Page 115 of The Demon Tide

“The restaurant across the street has one of those signs,” I grimly note, concerned to have someone hostile to foreigners in close proximity. “And the owner keeps glaring at Mora’lee.”

“Noticed old Zosh Lyyo, did you?” Bleddyn says. “So welcoming, that one.”

I scrutinize Zosh Lyyo, my eyes catching on the tall teenage boy standing beside him, washrag in hand. The teen has short black hair, chiseled features, and wears a purple tunic and pants. And he’s staring toward Mora’s rune ship, as if searching for something.

Zosh Lyyo smacks the back of the teen’s head, and the boy flinches. He nods at the man, seeming chastened, then walks, shoulders hunched, toward their kitchen.

I turn to find Bleddyn studying me, rocked back in her chair to the point that it’s pressed against the curved terrace railing, at ease lounging against what seems like a thousand-league drop. “So, let me get this straight,” she says, a rakish light in her large green eyes. “You’re illegally here in Noi lands needing me, of all people, to get you work in a kitchen.”

I frown at her. “It’s a bit more complicated than that.”

“But right now, I think that’s about it.” She gives me a sardonic look, and I’m struck by how our situationshaveundergone a complete sea change, one realm to another.

“Relax,Ny’laea,” she whispers, leaning in. “I won’t treat you the way you treated me back in Verpacia.”

Her words sting. “I’m sorry for that,” I say with no small amount of remorse as I remember how I acted toward her in Verpax University’s kitchen. How Lukas threatened her and everyone else in the room and I stood by and said nothing.

Her look of humor hardens. “Your head was in a vile place when I first met you.”

“That’s...accurate.”

Her green brow lifts, her expression turning contemplative. “It is ironic, though. This twist of fate. You, the refugee needing my help.”

I bristle, remembering how hostile she and Iris were. “Shall I push you into some manure?”

Bleddyn laughs. “I was a bit harsh with you back in Verpacia.”

“A bit.”

She lets out a long sigh. “Well, perhaps we should leave off the contest of who was the bigger ass...which would beyou...and move on.” She looks me over, her whisper almost inaudible as she leans closer, serious now. “Are you really as powerful as the Vu Trin fear?”

I set my Black Witch figurine emphatically down on the table next to hers. “Worse.”

Bleddyn lets out a long, low whistle.

“Relax,” I whisper bitterly. “The Forest has completely bound up my magic.”

Bleddyn’s eyes flick over me in cool assessment. “Well, you’re turning out to be a complete disaster. Like this whole situation.” She glances west, frowning. “Vogel’s ordered the Amaz off their land, did you know that? We just got word.”

Fear breaks like a wave, dread clutching at my throat as I think of Wynter and all the Amaz I met. “That’s how it started with the Lupines,” I warn, praying Kam Vin can get my warning to Amazakaraan in time.

Bleddyn gives me an intense look. “Yeah, well, the Gardnerians and Alfsigr are intent on driving everyone who is not them out of the Western Realm.” She glances toward the runic border. “That refugee camp on the other side of the border? It’ssmallcompared to what’s coming.” She huffs. “Greater Isaan and Southern Ishkartaan are also walling themselves up.” She flicks her finger toward Noilaan’s border. “They’ve built one of those monstrous runic things. Everyone’s walling up, while everyone else runs for their lives or dies of the Grippe. That’s what the future looks like.”

“Until Vogel invades,” I say.

She nods. “And everyone over here is breaking into separate groups instead of coming together to fight him.” She turns and glares at Zosh Lyyo’s restaurant. “Those like Zosh Lyyo can bask in their ‘cultural superiority’ while the Gardnerians fly in and take over every last thing.” Her frown deepens. “This isn’t a time for division, but we lack a unifying principle. I fear our fragmentation is going to be the Eastern Realm’s downfall.”

“What do you think could bring everyone together?” I ask, surprised to be finding so much common ground.

Bleddyn seems to ponder this, her green brow furrowing. “At this point, I don’t know. But I think we better find that thing, and fast. ‘Noilaan for the Noi’ certainly won’t be able to fight what’s coming.” She eyes me. “The East is going to have to pool the magic of every single culture, whether the Noi Conclave wants to accept that or not.” She angles a finger at our Black Witch figurines and gives me a pointed look. “We’re also going to need every weapon we can find. Including this little witch here. And Fae power too.”

Her mention of Fae power brings a certain Fire Fae to mind. “Have you seen Iris?” I ask with some wariness. I can’t risk perpetually hostile Iris happening upon me.

Bleddyn tosses me a scowl, as if reading my concerns. “She’s well north of here, and won’t be seeking me out anytime soon. She’s become quite the Lasair zealot. She’s decided the Lasair Fae are superior to everyone else, so that’s put a pretty firm dent in our friendship.”

I give Bleddyn a look of amazement. Their friendship seemed forged in steel.

“She hates you quite a bit,” Bleddyn notes. “She willnotbe happy if she discovers you’re alive and kicking.”

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