Into the Still Blue

“If I knew any of those things,” Roar said, “I’d have said so.”

Aria’s head snapped to him. On the surface his appearance verged on boredom, but his eyes held a predatory focus that hadn’t been there moments ago. He gripped the bottle of Luster tightly, the lean muscles in his forearms taut.

She looked around the table, picking up other signs of tension. Reef sat forward, his gaze boring into Roar. Marron darted a nervous glance at the entrance, where Gren and Twig stood, looking very much like guards. Even Soren had picked up on something. He looked from Perry to Roar, like he was trying to figure out what everyone knew that he didn’t.

“Anything else you do know that you’d like to share?” Perry said calmly, like he’d missed Roar’s biting comment completely.

“I saw the fleet of Hovers,” Roar answered. “I counted a dozen like the one outside on the bluff and other kinds of smaller craft too. They’re lined up on the plateau outside this segmented thing that’s coiled up like a snake. It’s massive . . . each unit is more a building than a craft.”

Soren snorted. “The segmented, coily thing is called a Komodo X12.”

Roar’s dark eyes slid to him. “That’s helpful, Dweller. I think that cleared it up for all of us.”

Aria looked from Soren to Roar, dread moving like ice through her veins.

“You want to know what the Komodo is?” Soren said. “I’ll tell you. Better yet, how about you take these rugs down and I’ll draw some stick figures on the cave wall for you? Then we could have a séance or a sacrifice or something.” Soren looked at Perry. “Maybe you could supply some drums and half-naked women?”

Aria had some experience handling Soren, and was prepared. She turned from Perry to Marron. “Would drawings help?” she asked, fighting Soren’s sarcasm with directness.

Marron leaned forward. “Oh yes. They’d help immensely. Any specifications you can provide with respect to the Hovers’ speed, range, cargo capacity, weaponry. Onboard supplies . . . truly, Soren, anything would be very useful. We’d know which craft we need. We could prepare better. Yes, drawings and any other information you can recall. Thank you.”

Perry turned to Gren. “Bring paper, a ruler, pens.”

Soren looked from Marron to Perry to Aria, his mouth gaping. “I’m not drawing anything. I was joking.”

“You think our situation is a joke?” she said.

“What? No. But I’m not helping these Savag—these people.”

“They’ve been taking care of you for days. Do you think you’d be alive if weren’t for these people?”

Soren looked around the table like he wanted to argue, but said nothing.

“You’re the only one who knows the Hovers,” Aria continued. “You’re the expert. You should also tell us everything you know about your father’s plans with Sable. Every one of us needs to know as much as possible.”

Soren scowled. “You’re kidding me.”

“Didn’t we just agree this wasn’t a laughing matter?”

“Why should I trust them?” Soren asked, as if there were no Outsiders there.

“How about because you don’t have a choice?”

Soren’s furious gaze went to Perry, who was actually watching her, his lips pressed together like he was fighting a smile.

“Fine,” Soren said. “I’ll tell you what I know. I intercepted one of the comms between my father and Sable before Reverie . . . fell.”

Reverie hadn’t just fallen. It had been deserted. Thousands of people had been abandoned and left to die—by Soren’s father, Hess. Aria understood why Soren might not want to bring attention to that fact.

“Sable and a few of his top people have the coordinates to the Still Blue memorized,” he continued. “But there’s more to it than just knowing where it is. There’s a barrier of Aether at sea somewhere, and the only way to the Still Blue is by breaching it. Sable said he’d found a way through it, though.”

The chamber fell silent. They all knew that way was Cinder.

Perry rubbed his jaw, the first trace of anger appearing on his face. Across the back of his hand, Aria saw the scars Cinder had given him, pale and roped.

“You’re sure Cinder’s there?” he said, turning to Roar. “You saw him?”

“I’m sure,” said Roar.

Seconds passed.

“Do you have nothing more to add, Roar?” Perry asked.

“You want more?” Roar drew himself up. “Here’s more: Cinder was with the girl named Kirra, who was here at the compound, according to Twig. I saw her take him into the Komodo thing. You know who else is there? Sable. The man who killed your sister. The ships we need are also there, since I’m assuming the one outside isn’t going to carry us all to the Blue. It looks to me like they have everything and we have nothing. There it is, Perry. Now you know the situation. What do you recommend we do? Stay in this miserable pit and talk some more?”

Reef slammed his hand on the table. “Enough!” he bellowed, pushing up from his chair. “You cannot speak to him that way. I won’t allow it.”

“It’s grief,” Marron said softly.

“I don’t care what it is. It doesn’t excuse his behavior.”

“Speaking of excuses,” Roar said, “you’ve been looking for a way to come after me for a while now, Reef.” He stood and spread his hands. “Looks like you’ve got it.”

