“He must have wanted whoever showed up with the deck to know exactly where he mailed it. Does the name there mean anything to you?” Seidon asks.

Indeed it does.

And seeing it, I know only one thing: we need to get back to Amelia and Cleo. Now.

Wonders refuse to cease.

We asked Seidon to take us to Coupled Cottage to meet the others, but after checking his phone, he said he was getting texts from his sister—and there was a change of plans. So we follow Seidon into the basement of Baxter Manor. Once down here, he pulls on a seemingly ornamental trident set into the wall, which reveals a secret door leading into an underground tunnel. Seidon explains that this tunnel reaches across the island to both docks, serving as an old panic-room escape route. The escape tunnel is very cool, just like everything else on the island, but I’ve endured one too many surprises to enjoy it much.

Halfway through the tunnel, we finally meet Amelia, Cleo, and Anwar. Spotting Amelia, I don’t think I’ve ever been more relieved to see anyone in my entire life.

“Oh my goddess,” she says as she grabs and hugs me. “You’re never going to believe what just happened.”

I hug Amelia and feel like melting. Her presence is like a lighthouse shining.

“We only need to take one boat back,” Seidon says. “But we should keep moving, just in case…”

Seidon doesn’t finish, so I turn to Amelia. From the look on her face, I can tell what must have happened with recovering the Princess of Cups. What I can’t tell, however, is what happened with Lady Azure to make us need to “keep moving.” Obviously, we’ll need to discuss all this later, because now is not the time. My pulse picks up in my harried veins. It feels like some big bad looms behind us in this darkened tunnel. Anything feels like it could come for us, after these last two delirious days.

“For the record, I texted Lily when we first got here,” Seidon says as we all half-jog through the tunnel. “I only went through with separating you so we could help you get what you need faster and get off the island. I didn’t know what my mom really wanted either, but I knew it wouldn’t be as… selfless as she seemed.”

“I can vouch for Seidon,” I say, even though I hate speaking the words. “It’s a long story, but let’s all talk about it back in Charvan.”

“Wait,” Amelia says, grabbing my shoulder as we move. “Did you find out who Perilli mailed the deck to?”

“Yes,” I answer directly.

I then hesitate a beat. I know what this news will do to Amelia, the impact it will have. Though really, at this point, is there any other way to say this?