“The Bullets are vulnerable right now. They have tormented the people of these seas for long enough. I intend to change that. I will change that. But I need your help. We all do.” Caledonia paused, then, sensing their reluctance, she added, “Now is the time to fight this fight. We can make this world better than it is. We can work together and change things.”

“How? You defeated Aric, but another has risen in his place. There will always be another Bullet.” Osias shook his head. “We have nothing to gain from joining your war.”

Frustration surged in Caledonia’s lungs. She quickly pushed it down again. “You may be able to avoid the fight, but it has imprisoned you just the same.”

“Our river is not a prison.” It seemed the ocean was already pulling Osias away, ending the discussion on his behalf.

“What about your soils?” Caledonia asked, feeling desperation make her voice sharper. For all that the Hands had plenty of tech in their possession, soiltech eluded them.

“What are you doing?” Pisces muttered.

Caledonia ignored her. Now was not the time for caution. She had to do something. “We have Bullet soiltech and we are close to re-creating it, and when we do, we’ll share it with you. We’ll give you the tech and the plans for reproduction.”

This time Osias seemed to consider her proposition. He paused, listening as the others slipped alongside him and whispered their own thoughts. Caledonia held her breath, not daring to make another sound in case she upset whatever might be working in her favor.

But her hopes plummeted when the discussion stopped and Osias bent his mouth in a frown.

“No,” he said. Then he turned to Amina and added, “Do not bring strangers to our river again, Amina of Maryam Water.”

Without another word, they turned their slender vessels, and vanished into the rivers.

CHAPTER SIX

The white cliffs of Cloudbreak sifted through the fog, darkening against the sky in a slow smile.

Though Hesperus had revealed to Caledonia that there were more ways in and out of the city itself than the lifts, they were still the fastest. And they’d gotten faster. Over the past six moons, Old Man Clagg had managed to cut nearly a minute from the time it took to travel up the harrowing cliffside. With Oran’s help, he’d shaved off an additional thirty seconds. Now, as the command crew stepped onto the pallet and they pulled away from the ground, Caledonia felt every second of that speed.