Chapter Twenty-Two #2
“The prodigal daughter returns.” Hilo again, crouching before them, his expression unamused. His gaze slid to Mikau. “Mind if we have a moment?”
“Absolutely not,” Mikau snapped. “Secondary drowning is extremely – ”
“Oi, pricks,” Hilo shouted behind them to the gaggle of crewmen vying for a good look. “Show’s over. Back to work.” He waited, impatience mounting, as the men dispersed. And then he pinched the bridge of his nose, looking momentarily so like Kai that Ione flinched.
“Arright,” Hilo tried again. “Healer, leave us. You, too, Red.”
Mikau did not budge, and in Ione’s periphery, Lina and Ami tensed.
Go, Ione thought. But what was better – to face Hilo, who knew who Lina was, alone? Or to let the others learn the truth, and hope against hope that their loyalty would lie with her?
“Fine,” he said, deciding for her. He sighed like this was all very taxing for him and motioned mutely to Lina, and then up at Caelos, and then back at Lina. “A-are you fucking insane?” he finally managed: “You brought a Moth here – you brought this Moth here?”
No one moved, nor spoke, aside from a tiny, questioning noise from Ami.
Ione heard Lina move, felt her sidle up beside her. Mikau, to their credit, released Ione, let her grasp Lina’s hands in both of hers. She sucked in a laborious breath, her lungs still on fire, but Hilo waved at her to shut up.
“Kai’s already a fucking wreck,” he groused, gesturing again at the shrine looming overhead. “What, you wanna dangle Sowelan in front of him, see what happens? D’you want him to blow his fucking gasket? Because this is how you get the wee bastard to blow his – ”
“Sowelan?” Ami lunged into her line of sight. “Since when?”
Lina lowered her face, shame reddening her cheeks. “Since recently.”
Ami’s shoulders slumped, it seemed, with relief. “I could forgive you for hiding being a Moth,” she said. “I couldn’t forgive you being a god and not even telling me. I’ve known you for almost a year.”
Lina glanced up at Ione, the corners of her mouth twitching. “I didn’t think you’d find it very interesting.”
Ami scoffed. “It’s so interesting. Does this mean you can make the other Moths leave us alone?”
So they had Ami. Ione sent Mikau an imploring look – they were her healer for years, surely they’d help her – and with a long, pained sigh, Mikau rubbed their face.
“Do no harm,” they said, although their tone implied they wished they’d never taken that oath.
“Oh, get fucked.” Hilo staggered to his feet, tall but not quite intimidating in a workman’s paint-stained coveralls.
“Moth, leave of your own accord and I won’t sic the entire shrine on you.
Beloved Wife, return to your husband and apologise for giving him a whiny little nervous breakdown, because I’m sick of minding the wee shite. ”
Ione bristled. “I’m certain it was clear the union was annulled.”
He flashed an unkind grin. “Oh, confirmed?”
Lina straightened, donning an admirably bored expression. “I’ll leave if you like, but where will I go? To Soliz?” She let Hilo short-circuit over that. “I’m sure their priests would be thrilled to have Sowelan back.”
“I could just kill you, then,” Hilo replied mildly. “Save us all a war.”
“Or you could hide us,” Ione shot back. “Keep quiet and leave us in peace. And with Sowelan missing in action, still save us all a war.”
“And keep poor, innocent Lina-blood off your hands,” Lina added sweetly.
“You’re talking to the wrong fella if you’re concerned with keeping my hands clean.” Hilo rubbed his temple, weakening, and sent Mikau a needy look. “What’re our options? I can’t fucking let her near Kai.”
“You won’t,” Ione said. “My room is nowhere near his. You’ll escort us there, keep your mouth shut, and go about your day with the satisfaction of helping me.”
“I don’t do charity work.”
“Well, start.”
“Or – ” Lina mimed peering out at the constellation of ships in the bay. “Your ships look awful flammable,” which might’ve been a suitable threat if Ami didn’t suppress a snort.
Hilo and Mikau exchanged glances, both of them looking stricken. Mikau shrugged, and Hilo cursed quietly. To Lina, “You can keep a lid on, uh, your god?”
Lina nodded.
Hilo radiated discomfort. “Fuck’s sake,” he grumbled, and then released a purifying breath. “Just – don’t hurt Kai, arright? He’s an ass, but he’s still one of mine.”
Warming, Lina stood with Ami, both of them helping Ione to her feet. “I don’t intend to.”
“Intent’s nice and all, but – ” He groaned, muttering, “Gods, this has all gotten so much bigger than it was s’posed to.”
Ione swallowed a twinge of concern. Kai was not her responsibility. Kai would be fine, just as she and Lina would be. She pulled her hood up and threaded her arm through Lina’s, glad to see Ami again, and excited to meet Cynthia, River; even, surprisingly, her parents.
“Now,” she called over her shoulder to Hilo and Mikau, “Will you make this easy and escort us, or will we be forced to sneak around – after I nearly drowned, and my precious attendant was so terribly burned?”
A beat passed, during which she sensed the two of them swapping frustrated glances. Mikau strode to them first, followed by Hilo, sighing.