She slashes a finger across my mouth, silencing me with a spell. “His home is inhospitable to you, Zendaya.” In a lower voice, she adds, “That’s twice now, by the way. I’m keeping count.”
My eyebrows dip.
“Twice that you almost perished because you couldn’t manage to shift back. Twice that he was present when it happened. Have you considered that perhaps,he’sthe reason your magic keeps faltering?”
I try to pry my lips apart to tell her that the two incidents are entirely unrelated, but she’s sealed them like the toxin in the canal sealed my gills.
When we reach the golden quay where bobs our ship, I hear her murmur to the sorceress nearest her, “Lock Shabbe off untilan antidote is found. Landandair. Make the wards porous to animals.” Her eyes cut to mine. “Trueanimals.”
I suck in a breath and shake my head, desperately trying to shape the word, “No,” but her blood stifles my scream. I crane my neck, hunting the sky for a Crow, but no winged beast soars over us.
I look over my shoulder for Fallon, but between the dense vegetation and the throng of Shabbins and foreign soldiers on our heels, I cannot spot her. I spot Abrax, though, just off to my right. I flick my gaze toward the sky repeatedly. If he grasps my imploration to send word to Cathal of the queen’s intent, he doesn’t act on it. Merely transfers his gaze to the ship I’m forced to board.
I understand that my grandmother is trying to shield me. I genuinely do, and Iamgrateful. What I don’t understand is why she’s so adamant to separate me from Cathal. She cannot actually believe that he’s the source of what’s befallen me, can she? I mean, yes, the first time I failed to shift back into skin, it was because of his obsidian-laced blood, but he didn’t force me to ingest it.
By the time Priya removes her silencing spell, we’re halfway back to the pink isle, sailing so briskly that my dress and hair have dried, unlike my anger. I seethe. Especially since my grandmother has bound my backside to the deck’s bench to prevent me from diving into the ocean.
She carries a cup of water to my lips.
I turn my head, refusing her offering. “What about mate?”
“The Crow will be fine.” I’m about to tell her that’s not the mate I’m referring to, when she adds, “Especially since you’ve healed him.”
She’s rendered me speechless, and not with her blood this time.
“You seem surprised.” She cants her head, drawing the cup down to her hip. “Not only am I the queen, but I’m also the Mahananda’s confidant. I knoweverythingthat transpires within my walls, emMoti.Everything.”
I tilt my chin higher, narrowing my eyes. “Then you awareIchoose heal him. He no force me.”
“Yes. I’m aware. The same way I’m well aware that he and Lorcan are planning on using you to heal the others. Why do you think they sent us to Isolacuori ahead of them? To iron out the details of how best to go about it.”
“Cathal never force me.”
“If it had endangered your life, he wouldn’t, but since it merely weakens you?—”
“No, Taytah.” I shake my head with such vehemence that it jostles my long locks. “You wrong.”
“Oh, Daya. You still have so much to learn about our world.”
In that moment, I dislike my grandmother. I dislike how she belittles me and vilifies Cathal. How she dismissed Fallon. “Mahananda will be mad at you, Taytah.”
“For keeping you away from your Crow lover? I doubt it since it has another mate in store for you.”
Gaze fastened to the sky, I say, “A mate you keep me away from.”
“Only until an antidote is found.”
“He round-ears. If no find antidote soon, maybe he die.”
Her pupils shrink as she stares toward the faraway Lucin shore. “If you’re bound to meet, then you will meet. Be it next month or next year or next decade.”
I blanch because I know what a decade is.
“Once a cure is found, I’ll crumble the wards, but until then, I’ll not risk your life or the serp…” Her voice dies out as clouds streak over the sun, smothering its light.
Not clouds.
Crows.
