“Your mother,” Vex said, a breath, “betrayed—”
“Your father promised us a new Argrid,” Jakes stated. “But he refused to do what needed to be done to destroy Elazar, so yes, my mother took action. Elazar already distrusted his brother. She put one letter on Elazar’s desk, one correspondence between Rodrigu and the Grace Lorayan rebels, and that was all it took. My parents were going to lead the rebellion after him. My parents were going to changeeverything.”
“Your mother told Elazar—she’sthe reason for—”
“Elazar killed my sister and niece—and I find out, years later, that it was so much worse than that. Heusedthem.” Jakes slammed his fist into the wall beside Vex’s head, making him jump. “And—andTeo.You have no idea where he came from? Defensors told my family that when Bianca died, she was pregnant. That she suffered complications—but Elazar experimented on her. On Annalisa, too, and I know—I knowhe defiled them. He, or one of his soldiers. Someone forced that child on her. And Teo is—Teocan’t be—”
Jakes sobbed with such force that Vex almost felt sorry for him.
Vex stayed against the wall by the helm, his breathing shallow. His eye went to the table at the rear of the pilothouse. He’d left Nayeli’s Budwig Bean in the top drawer. What could she do to help him now, though?
“Elazar has a vial of permanent magic.” Jakes’s voice was low, the tone of resolve fraying. “If he has already taken it, we’ve lost.Thatis my goal, my family’s goal, to stop him.”
Vex wilted. “You’re—you’re gonna go after Elazaryourself?Now? What about Teo?”
Jakes’s jaw shifted. “If the boy has magic in him—no. He doesn’t. Lu’s magic has already proven itself. That is what will stop this war.”
Vex snarled, shoulders tensing. “Rationalize all you want. Teo’s the sweetest, most loving kid on this island.Maybe this whole damn world. And the fact that you’re trying to make yourself feel all right about putting Elazar’s downfall over his security?You’rethe coward.”
“I’ve given everything for this war!” Jakes screamed a hand’s width back so Vex felt the full brunt of his pain and fury. “Elazar has ripped everyone I love out of my arms, and I will get that vial from him. I will stop him.”
Jakes reared back as if to punch the wall again, but his stance shifted, and Vex saw the strike coming for him. He braced himself on the helm and kicked Jakes in the chest.
Agony flared up Vex’s legs. Bones shifted and muscles frayed and he screamed as Jakes slammed into the opposite wall with a startledoof.
Vex dropped to the floor, his face contorted in pain.
Jakes gathered himself faster than Vex. “Find... find thatboy,” he spat, the weight of not saying Teo’s name landing unsteady and weak. “Waste your time running useless missions. ButI’mgoing to stop Elazar.I’mgoing to protect our country, you disgusting traitor.”
He shoved himself to his feet, raced across the deck, leaped off onto New Deza’s wharf.
Vex scrambled to the table and yanked open the drawer. The pouch with the Budwig Bean was still inside—he snatched it and planted the bean into his ear. “Nay? Nayeli?”
Silence. It would’ve been a miracle if she’d had the other bean in her ear at that moment.
Vex slackened, the current rocking the untetheredMeander. Jakes would go after Elazar—and what? He wanted permanent magic more than anything rational.
Jakes Rayen. Jakome Casales. Ben’s former... whatever. Teo’s uncle. Raya’s son.
Whoever he was. Whichever side of this he was on. Not Elazar’s side, but not the raiders’ side, either. His own manic side.
Vex looked out the door, at the port. He couldn’t spot in which direction Jakes had run off, the crowds pressing back and forth under the fluttering decorations. He felt like eyes watched from every angle, ears listened from every empty rooftop.
Let defensors catch Jakes in New Deza—it was as much as he deserved.
But that was the reason Vex had brought Jakes along at all. He knew the defensors, the pattern of their patrols. He likely still had friends he could trust not to turn him in. Would he trade secrets to Elazar for feigned security?“Your nephew is in the port. He wants the boy.”
Vex had to move fast. Fast and carefully.
He grabbed a cloak from the pilothouse and tugged it on, covering his eye, before he swung off theRapid Meander.Hopefully no defensor knew his boat enough to recognize it, but he latched it to the dock and left it with a reassuring pat.
His hands shook. Goddamn Jakes—goddamn Raya Cuesta—goddamn it all.
Teo. Focus on getting Teo back.
Vex trekked off into the city. He should’ve scanned rooftops for soldiers, but his mind refused to think of anything other than every memory he had of Jakes and Raya.
He didn’t have much. He’d been a kid. He hadn’t paid attention to most things.
