Page 103 of The Princesses of Ruin
“Now is the time,” Vek’ihr says as he wiggles out of my grasp.
He rallies the remaining ga’hanoi and begins his communication dance as he speaks.
“It is feasting and will be distracted. We will harvest scales, fins, bile, and more.”
The group flashes in pink and yellow, then half of them disperse.
“Where are they going?” Reina asks the questions I cannot.
“Tools. Many tools,” Vek’ihr says in a hurry, his words garbled in his haste. “You must prepare your tools.”
“I have them,” Reina says, reaching into the pouch strapped to her waist. It’s enchanted with the same runic inscription as Alyse’s infinity bag, though it is much smaller inside due to its size limitation. Reina produces a wide-gauge needle as long as her arm. It’s attached to a rubbery ball the size of her fist that has a puckered opening at the back.
“This…under the front, the throat,” she says in halting phrases.
She’s scared.
I should be, too, but something about everything feelsright.
Yes, I did just commit quite a large number of murders, but it was the only good path ahead of us. The delegates needed to be replaced. The old ways were not going to serve us, or them. The old ways kept them alive down here but trapped.
I have a feeling it was Vek’ihr who was responsible for the selkie alliances that brought him to the shallows that day. I have a feeling he’s a lot smarter than I previously gave him credit for, and everything he’s done since the moment we parted ways weeks ago was to plan for this event.
Or maybe I’m reaching, but this ga’hanoi seemed to take charge of his people far too quickly and easily than the stunned, submissive creature he was moments before the massacre.
The other ga’hanoi return with their tools: rods with thick hooks, sharp saws, and crystal containers. There’s no time left to ponder Vek’ihr’s plotting because he has his people on the move.
“Stay away from the tail. Avoid its line of sight. And do not ever get near its mouths,” Vek’ihr commands. “Keep your body limp and let the water take you.”
He moves through the current and disappears into the hole that leads out of the crater.
“Mouths? Plural?” Reina shouts after him, but it’s too late.
He’s gone.
The others follow him one by one, tumbling into the hole used for their waste and executions. This must be what he meant when we inquired about the serpent being controlled. In a way, it is. They feed it and it shows up. While it’s busy feasting, they take what they need.
“Jasper, I’m scared,” Reina admits to me as our time draws near to join the ga’hanoi.
I can’t comfort her with words in this form, but I pull her up to the space between my eyes and rub her against my skin. Her heat seeps into me and warms my hearts.
“I’m still upset with you for what you’ve done,” she says.
Her body doesn’t speak of being upset though. She caresses my skin with soft designs as I hold her close.
“I can’t believe you murdered them…”
I wish I could laugh. I move my body in a way that suggests laughter. She peels back and scowls at me.
“Are youlaughing?”
Why shouldn’t I?I shrug two limbs.
“Youkilled them. You killed the whole government! You radically altered their society.”
I have no remorse. Not even an inkling of it.
She arches a brow. “You’re ruthless.”
