we have to discuss that cannot wait.” Gerarda’s tone was exasperated as she took another glance at the door.
“Keera doesn’t trust me yet.” Elaran ran her fingers through the back of Gerarda’s hair. “This is where I plead my case and she decides whether to throw me overboard.”
