“You’re saying we should—what? Try to drive the Temple back out of the city?” he asks doubtfully. “Not to be tediously pessimistic, but us and what army?”
“Getting them out of Hallowbane altogether is too ambitious,” I say, my soldier’s mind whirring as I consider the possibilities. “But I’m assuming you didn’t take over your parts of the city all in one go. You won them piece by piece, one neighborhood at atime. Start by driving the Temple out of one area and take it from there. Hallowbane isn’t like other places—the people here are tough and not afraid of being on the wrong side of the law. If you start building a foundation of resistance and show these clerics can be beaten on a small scale, you’ll create a tide of opposition that will stand you in good stead to seize more territory.”
He stares at me, not saying anything for a moment.
“What?” I ask, thinking he has some bone to pick with my suggestions.
“I just love it when you talk strategy to me. It’s devastatingly sexy.”
I roll my eyes, but my cheeks heat at the compliment. Ridiculous flirting aside, at least he’s sensible enough to know good advice when he hears it.
“So you may not be able to raise anarmyright now, but your next step should be building a team,” I continue, mounting my horse.
“NowthatI can do,” he says, climbing up onto his own animal. “Hallowbane might have gone to the dogs, but I’ve still got a lot of friends in low places—and in Hallowbane, those are thebestplaces.”
Morgana
I dangle the seal between my fingers, examining it for the hundredth time. I’ve been careful to keep it out of the view of thesmugglers, but I keep finding myself drawn to it. Maybe part of me thinks if I stare at it long enough, I’ll be able to understand why Caledon is so obsessed with the power he thinks these artifacts can bring.
“Leon’s gone and done it now,” Tira says. “He’s never going to be able to give you a present that tops that.”
“Oh, I can think of a few things,” I smirk.
“Gross,” Tira rolls her eyes.
“The only gross thing is your imagination, Tira Holms,” I say, nudging her with my foot. I feel buoyant, even hopeful. I may not be looking forward to a week of knocking around in the cramped cabins of this boat, but it’s a minor price to pay for finding the seal.
Leon enters, a dark expression on his face. I’d been too engrossed in the seal to notice his mood across the mooring, but I’m very aware of it now.
“What’s wrong?”I ask.
He shakes his head.“I just bumped into a member of the crew, and they almost jumped out of their skin.”
“Well, you’re the Nightmare Prince,”I point out.“You’re very terrifying.”
My joke doesn’t work, and I realize he’s not annoyed about this—he’s worried.
“That’s not it,”he says.“I know they’re being extra cautious with the Temple sniffing around lately, but these people are hardened criminals used to danger. I don’t understand what they’re so tense about.”
“You think there’s something else going on?”
“I’m not sure,”he admits.“I just know I don’t like it.”
I stand. “Then we should ask to be put ashore.”
Both Leon and Tira’s eyebrows rise.
“We should do what?” my friend asks, having not heard the majority of our conversation.
“If your gut tells you something’s wrong, we should trust it,” I say to Leon. “Let’s just get Ravesley to put in at the nearest port, and we’ll travel back a different way.”
Leon gives me a grateful look.“Thank you, my love, for trusting me.”
Tira shrugs, rising. “Sounds good to me. I get seasick anyway. I’ll go tell the others.”
“Come on,” I say to Leon. “Let’s talk to Ravesley.” I hand him back the seal before we go up. I get the sense he likes to hold onto it, likely because it makes him think of his father.
The captain’s alone on the bridge, but when we explain our plan, his reaction is instant.
