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“What happened?”

“Oren tried to stop us from passing. He attacked the ship. The real Captain Blakemore died in the battle.” He hesitates. “Oren took his wife and son prisoner.” Another hesitation. “But I took his daughter. Bella.”

“As insurance. So you can get back.”

“Yes.”

I think about this for a while. “That still doesn’t explain why you didn’t just say who you were.”

“Again, I thought about it. Truly, that was my plan. We docked in Port Karenin first, and that was easy. TheDawn Chasercould fly under the flag of Kandala, so no one gave us a passing glance.” He pauses, then looks over. “And there, we learned of the fever sickness that seemed to be destroying your country—as well as the harsh penalties for theft and smuggling Moonflower, since you believe it’s a cure.”

“But you had Moonflower!” I say. “If you didn’t know about it, how did you know to bring so much?”

“I didn’t bring it as a cure,” he says, looking at me like I’m crazy. “In Ostriary, we recognize Moonflower for what it is—a poison.”

I roll that around in my head and say, “How is Moonflower a poison?”

“When you boil the stems,” he says. “It causes the fever and the cough. That’s how I’ve been able to keep Bella subdued. If you do it long enough, it can be permanently debilitating, but I only needed a few weeks. Making an elixir of the petals will generally reverse the effects.”

I’m pressing my hands together over my mouth. I need Tessa. I need her knowledge.

But Rian is talking. I need to stay right here.

“Are you saying the people of Kandala are poisoned?” I say quickly. “How?”

“I don’t know—but I admit to being curious when I learned that two full sectors are almost solely dedicated to growing Moonflower now—and there seems to be quite a wealthy trade to be had inselling petals to cure the ‘sickness.’ All Captain Blakemore knew was that the attempt on Harristan’s life was thwarted when he was young, but it wasn’t until later that—”

“What attack on Harristan’s life?”

“Your Consul Montague tried to poison him to force your parents into demanding a higher price on steel—but Ostriary felt betrayed and refused to barter. Maybe Montague figured out a new way to make silver … or someone did.”

Consul Montague—who later tried to assassinate my parents.

I run my hands through my hair.

Not only do I need Tessa, but I need Quint and Harristan, too.

I need to be back in the Royal Sector.

But now I’m on a boat in the middle of the ocean.

“All this time, you thoughtwewere poisoning the people?” I say sharply. No wonder he hates me so much. Locking people in a room, indeed.

“I wasn’t entirely sure,” he says. “King Harristan was so invested in a new source of Moonflower that I didn’t believe it was him. I suspected you for quite a while—but then you and Tessa were almost religious about ensuring your people took Moonflower tea once you climbed on board. But it’s obviously someone in your inner circle.”

I still can’t make this make sense in my head. “For what purpose?”

Rian shrugs. “To prevent an uprising? It’s clear one is brewing anyway.” He pauses. “Once we docked in Artis and I learned of your reputation, it was clear to me that we could not begin as equals. Your country is overrun with sedition and sabotage.”

I can’t even argue the point. He’s right.

“So now what?” I say.

“Now I’m going to do exactly what I said I’m going to do. We’re going to dock in Ostriary. You will grant me a trade agreement—or I will hold you for ransom and demand one from Harristan.”

“But—but I saved yourlife.”

“I wouldn’t have needed saving if those ships hadn’t followed. As far as I’m concerned, that was an act of war.”