Page 25

Her men chorused Cryoc’s words, and she threw her head back. Another burst of laughter escaping her lips before she dropped her chin forward again.

The smile disappeared, and her lips curled up into a sneer.

“Time to kill them all.” She screamed and led her troops over the top of the ravine once more.

They didn’t rush. There was no need to spend all their energy, but they made enough ripples in the water to ensure the moment they touched on Talon land they were warmed up and ready.

“Stop!” The word was wrenched out of Hudson. It ripped up her throat and the tang of copper touched her tongue.

Her body halted so suddenly nausea roiled in her stomach.

It couldn’t be.

It simply wasn’t possible.

But there, swimming out in the open, just outside the border of Talon territory, was a figure she recognized instantly. Long and darkly colored, the mermaid she watched swam with a haphazard distraction that worried at the pit of Hudson’s stomach.

What the hell was Kyree doing here? And where was Honour?

Hudson scanned the space around Kyree’s slowly meandering swim.

A part of her remained vaguely aware of the shuffle and confusion that was taking place behind her. She wouldn’t have survived all these years if she hadn’t been able to multitask and remain vigilant.

Waves of water buffeted her back, but she remained strong, holding her place and refusing to turn back around and face her troops. Not until she knew how to contort her face, and into what expression.

Her fluke flicked lightly at the water beneath her, keeping her buoyant but not moving forward.

“Hudson?” Cryoc’s voice was rough and strained.

She understood the strength it took to pull back the urges once battle fever had pulsed within their blood and veins. The power of it pushed her breath hard and fast from her chest. She needed to fight, to let out the rage and revel in the power she took for herself, the power she took back from those who would control her life without thought or consent.

“Hudson?” Cryoc’s voice lowered to sound more like the mechanical beasts than a merman.

She still couldn’t answer. Not yet.

Instead, she looked over her shoulder and caught Cryoc’s eye for a mere second before turning back around in search of that beautiful silhouette again.

Kyree’s silhouette.

Finding her once more, Hudson felt her concern grow stronger.

She followed Kyree’s slow progress and caught her breath when she swayed over the border line and into Talon territory. She was as good as dead if she went any farther.

Moments flowed by. Hudson continued to hold her breath. But then nothing happened.

She watched several more times as Kyree swayed over the line and then back out of dangerous waters once again.

Hudson realized she was slowly shaking her head back and forth.

Many merfolk had called her insane over the years, from the Talon tribe and from others she had encountered throughout her time preparing for this war. She wanted to believe the final thread on her sanity had snapped.

“Cryoc?” She finally forced the word out. She needed to be sure, despite the rapid beating in her chest that told her everything she needed to know.

“Hudson?” He asked as he swam up beside her.

From the corner of her eye, she saw his eyebrows furrowed as he followed her line of sight.

“What the fuck is she doing here?” Cryoc’s voice carried many things, some Hudson could guess at and others she knew for certain. The anger and accusation toward her were all too familiar.