Leo couldn’t stand it any longer. He was sick of watching people fight over something that wasn’t even theirs to begin with. “There’s nothing here for you,” he said to his grandmother. “There’s no power you can wield or control. It belongs to Sera and her city. It gives their city life. You can’t own that. Don’t you see? There are bigger things than some stupid plan to raise yourself up, to rule over a handful of islands. Wyllin just told you our planet is dying and all you can think of is Culinnon and your family legacy and keeping power for yourself.”

“I see you inherited your father’s arrogance,” Ambrosine said to him, her voice dripping with disdain. “That does not surprise me. Agnes, however . . .” She looked at her granddaughter and shook her head. “I thought we had an agreement. I thought you and I were going to change the world.”

“I never said I would join you in those plans.” Agnes looked frightened, but stood her ground, her eyes flitting to Vada, still struggling against the Misarro. “I never wanted to change the world. I came here to be my own person, to study science. I thought I came here for you, too, for a connection to my mother, but you can’t give me that, can you? No more than my father can. You both hoard her. You’re both so wrapped up in yourselves.” She jutted out her chin. “I am Alethea’s daughter. She didn’t want what you were offering and neither do I.”

“I told you, Mother,” Hektor said. “She is ungrateful. Let us go, let us leave them here. The shores are filled with gems; we can take the riches and return to Culinnon.”

“I am not returning to Culinnon until I have the power the scrolls promised,” Ambrosine said, turning on her eldest son with an expression of utter contempt. “And I am not leaving Agnes, no matter how many impassioned speeches she makes. Even if your wife were to somehow manage to produce a child, it would have nowhere near the claim Agnes does. Besides,” she said, her nose wrinkling, “Bellamy would probably just have a boy anyway, and then where would we be?”

Leo could not believe how cruel Ambrosine was to her own offspring. There was something perverse about it, like she enjoyed taunting him. He recalled the memory from his father, when Alethea had said, “I think that island has made my family crazy.” Crazy, perhaps, and also cruel.

“There are no riches here,” Wyllin said. “Those jewels you saw on the beaches were illusions. If you were to try to take them off of Braxos, they would turn to dust in your hands. Once the tether is broken, this whole island will crumble into the sea.”

Hektor looked stunned, his spear trembling. Just then there was an enormous boom that made everyone in the courtyard jump.