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I allow myself one more deep breath before I rise to my feet, Marcus supporting me as I regain my composure. “Well, at least this mess is improving your ability to apologize.”

He shakes his head incredulously. “Are you sure you’re well?”

“Yes, but if this man can make us believe we’re attacking someone else when we are in fact attacking each other, our strategy needs to change.”

“What can we do?”

Chapter fifty-three

“Do not engage,” I say as we race up the stairs—a task made more difficult by the jerking of the ship. “We get Nina and Rylan, and we get a safe distance away.”

“I remember, Ara.”

“Can you blame me for being concerned about your ability to think before you attack?” Phantom pain puddles in the bottom of my lungs like a shadow.

Marcus doesn’t bother with excuses as we reach the trembling deck. Nina dives out of the way of a boulder. The sea floor juts up in sharp crags, and Rylan lets out an infuriated roar. His tunic is all but gone, the remaining scraps burnt at the edges. I lift them both up off the ship, levitating Marcus and myself to meet them. Nina’s jaw clenches as she glares at me, but her heaving shoulders tell me she needs a break. Rylan plants his hands on his hips, resigned to my interruption.

“This isn’t working,” I say when we are high enough to be safe.

Nina rolls her eyes. “Your true power lies in observation.”

“Nothing and no one are where they appear to be.” Rylan pushes his ruffled hair back from his face.

“Kirnon has some kind of sorcerer who manipulates time and reality.” My words do not result in questions of my sanity, so I continue. “Anything requiring precision will fail. So, we clear the entire area. Use large scale forces.” They all look at me, and a weight settles over me. It’s a weight I can manage. “If we work together, we are unstoppable.”

Ry presses his lips together and turns to Nina. “You have all the fire magic, right?”

“Yes.”

My eyes snap wider, but I don’t have time to ask.

“Good,” he says. “Nina and I can attack from underneath them. Can the two of you hit them from above?”

Marcus and I nod.

Ry looks at Nina again. “Let me show you a different source of fire.” Nina’s face scrunches in a confused look as one of the crags in the middle of the fleet rises higher. “Ara, drop us there.”

“Be careful.” I wrap them in a hefty shield and push them to their destination. When they land, a tunnel opens, and they disappear into it before it seals behind them. I hope he knows what he’s doing.

“Ah, the two middle children left unattended.” Marcus’ eyes gleam.

“Are you ready to make trouble?”

“Absolutely.” He stretches his arms out to the sides, like a falcon spreading its wings in the moment before it dives at its prey. His hands ball into fists and come together before him.

This vantage point offers a spectacular and terrifying view as the sea churns on either side of the watery battlefield. Towering waves build and crash in, pushing ships into each other and toward the center. The groaning of lumber sounds like the ships are crying. I pull a gale down along the shield at the cliff face to keep them back, but— Dead gods, take me. Tomas is climbing down.

I bring Marcus with me. My powers are stretched thin enough. Tomas clings to the rock face as the wind tears down around him. I shield him from above and pull him up and away from his horrifying descent. “What are you doing?” I demand as we all converge.

“You sent me a message in your blood! Did you think I’d stay behind your damned wall?”

“How did you get past it?”

Marcus interrupts. “Is there perhaps another time you might do this?”

There are so many things I could say to Tomas, but Marcus is right. This isn’t the time.

“Is Kirnon here?” Tomas asks.