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“Have you used magic on her?” Milan’s easy tone sharpened, and the prick of the words caught Soulara by surprise.

“Yes. To speak to her and understand her language.” The urge to protect rose up in Soulara’s chest, clawing its way into her throat. She didn’t elaborate any more than that. She wanted to race back to Autumn, make sure she was safe, see her again.

“Okay, but you could use other magic on her.” Milan’s voice took on a turn that slithered beneath Soulara’s skin.

“What do you mean?” She’d been taught from the moment she knew about magic that it couldn’t be used without permission. There were rules to follow, and Soulara, though normally a rule breaker, had vowed to keep all magic sacred.

“We need more information. And I can only get so far into their fortress of concrete and sharp wire before I must retreat.”

Into their what? Soulara was about to ask, but she knew better. Her mother wouldn’t answer the question. She’d have to find out from Autumn. Besides, her mother was always a bit of an exaggerator. “I can ask her.”

“Be careful. These humans aren’t the first who have come here and threatened our people and our world.”

That made Soulara’s thoughts come to a crashing stop. What the hell was her mother going on about now? Dropping information in like this instead of just telling her everything at once?

“It is a sad story, and I’ll tell you about it another time. Right now I think you need to speak to your father, and help your people.”

Soulara’s chest tightened. Her people. That was always the problem, wasn’t it? Milan wasn’t part of the upper sounding tribe. She’d never been fully allowed into the circle, not that she wanted to be embraced by them. She’d purposely put a distance between them until Pregtox had run her out of the city. Soulara bit her tongue. She’d heard both sides of the story—at least parts of it—and she’d never quite known who to fully believe.

“He doesn’t care.” Instead, she clung to the one thing she could say, the one thing that might take the pressing weight of responsibility from her shoulders for just a little longer.

“He doesn’t have to.” Milan sent Soulara a sharp and reprimanding look. “You do.”

Soulara took deep, slow breaths, a strange and thrilling sensation welling up in her as the air rippled inside her body. She didn’t want that job. She’d never wanted to be queen. She’d never wanted to step into the role as leader of her people. She wanted to be the one in the lab, fiddling with her technology, helping her people from behind the lines of any real leadership. Why didn’t everyone understand that already?

“Let’s practice.”

“Practice what?” Soulara’s tone was sharper than she intended it to be, and the second reprimanding look her mother sent shut her right up.

“Telepathy.”

“You want me to read Autumn’s mind?” Soulara gaped.

“Of course.” Her mother looked down at her tail as the fluke split and creamy legs replaced the color that had just been there. “We’ll practice now.”

Soulara didn’t dare argue with her mother when she spoke with such command. She’d only end up right back where she started, in lessons that would seem never-ending. Soulara cringed, but she cleared her mind and prepared herself for a lesson she hadn’t wanted that day.

“Begin.”

Before Soulara had a chance to think, the tendrils of Milan’s magic slid into her mind.

“Wait.”

“You need to be ready to erect your walls at any time.”

“Fine.” Soulara raised one side of her lips, accepting the challenge. She focused and the walls rose in a moment.

Milan smiled, but just as quickly, Soulara sent her own tendrils of thought out in search of her mother’s thoughts.

“Oh.” Mischief glinted in Milan’s eyes. “Two can play at that game.”

Soulara laughed.

The sun had moved across the sky, and Soulara’s body ached. She craved the gentle caress of the water. What had Autumn called it? The embrace. Yes, how she wished for the embrace of home and the warmth of the sea. Two out of three times now she had been able to pierce through her mother’s outer layer of thoughts.

“I need the water’s embrace.” The words spilled before Soulara could stop them.

“I know.” Milan panted, exhaustion showing in her ragged appearance. She plunged into the small pool of water and the dazzling speed of her shift from legs to fluke made even Soulara blink.