“Now just wait a second,” Cami says, leaning forward. “We’re not going to sabotage anything, you—”

“Do we really have time to debate this?” I ask before Cami can say something we’ll both regret. “We’re coming, whether you like it or not.”

I’m not sure where my newfound confidence is coming from—whether it’s desperation to leave the catacombs after being down here for nearly a week, or whether it’s the driving need to be doing something. I think it’s both. And given the scope of what I can—hypothetically—do, they can’t stop us from joining them. While Kael could use his Destroyer ability to nullify the power of my words, he seems to be on our side rather than yielding to Arryn. I wonder again who she is, and then I wonder who has more authority— her or him. No one has explained the Remnants’ leadership hierarchy to me yet. I’ve always thought Kael was at the top, with him taking on the position after his father died. But Arryn … she isn’t acting like a subordinate. She’s standing up to him, even now.

Staring me down, she doesn’t break eye contact. Her jaw is clenched, but she’s considering what I’ve said. I don’t know what Speaking ability she has, but I’ve only met two people who can control or dissolve my words—Kael and Ward. The likelihood of Arryn being similar to them is slim, but not impossible.

I don’t release her gaze—or my breath—until she backs down and, with a frustrated huff, shoves past Kael and through the open door.

“Such a pleasure to meet you!” Cami calls after her retreating figure.

“Cam,” I warn, my voice low. We don’t need to be making enemies of allies. Even when those allies are acting like enemies.

“She started it,” Cami grumbles, which isn’t untrue.

“Come on,” Kael says, taking off after Arryn. “If you want to stick your necks out for no good reason, then we’d better hurry before they cast off.”

Cast off? We must be taking the ferry to wherever the breakout Speaker is, much like the last time I left the catacombs.

Only … when we race through the tunnels and finally venture up into the chilly night air, there’s no ferry waiting for us at the zoo’s private dock. Instead, there’s a sleek black yacht. It’s small, but even my untrained eye can tell that it must be worth millions.

“All aboard,” says Keeda as we approach the gangplank. Having seen us in the command center, she doesn’t appear surprised that Cami and I are here, but she does raise her eyebrows questioningly at Kael, who gives a one-shouldered shrug in return.

Laughing quietly under her breath, Keeda murmurs, “This’ll be good.”

I’m not sure what she means until Arryn calls out from the front of the yacht, “Anytime you’re ready—it’s not like we’re in a hurry!”

Her eyes lit with amusement, Keeda says, “Jump on, and I’ll get us moving.”

My lips tighten as I wonder again about the irritable Arryn, but I do as Keeda says, following as she ducks into the cabin and heads toward the cockpit, Kael and Cami trailing me. A man is seated on a leather stool behind the navigational controls, his eyes staring blankly through the windows that look out over the front of the vessel.