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Her mind screamed at her to find help, but her legs folded beneath her, and she pressed her own hands to his wound, trying to stem the blood. “Very well. You’ll have to deal with me as your nursemaid until you get better.”

Ream grimaced, his face a mask of pain.

“I’m sorry it hurts, but I have to put pressure on it.” She glared as silvery blood still leaked from beneath her fingers. She glanced around the cove. There weren’t any sort of healing plants nearby, although there was some wide seaweed. Mer placed Ream’s hand on the wound before yanking the seaweed from the sand. She knotted the strands together quickly and then painstakingly wrapped them around her husband until they sealed the wound.

“There we go. That’s better,” she croaked, then cleared her throat. It wasn’t enough. She could already see blood pooling beneath the leaves of the seaweed.

He was going to die.

No.

They’d only been married for three years, and yet it felt like she’d lived a lifetime with him. He was her person. Mer couldn’t lose him.

“I need to get help. This is far beyond my knowledge.”

Once again, he shook his head and gave her a soft yet sad smile. He reached for her hand, squeezing gently. “This is of my own doing, my love.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“It’s true.”

She swallowed hard and frowned, trying to come up with a reason why he would say such a thing.

Why did he attack the prince? Our ally?

As if he could read her thoughts, he replied, “I had no choice. They have my daughter.”

Mer flinched.

His daughter had died alongside his previous wife in a terrible accident at least seven years before they married. She leaned closer and examined his pupils. Was he hallucinating?

She smoothed the hair back from his brow. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, but there’s time to figure this out later. We need to get you healthy, my love.” His loose grip suddenly tightened on her hand, almost to the point of pain. “You’re hurting me.”

“I need you to listen to me right now.” His bright lucid gaze held onto hers. “The Pernicious are coming. They are clever and know all. You must find my daughter before it’s too late. Trust no one. Find Lysa for me.”

She blinked hard, trying to make sense of his words. “What are you talking about? Who are the Pernicious? And Ream, your daughter is gone,” she said softly, as if that would make the reminding blow any less painful.

“The Scythians gave me proof. They have a likeness of her.”

Scythians.

Mer froze, staring down at her husband.

He’d been in contact with their enemy?

She frowned as she ran over the events of the evening. Ream was a healer, not a warrior. He shouldn’t have been on that warship in the first place. He’d attacked the prince, and the Methian royal had only defended himself.

Mer began to shake. “What have you done?” she whispered.

“What I had to.” Ream pleaded with her with his gaze. “It’s my daughter.”

Dread clogged her throat. “Was it you?” she questioned. No one knew how the enemy had obtained knowledge on how to hunt the Sirenidae. “Did you betray us?Me?”

Ream reached up and cupped her cheek, his fingers so cold. “You will understand when you have your own child. There are no lines you won't cross to protect them.”

That was a yes.

Her heart broke.