the rest of you, but I don’t think there are any easy answers.”
“I completely disagree,” interjected Kirstin Larsen. “Surely this is blindingly simple? We
Cheng Li remained calm. “Why don’t we ask Commanders Darke and Furey how
“Hear, hear!” Captain Quivers agreed.
Along the length of the conference table, all eyes turned to the two Nocturnal leaders.
At last, Obsidian Darke spoke. “I regret to say that I do not believe the threat from Sidorio is over.”
“We have our answer!” Ahab Black punched the table. “I don’t know what further prompting the rest of you need. We cannot rest easy until this threat is completely neutralized. We have the ships and the money. It’s time to crank up our war machine to the max.”
“We have a worrying skills shortage,” Barbarro interjected. “Need I remind you all that this war has seen unprecedented levels of pirate fatalities?”
“On the Nocturnal side, too,” Cheng Li said.
Ahab Black nodded, facing Obsidian Darke once more. “All in all, my friend, it’s a pity you didn’t call on these mysterious allies of yours somewhat sooner.”
Darke did not rise to the bait. There was, momentarily, silence within Room 13. It seemed that there would be no easy answers. Cheng Li glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already well into the early hours. At this rate, they’d be lucky to have reached an accord by sunrise.
“Shouldn’t you be down below in the Alliance bunker?” Grace asked Connor, pointing to the floor of the Rotunda. “After all, you are a Federation captain now.”
Connor shrugged. “Aren’t you the Alliance’s leading healer these days? You’ve earned your place at that table just as much as I have.”
Grace considered his words. “Perhaps. Still, I’d much rather be here with you. We’ve spent far too much time apart, don’t you think? We didn’t even get to spend our birthday together. That was a first.”
He nodded thoughtfully and glanced upward. They had left the lamps of the Rotunda unlit, but still Grace and Connor were bathed in a watery blue light—the result of the moonlight filtering down through the colored glass in the building’s domed roof. Grace saw that Connor was staring up at the cases of swords belonging to some of the greatest pirates the world had ever seen. She knew they had fascinated him since the very first time they had visited Pirate Academy. He gazed up intently for a time, then his eyes slowly returned to her.
“Hey,” he asked. “What’s in that satchel of yours?”
Grace unzipped the bag and removed from it the book she now carried with her at all times. She’d been wanting to tell him about it since the moment she discovered it. Now seemed as good a time as any.
They stepped toward each other, directly beneath the cluster of swords. Grace held out the small book and Connor took it, holding it up to the light so he could read the words on the cover. “
“It’s a guide,” Grace said. “It was blank when I found it, but it talks to me.”
Connor looked askance at Grace, then back at the closed book. “It talks to you?” he said. “What about?”
“It answers questions no one else can answer,” Grace said. “Have a look. I’m interested to know if it works for you, too.” She stepped closer. “Open it and ask it a question. You don’t even need to say the words aloud.”
Not so long ago, Connor would have dismissed this as one of Grace’s fantasies, but experience had taught him to take her at her word. He opened up the book and, with a soft sigh, focused on the blank pages before him.
Grace had walked over to stand beside him and watched over his shoulder as text began appearing on the page.
They both stared at the page, then Connor’s hands began to tremble and he dropped the book to the floor.
“Oh, Connor,” Grace said sadly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said, turning to face her. He was smiling. “I’m trembling, but it’s with relief, I think. I’m not like you, Grace. I can’t accept this thing I am. There’s nothing I want more than to stop being a dhampir.” He smiled broadly at her. “Your magic book has given me the best news I’ve had in ages.”
It dawned on her that he didn’t understand that the book was telling him that he would be the one to die. Because surely that was what the words meant—the time of the prophecy was drawing near and now it was revealed which one of the twins was going to be sacrificed. Grace felt bereft. As much as she had feared her own death, now she realized that the idea of Connor’s dying was far worse. She felt as if she had betrayed him somehow, by failing to tell him sooner about the prophecy. But, truly, was it something they had any power to change?
Grace couldn’t even face looking at her brother. Seeing the book lying there on the floor of the Rotunda, she knelt down to retrieve it. As she did, more words began to appear before her.
“No,” she said. “No. I’m not ready.”
“What does it mean, Grace?” Connor asked, at her side. “What prophecy?”
She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t be the one to tell him he was going to have to die to bring peace to the oceans.
“What prophecy?” Connor persisted. “Grace, you have to tell me.”
Down in the bunker, Cheng Li glanced at the clock once more.
“We’re not getting anywhere,” Kirstin Larsen said, speaking, it seemed, for the majority of the assembly.
“Can I make a suggestion?” Moonshine asked. “We’re a democratic organization, aren’t we? Why don’t we just put this to the vote?”
There were murmurings around the table, largely, it seemed, in favor of the suggestion. Then two things happened in quick succession. Ahab Black raised his hand to restore order. Then there was a hammering on the door to Room 13 and a breathless Bo Yin pushed it open.
All eyes turned to her. Suddenly everyone was quiet. Something told them that she brought news of the utmost seriousness.
“The Vampirate fleet is making its way to Pirate Academy,” she said. “Kally brought the news.”
Cheng Li glanced at the clock once more. “But this is madness,” she said. “It’s scarcely more than three hours until sunrise.”
Ahab Black’s expression was grim. “You’re right, Commodore Li, but I don’t think we require much further evidence that Sidorio and Lola are mad.”
“Or,” Lorcan sounded a note of warning, “extremely confident.”
“How can they be?” cried Barbarro Wrathe.
A din of voices began to bubble up again.
Cheng Li addressed Ahab Black. “You need to invoke Protocol Nine,” she said.
For once, he did not protest but simply nodded. “Consider it invoked.” He rose to his feet and addressed his comrades. “Sound the attack sirens! Every captain needs to get to their ship!” He turned to Bo Yin. “Tell Kally and
