Dazz’s fist is pulled back, ready to fly, andshe’s standing in front of me, the guy who beat the skin right offher back not a week earlier. Protecting me from getting hurt. Ialmost want to gently remove her and let the Icer beat my face to apulp. But before I can, she speaks.

“He wouldn’t have bloody married her,” shesays. “He’s not like his father. Once I thought he was, but I wassearin’ wrong. He saved my life more’n once.”

His muscles still flexed, Dazz says, “TheIcer girl—she’s my sister. She almost died because of this Soaker’sfather.”

“I’m—I’m sorry,” I say, speaking around Jade.I don’t know what else to say. “I wish I had done more, I wish Ihad stopped him sooner.” Why was I so weak? Why was I so desperateto obtain the pride of a monster?

“Dazz,” the other Icer says—Buff I think hisname is. “It’s over. Both of the men who hurt your sister are deador soon to be.”

Skye rises and places an arm around Dazz,pulls him back and down, where he sits blank-faced, staring at hislap, where his fists have finally unfurled.

Jade shifts over, once more at my side. Shelays her hand gently on mine. I’m ashamed because it feels sogood.

“Now please tell us why you’re here,” Gardsays to Wilde, forcing the meeting back on track.

“The Glassies are preparing for war. But notjust against us, the Icers too. Maybe everyone.”

Sadie

I want to go with them—with the Heaters andIcers, back to their lands to fight alongside them, like they didfor us. Gard’s already said that it’s not the right time for us towage another war, not when we’re not even sure whether we have anenemy. But my situation is different. There’s nothing for me here,right? My family is dead. The Riders, while still intact, won’t beneeded now that the peace has finally been agreed with theSoakers.

“Is there any reason for me to stay?” I askaloud.

Remy kicks my foot, startling me. I almostforgot he was sitting next to me in the sand. “I hope so,” hesays.

“What?” I say.

“I hope there’s a reason for you to stay. Ihope I’m a reason.”

“You? But…” I’m stupid, so stupid. I’m notused to this, to any of it. I’ve lived my whole life for duty, forthe honor of becoming a Rider one day, and now I’m finally one andI don’t know how to be normal.

“I just thought…never mind.” Remy looks away,out to sea.

“No, Remy, I didn’t mean—” I stop because I’mabout to tell a lie. I did mean what I said—that there’s nothinghere for me. But it’s not because I don’t care about him, it’s justbecause…

“I’m not used to you yet,” I blurt out.

He doesn’t look at me, but a smile tugs athis lips. Although I’m not sure I said the right thing—do I ever?—Iknow I didn’t say the wrong thing. “You think I’m used toyou?” he says, unable to hold back the smile that quickly turns toa laugh.

I laugh too and before I can stop, his arm isaround me and I’m leaning into him and he’s kissing me, but I’mkissing him back more, probably doing it all wrong, but not caring,because it feels so—so perfect.

When we pull apart I can’t keep the smile offmy face and I don’t want to. Things might be all messed up and sadand maybe getting worse, but at least what I’m about to say is thetruth, even if only a few minutes ago I didn’t even know it.

“I have a reason to stay,” I say. “You’re myreason.”

Huck

“Tell me again that I’ll see you again,” Isay, although I have no right to ask for such a promise.

I can feel an embarrassing number of eyeswatching us, but I won’t let them ruin this moment, thisgoodbye.

“I’ll see you again,” Jade says, her handscurling around my neck, her lips rising up to meet mine. The kissis warm, like sunshine, and I let it linger, letting her decidewhen to pull away.

“I’ll see you again,” I mimic, adding my ownpromise to the mix. “One way or another.”

“All right, break it up. Quit yerlip-wrestlin’ and love-talkin’ and get yer butt over ’ere,” Skyesays.

Jade laughs and the sound pulls saltwaterinto my eyes. I’m glad for her—bloody sad that she’s leaving me fornow, but glad that she’s found her sisters, that she’s goinghome.

And so am I. Back to the sea, to a new lifeas the Admiral of the Soaker fleet, where we’ll trade and live inharmony with our new Stormer friends on the shores. From now onwe’ll swab our own decks, repair our own sails. Given the dangersin fire country right now, the Heater children will stay with theStormers, protected, until a time when it’s safe for them to returnhome.

“Are you sure you won’t come?” Jade says, onelast time.

“My people are broken and scared. They needme,” I say, wishing I was born to a regular sailor—that my duty wasonly to myself.

She nods, kisses me on the cheek. “Iunderstand,” she says.

And then she walks away. She walks away and Ijust watch her.

Chapter Forty

Siena

I hold hands withJade as the miles fall away under our feet. Jade wanted it to bethe three of us holding hands, Skye included, but Skye said that’dbe too wooloo, even for sisters. But she walks close to us, justlistening with a half-smile on her face as Jade tells us stories,some that make us want to rush back and beat the living tugblazeout of the Soakers, some that make us laugh, and most that make uslove her all the more. When she tells ’bout chucking her scrubbrush at Huck, everyone laughs and Skye gives a “That’s my sister!”She looks like she wants to clap her on the back, too, but Jade’sstill too injured and everyone’s scared to touch her.

I try not to think ’bout my mother—not muchanyway—’cause each time she springs to mind I start to cry. Shewoulda loved to see the three of us t’gether again.

The guys, Circ and Feve and Dazz and Buff,along with Wilde, seem to realize we need some sister time, andthey pretty much leave us alone, laughing and telling jokes andwhatnot. It’s strange how well everyone’s getting along now,especially Dazz and Feve. I don’t know how I feel ’bout that, butafter what happened on the journey to storm country, I guess Iunderstand. Plus, I can’t really hold a grudge against Feveforever, can I? Not after all he’s done since his stupidmistakes.

When we make camp for the night, Jade finallystops talking and yawns, curling up on my lap ’fore Circ and Fevehave even had a chance to make a fire. When the fire’s cracklin’and the day is long gone, giving way to the moon and the stars of acloudless night, Wilde tells us everything she’s been holding backwhile we prepared to leave storm country.

“Your father”—she motions to Circ—“arrived inice country two days past. The Tri-Tribe spies have been watchingthe Glassies closely. As always, they were preparing for battle,getting their fire chariots shined up, cleaning and organizingtheir fire sticks. Nothing unusual.” She pauses, looks forquestions. We just wait.

“The Glassies rode out in their chariots,”she continues, “and our spies followed them from a safe distance.They picked through the old village.”

“Thank the sun goddess we left,” I say.

She nods. “They would’ve killed us all. Ourspies took a risk, got closer while the Glassies were combingthrough the village. They overheard things.”

“What sorts of things?” Circ says, sitting’side me. He runs a hand through Jade’s hair, all delicate-like,his leg touching mine comfortingly.

“That we’re savages. That eventually we’llturn on them. That if we aren’t exterminated we could ruineverything.”

“We’re savages?” Feve says. “We’re notthe ones rampaging across fire country trying to murder everyliving thing.” I’d hate to be the stick he’s holding. He snaps itin four places, throwing each into the hottest part of thefire.