Still.

I vomited until my stomach was empty, felt through my pocket for my calming pills, and held the cool glass bottle in my hand. I didn’t need a pill right now—I didn’t have anything to swallow it with, anyway—but knowing they were there helped.

“Fancy?” Gerel touched my shoulder. “We should head back.”

She was right. We couldn’t stay here. Not with bodies. Not with martial law.

After I spit the taste of bile from my mouth, I pulled myself straight. “Sorry,” I said. “I’ve never seen anything like that.”

“That’s a normal way to react.” She squeezed my shoulder. “There’s no reason to be embarrassed about it.”

I took a gulp of fresh air before moving into the house again. It was strange what the mind and body could get used to in such a short period of time, because the stench didn’t seem quite so bad as I marched through the hall, making sure to avoid stepping in the congealed blood.

On the walk back to the hotel, I couldn’t get the sight of those warriors out of my mind. High Magistrate Paorah must have sent scores of soldiers in there. Warriors—even those away from Khulan—were not easy to kill. And now, Tirta and Elbena were in the high magistrate’s hands. He had his own Hopebearer, and it was impossible to say what he would do with her.

“We should have gotten to them sooner,” I said. “I should have forced Altan to give them up days ago.”

“He wouldn’t have revealed anything.” Gerel led us around a corner. Our hotel glowed cheerily just a block away. “You’d have had to tell him the truth about the empire and Anahera, and I assume that’s not something you’re willing to do yet.”

“I want to tie a rock to him and throw him in the deepest part of the ocean.”

“I can arrange that.” Gerel looked hopeful.

“He still has Kelsine.” Even as I said the words, I wondered if the Drakontos ignitus had been in the house, too. But I hadn’t sensed her presence, nor had I noticed molted scales or talon scrapes.

Then, we reached the hotel. I knocked a quick pattern, and Tanhe ushered us inside. “Your friends?” he asked.

I shook my head. “I need a favor.”

“How can I help?” The end of his question held an unspoken Hopebearer.

“High Magistrate Paorah is holding a summit to discuss the Great Abandonment with the other island leaders.”

Tanhe nodded. “That’s good. Perhaps there’s a way to preserve our islands after all.”

“Perhaps.” I offered my warmest, most patient Hopebearer smile. “I’d like to attend the summit.”

“Of course. You belong there, what with the Luminary Council being . . .” His shoulders curled inward. “Excuse me. I only meant that someone needs to stand for Damina.”

Gerel shifted her weight, and Chenda frowned. I let the beat of silence persist just a moment into uncomfortable, and then I said, “I’m afraid I didn’t intend for anyone to learn my identity.”