The blood of the five mermaids combined, then spiraled back down into the wounds on their hands. Their flesh closed and instantly healed, leaving a thin, livid scar. Astrid knew she had the blood of her five friends in her now. Ava’s too, because her blood had mixed with the others’ in the first bloodbind. Astrid felt stronger than ever before.
“Okay,” she said, looking at each of her blood sisters in turn. “Enough touchy-feely stuff for one night. Can we get on with the convoca now? Ava needs us.”
The other four mermaids looked at each other, trying not to smile, then all five joined hands.
“OLá, GATINHAS!” Ava called out. “Como vai?”
“Ava, are you crazy? Keep it down!” Sera hissed. “The death riders are in the swamps now. They could be close!”
Ava nodded and held a finger to her lips. Baby circled her protectively. The spell had worked—Ava had answered them almost immediately.
“It’s good to talk to you!” she said in a quieter voice. “Astrid, is that you?”
“Hi, Ava,” Astrid said. “Wow. That is one creepy swamp you’re in.” Her mind’s eye took in the black water; the long, twining tree roots, and the alligator floating overhead.
“I know!” Ava said. “It’s smelly, too! You’re all together…does that mean your talismans are together, too?”
“All but the black pearl,” Becca said.
Ava whisper-cheered, and was about to congratulate them, but Sera cut her off.
“Ava, listen to me. We didn’t convoca you to chat. This is urgent,” she said. “After I found out my uncle’s troops were headed to the swamps, I sent a unit of goblin fighters there to protect you. The death riders killed all of them except one. She made it back here and told us that they’re closing in on you. You’ve got to get out of there. Forget about the talisman and make wake for the Kargjord!”
Ava shook her head. “No,” she said.
“No?” Sera echoed, dumbfounded. “Didn’t you hear what I just said?”
“I did, but I’m not leaving the swamp. Not without the ring. I can get it, I know I can. I talked to some swamp mer a few days ago. They say the Okwa Naholo are so terrifying that just the sight of them is enough to kill a mer instantly.”
“What? Ava, don’t you go near them!” Neela shrilled.
Ava laughed. “Aren’t you forgetting something? I’m blind! It doesn’t matter how scary the spirits are—I can’t see them!”
“You also can’t see the death riders coming!” Sera said frantically.
“I’m not leaving. Not without my talisman,” Ava insisted. “Don’t you understand? The gods chose me to go into the swamps and deal with the Okwa Naholo. Me and no one else. I’ll succeed because I can’t see the spirits. The gods knew that. They’re going to answer my question.”
Sera shook her head, speechless with frustration.
“What question? What are you talking about, Ava?” Ling asked.
“I never told any of you how I lost my sight.”
“Ava?” Sera said, struggling to keep her voice level. “I’m not sure we have time for stories right now. Death riders could be close and they can hurt you. You need to get out of there!”
“Vr?ja said stories tell us who we are. My story tells who I am. You need to know that. You need to know why I won’t leave.”
“Ava…” Sera said through gritted teeth.
“Let her speak,” Ling said.
“I live in a favela, a poor part of town,” Ava began. “When I was six, I came down with a fever. There was no money for a doctor. My parents tried to break the fever with home remedies, but nothing worked. The fever took my sight. My papi cried so hard when I recovered. He was happy I was alive, but very sad I’d lost my sight. He took my hand and told me the gods dimmed my eyes for a reason. His words were all I’ve had to hang on to. Growing up in a favela is hard. Growing up there blind…well, if it hadn’t been for Baby, who knows if I would have grown up at all?” She chuckled, then added, “There’s more than one bandido back home with a chunk missing from his bumbum.”
“Ava, I understand, but this…this is a suicide mission,” Sera said.
“It’s not, Sera. You have to trust me. I’m here because I still believe what my father said—that the gods dimmed my eyes for a reason. I need to find out what that reason is, and nothing’s going to stop me—not alligators, or death riders, or slimy swamp spirits. I’m going to get the ring, and then I’m coming to the Karg. So make sure you get the black pearl by the time I get there!”
The convoca began to weaken. The six mermaids said their good-byes.
“Don’t worry,” Ava said. “I’ll be fine. I’ll be with you all soon…”
And then she was gone.