“And Regina Isabella?”
Neela saw her friend’s eyes darken with pain at the mention of her mother.
“I’m hoping she’s still alive, but I don’t know for sure. We’re on our own, I’m afraid. We’re traveling to seek help against the evil in our waters,” Sera replied.
Konstantin nodded, trying to hide his disappointment. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a single cowrie, and gave it to Serafina.
“I can’t take that,” she protested.
Konstantin didn’t listen to her. Neither did the others. They gave her what they had. A few keel worms bundled up in a kelp frond—someone’s only meal for the day. A precious silver drupe. Three small water apples hidden from the death riders. A handful of sand nuts.
Serafina looked at the gifts pressed into her hands, from mermen who had nothing, and swallowed hard. Neela knew she was swallowing her tears. She also knew that Sera didn’t want to take their last few coins or scraps of food, but to refuse would wound them.
“Thank you,” Serafina said, her voice quavering. “Thank you all. I promise, I swear to you, that I will do everything I can to help you. If my mother is still alive, and my uncle, I’ll find them and tell them what’s happened to you. They’ll find your people, I know they will.”
Cheers went up. Serafina thanked the farmers again, said good-bye, and then she, Neela, and Ling resumed their journey. As they swam, Neela noticed that Serafina was strangely quiet.
“What’s wrong?” she asked her.
“They bowed to me. They hugged me and kissed me. And I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve any of it.”
“You gave them something they needed,” Neela said. “You gave them hope.”
Serafina shook her head. “I gave them empty promises, that’s all.”
Ling turned to her. “Hey, Serafina?” she said, an edge to her voice. “Those mermen back there? They weren’t cheering for your uncle. Or your mother. They were cheering for you.”
“It’s a sign of respect for the crown, that’s all,” Serafina said.
A large shoal of shad passed overhead, blotting out the sun. The sudden darkness seemed ominous to Neela. It added to the tension building between Sera and Ling.
Ling took a deep breath, then said, “It’s all wishful thinking, Serafina. You know that, right? What people are saying about your uncle being in the north, I mean. He was in the palace when it fell. Your mother, too. That much we know. The rest is only hearsay. Another thing we know is that your mother was very badly wounded. You told me so yourself. She might not have survived—”
“Don’t,” Serafina said brokenly.
“I have to,” Ling said. “Omnivoxas speak all languages. My grandfather was one too, and he told me that with the gift of language comes a responsibility to speak not only words, but truth. Right now, we’ve only got one goal—to get to the Iele. But what happens afterward? When the witches tell us whatever it is they want to tell us? Are you going to hide out with them forever? Everywhere we go in this realm, your realm, people are suffering. They need hope. They need a leader.”
“They have a leader,” Serafina said angrily.
“Serafina, you have to face the—”
“You’re wrong. She’s alive. I know she is!” Serafina shouted.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the group. Serafina was the one who broke it. “I’m sorry. It’s been a rough few days,” she said. “There’s a shoal above us. I’m going to join it. See you in a few.”
“You’re going shoaling? You? That’s so stupid only Yazeed would do it!” Neela said. “We’re near the mouth of a major river. There’s a harbor. With boats. And goggs. This is not a good idea.”
But it was too late. Serafina was already swimming away.
“Cerulea has fallen. Villages are being gutted. If she doesn’t lead Miromara, all of Miromara will fall,” Ling said. “Once that happens, what’s to stop Traho from taking Qin? Matali? The other waters?”
“Ling, being leader, at least in Miromara, means being regina. The one and only. There aren’t two,” Neela said, with an edge to her voice. “Do you understand?”
Ling nodded.
“Serafina can’t accept being the leader of her realm, because it means accepting that her mother is dead. It’s only been a few days. She’s lost everything. Everything, Ling. She needs time.”
“I can see that, Neela. But the thing is…we don’t have any.”
SLEEK, QUICKSILVER BODIES flashed by her. Smooth, cool scales brushed against her skin. There were bright looks and laughter. Serafina was in the shoal.