“This is exactly what I’m talking about,” Soren said, shaking his head. “You people are animals. I feel like a zookeeper.”

“Shut up, Soren.” Aria rose to her feet and took Roar’s arm. “Please, Roar. Sit down.”

He jerked away. Aria flinched as pain ripped through her, pulling in a hissing breath. She’d reached for Roar with her good arm, but his sharp movement had given her a jolt, igniting a hot flare in her wounded bicep.

Perry shot out of his chair. “Roar!”

The room fell quiet in an instant.

Aria’s arm trembled, pressed against her stomach. She forced herself to relax. To hide the waves of pain that tore through her.

Roar stared at her in silent mortification. “I forgot,” he said under his breath.

“I did too. It’s all right. I’m fine.”

He hadn’t meant to hurt her. He never would. But still no one moved. No one made a sound.

“I’m fine,” she said again.

Slowly, the attention of the room shifted to Perry, who was glaring at Roar, his gaze burning with rage.

4

PEREGRINE

Anger made Perry feel strong and clear-headed. Sharper than he’d felt since he stepped into the cave.

He drew a few breaths, forcing his muscles to loosen. To let go of the drive to attack.

“Stay,” he said, looking from Roar to Aria. “Everyone else, leave.”

The chamber emptied in a rush, Reef quelling Soren’s objections with a few firm pushes, Bear last to step outside. Perry waited for the knock of his walking stick to fade away before he spoke. “Are you hurt?”

Aria shook her head.

“No?” he said. She was lying to protect Roar, because the answer was obvious in her braced stance.

She looked away, her gaze falling to the table. “It wasn’t his fault.”

Roar scowled. “Really, Perry? You think I’d hurt her? On purpose?”

“You’re out to hurt at least a few people. I’m sure of that. What I’m trying to figure out is how wide you’re casting the net.”

Roar laughed—a bitter, clipped sound. “You know what’s funny? You, acting so superior. What I did was an accident— what about you? Which one of us spilled his own brother’s blood?”

Anger washed over Perry. Roar was throwing Vale’s death in his face. A low blow—the lowest—and totally unexpected.

“I’m warning you this once,” Perry said. “Don’t think you can say or do anything to me because of who you are. You can’t.”

“Why? Because now you’re Blood Lord? Am I supposed to bow to you, Peregrine? Am I supposed to follow you around like your six loyal hounds?” Roar tipped his chin toward Perry’s chest. “That piece of metal has gone to your head.”

“It better have! I swore an oath. My life belongs to the Tides.”

“You’re hiding behind that oath. You’re hiding here.”

“Just tell me what you want, Roar.”

“Liv is dead! She’s dead.”

“And you think I can bring her back? Is that it?” He couldn’t. He would never see his sister again. Nothing would change that.

“I want you to do something. Shed a damn tear, to start with! Then go after Sable. Cut his throat open. Burn him to ash. Just don’t keep hiding here under this rock.”

“There are four hundred and twelve people under this rock. I’m responsible for every one. We’re running out of food. We’re running out of options. The world outside is burning, and you think I’m hiding?”

Roar’s voice dropped to a growl. “Sable murdered her! He fired a crossbow at Liv from ten paces. He—”

“Stop!” Aria yelled. “Stop, Roar. Don’t tell him this way. Not like this.”

“He put a bolt through your sister’s heart, and then stood there and watched the life pour out of her.”

The instant Perry heard the word crossbow, his body went rigid. He’d known that Sable had killed Liv, but not how. He didn’t want to know. Images of Vale’s death would haunt him for the rest of his life. He didn’t need nightmares of his sister, pierced through the heart by a piece of wood, as well.

Roar shook his head. “I’m done.” He didn’t say it, but with you echoed in the beat of silence that followed.

He made his way out but turned to add, “Keep acting like it didn’t happen, Peregrine. Carry on with your meetings, and your tribe, and everything else, just like I knew you would.”

When he was gone, Perry gripped the chair in front of him. He lowered his gaze to the table, staring at the grain of the wood as he tried to slow his racing pulse. Roar’s temper had brought a fine, charred scent to the chamber. It felt like breathing soot.

In more than ten years of knowing each other, of spending every day together, they’d never fought. Never like this, in earnest. He’d always counted on Roar, and he’d never expected that to change. He had never imagined that with Liv gone, Roar might be lost to him too.

Perry shook his head. He was being stupid. Nothing would sever their friendship.

“I’m sorry, Perry,” Aria said softly. “He’s hurting.”

He swallowed through a tight throat. “I got that.” The words came out sharp. But Liv was his sister. The last of his family, except for Talon. Why was she worrying about Roar?

“I only meant that he isn’t acting like himself. It may seem like it, but he doesn’t want you as an enemy. He needs you more than ever.”