‘All right. I swear on the kid’s honour.’
Isagani furrows their brow.
‘The other lands don’t know what’s happening here,’ Ligaya says slowly.
‘We have to call for aid,’ Morna adds.
‘I’m asking you all to join me,’ I say. ‘No one gets left behind, not if I can help it.’
Isagani looks at me, worrying their bottom lip.
I turn to the kitchen witch and place my hands on her shoulders. ‘Would you be willing to do this, Ligaya?’
‘Do what?’ she says, looking alarmed.
‘Speak for us?’
‘What do you mean?’ she asks.
‘Advocate. Be our ambassador.’
‘Do you think they would listen to me?’ She blanches. ‘I’m nobody.’
‘You’re a witness,’ Morna says. ‘We all are.’
‘But will the queen listen to the Lassairian council?’ Narra asks, brooding. ‘If there even is a queen.’
‘I don’t know, Fin,’ Ligaya says slowly, backing away. The candlelight flickers, and the storm rages outside, threatening against the walls of the inn and Ligaya’s protective circle. ‘I’m just one person. What if they don’t listen to me?’
‘You’re our best hope. You can speak to them, one Lassairian to another.’
‘An alliance could be mutually beneficial,’ Morna muses. ‘It’s not so wild. They might consider it.’
Narra paces the parlour, the floorboards creaking under our weight as we shift in our chairs. The rain bashes against the windows,heightening my anxiety as I try to turn it over in my mind. Sinigang slinks around my legs, having awoken from his nap. I scritch his chin and sigh.
‘What do you think we should do?’ I ask him.
He makes a noise. It sounds like something between a sneeze and the word ‘leave’.
I cock my head to the side and stare at him. ‘Did you—’
Isagani looks up, as though I’ve interrupted their thoughts. ‘Are you talking to me?’
I look at Sinigang, then at the others, all embroiled in their own minds.
‘Nothing,’ I say, continuing to stroke the otter-cat.
‘I don’t want to leave Narra alone,’ Ligaya says determinedly.
‘Who said anything about leaving me alone?’ Narra smiles.
Everyone looks at each other. ‘Will you come with us?’ I ask her.
‘No such thing as a retired smuggler, right?’ Narra smiles, a glint in her eye.
‘Well, what are we waiting for?’ I ask.
‘Hold steady, Fin,’ Narra urges. ‘We have to ready ourselves and gather supplies. We’ll need to figure out what’s going on out there. Could be Seaguardians patrolling.’
