“We’ll churn out tens of thousands!” Yazeed shouted. “With the forge up and running now, the goblins are going day and night.”
“But is that enough? Will we make it in time?” Sera bellowed. The Black Fins were due to start for the Southern Sea in two weeks. Their supply wagons needed to be full of arrows and spears by then.
Yazeed answered. “No problem! We’ll have all the ammo we need!”
Even though both mermen were shouting, Sera could hardly hear them for all the noise. Behind them, lava bubbled, steam hissed, the forge roared, and the goblins busily sawed through thick plates of steel.
She’d come to check on the progress the goblins were making, and though the noise was deafening, and the commotion dizzying, Sera couldn’t have been happier. Right after Styg and his crew found the lava seam, she’d given orders to construct the forge near the lava seam and start casting ammo.
The lava seam was such a gift. The lava and the steel from the ships cost nothing. Sera no longer needed to deal with the N?kki or risk her troops being ambushed.
The three friends left the forge and headed back to headquarters. They were still talking a fathom a minute about provisions and didn’t notice Mulmig waving at them until she was right in their faces.
“Did you hear?” she asked excitedly, before Sera could even greet her.
“Hear what?” Sera asked, her fins prickling. She didn’t like surprises.
“Ling solved the puzzle ball!”
“No way!” Yazeed said.
“Yes way!” Mulmig replied. “The news is moving through camp like a tsunami!”
“Where is she?” Sera asked, rigid with anticipation. Did this mean the spy would soon be outed?
“She shut herself up in the headquarters cave so she can figure out the Arrow of Judgment.”
“Have you seen it?” Des asked.
“Not yet. No one has. But Ling says it’s like a compass. Only instead of pointing to directions, the arrow points to crimes. Where the word north would be on a compass is the word innocent. Other points correspond to words like robber or murderer. Ling says—”
But Sera didn’t wait to hear the rest. She was off like a shot. Des and Yazeed were right on her tail. There was one word she desperately hoped was on that compass: spy.
When the three reached the cave, they found Ling seated at the table, busy writing on a piece of kelp parchment. Members of Sera’s inner circle were with her. Becca and Neela were watching her. They’d been going over the next day’s work schedule. Sophia was there, too. She’d been reviewing the weapons inventory. Little Coco had been counting doubloons into stacks, preparing a payment to Meerteufel traders, her shark Abelard nearby. They all turned their heads expectantly toward Sera.
“Ling, did you really—” she breathlessly started to ask.
“Crack the puzzle? Yeah, I did. Finally!” Ling exclaimed. “I tested the Arrow of Judgment out a few times, then I put the puzzle ball away for safekeeping until you got back. Everyone’s so excited about it, Sera. You won’t believe it when you see it.”
“Tested it out? How?” asked Sera.
“I found out who started the brawl in the mess hall last night, and who’s been stealing from the food stores. And both of them confessed. Isn’t that amazing? All you have to do is hold the puzzle ball in front of someone and ask it if that someone is innocent or guilty. The arrow does the rest.”
“Ling, do you know what this means?” Yazeed asked in a hushed voice.
“Yes. We can finally root out the spy. I’m figuring out a plan now. I’m so glad you’re all here. I want to get everyone’s input. I thought we could start at the west side of the camp and work our way across. Eventually the arrow will point to the traitor. It’s just a matter of time until—”
An anguished cry interrupted her. It had come from the other end of the table.
Sera, startled, turned to see that it was Sophia. As Sera watched, Sophia rose from the table, took a few faltering strokes toward her, then crumpled.
“Soph, what is it? Are you hurt?” Sera asked, rushing to her.
Sophia didn’t answer. She just sat on the silty cave floor, her head bowed, her hair falling into her eyes.
“Sophia, what’s going on?” Sera pressed, putting a hand on her shoulder.
“It’s me,” Sophia whispered. She raised her face. It was deathly pale. “It’s me,” she said again. “I’m the spy.”
Sera backed away. She felt as if Sophia had just reached inside her and crushed her heart. The others were all looking at the two of them, too shocked to speak.
“Soph, no,” Sera said. “Not you. It can’t be you.”
“It’s been tearing me apart. I want to confess. Now,” she said. “I don’t want to be shown for what I really am by a puzzle ball.”