Somewhere in the background, she heard the bells clang on and on, Audrina hanging on the bellpull. If they couldn’t revive her now, Akeylah knew it would be too late by the time trained menders arrived.

“Should something be happening?” Sarella tried to elbow closer.

“Give me space.” Akeylah bent over Ren again. Breathed into her sister’s lungs once more. Sat back on her heels to count to three. Fear and anger warred in her veins.

Come back, Ren. We need you.

I won’t let our enemy take you.

She inhaled. Exhaled into Ren’s mouth.

“I don’t think it’s working.” Sarella pursed her lips.

Akeylah’s heart clenched. No. She couldn’t lose Ren. Not now.

One more try. She leaned down. Breathed into her sister as hard as she could, and at the same time, offered up a prayer. Mother Ocean, please don’t let her die.

This time, a spurt of water rose up in response. Ren gurgled, then spat in Akeylah’s face.

Akeylah fell back on her heels with a cry of relief. Ren coughed, sputtered, spat again. Began to choke, and Akeylah rolled her onto her side and patted her back. Kept doing that until Ren had forced what seemed like at least half the baths out of her throat.

Next to them, Sarella cursed as Ren’s coughs spattered across her knees. The noblewoman leaped up and away, and a near-hysterical laugh threatened to bubble out of Akeylah’s mouth.

Only then did Akeylah realize she had tears streaming down her own face. Tears of fear or joy, she wasn’t sure. She kept her hand between Ren’s shoulder blades, rubbing in circles until Ren rolled onto her back. Eyes half-shut, her breathing still labored, Ren squinted at her sister.

“What happened?” Akeylah asked, voice low and urgent, even though she could already guess. She knew it the moment she saw Ren limp on the ground. Seas, even sooner—she’d felt the fear in her bones, the desperate need to find her sisters, some instinct spurring her to search for them right away, despite her own hallucination in the library.

Ren coughed again. Took a moment before she drew enough breath to reply. When she did, her answer made little sense. “The true heir” were the only words Akeylah could hear.

Akeylah looked up to find Audrina bending down next to her. “The menders are on their way,” the girl murmured.

Sarella stood a little off to the side, staring down at the scene, her mouth a moue of disgust.

Ren groaned, and all their eyes fixed on her once more. Suddenly, with an apparent surge of energy, Ren grasped the collar of Akeylah’s gown and dragged her down, close. “The true heir is coming.” With that, Ren fainted.

Akeylah and Audrina stared at each other, their faces mirror images of confusion, just as the hall outside exploded with the shouts of the menders.

2

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