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Honour had no way to approach them without being seen. It was a perfect hiding place in plain sight. Honour checked her weapons and then moved forward confidently. She wasn’t sure she could take Hudson, but she was in far better shape to do it now than she had been before. She’d at least be able to put up a fight.

Hudson made eye contact. Honour knew the instant Hudson saw her because the laugh was low and seductive. It was full of mirth and pleasure all in one. Honour could so easily remember the feel of Hudson’s body against hers, the way their scales rubbed together, their lips melded in an embrace.

“Well, look what the tuna’s dragged in.” Hudson laughed joyously, but Kyree didn’t seem to move at all.

Was she that sound asleep?

“I thought you were done kidnapping innocent mermaids.” Honour swam closer, keeping her pace slow. She wanted to make sure they were alone and no one was going to jump out and attack them. She wanted to also keep Hudson in her sights, because she wouldn’t be able to win a fight between the two of them if Hudson took her by surprise.

“She came to me.” Hudson’s eyes lit up brightly, like she had the golden platter that Honour wanted. Which, perhaps, she did.

Honour clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and dropped her gaze to Kyree. “What did you do to her?”

“Nothing. I gave her a place to rest. Something you couldn’t even manage to do.” Hudson laughed again, the trill of her voice reverberating through the water.

Was this a competition between them? It was Honour’s job to take care of Kyree, to protect her, to keep her safe, and yet Honour couldn’t even manage that. She’d all but told Kyree she had to go it on her own. She had refused to listen. She’d been so scattered, so broken, and so torn down that she’d retreated instead of staying to make sure that Kyree had been taken care of.

“I’ll take her home.” Honour moved in, ready to scoop Kyree into her arms and take her back to Reine.

But Hudson snagged Honour’s wrist and held on tight. “Nuh-uh-uh. I wouldn’t touch her if I were you.”

“She’s not a possession for you to keep,” Honour whispered harshly.

“No, she’s a woman, full of desires and passions just like the rest of us.” Hudson pulled Honour down hard, nearly making Honour fall into both of them. “Isn’t that why you’re back?”

“No,” Honour stated firmly.

“Then why are you here? Surely it’s not to keep your honor with this one.” Hudson leaned in closer.

Honour could smell her breath, feel the movement of the water against her cheeks. Her eyes fluttered shut. Why was she there? She’d swum out of Reine as soon as Zendalia told her what had happened and the healers would release her. She’d swum until she’d found Kyree here, and she still didn’t know why her heart had pounded so hard not knowing where Kyree was.

“I need her to end this war.”

“No, you don’t.” Hudson shook her head, confident in her answer.

“Honour?” Kyree said from Hudson’s lap, her voice drifting up to them as if in a dream. “Is that really you?”

“Yes.” Honour wanted to shift down, to meet Kyree eye to eye, but Hudson still had such a grasp on her that she couldn’t move. “Are you well?”

“Well enough,” Kyree murmured.

She must have been moving, because Honor could feel the change in the water, the weight being lifted from Hudson’s body. But Hudson still didn’t let her go, keeping hold of Honour’s wrist in a tight grasp.

“Why are you here?” Kyree asked, flicking her gaze from Honour to Hudson and back again. “Have you decided to help me find Nylah?”

Honour scoffed before she could stop herself. She looked directly into Kyree’s dark eyes and shook her head. “That’s a fool’s errand.”

Kyree’s face hardened instantly, a defense against what she saw as an attack, and Honour was completely at fault for it. She should have chosen her words better. She should have prevented the hurt but also her damn reaction.

“Kyree,” Honour started, her voice tinged with a plea.

Kyree shook her head and backed away. “No. I need to find Nylah.”

“It’s ridiculous!” Honour shouted.

Hudson let go of her instantly, clapping her hands together with a fit of giggles. “Oh, a fight. I wasn’t expecting this kind of show today.”

Honour snapped a glare in her direction before focusing on Kyree again. Convince Kyree to leave with her so it wasn’t a fight, and then they could leave Hudson behind in the sand. “We can go back to Reine and discuss this.”