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“Because you’re an idiot who would rather bleed out than admit he’s hurt,” huffed his sister.

While the two bickered, Avera, with lips pursed, wandered to each of the knight’s bodies. Their deaths were on Benoit’s head. They’d just been following a false king’s orders.

She knelt to open the pouch at the waist of the sober one. She pulled forth some parchment and noticed the drawings Josslyn mentioned.

“That looks nothing like you,” drawled the captain, peering over her shoulder.

“Doesn’t matter what the picture shows. As you noted earlier, it’s kind of hard to hide my complexion and hair,” she grumbled.

“Who was your father? Did your mother ever say?” he asked.

“Basil Currosa, a Verlorian diplomat of that time.”

“Basil Currosa?” he repeated.

She glanced at him and noted his face, or more its lack of expression. “Supposedly. Do you know him?”

“Possibly.” A guarded reply.

She fumbled at her neck to draw forth the chain with the locket. She opened it to show the images within. “Is this him?”

Rather than answer, he snapped, “I must get back to my ship.”

Despite his rudeness, and the fact he wouldn’t help her, Avera had manners enough to say, “Thank you for saving us from those creatures.”

“Guess you owe me now, little queen.”

With that, he strode away, a daunting figure, but also an annoying one. His refusal to give her passage stung. She couldn’t let his refusal deter her from acting, though. There would be other ships. Some that might be more amenable to a deal.

The question being, would the next one arrive before more soldiers—or monsters—did?

Chapter 23

It didn’t take toolong to cover up the evening’s events as they simply dragged the bodies to the edge of the cliff and tossed them off. The sea took them and as Avera stared at the crashing waves she sighed.

“Guess we’re back to waiting.”

“The captain wouldn’t help?” Josslyn asked.

“Nope, and he didn’t have anything encouraging to say either. He’s convinced I’ll die if I go to Verlora.” So was Zhos, which didn’t help matters.

“He’s probably right,” was Gustav’s unhelpful grumble.

“I have to do something. The monsters”—she waved a hand at the chapel—“were created by the thing in the Spire.”

“What makes you say that?” Josslyn frowned.

“Because it told me.” Avera quickly recounted what she’d experienced and finished with, “Apparently, the ice that’s trapping Zhos has some sort of link that allows it to act.”

“What?” Gustav barked. “How did the ice get here?”

Avera shrugged. “It didn’t say, but it did imply that more of it would be delivered to parts of Daerva, meaning its influence can spread.”

“Maybe instead of trying to get to Verlora, we should find a way to bring down the mountain. I wonder how many explosives it would take?” Gustav stared off in the distance as if he could see the Spire in the dark.

“I’m sure if that were feasible Opal would have mentioned it. And besides, I’m fairly certain it’s too late for that now. With Zhos spreading via water or mist or whatever, it would seem the stones might be the only way to squash its ability to remotely act.” Left unsaid, if it could do things like mesmerize people and conjure monsters while still trapped, what could it do if freed?

“Things might seem bleak now, but perhaps after a night’s rest we’ll have clearer heads to make decisions," Josslyn stated.