SERA WAS SONGCASTING with all her might. Neela was with her.
Becca could see them inside her head. “Sera! Neela! You’re safe!” she exclaimed. “You made it out of the Iele’s caves!”
Neela nodded but didn’t speak, not wanting to break Sera’s concentration.
Becca had been so excited to see Sera that she hadn’t focused on her friend’s appearance. She did now and was amazed by the changes she saw. Sera was wearing camo, and her body was leaner and harder than Becca remembered. But the biggest change was one that Becca couldn’t see, only sense: a new sureness. The mermaid she’d met in the River Olt—the one who was hesitant and full of doubt—was gone. A confident leader had taken her place.
As Becca sat, eyes closed, waiting, Astrid appeared in her head, then Ava. Becca felt as if all of them were right next to her, floating in a circle. Happiness flooded through her, but it was quickly replaced by worry when she realized one of them was missing.
“Where’s Ling?” she asked.
“I can’t reach her….I’ve tried and tried,” Sera said anxiously. “Something’s wrong. She’d answer if she could. I know she would.”
“You’ve got everyone else now. Talk quickly, Sera, before the songspell fades,” Neela urged.
“Becca, Ava, you still there?” Sera asked.
“Yes!”
“Right here, querida!” said Ava.
“Okay, got you!” Sera exclaimed. “Astrid? Is that you? I thought I felt you with Becca, but I wasn’t sure.”
“Yeah. Hey, Sera. I met up with Becca and—”
“Does that mean you’re with us now?” Neela asked hopefully.
Astrid’s eyes widened. “What? No! I’m not. I just—”
“Got to interrupt, sorry,” Sera said urgently. “This convoca’s not very strong. I could lose you at any second.” She took a deep breath, then continued. “I’ve got news. Lots of it. Neela and I found our talismans.”
“No way!” Becca said. “Sera, that’s amazing!”
“I also found out where the rest of the talismans are and what they are.”
“That’s huge! Good work, mina!” Ava said.
“It’s a start,” Sera allowed. “But I’m not going to celebrate until we have all six in our hands. Becs, Pyrrha’s talisman is a gold coin with the image of Neria on it. It’s at Cape Horn, with a wind spirit called—”
“The Williwaw,” Becca said grimly.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Astrid said.
“Be extremely careful approaching it,” Sera cautioned. “It can stir up a raging storm in seconds.”
“Or don’t approach it all,” Astrid said. “Just a thought.”
Sera ignored her. “Ava, Nyx’s talisman is a ruby ring in a gold setting. It’s in the swamps of the Mississippi, guarded by water spirits called the Okwa Naholo,” she said. “They are serious bad news.”
“Bad news?” Astrid scoffed. “They’re worse than EisGeists! You know they are. Everyone does!”
“What about Sycorax’s talisman?” Becca asked, dread gnawing at her. “And what about Ling?”
“Sycorax’s is a puzzle ball. It’s in the Great Abyss.”
“Which is only, like, a million miles deep,” Astrid pointed out.
“I’m really worried about Ling,” Sera continued. “She’s in trouble. I know it. Ava, can you feel her?”
Ava went quiet for a moment, then shook her head. “I can’t. I’m trying, but I’m getting nothing.”
Sera heaved a troubled sigh.
“There might be a reason, though,” Ava quickly added. “She might be sheltering in a wrecked ship, one with an iron hull. Or she might be in a place with a lot of mer, where it’s not safe to answer.”
Astrid swore, startling everyone. Becca could feel Astrid’s anger growing, and the tension building between her and Sera. She remembered how they’d clashed in the Iele’s caves, several times. They couldn’t even talk, it seemed—not then and not now—without fighting.
“She’s dead. Face it. The death riders probably got her,” Astrid said. “I told you this would happen, Sera. Back in the River Olt. You’re asking too much of them. Will Ling’s death stop you? Or are you going to keep on with the insanity until Becca’s dead, too? And Ava? And Neela?”
“I’m going to keep on until Abbadon’s dead,” Sera replied, her voice steely and determined. Then she said, “I’m glad you’re part of this convoca, Astrid. Even if you’re still not part of our group. Because I owe you an apology.”
“For what? For getting Ling killed?” Astrid asked. “Not accepted. Because I liked her. A lot.”
“For accusing Ondalina of attacking Miromara. It wasn’t your father; it was my own uncle, Vallerio, who did it in league with one of Miromara’s duchessas—Portia Volnero. He sold out his realm and assassinated his regina—his own sister, my mother. He killed my father, too. Maybe my brother as well. No one’s seen Desiderio since he left to guard our borders.”