Jode moved around to her front, beside Hena, face to face with his sister. The wounded, funny lax already looked a little older, careworn. Gryshen wanted to wash all the pain from his face as he studied hers.
“Grysh?” he called out, looking as if waiting for something that resembled home to answer.
“It’s from all the times I snagged the last of the sweet mussels from you. I knew being a criminal would come back to haunt me.” She managed a little smile.
It was like she’d cast sunlight upon him. Jode reached out, taking both of her hands. It was unusually tender for him, especially in public. Gryshen drew a sip of water, waiting for him to speak.
“Nah. You’re just crazy.”
She couldn’t help but throw her arms around her brother, bubbles of laughter escaping her lips. Despite her best efforts, a few tears mixed with them, swirling a little ink between them.
“Thank you” was all she could signal.
Hena gave a nod of approval. Bravis had drawn closer during this exchange, and now he was beside the rest of them. Even Apocay had pulled in a bit.
“All right, then, Chieftainess, what are our orders?” Hena asked.
So they’re just going to let this go? Maybe just for now. Maybe they were as hurt, scared, and tired—no, no way they were as tired—but they were ready to do something besides feel stuck in grief and fear.
“You said you needed me to redirect the crowd, right?” Jode handed her something to grab onto.
Gryshen collected herself. “Yes. Yes. “Jode, nobody rallies like you. And that’s what we need.”
“Okay, Grysh, but they’re going to need to hear from you, too.”
Before she could protest, Bravis spoke. “He’s right, Gryshen. They need to trust you. You’re asking them to risk their lives.”
“But, I don’t want them to. I thought they wanted to. I tried to do this myself.” Gryshen knew the words were useless as she signaled them.
“Not this again,” Hena scolded.
“They will go into battle. They want their pearl. But they’re afraid,” Bravis explained. “They can’t just do this for survival. They need someone to unite them.”
“Jode or you or Hena—”
“I’ve got my own pod to send into battle!” Hena reminded her.
“Of course. I’m sorry. But surely . . . ”
“Jode is more like a brother to all of them.”
“Or a lover,” Jode added, with a look at Hena. She snorted again.
Bravis continued, “And I am not a leader in that way. I am—”
“Lord of the Responsible, borderline ancient, party killer . . . Jode ticked off titles on his fingers.
“I was going to say quieter.”
“Oh. Sure. That, too.”
“What I was saying is that you—”
“Are Frall’s daughter.” Gryshen looked down.
“And their chieftainess. They need to rally behind you, believe in you.”
“Not a ghost. I know.” Gryshen thought of her father’s gift to bring enemies together with his easygoing presence. He could make anyone believe him.
It was simple to do when you told the truth.
This thought led her to what she was almost certain she was told by her own visions. She just couldn’t even consider it. There was a moment of hope here; her most beloved ilorays were behind her still, and she was going to keep it this way.
“Okay, fine, fine. I’ll come in when they’ve warmed.” Gryshen shivered. Whenever that might be.
“All right, so like before a hunt?” Jode looked to Bravis and Hena for advice.
“A bit. Be yourself. You are their friend,” said Bravis.
“Be funny—but not obnoxious,” Hena said.
“Be the one they can trust,” Gryshen said. After a brief pause, she added, “If they can remember how much they like you and trust you, maybe they’ll be able to tolerate me.”
“Gryshen.” Bravis looked at her, Hena’s jaw set firmly in agreement with what he was going to say next.
“Okay, they trust you, and we’ll make them trust me.”
They all seemed satisfied with this answer.
Jode checked himself in the chunk of glass against Gryshen’s chamber wall, baring his teeth and cleaning bits of barnacles from his fin.
“For Mother’s sake, I hope you have more to rely on than how you look.” Hena floated just behind him, arms folded.
“For them or for you? Never mind, I think I can win over both.” Even Bravis chuckled at this. Gryshen felt a little heartened for her brother when she caught the suggestion of a smile on her friend’s plum lips. Jode caught it, too, and it probably didn’t hurt his confidence when he swam out, followed by Bravis. The guards signaled throughout the cavern that everyone was to meet in the hub for an announcement from the prince.
“Don’t you need something? Before you speak?” Apocay finally signaled.
“What?” She was just wishing he would go away. He was too connected to things she couldn’t consider now, the things that had to stay hidden. She had an uneasy feeling that he might be able to draw back some secret veil if he chose, and reveal all.
Apocay tapped his throat. Of course.
“Oh, right.” Gryshen had forgotten again. It was so easy to. But now, even just as he reminded her, she could feel the little cuts in her lungs. She needed air.
Hena swam alongside her on their way to the chamber nearest to the hub. Everyone had moved out to hear Jode. They had probably only moved so quickly two other times, and those had all been over the last few days.
Hena coached her all the way down.
“Gree, you’ve just got to look them all straight in their faces. It doesn’t have to be straight in their eyes if you don’t think you can handle that. Pause at each cluster in the crowd, and every single iloray will think you spoke directly to them. Trust me.”
Gryshen was glad for her help. She needed all of it, unlike her brother, who she could hear as she gulped oxygen from the tube like it was courage.
“They betrayed us! They slept in our chambers, and they ate at our elbows, and they abused our kindness—your kindness, my kindness.” The crowd murmured and yelled in agreement. “My father’s kindness.” They roared. “My sister’s kindness!”
The roar turned way down, something between a coo and a growl. “My sister, who doesn’t—my friends, my tribe—she doesn’t even know what other purpose she has.” He was going for it.
Everything in Gryshen’s body tensed.
“What is he doing?” Hena hissed.
“She doesn’t know what other purpose she has, because the only purpose that’s ever meant anything to her is Rone! Her family, her lifeblood. She rushed to her Forms after our enemy tried to kill her, she rushed—against our warnings, I should tell you—she rushed in so she could be ready to lead us, so she could lead her Rone family into battle to take back our life!”
The crowd broke open with cheers. Gryshen almost collapsed with relief.
Hena nodded her head. “Oh.”
“He’s saving me, that’s what he’s doing.”
“Now, Gryshen.” Bravis gestured that the time was right for her to speak.
Just go forward, just go forward.
She stared at her brother’s face and took in his triumph, in spite of everything he had been through.
Bless you. Bless you forever, Jode.
Once more, she couldn’t help but fling her arms around her brother. It was the truest thing she could do.