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34 THARAN

Tharan’s fingers shook as he buttoned his expertly crafted pourpoint to the top of his chin, his mind a mix of anger and worry.

He brushed his long auburn hair before placing the golden antler crown atop his head. Kohl ringed his eyes, making them pop.

“Well, you look fierce,” Hopper said, leaning against the doorframe. His hair was tied back in a tight knot, and he wore his traditional emissary outfit of finely milled black wool with the golden seal of the Woodlands on the breast depicting the Alder Palace.

“That’s what I’m going for. This is my first meeting with Calliope, and I need to make a lasting impression.”

“You always make a lasting impression, my King.”

Tharan shook his head at his friend.

“You don’t have to blow smoke up my ass all the time.”

“Just some of the time.” Hopper adjusted the crown on his head and wiped any stray hairs from his coat.

“Where are we meeting Calliope?”

“At the docks. In a warehouse. She won’t venture far from water.”

Tharan rolled his eyes.

“Of course. Do we think she’ll bring Aelia and Baylis?”

“If she’s smart, she’ll have them nearby,” Hopper replied.

Tharan took a deep breath, trying to conceal his nerves, and headed down to the foyer where Amolie, Sumac, and four members of the Hunt waited.

Pausing at the top of the stairs, he cleared his throat.

“Hopper, Sumac, Amolie, and I will go into the warehouse alone. The Hunt will watch for trouble from the land.”

The stoic crew nodded.

Sumac twirled a knife between her fingers before sheathing it.

“Alright, let’s go. The queen of the Undersea is dangerous and cunning. Do not underestimate her,” Tharan said.

The party headed out into the night.

Tharan fiddled with his rings as he stared out the carriage’s window. The snow was melting, and the first inklings of spring were beginning to sprout. Ostara would be upon them soon enough. He would be expected to preside over the Woodlands festival and provide blessings to newlywed couples. Ostara meant new beginnings. Perhaps if he got Aelia back, they would have a binding ceremony of their own. He shook off the thought. It was foolish to think that way when she clearly had hesitations about marrying him.

The carriage came to a halt in front of an unremarkable warehouse. With its peeling paint and warped boards, it was hardly a place for a meeting of two royal houses, but neither was stupid enough to meet the other on their turf.

The smell of old fish wafted through the air, turning Tharan’s stomach. The Hunt took up a position at the front and sides while Amolie stood behind Tharan and the others, covered in shadow.

Sumac, Tharan, and Hopper walked to where the water lapped at the dock once used to unload goods meant for the Fates. In the distance, the Isle of Fate stood ominously bathed in moonlight. Tharan swallowed hard and touched the sword at his side, if only to remind himself it was there. A briny wind blew in through the open door, making him shiver.

Three creatures crawled from the water, their muscled arms hauling up their transforming bodies. Covered in darkness, their monstrous bodies shifted from tentacles and fins to long, sensual legs.

Tharan’s pulse quickened at the sight of the sea queen. With skin the color of mint, long, white hair, and eyes as white and ancient as Tharan had ever seen, the woman towered over them—a force to be reckoned with. From the shape of her hourglass body, Tharan wondered how many men or women found themselves lured into her bed. She did not seem abashed at her nakedness but instead reveled in it. She snapped her fingers, and Ursula appeared from the shadows, wrapping a silken robe around her queen while another attendant placed a crown of shark’s teeth atop her head.

Behind her, two of her attendants, a male and a female, slipped on robes of their own.

Calliope narrowed her pupilless eyes on Tharan.

“So this is the new Alder King?” She placed her hands on her hips. “I see you have inherited your father’s strong jaw and height… and his penchant for troublesome women.”

Tharan’s blood boiled.

“Cut the shit, Calliope; I know you have Aelia and Baylis. Now tell me what you want to return them to me.”

The queen of the Undersea wagged one long finger at him in disapproval.

“Now, now, that’s no way to talk to a lady. Especially one you want something from.”

Tharan took a deep breath, remembering Hopper’s warning. He needed to keep his head on straight if he wanted Aelia back.

“Excuse my outburst,” he apologized.

“I’ll forgive it this once. Men in love are known to be hot-headed. If I listen closely enough, I can hear your heart racing in your chest.” She tilted her head at Tharan like the predator she was. “You want to kill me, don’t you, Lord of Nothing?”

