Deadwater Kings • Part I ✓

18. LE MIROIR DE SANG

"No." Shabina breathed out slowly. "Let him be for now. If his father is as abusive as it seems, I should be able to turn him to our side. He's been nothing but an asset so far, and a good man. I'll feel him out on it and help him if I can. Besides, I don't want to lose Lin if she isn't in on it."

Ealy nodded. "As you wish, then."

"Move forward with preparations for the offense as well." Shabina thought for a moment. "And be sure to wait until we're absolutely certain."

A knock shook her from Ealy's warm gaze.

Hadrian stood in the doorframe, frowning slightly. His brows furrowed. "Anything I should know about?"

Zeke cringed. "No."

"I thought you liked me," Hadrian melted into a half-smile, rocking to the side. Zeke's scowl didn't seem to bother him in the slightest.

"The huntress asked us to keep you safe, now you're safe." Zeke pointed at him. "You're not leaving this island."

Hadrian lifted his hands in surrender. "I don't mind. But seriously, what's going on?"

Shabina pursed her lips, contemplating the small teen in front of her. From what Reyna had mentioned, the apprentice hunter was excellent in battle -- if a bit reckless. He knew how to speak dead languages and either knew Shabina's spy codes or could break them in seconds. Of course he was a spy.

"What do you think Lin's done?" Shabina asked. Ealy and Zeke shot her questioning glances, which she ignored.

Hadrian blinked, staring at her for a moment. He folded his arms across his chest. He was conspicuously clear of gold dust. "What do you mean?"

"It's been a day. Where do you think she's gone?"

He lifted a single eyebrow, almost playful. "She hasn't killed Mara yet, if that's what you're asking."

"Are you sure?"

"Yep." He leaned against the wall, peering around the corner to the gardens.

"You seem very certain."

Hadrian looked up. His eyes were wide and entirely too expressive for his face. "I am."

Shabina pulled her lip into her mouth and looked to Zeke and Ealy. Ealy was completely lost to the verbal conversation, and Zeke seemed near bursting with words. Shabina signed "leave us."

Ealy hesitated, glancing between the two of them before following on Zeke's heels.

Shabina waited until their footsteps receded into the evening. "What did you mean when you said the Citadel wouldn't protect us?"

He rounded the chairs and lowered himself down into the one Zeke had vacated. He waited a moment. "Once Lin kills Mara, the power vacuum will be unimaginable. They're already excited about Janus' territory, and once it's down to two Kings, it's only a matter of time before whatever agreement they have goes to shit. Greymark won't mediate. They'll cut the world in half and burn whatever's between them."

Shabina raised her chin, staring down at him. He didn't lift his eyes from the floor that entire time.

"So which side are you on?"

"Neither," she said, "I don't choose between evils."

He shrugged, a smile tugging at the corner of his lip she could see. "Then you'll die, I guess. Smart money on Yelena if you change your mind."

"So little faith in your own father," Shabina said. Her heart sank a little at that. Wilson's fleet was massive and advanced. If it came down to open warfare, Yelena's infantry numbers would be useless. Janus didn't have much in terms of ships either, his resources resided in clean water and agriculture. Wilson had always been the warrior of them all.