Page 132 of The Iron Flower

“We have made the unanimous decision to deny your request.”

The words slam into me like an avalanche.

Marina lets out a shocked exclamation, her hands flying up to her gills. Valasca, Ni Vin and Diana look stunned.

Righteous anger rises inside of me like a blinding fire. I spring to my feet. “Butwhy?” I sputter furiously. “How can you reject it?”

“The decision of the council is final.” She sounds almost bored, and I suddenly want to hurl something at her, to wipe that blasé expression off of her face. Doesn’t she realize what’s at stake?

“Clive Soren told me that the Amazcared,” I snarl, devastated. “He said you’d help women who were being abused. He didn’t tell me you’re a bunch of hypocriticalcowards!”

“Elloren!” Diana cautions me sharply, just as several soldiers in the room spring to their feet, weapons unsheathed in a blur.

I don’t flinch, my hands balled into tight fists. I know that I’ve just directed a serious insult at the queen. Andras has told me that calling someone a coward is huge in both Amaz and Lupine societies. Worse than any curse. But at this moment, I don’t care.

Queen Alkaia places a hand on the arm of the soldier closest to her in a silent command, and slowly the weapons all around are lowered and returned to their sheaths. The soldiers reluctantly take their seats again, glaring at me murderously.

“The rescue of the Selkies is a futile endeavor at this point in time,” Queen Alkaia says calmly.

“So, according to you,” I challenge, struggling to hold back tears, “I should have just left my friend Marina where I found her.”

Queen Alkaia leans toward me, her eyes gone steely. “You are asking me to send our soldiers, likely at great risk, up against the Gardnerians. To rescue all of the Selkies. A feat that may cause the Gardnerians to declare all-out war on us. That would be seen as an unforgivable strike on their sovereign territory.”

“But it’s the right thing to do!”

“Let us suppose for a moment, Elloren Gardner, that we do this thing you ask of us. Suppose we rescue all of the Selkies, but the Gardnerians remain in possession of their skins. What do you think will happen next?”

Oh, Holy Ancient One. She’s right. Destroy a Selkie’s skin, and she becomes like the living dead, like the soulless dragons, the broken Icarals.

“Are you ready to sentence all of the Selkies to a fate much worse than death?” Queen Alkaia challenges me.

I’m outmatched, out of my league. I’m a fool.

“Then there’s no hope,” I say, my fire gone, my voice weak.

Queen Alkaia’s face softens, and she smiles maternally. “As long as the Avenging Goddess rules this world, there is always hope.”

“Where?” I ask her, defeated. “Where is there hope for the Selkies?”

Queen Alkaia sits back. “Find their skins,” she tells me. “Without the skins, rescue is futile. The Gardnerians hold the ultimate weapon against the Selkies in their hands. We could bring the Selkies to the other side of Erthia, and it would all be in vain. No, you must find their skins.”

“How will we find them?”

She narrows her eyes at me. “Ask those men of yours to find them. No doubt they are familiar with the places where the Selkies are held captive.”

“No, that’s not true,” I say, shaking my head. “They’ve never gone to—”

“They are lying to you,” she cuts in, certain.

“No, I’m sure...”

She cuts me off with a wave of her hand. “They are liars and deceivers,” Queen Alkaia says. “Allof them. Without exception. It has been so since the beginning of time. But you can make use of their vile natures to find out what we need to know.”

I bristle, because she’s wrong. Wrong about Rafe and Trystan. Wrong about all my other male friends and family. But I hold my tongue, because I know that in this, there will be no convincing her otherwise.

“And then what?” I ask. “If we find their skins, what good will it do? How can we free them by ourselves?”

Queen Alkaia’s gaze sears into me. “Who here,” she asks the room, “would agree to the raising of an army of our finest warriors for the sole purpose of invading Gardneria to free all of the Selkies, if their skins are found?”

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