I rubbed the ache above my brow. “If Stonegate and King Damir are honorable, then why does no one truly know what goes on with a melder? Why are we forced to serve the king?”

“I don’t know.” Kael rubbed a hand on the back of his neck. “What I do know is when we reach Stonegate we must choose who we trust with care. This betrothal brings whispers of war, Ly. And the king will want our craft to be at the center of it.”

10

Lyra

“You cannot remain here, and must walk the deck.” Emi had rid her waist of her knives and the pouch with her herbs. Dressed down in a black tunic and simple hosen, the bone crafter seemed wholly unthreatening.

“Woman,” Kael grumbled when she nudged his leg with her toe. “You’ve already tried to kill me once—”

“I did not try to kill you,” she said in a huff. “For the last time, it was merely to spur her craft. I had it under control.”

“Forgive me, Stav Nightlark, but I find your methods rather cruel. Now let me be.”

Emi, at least two heads shorter than Kael, bent down and pressed a hand to his arm. For a moment, she didn’t move.

Then Kael cursed and wrenched his arm away. “Damn you. Going to snap my arm now?”

“I will bend all your bones if you keep resisting my command.” Emi grinned with a touch of smugness. “You need to walk. It helps the blood flow instead of pooling and hastens the healing in your wound.”

“That you caused.”

Emi pointed her face at the sky. “Get. Up.”

Kael’s protests and complaints faded once he was on his feet. His spine curved from the pain, but he was sturdier and had color in his cheeks again.

Dreary as our future seemed, Kael still managed to taunt and jest and brighten the journey. I did not wish this upon any of us, but was selfishly delighted I was here with him instead of facing it alone.

Hilda slept against Edvin’s shoulder while he kept watch on the distant seas. There was little I could say to ease his heartache. So I said nothing, and merely squeezed his shoulder before rounding the mast to find my place.

Golden ribbons of sunlight drifted beyond the horizon, and opposite were shades of gray and black—the hills of Stonegate. As Emi promised, by nightfall we would make land.

On the other side of the mast, one elbow propped on the rail, was Ashwood.

Unlike Emi, Roark kept his seax on his hip and a bearded ax tied to a sheath on the small of his back. He curled two fingers, signaling for me to join him, and when I hesitated it only drew out a wretchedly intriguing half grin on his mouth.