Twice Dead

by Caitlin Seal

  Naya’s eyes widened. “In Talmir? But that’s absurd. What would runes from the war be doing there?”

  Delence shrugged. “We can’t dismiss the possibility of a lie on Valn’s part, but the prospect is not so insane as you might think. Most of the forces overseeing the purges were Talmiran. They would have had the means to protect anything they did not want to destroy. Regardless, the source of that journal is only one small part of our investigations, and to be frank, there’s another reason that I requested your presence here today.” Delence bent to retrieve something from a desk drawer.

  Naya tried to keep her expression calm even as her insides twisted. Talmir. If Valn was telling the truth, then any other surviving journals would be far out of her reach, assuming they even still existed.

  Delence straightened, holding out a leather folder. “I have an offer for you.”

  Naya took the folder. She was halfway through skimming the single page within when she realized what she was looking at. “This is the deed of ownership for the Gallant. Why…”

  “Consider it a gift. The Crown seized Hal Garth’s assets, and it seems only appropriate that the Gallant should go to you.” Naya’s grip tightened on the paper. “You’re giving me a ship?”

  “Yes, though it comes with a request. I want you to sail with me to Lith Lor and join me at the Congress of Powers.”

  Naya stared at Delence. Was he joking? Had he gone mad? “No,” she said reflexively. “They’d never allow me back, never mind letting me participate in the Congress.”

  “Let me worry about that. Recent events have given me a great deal of leverage. This meeting may be the most important since the Congress was founded. I need people with me who are dedicated to forging peace. You’ve already proved you’re willing to sacrifice to protect our peoples from another war. I don’t expect you to participate in the negotiations, but your presence at the Congress would give us an opportunity to show the other delegates that the undead are every bit as human as the living.”

  “I’m not…” Naya began. Then she looked down at the deed to the Gallant. If Lucia’s other journals still existed somewhere in Talmir, then this would likely be her best opportunity to search for them. But the thought of going back so publicly made her chest tighten with fear.

  “You’re the right person for this. Think about it,” Delence said, leaning forward. “You understand their fears better than any other undead. Who better to help them see our side of things?”

  The teakettle began to shriek, but Delence made no move to deactivate the runes. Naya met his eyes. Could she do this? She suspected there was more to Delence’s offer than he was saying. She was no politician. She had to assume there were others better suited to this task than her. Yet whatever Delence’s plans were, she couldn’t pass up the chance to search for Lucia’s missing journals. She had to find out what had happened to Corten’s soul and if there was any way still to bring him back.

  Naya ran her finger over the letters of the deed. “I would need a new crew for the Gallant. I can’t trust my father’s men.”

  “Of course.”

  “And I want Lucia to come with me.”

  Delence raised his eyebrows at that. “I suppose that can be arranged. It will be good to have someone around who can assist you if your bones become damaged.”

  “Good.”

  “Does that mean you agree to join our delegation?”

  Naya hesitated. Surely there were other things she should ask for. But her head felt light with expanding hope. “I’ll do it.”

  Delence extended his hand across the desk. “Excellent. I look forward to working with you, Captain Garth.”

  Wow. So many people helped make this book happen. Thank you to my amazing agent, Lucienne Diver, who possesses superhuman powers of editing and time management. I don’t know how you do it all. Thank you to Monica Perez and all the rest at Charlesbridge Teen. This book wouldn’t be here without you, and I hope you’re as proud of it as I am.

  Thank you to all the family and friends who supported me along the way: my dad, for getting me hooked on The Lord of the Rings; my mom, for always encouraging my weirdness; my brothers, Zack and Aaron, for all the good times and humor; Tom and Lynette, for encouraging me and welcoming me into your family; and Matt, for everything. Thank you to Caroline for the edits and offers of fan fic. Your enthusiasm is infectious. Thanks, in no particular order, to David, John, Jeremy, and James, for your patience in reading drafts and providing insight. To Chelsea, thank you for years of friendship, empathy, and shared stories.

  Thanks also to Brent Weeks. We’ve never met, but it was after reading the acknowledgments in one of your books that I finally tore up my excuses and decided to give this writing thing a try. Finally, thank you so much to everyone who’s read this far. Books are weird and wonderful things, and I hope you’ve enjoyed mine.