Summoning an element wasn’t new—we’d witness Ravyn rain fire over and over again, and Lara summon terrifying sandstorm during our journey. The truly impressive part was what happened next.

“Alright, Water. Grow!” She pointed to the edge of the oasis, then added as an afterthought, “To here! Please!”

The droplets hovered into a single-file line leading from Lara to the oasis. Each one rippled and vibrated for the span of a few seconds before falling to the sand. In their place, deep pools of clear liquid bloomed, growing until they eventually overlapped at the edges and connected to the oasis itself.

Lara had extended the oasis out by at least two meters without lowering the water level by a single drop.

She stepped out onto the water’s surface as comfortably as if she were taking another step on land. The water held her and she twirled, her skirts shifting around her thighs.

That’s… new.

“Thank you, Water!” Lara said, then giggled as a few droplets splashed her calves.

Water’s playing with her?

“She carves the sand itself,” Zutto muttered.

“And dances upon the water’s surface,” Aliye added, not a little in awe.

I blinked. “So, then, this isn’t normal?”

“No [Conjurer] I’ve ever met can do this shit,” Ravyn grunted.

“I admit, Sir Matt, I believed her ‘speaking’ with the elements somewhat… off-kilter. That her Spells were cast without truly conversing with them.” Ceres crossed her arms, watching Lara twirl along the water’s surface. “Now, I’m not so sure.”

“This must be a trick,” Callie snapped, shaking her head. “A brainless catgirl playing at goddesshood.”

Cannoli inched closer to me and dropped her voice. “Matt, Saoirse herself has the power to sculpt and bend the land at her will. Lara may be scaring them.”

“Maybe this was a little much.” I looked at Tristan. “Let’s dial it back?”

Tristan nodded. He and a few of the girls—Keke, Ceres, and Destiny, in particular—quickly made their way over to where Lara was standing. I stayed where I was, keeping a close eye on Ravyn and Callie while Cannoli nervously braided her hair beside me.

“How are you able to do that?” Aliye asked, the grip around her spear loosening. “I have never seen such a power before.”

Lara’s eyes grew wide as Tristan and the girls moved beside her. “I just asked Water to help. There wasn’t anything special in what I did,” she said with a tone that would suggest she was falling asleep. “Water loves this land. She knows of no other land where she is praised so highly. At times, she feels like a goddess on this island.” Lara spun on the spot, losing her footing. Thankfully, Tristan managed to steady her before she fell.

“What nonsense is this?” Callie growled. She balled her hands into fists. “Do you think us fools?”

“Callie, this seems very real to me. You’ve spouted your mind for long enough,” growled a hunter with long blue hair and silver eyes.

“Quiet, Cecilia. Don’t talk like you know anything.” Callie tensed, her eyes glittering with rage. Ever since we’d caught them in the dunes, it seemed she was itching for a fight.

Cecilia frowned. “Bitch, this isn’t your Party. We have kittens waiting for us. Quit acting high and mighty like you know something we don’t.” She scoffed and crossed her arms. “No wonder no one takes you hunting.”

That was the wrong thing to say. Callie spun on her heel and decked Cecilia squarely in the face. There was a muffled yelp as Cecilia fell to the ground. Her nose ran red, and specks of blood colored the sand around her.

Aliye marched her way over, fury in her stare. “I’ll find you a fitting cage when we return.”

“Over my dead body,” Callie snarled.

“That can be arranged.” Aliye made a feint with the point of her spear, then kicked at the bend of Callie’s knee from the side. Bone cracked, and Callie dropped to her good knee, swinging at the air behind her. The Ejderha caught the arm and put her foot against Callie’s neck, shoving her face into the sand.

“That’s enough from you,” Aliye growled. Her gaze veered up and down between Callie and me as the other party members helped Cecilia up. Cecilia was still conscious, but she wasn’t talking.

“Please don’t fight!” cried Lara. “This was meant to be a show of malevolence!”

“Benevolence,” Tristan said.

“Huh?”

“Benevolence. That’s the word you’re looking for,” Tristan said with bright pink hueing his cheeks.

“B-Benevolence! I’m sorry! It’s a show of benevolence! Water loves the land, so I thought I’d talk to her for you all.”

Yeah, a little too heavy-handed, I think.

“Sister,” Destiny said, meekly wrapping her arms around the curve of Lara’s elbow. “Why did you wait until now to do this? Why didn’t you warn us?”

I could barely hear them from where I was standing. At the risk of making the situation worse, I stayed tight-lipped until I saw a better reason to act.

“Like I said before, Water didn’t want to come into the Third Shell,” said Lara. “But out here, she would love to be more prolific. She just needed some encouragement. So, I thought it would help the hunters see that we mean no harm.”

Destiny sighed.

