A small, narrow boat is lowered from the Yusanian ship, and one also comes down from the Weian ship. They have oars, not sails, but they are fancier than any lifeboats I’ve ever seen. Probably escape skiffs, to save the kings if the battleships sink.
I still don’t know what the plan is, but the boats suddenly stop in the harbor. Meeting on the water is kind of neutral.
General Vikal approaches us. “Time to negotiate their surrender.”
I can’t tell if she’s serious or joking.
Mikail, Sora, Aeri, and I ride with the general and the queen to the shore. I guess we’re getting on a boat, but I don’t know which one.
We’re almost to the docks when all of a sudden, the water in the harbor splits. I don’t know how else to say it. There’s a collective gasp that ripples through the entire army as a walkway appears on the sea floor. I blink. What the fuck? There had just been dozens of feet of water, and now there’s not. The muddy, debris-filled harbor is exposed because the sea water now flows into the air, like invisible hands are holding it back. At the end of the path is a rock outcropping right by the escape boats.
I look at the main Weian ship. The person with the scepter created this.
Ten fucking Hells.
“What is all that?” I ask.
Mikail smirks as he points to the little island of black rocks. “That is neutral land. Controlled entirely by Wei, of course.”
“That’s where the parley will be?” Aeri stares at the walls of water with her golden eyes.
The general nods.
Of course it is. But hells or high waters, I’ll protect her until my last breath. My heart drums steadily—not nerves but the beat of war.
“Don’t kill anyone, Royo,” Mikail says.
I snap my head in his direction. “Why not?”
“Because it would start a war,” General Vikal answers. “The parleymustbe done in peace.”
“Do we have to leave our weapons, then?” Aeri asks.
“Gods no,” Vikal says.
“But if—” Aeri begins.
The general cuts her off. “Just because we’re not going there to kill anyone doesn’t mean they’re not going to try to kill us.”
Great. Let’s fucking go.
Chapter Seventy-Six
Aeri
Quu Harbor, Khitan
“Be safe, my love,” Quilimar says to General Vikal. She covers the general’s hand with hers.
“I’ll return to you,” Vikal says.
The queen takes her eyes off the harbor for long enough to exchange a loving glance with Vikal. The general salutes her, then rides with Royo and me to where the path begins on the shore of Quu. Queen Quilimar really loves her. Does that make my aunt better or worse, or does loving someone not affect our value at all?
I don’t have time to think about it, because we’ve reached the shore. I grip the reins of my horse so hard that my knuckles go white. We pause before entering, and that gives me a chance to feel how my pulse is pounding in my neck. This really couldn’t feel more like a trap. Every fiber of my being wants to turn back, but there’s nowhere to go but forward.
Yet even General Vikal takes a deep breath before shaking it off and spurring her horse. Royo and I follow, our horses taking their first hesitant steps onto the mucky path. I tense, waiting for the East Sea to descend on us, but the water walls hold.
A few yards in, I stop waiting for the water to crash down on top of me. A few more and I’m able to marvel at the miracle surrounding us.