Tharan squared his shoulders. She was goading him, and he knew it. He would not step into her trap. Everyone in the room held their breath as the two rulers sized each other up.

Hopper cleared his throat.

“We are here for a reason.”

“Yes, we are. You want your little princess back.” Calliope snapped her head at the diplomat.

“I have what you seek.” Tharan pulled out the sapphire containing the siren’s song. Strung between his fingers, the jewel sparkled in the faint moonlight.

Calliope sucked in a breath.

“You insult me, King. I want my sister back, and unless you know a necromancer. I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Tharan did his best to calm his racing pulse. He didn’t want Calliope to think he was up to something, but at the same time, he wanted to call her bluff.

“I do know a necromancer, actually.”

“Bullshit.”

Turning to the darkness he called, “Amolie! Come out here.”

The witch emerged. Her hood covered her face, but Tharan knew she was cursing him underneath. He hoped his little plan would work. Some witch covens dabbled in necromancy, but sea sylph were known to be suspicious of any land dwellers and notoriously bigoted toward witches.

Calliope growled at Tharan.

“A witch? Witches can’t be trusted. Everyone knows that.”

He laid a reassuring hand on Amolie’s shoulder.

“This one can, and she will do her best to bring your sister back if you hand over Aelia, Baylis, and my soldier.”

“There is no bringing my sister back. The siren guppies devoured her body,” the sea queen hissed, her fangs on full display. “All I have left is her head.”

Tharan knew this could go sideways quickly. If the queen felt threatened, she wouldn’t hesitate to attack. He wanted to touch his sword, but neither did he want to alarm her further.

“Perhaps Amolie could deliver a message from the other side. Witches are known for their ability to speak with the dead.”

“They are?” Ursula blurted out.

Calliope crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing the two with suspicion.

“Yes, I’ve never heard this about witches. Then again, I’ve not spent much time on land or in their presence.”

Taking a deep breath, he collected his thoughts, trying his best to keep his pulse steady. He had to commit to this lie.

“Yes, they are. And Amolie here is one of the finest.”

Amolie pulled back her hood.

“My king is too generous with his praise.”

Calliope’s mouth twisted with concern.

“I should take your beloved’s head for what she did to my sister.”

Tharan’s heart clenched in his chest.

Calliope held out a hand for the siren’s song, and he gently placed it in her palm.

Running her webbed fingers over the smooth stone, she whispered something under her breath.

Tharan and Hopper exchanged knowing glances, hoping this would be enough to quell the sea queen’s rage.

Suddenly, Calliope’s head snapped up.

“This is enough for now.”

Tharan’s shoulders relaxed.

“So you’ll give me Aelia and Baylis back?”

A devious smile cut her macabre face in two.

“Oh, precious king, you have so much to learn.”

Tharan’s heart sank.

“You’re not going to give her back, are you?”

An evil cackle echoed through the old wooden building. Calliope moved closer to Tharan. The scent of the sea lingered on her skin. Leaning in, she whispered in his ear, “I never had her, but if I find her before you do. I will skewer her and her sister’s head on a pike in my throne room.”

Before he knew what he was doing, Tharan clasped his hand around the queen’s slippery neck.

“You lie.”

Her eyes went wide as she struggled for air.

Power rippled through Tharan like lightning in his veins. Ursula and the queen’s guards drew their blades, but the Hunt blocked their paths.

Tharan lifted the queen into the air. A green flame flickered in his eyes. He could end her here. He could take control of her kingdom and install a proxy of his choosing.

“Where is she?” he said in a preternatural voice drawn from the depths of his magic.

Calliope grasped violently at her neck.

“I swear I don’t have her.”

The fear in her eyes told Tharan she was telling the truth.

“The song. Give it back then, and I will spare your life.”

“No.”

He squeezed her neck tighter. The muscles tightened beneath his fingers as they worked harder to get air in.

“Are you sure?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“It’s true.” Ursula stepped forward; her eyes filled with tears. “She doesn’t have them. I swear it!”

Tharan held out his hand.

“I’ll take the necklace back then.”

Reluctantly with a shaking arm, Calliope handed the sapphire to him.

