“It’s possible we’re both right,” Kai said. “If a pierce of Seril’s in the pool, then maybe the Blue Lady … maybe the idols found it. Learned her language. Absorbed her memories. Discovered how to reach out into the world. That would explain why they only made contact a couple years ago, when Seril returned.”

“The poems were gargoyle poetry, which meant the shard was here. In your pool, safe outside the world.” Teo turned to Kai. “Seril wanted me to plant a beacon her people could use to break in and steal the shard back. That was the bracelet. I seem to have messed up some master scheme of yours, and for that I’m sorry, but this is the end of the line for me. My duty’s done. Now I wait for my ride, and leave.”

“That doesn’t make sense. You expected the Order to let you go? They have allies around the world who will hunt you down.”

“I dropped a bracelet in a pool; they stuck me in a supposedly inescapable box that I then escaped. The only possible reason for their allies to come after me would be if your Order could prove I helped steal something they claim they don’t have from a vault they can’t afford to admit has been breached. I think it’s more likely we’ll all just chalk this one up as an embarrassing incident.”

“She has a point,” Izza said. “The best stuff to steal is stuff the target can’t admit is gone.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Kai said. “We need to get back into the mountain.”

Izza frowned. “Why?”

Kai didn’t answer at first

Izza resisted the urge to squirm under the pressure of the woman’s stare. The few hours in the Penitent hadn’t broken her; refined her, maybe. Hardened her like forge-steel. “The Blue Lady’s dead.” Izza could say that now without weeping. Without even a hook of emotion in her voice. Just a fact. That’s what she told herself. “So is Margot. The Penitents’ trail is cold. The kids are safe. We could just leave. There’s a whole world out there.” Cat had said as much, and she was right. Why did Izza feel so dirty saying the same aloud?

“You’re welcome to stay with me,” Teo said. “Plenty of water to last the three of us until pickup. We’re bound back to Alt Coulumb first, and then, well. Anywhere.”

“Anywhere.” Izza liked the way that word felt in her mouth. They didn’t have Penitents in Anywhere. The sea rolled around them, endless toward freedom, rippling under starlight.

Until Kai spoke.

“The Lady isn’t dead.”

Izza froze.

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Teo said.

Kai ignored her. “The Blue Lady. The Red Eagle. The Great Squid. They’re all alive.”