Lina released Bri and hustled up the little incline toward the parted trees and endless stretch of blue. She gasped and dropped down into a crouch. At the sound, Bri fell onto her belly and crawled up to see what had caused Lina alarm.

Air whooshed from her lungs at the sight: twelve ships, sails lowered, anchored in the choppy waters beyond the bay. She narrowed her eyes at the fleet. Even a single merchant vessel docked there would be peculiar, but twelve?

“Look,” Lina whispered, pointing to the launch boat being lowered into the water.

Bri could barely make out the bodies crammed into the boat, swathes of blond and auburn hair and pale faces. An elderly woman sat at the front, her silver hair flowing over her shoulders, and a black spot rested against her chest.

“A totem pouch,” Bri murmured. “Do you think she’s one of the violet witches?”

Lina ducked behind the tree, peeking out as another ship lowered a boat into the water. “How did they know we were here?”

“A blue witch’s vision?” Bri guessed, shaking her head. “Shit. I knew it wasn’t safe to come here alone. We need to get out of here. Now.”

“Bri.” Lina pointed out to the third boat lowering into the water. “Is that?”

She squinted at the slender figure with a mop of blond hair and she froze. “Augustus Norwood.” She’d never thought the sight of the little blond brat would instill such fear, but now . . . She yanked on Lina’s arm. “We’ve got to go.”

“But . . . what if they sack the library?” Lina whirled and began to run, following Bri back down the trail at double the pace.

“They probably will,” Bri barked, adrenaline filling her veins as she ran. “We need to get everyone out of here, especially you.”

“Why do they keep coming for me?” Lina snarled, her axe slamming against her back with each leap. “I’m no threat to the East.”

Bri glanced over her shoulder to make sure Lina was right behind. She slowed, pacing herself. The boats weren’t even launched yet, and it would take hours to row against the turbulent waters and reach the shoreline from that distance.

“He wants your crown,” Bri said. “Augustus told Rua he had plans for the West and South. With them and the East, he could easily overtake the last two kingdoms. He wants it all.”

“But doesn’t the Northern Court Queen possess the Immortal Blade?” Lina sucked in ragged breaths but pushed faster.

They swooped past the waterfall, barely giving it a passing glance. They’d have to remember it fondly later. First, they had to survive.