“How so?”
“Ragnar will never accept Portia’s offer. He’ll insist that Ondalina didn’t attack Miromara, and then he’ll fight because he’s his father’s son. During the ensuing battle, he’ll be killed.”
“You don’t know that,” Tauno said.
“Yes, I do. Because I’ll see to it,” Rylka said. “Friendly fire and enemy fire can be so difficult to tell apart.”
Astrid started to tremble. She leaned against the statue to steady herself, unable to believe what she’d just heard—Rylka plotting to murder Ragnar, Astrid’s own brother.
“Ragnar has no sons yet, so when he dies, Astrid will become admiral,” Rylka continued. “However, shortly after she’s sworn in, she’ll have a hunting accident. So tragic. But everyone knows how dangerous hunting is, and you—her faithful husband—warned her to be careful so many times.”
Tauno’s eyes lit up. “And then I become admiral,” he said excitedly.
“Exactly,” Rylka purred.
A violent fury rose in Astrid. Rylka was going to murder her and Ragnar, and hand Ondalina to Portia Volnero—all to make her own son admiral! It was all she could do not to rush out and confront them both. But she stopped herself. They weren’t finished talking and she wanted to hear everything they had to say.
“Astrid will leave behind no children—it was too early in the marriage,” Rylka continued. “And when an admiral has no heirs, the admiralship passes to a spouse, as decreed by Ondalinian law. Then you can marry whomever you like and rule Ondalina as a vassal of Miromara,” she said, sounding quite pleased with herself.
How clever you are, Astrid thought. You have it all figured out, don’t you?
Tauno’s expression darkened. “I don’t like the vassal part,” he said. “Ondalina is nobody’s vassal.”
“Ondalina has no choice,” said Rylka. “If we resist, our people will be slaughtered, our cities and towns destroyed—and for what? Miromara will win in the end. We’d be fools to decline Portia’s offer.”
You’re a fool to believe a word Portia says, Astrid thought.
She’d seen the raided villages. She’d listened to Sera explain where the stolen merfolk had been taken—and why. And she knew that as soon as Ondalina capitulated, its mer, too, would be herded into prison camps and forced to search for the talismans.
“Come on, Tauno,” Rylka said, patting him on the chest, “it’s time to grant Kolfinn’s dying wish.”
“Wait, Rylka…”
Rylka raised a perfectly arched eyebrow.
“How can you be so sure that Kolfinn’s dying?” Tauno asked. “He rallied before; he might do so again. Especially now that we’ve caught Desiderio. He’s the one who sent assassins to poison Kolfinn.”
Rylka reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a tiny glass vial. Its liquid contents were an inky blue. “Somehow, I don’t think Kolfinn will rally,” she said.
“What is that?” Tauno asked.
“Poison derived from the Medusa anemone. From the beginning, Kolfinn suspected that Miromara had a hand in his poisoning. He was half right. Portia supplied the poison. The assassin, however”—she paused to smile—“was home-grown.”
Astrid was out of her hiding place in an instant, driven by an uncontrollable rage. Her sword was in her hand.
All this time Rylka had insisted that the Miromarans had poisoned Kolfinn, but it was she—Kolfinn’s own commodora—who’d done it, a mermaid sworn to protect him.
“Traitor!” Astrid shouted. “My father trusted you!” She swung the flat of her sword into Rylka’s arm as hard as she could, knocking the vial out of her hand. Astrid lunged for it. Her fingers closed around it. “How could you? I just saw him. He told me you were loyal to him!” she spat, gripping the vial with one hand, keeping her sword trained on Rylka and Tauno with the other.
“Look out, Astrid!” Rylka shouted, her eyes on the vial.
Astrid followed her gaze and saw that what she thought was a vial was actually a poisonous sea krait writhing in her fist. It bared its fangs. Instinctively, Astrid dropped the venomous creature before it could strike.
She realized too late that it was only an illusio spell. Rylka had enchanted the vial so it would look like a deadly snake to anyone who snatched it from her. Astrid lunged for the vial, taking her attention off Tauno for a split second. Which was all he needed.
A seasoned fighter, Tauno twisted his powerful tail around and slammed it into Astrid’s back, knocking the sword out of her hand. Before she’d even recovered from the blow he’d grabbed her arms. She tried to break free, but Tauno shook her so hard, he dazed her.
“Good work, Tauno!” Rylka said. “Keep her there. I’m going to fetch a guard.”