A dark part of him wanted to end her and be done with it. That would start a war he didn’t know if he could win. Would the Undersea bow to him? Would it matter? Calliope would never bow to him again. He glanced at Ursula, who could not be trusted but was loyal to her queen. She would be livid if he killed her queen, but zealots need a god, and he could be her savior if he installed her as acting regent.

Shaking the dark thought from his mind, he released Calliope.

Ursula ran to her queen, helping her up.

“How dare you treat my queen this way!”

“Careful, little mermaid,” Tharan warned. “We’ve seen how fish fare on land.”

She bared her sharp teeth at him and pulled Calliope back into the water. The queen’s guards followed behind her. The splashing of their tails echoed through the empty warehouse.

Tharan let out a heavy breath.

“What was that?” Hopper hit his friend on the shoulder. “Do you want to start a war with the Undersea?”

He didn’t want to admit the dark thoughts flying through his mind, but there was a part of him regretting letting Calliope go.

“Honestly? I considered it.”

Hopper clicked his tongue at his friend.

“Your magic is wild. You need to learn how to contain it before you hurt someone, whether you mean to or not.”

“It won’t happen again.” Tharan pinched the bridge of his nose. “But if she doesn’t have Aelia and Baylis, then who does?”

Amolie stepped forward.

“There is only one other person who would want them.”

“Gideon and Erissa?” Tharan said, his voice was no more than a whisper. “But how?”

Amolie shrugged.

“We all knew this was a possibility.”

Tharan shut his eyes.

“Is someone going to tell us what’s going on?” Sumac said, sheathing her sword. “We almost just killed a queen.”

A fire rose in Tharan’s blood.

“I would do anything to get Aelia back. Even if it meant war.”

“I think it will.” Amolie turned to Hopper and Sumac. “I believe Baylis was acting as a kind of double agent. Perhaps she does not know what she is doing. Perhaps she does. All we can do is try to get Aelia back.”

“That backstabbing bitch,” Sumac spit the words out as though they were poison in her mouth.

Tharan rubbed his face. His heart sank with the weight of his guilt.

“I told her she was being overly sensitive. I feel so guilty. I should have believed her.”

Amolie sighed. “There was no way for you to know. For any of us to know for sure.”

“Let’s get back to the house and figure out a plan.” He kicked at the old wooden floor aimlessly.

They rode through the sleeping city up to the hill, where the Alder Townhome stood silent as the grave—no candles burned in the windows. Two of the Hunt stood like statues at the gate.

“Someone is here to see the king,” one of them said.

A chill crept up Tharan’s spine.

“Who?” he asked.

“A knight from the Stormlands.”

“Roderick?” Amolie chimed in. “Was his name Bonecleaver?”

“I believe so. Finneas let him in.”

Amolie burst from the carriage, and into the house, before any of the others had a chance to take a breath.

Tharan and the others followed behind her to the parlor, where they found Roderick and Amolie wrapped in each other’s arms.

Tharan cleared his throat.

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m assuming you came here for a reason, Roderick.”

Amolie and Roderick parted. Roderick bowed to Tharan. “There is, your grace.” His face twisted with a mixture of fear and sadness. “It’s Lord Caiden. He’s gone.”

“What do you mean, gone?” Amolie asked.

“We went to the races together, and he didn’t return.”

The hair on the back of Tharan’s neck stood on end.

“What do you mean you went to the races together, and he didn’t return?”

“He went to show Ora around the stables and never returned.” He swallowed hard. “They found her body floating in the river the next morning.”

The room sucked in a collective breath.

“They don’t think Caiden…” Amolie couldn’t finish her sentence.

“He hasn’t been charged, but there are whispers rippling through the city—a council member’s son. A lord, in his own right, goes missing, and the woman he was last seen with winds up dead in a river. It doesn’t look good, that’s for sure.”

“But Caiden wouldn’t. He’s not like that,” Amolie said.

“We know he’s not, but you know how the city loves to gossip.”

“What of Tonin and Tempestia? They must be devastated.”

“They are distraught in so many ways, but the best way to help them is to find their son.” He looked around the room at the faces, both new and known. “Where is Aelia?”

“She is gone too,” Tharan said, stepping forward. “Disappeared a few nights ago with her sister. We thought the queen of the Undersea might have them, but alas, she did not.”

