One god had risen. Abandoned his people. Killed most of them, too.

Any island could be next.

This one, maybe.

“Do you think the others had any luck finding Nine?” I spoke softly, but Gerel still glanced around with a worried frown.

Fair. Nine was a spy from the Algotti Empire, and it was dangerous to talk about them in public, but no one was paying attention to us. Rooftops and balconies were packed with people trying to get a good view of the port, while the streets were even more crowded. Anticipation knotted through the crush below, with pale blue noorestones dotting the sea of dark faces and bright headscarves. Even with the god-shadowed hush, there was still enough ambient noise to obscure our conversation.

“We’ll find out when we get back.” Gerel glanced north, toward the Fire Rose Hotel, where we were all staying. “I don’t like so many of us being out at once. Altan could easily overpower Chenda and Zara. And Aaru is in no state to help.”

She said it without judgment, but just thinking about Aaru and his state was painful. He’d been physically present but emotionally absent ever since the earthquake.

“Altan could have left after”—I lowered my voice—“the battle at the ruins. But he didn’t. He stayed with us.” Maybe he’d been compelled by honor, but more likely he still needed something from us. He’d wanted to help us free the dragons, but I didn’t imagine he’d genuinely changed since his attack on Crescent Prominence.

“And he’s been useless ever since.”

I couldn’t argue with that. While we’d been going out in pairs to search for Nine, we kept Altan locked in a closet. Partly because we weren’t sure what to do with him, and mostly because we needed information, which he refused to give. Like where he’d sent Tirta and Elbena, who’d betrayed me, or Kelsine, the Drakontos ignitus we’d befriended.

“What do you think is going to happen when we find that spy—”

“Nine,” I said.

“Nine. Fine. Whatever. What do you think will happen when we find them, anyway?” Gerel asked.

“We’ll ask a thousand questions.” To start with. I needed to know more about the Algotti Empire, but that need was impossible to explain to the others. At least right now. Ever since we’d destroyed the ruins above Flamecrest and set the dragons free, something had been different. My dreams—previously just dreams of flying—felt stranger. Older. More powerful.

Gerel just shook her head. “I hope you’re making a list.”

“Of course.”

“It just doesn’t seem like enough. Listening to gossip. Looking for Nine. Keeping Altan locked in a closet. What are we doing here, besides waiting for the world to finish falling apart?”

“Trying to find a way to put it back together.”

“Unless you know something I don’t, I’m afraid that’s impossible.” She dropped her gaze to the noorestone in her hands. “Nothing better to do, though. I’d rather die doing something meaningful, but I’ll settle for staying busy.”