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“Consider it done. Nerys,” she said, standing aside as my companion rejoined us. “your human is more affable than most.”

“He is not mine, Nerithia,” Nerys said, a smile in her voice.

Winking, the innkeeper replied, “Not yet,” as she strolled away.

Neither of us commented on that.

With the low murmur of voices around us, we ate, mostly in silence. A compatible silence broken only periodically. I wondered if it was coincidence, a concept most of my people did not believe in, to have found myself in the single place in Thalassaria where I might get a message back home. More likely, I was meant to be here.

More accurately, I was meant to be here… with her.

It had been less than a day, but I did not need to be The Keeper to know these visions were of Nerys and her destiny. One, I was now convinced, that I’d been brought to help her claim.

Which meant my feelings for her were nothing more than that. I desired her. Wanted to kiss her. Wanted to be with her in every way possible. And yet, Nerithia was a reminder why Elydorians so rarely married humans. The inevitable heartbreak was, for most, too great a price to pay. Perhaps Marek was onto something, as bleak as his “love is not worth the pain” motto might be.

More importantly, this was not just any Thalassarian. Tonight, I shared a meal with the future queen. Caelum was meant to take me to her. To show me firsthand what she was capable of. What he did not realize was that, because of my new role as The Keeper, a reminder of Nerys’s destiny was not necessary. We could not ever be together.

“What are you thinking?” she asked, pushing her finished bowl of stew away.

Unfortunately, Nerys wasn’t quite ready to accept the destiny I knew awaited her. So I offered another truth instead.

“That I’ve never felt so at peace with another before.”

A small sigh escaped her lips as Nerys reached for her drink. “I feel the same. Which is remarkable, given the circumstances.”

“Such as?”

“That we both find ourselves at the mercy of the queen. I await a reprimand, and you, an answer. An important one at that.”

That’s when it hit me.

If Nerys did challenge Queen Lirael and won, she would be the new queen of Thalassaria. Use of the Tidal Pearl would be her decision alone.

This was a problem.

I didn’t wish Nerys to question my motives in pushing her to challenge the queen, yet I couldn’t reveal my visions without breaking my oath as a Keeper. AsTheKeeper.

“Wielding battle,” someone yelled near the door.

One moment the tavern was filled. The next, every single patron was on their feet, rushing toward the door. Including Nerys.

“Where are you going?” I asked, resisting the urge to grab her hand and pull Nerys back to safety.

Her wide grin was the only answer I needed. But she responded anyway.

“To see the battle, of course. Hurry, or we’ll miss it.”

14

NERYS

“What happened?”

Thankfully, we could see everything from here since they’d moved closer to the water’s edge. I could see why immediately. The younger one had some difficulty summoning water. He was likely the one who had taken the fight outside.

“They’re fishermen,” someone said. “On the same vessel. One apparently summoned the other’s ale… directly into his face. I don’t know the cause.”

“Ooh,” Rowan said as the older fisherman hurled a small wave at the other, knocking him off his feet. In response, he brought a wall of water up in front of him.