“We think Baylis was working for Gideon the entire time. Our new working theory is she lured Aelia out and… well… I don’t know,” Amolie said.

Tharan ran his thumb over his bottom lip while he paced the room. “When did Caiden disappear?”

“Five days go.”

“Same with Aelia. So Baylis must have been working with someone… likely Gideon, and Erissa must have been after Caiden. But why not come after me?”

. “They don’t need to kidnap you. They know you will come for Aelia,” Sumac said.

Tharan’s heart skipped a beat. There, it was laid out before them, a twisted web made to ensnare him and the woman he loved. There would be no wedding on Ostara for them. The sky would turn dark, and the rivers would run red with the blood of those who thought they could play with their lives. Power coursed through his veins.

“I think I know where they’re taking them… or at least where they will eventually end up,” Roderick said.

“Go on…” Tharan said.

“You’re not going to like it.”

“Try me.”

“The Court of Screams.”

Tharan grimaced. “How do you know?”

Roderick sighed.

“It’s a long story, but we found books from the original sylph families that led to a map pointing to the Court of Screams. The scholar… the one who they found in the river, helped us.”

Tharan nodded slowly, mulling over the information. The Court of Screams was not a place any sylph wanted to trifle with, but if it meant getting Aelia back, he would go to the underworld and back.

“Erissa was severely burned at the battle of Ryft’s Edge. She is powerful, and we know she’s stopped aging.” He tapped his finger on his lips. “Could she have used a glamour to make herself look like the scholar?”

“I knew Ora for years. Her voice was the same. Glamours don’t change voices. Nothing seemed off about her in the library.”

“Did you see her the night she disappeared?”

“Yes, she was in the suite with us at the races,” Roderick said.

“And did she seem different?”

“I can’t really say. I wasn’t paying attention to her. I take the races very seriously.”

Was Erissa behind this? Or had she hired someone to do her dirty work. He wouldn’t put it past her to hire a look alike and then glamour them to do her bidding. If she had Caiden, then she would know the location of at least one of the Wells. His throat went dry at the thought.

“Hmm.” Tharan rubbed his jaw. “Sumac, Hopper, find out if Caiden returned to the Woodlands.”

They both nodded.

“What are you going to do if he did?” Amolie asked. “Are you going to turn him in?”

“He has not been accused of anything yet. We need to find out his side of the story before we do anything rash.”

Amolie let out a sigh.

“Until he is charged, I will not consider turning him over, and the Council Courts are not likely to come looking for him in a Wild Court,” Tharan assured.

“That’s true,” Roderick said. “There’s another possibility.”

“And that is?”

“He went to find the Well on his own.”

“Well then, I guess the Court of Screams is our best bet. If he is not in the Woodlands, we shall have to make the journey,” Tharan said.

Sumac interrupted, “You can’t possibly be thinking about going there. It is suicide. They are a court as much as I am a butterfly. They worship pain. They think it brings them closer to the goddess. No one has entered that court for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. Even the elves wouldn’t touch it! I cannot allow you to risk your life. That is exactly what they want. They want you to come. They want you to fall on your sword for Aelia.” She knelt before Tharan, tears in her eyes. “You have been my best friend since we were children. Please do not be this foolish. Let me or Hopper go. Let us take this arrow for you.”

Tharan swallowed the dread bubbling in his stomach. “We will not sneak in.”

Everyone gave him a puzzled look.

Looping his hands behind his back, Tharan paced the floor. “Just because they are uncivilized doesn’t mean we have to be. Hopper?”

“Yes?”

“Ask them for a formal visit. Say we want to strengthen our alliances or something like that.”

Hopper’s mouth fell open.

“There is a possibility they could say no. We’ve been making a name for ourselves around the continent.”

Tharan mulled over his friend’s suggestion.

“Send a raven. If they say no, we’ll think of something else.”

“Yes, sir.” Hopper turned to leave but stopped himself. “There’s one more thing.”

Tharan arched a brow.

“Get rid of the whisper stone. If they know you have it, they will use it against you.”

Tharan nodded and pulled the stone from his ear. “Here, you keep it.”

Hopper took the earring from Tharan before disappearing into the dark hallway.

Tharan turned to the rest of the group.

“I guess you should all prepare for a journey to the Court of Screams.”