“Let me go,” came the muffled demand of Callie.

Aliye’s eyes bore a look of indifference as she twisted the grappled arm ever so slightly, eliciting a scream from Callie. “Shush. I gave you a chance. The adults are talking.” She concluded her remark by spitting on Callie’s back.

“You really don’t have to go that far,” I stressed.

Aliye raised a brow. “Don’t put your nose in Ejderha affairs. I won’t break anything else.” She twisted Callie’s arm slightly, and a groan escaped her lips. “So long as she stays put.”

Callie growled but said nothing more.

“This does change things, though,” Aliye continued. “The strain of water is felt in the Second Shell from the growing number of kittens.”

“Aliye,” Zutto snapped. “Do not give them more information than necessary.”

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “You don’t have to hide anything from us. Seriously.”

“Says our kidnappers,” the silver-haired girl spat.

Zutto held up a hand, quieting the silver-haired girl. “Regardless, the situation has changed. What are your terms?”

Finally.

I tried not to let the relief show on my face. “Tristan? Mind taking this one?” He was the more diplomatic of us. Although he had a rough start falling into the sand back there, I was sure he wanted to make up for his small blunder.

“Of course,” he said with a look of determination. “As we discussed earlier, we wish to speak with Magni. The other islands are at risk of falling apart. One of them did, for the most part.”

“Your own?” asked Zutto.

Tristan nodded. “My own, yes. As Matt has explained, San Island’s man has requested the males meet for a summit.”

Aliye frowned and pushed Callie’s face deeper into the sand. I wondered how much more punishment Callie could take before she snapped again. “What is this word? Summit.”

“Ah. It means that we would, in good faith, of course, agree to meet and discuss what we think should be done to help the islands. Violence is prohibited in any fashion, as is generally agreed with summits.” Tristan shifted his weight to one leg, briefly looking down at the dirt. “Each man would be allowed their say, their thoughts, and we would discuss what we think is best for Nyarlea. There would be no expectations. This is merely a way for us to make sure we’re all on the same page, performing our duties as required.”

“You speak like Naeemah,” said Zutto.

“What was her role here?” I asked. “I mean, if you don’t mind me asking.”

Aliye turned her head toward me. Callie appeared to have surrendered. “She was mighty. Intelligent. Resourceful. Between her and Vizier Krethik, there had never been a greater age of prosperity.” Aliye’s gaze traveled downward as if recollecting on fonder memories. “Her absence is heavy on the hearts and minds of Ichi Island’s people.”

How much could I say here? I still had no proof that the Naeemah I met was the one they were referring to. I hadn’t run into any other Naeemahs on my travels, but considering how smoothly the conversation was going, I decided to get it back on the right track.

“I can’t speak for what things were like back then,” I said. “But I can tell you what we intend to do now. It might not be what you want to hear, but I think it’s for the best.”

“No,” said Tristan.

“No?” I asked.

He shook his head. “We can get into that later.” I thought I detected a hint of apprehension. “All we’re asking for at this moment is an audience. Nothing more.”

Aliye’s gaze landed on Lara, who Tristan, Keke, Destiny, and Ceres safely surrounded. “Her power would be useful. You there!” She cocked her head toward Lara. “Your name!”

“Lara!” she screamed back far louder than was necessary. “I give you water! You give us an audience with Magni! That’s the exchange!”

Way to cut to the chase.

With her spear leaned against her shoulder, Zutto crossed her arms, drumming her pointer finger against her elbow. “We shall see what can be done. Which of us goes, then?” She and Aliye exchanged looks. “It must be an Ejderha. No one else will be allowed entry.”

A moment of silence passed. “I’ll go,” Aliye finally said. To be honest, I was hoping it would be her. She had seemed the most reasonable of the group and, hell, of the Ejderha. Her reluctance to fight us when we ambushed her had been a testament to that. “I will deliver your terms and nothing more. Even so, I make no promises as to what happens next. Is that clear?”

“Crystal,” I said. “If he’s willing to come with us to the summit, even better. I just—”

“Please, just tell him we want a meeting. Don’t mention the summit,” Tristan interrupted.

I turned to look at him. “Why?”

Tristan shook his head. “I want us to be the ones who deliver that message. If, for some reason, he senses any ulterior motives outside of us paying him a personal visit, he may shut the doors on us for good.” He paused, shifting his gaze between Aliye and Zutto. “Please, just tell him that the men from the other islands request a meeting at a place of his choosing. We mean no harm and would like him to answer a few questions.”

And this is why I let you do the talking. I’ll just be the hired muscle, I guess.

“Think you can manage it?” I asked Aliye.

“I will see what I can do,” said Aliye. “Can the men be trusted to take care of my hunters?”

“Of course,” I said, smiling. “You have our word.”