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No, that kiss had been anything but simple.

And Kyree had wanted to be right in the middle of all of it. She’d wanted to know what it would feel like to have all that intense energy and seduction turned on her, swirling through her, consuming her. But she’d been held at a distance. She’d been pushed to the side to watch, and why?

Because of where she was from?

Because it was what she wanted?

Or because she wasn’t invited into the fray?

All of that had been true, but she hadn’t wanted it to be. Running her fingers through her hair, Kyree rolled her shoulders. Her first point of order was to find Nylah. If shecould find Nylah, they could find Soulara, and if they could find Soulara, then perhaps Honour would be ready to discuss all that had happened between them.

As long as Honour’s health truly had been returned to her. She had faith in Hudson’s cure, she had to have faith in it. Without understanding why, Kyree needed to believe that Hudson was not all bad, and that Honour would survive.

Because then, maybe it would be all right.

The possibilities.

The desires.

The reasons why Kyree was so unsure about what she wanted to do next.

Until then, it was up to her. Because no one understood—perhaps Hudson did, but she was distracted by her own demons—what it was she needed to do and why this was so important to her. Without that, she was on her own. Without Honour, she was vulnerable. But she had faith.

Kyree whispered a prayer to the water to keep her safe as she pushed her fluke down, found that inner strength, and started to search the ocean, one reef at a time.

9

Hudson’s laugh bounced off the trench walls and faded as it echoed away into the darkness. She heard the screams from the small patrol of Talon scouts who had followed her into the narrow darkness. Her smile was wide, though her lips remained pressed together. The satisfaction of a plan working was a warm tightness in her chest.

And yet, it made her ache to have another’s body pressed against her own. Memories of pressing her body against Honour’s flashed in her mind, but she shook them off as soon as they dared take over her thoughts.

No, this wasn’t the time for them.

This was war. And while it had all started a little earlier than she had expected, one of her many skills had always been her ability to improvise. The top of the trench was one of the only places she could easily see the edge of Talon waters. It curved, following the path of nature’s current, marked with the streak of gray that had been the marker for the tribe since its inception.

She’d seen the scouts and the idea had formed easily enough.

She had lured the scouts into the ravine. Once their bigger bulk made them unable to continue on and going back meant facing her men, they found her very persuasive.

They answered her questions. And the answers made her feel even longer and stronger than she had ever been. Talon’s leaders were finally paying attention to her. They had set ambushes for her and her men. Ambushes weren’t needed for the weak or the incompetent.

Now she knew without a doubt they were scared.

She would meet them in their water, at the edge of the gray strip.

Had they really thought she would be surprised or thrown off-kilter by their choice of battlefield? She hoped so.

She did enjoy when people underestimated her.

Contrary to Talon belief, not only were mermaids not stupid or weak, they were also quite capable of listening and learning.

And now she had hurt them again.

The Talon were hemorrhaging, and she was the blade that split their skin. She would continue to split every one of them until they died bleeding over their archaic regime and failure.

“Time to meet them head on.” She roared into the ripples of water surrounding her. “Let’s move.”

“Yes, Hudson.” Cryoc’s own blood lust filled his voice as he gave a battle cry.