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He howls in agony, twisting and throwing back his head.

“You’d better answer him,” my father says.“Before you run out of fingers.”

“An island on the lake.”He rocks himself while shooting daggers at me with his eyes.“The lake.”

“What did he say?”Elsie asks.

I tell her.

“The barge,” she cries out.“That’s where Sandy and the others came from when you found me on that shore!”

“I know where it is.”My mother gets up and walks to us.“There’s only one island big enough on a lake to house a slave market.”

“I’ll send Kian and a team of guards.”My father pushes a fist under the Phaelix’s chin, forcing the Phaelix to meet his gaze.“How many slaves are still on Zerra?”

“Not a lot.”The Phaelix bends his neck from side to side when my father lets him go.“Not a lot.”

“How many?”I bite out.

The Phaelix quickly lifts his free hand, showing three clawed fingers.

My father translates for Elsie.

“What are you selling them for?”she asks.

My mother tears her gaze from the Phaelix to face Elsie.“Is that important?”

“It could be,” Elsie says.

I translate the question and shake the Phaelix again.“Answer her.”

“For opals.”He pulls his eyes into slits.“Opals.”

I tell her what he said.

Elsie considers that for a moment.“To do what with?”

I ask him in his language.

“For war.”He utters a high-pitched laugh.“To buy weapons.For war.”

My father nudges him with the tip of his boot.“Against whom?”

I already know the answer.“Us.”I squeeze harder, making him mewl.“Isn’t that so?”

His silence says everything.

My father’s curse is quiet but lethal.He tightens his grip on the shaft of his dagger and curls the fingers of his other hand into a fist.His muscles tense as he prepares to pounce.

My mother touches my father’s arm.“Don’t kill him.We still need information.”Contempt radiates from her as she comes to stand in front of the Phaelix.“Who created that portal for you?”

He looks between us, grinning through his cooked teeth.

“Was it someone from Lona?”My mother’s upper lip curls.“Or from another kingdom?”

The moment seems to suspend in time as the silence stretches.For the first time, the Phaelix looks truly scared.

I melt another finger.