To Kill a Kingdom

Lira wakes with her wound wrapped and is greeted by Kye. He has come around to the idea of her being there after watching her sacrifice herself for Elian. Lira thinks about how she stayed on the ship so that she could kill Elian, but when someone else tried to kill him, she stopped them without thinking. Loyalty is not something she’s felt before, except to Khalia, and she’s conflicted. She begins to realize that she could use the Eye of Keto to put an end to her mother’s war rather than follow her orders to kill Elian. She remembers the words of Crestell, who told her to become the queen that they needed her to be, and she realizes that she meant for Lira to become a different kind of queen than her mother. Kye offers to let Elian know that Lira is awake, but she decides to find him herself, sliding off of the makeshift bed.

The Saad travels closer to Págos, the air growing colder. The crew has imprisoned Rycroft below the ship, allowing him to cling to life long enough to receive his punishment from the Págese for stealing from them.