Page 25

He flexed a hand. The waterfall stopped, then surged.

He didn’t seem to notice, which made her dismiss the notion that he’d done it to show off.

As if he needed such a small display, when he’d single-handedly held back an elite army.

“Not entirely. You know there’s a contingent of Awakened stationed on the Banks, and another on the mainland opposite. They helped.”

Storm snorted from his perch on the arm of the couch. “Those ‘contingents’ are only a dozen people altogether. If that. Uncle Rico has been bemoaning the decline in recruits willing to serve for years.”

Seidon shrugged, looking almost sheepish. “They did help though.”

But not much. Mostly, it had been him alone pushing them back. One man—or even thirteen—against nearly three hundred. And they’d won. Hadn’t they? “Are they gone? It was too dark for me to see by the time we turned back.”

Seidon shot her another questioning look at the mention of her scouting expedition, of course. But still appeased her by nodding. “I’m holding them out of the sound right now, though they haven’t dispersed.”

Holding them. Hundreds of them. And he wasn’t even in the water. She set her mug down. “I’m distracting you. You should be…” She motioned toward the lagoon.

One corner of his mouth pulled up. “I do appreciate the concern, my lady. But holding positions isn’t strenuous. If they break through, I promise I’ll dive back in and abandon you to Enoch’s interrogation.”

The priest huffed. “I am hardly interrogating anyone.”

She wished he’d drop the “lady” nonsense. But didn’t regret that he held his place between her and his too-inquisitive friend.

“Now. Tell me what happened after the hawk caught you. Every detail.”

She told him, trying to ignore the incredulous looks from the others as she described the flight, the way the bird had responded to her requests as if it understood her, how it took her to surveil all the mer’s positions.

She described the fighting between black and green tails in the open water and the royals’ reaction to their presence in the channel.

“They really didn’t know.” Seidon’s gaze was focused on nothing again, his finger tracing a pattern over his knee.

She caught a glimpse of the white mark of his Awakening on his palm.

The one that had been glowing two hours earlier, when Princess Coral had pressed her own to his.

“And your visual sightings match my impressions. The Black Tails weren’t just attacking us—they were attacking their own. ”

He said it like it was a thing—Black Tails, not mer with black tails. She exchanged a look with Storm, who shrugged.

If Jade were here, she’d know why he said it like that. She’d studied their history more than anyone Arden knew.

Her gaze moved again to the circular wave on his palm. “What did the princess tell you? Through your hands?”

He touched a finger to the mark, as if feeling it again.

His brows drew together. “Her mother is dying. Her power grows weaker day by day, and Mariana’s grows stronger—she’s outpaced her mother at this point, which means she’s no longer constrained by Ralia’s rules.

They’ve set a date for the coronation, two months from now. ”

She’d heard that part—along with the dire, surely-exaggerated prediction.

“And why did she say that meant death to ‘all of them’? Who is ‘all’? Her siblings?” She had heard of royals of antiquity killing their own families to guarantee no one would challenge their ascension to power.

But it couldn’t happen now, could it? They weren’t so uncivilized.

“Not just her siblings. All the Awakened. According to Coral, anyway, Mariana intends to launch a genocide, probably using the burst of power she’ll receive at the coronation to do it immediately. She means to be the only one with power beneath the waves.”

Arden’s throat went too tight for words.

Storm gave voice to her thoughts though. “But why? I thought Queen Ralia had been encouraging more and more magic among the mer. Isn’t that why so many were kidnapped so often?”

“Apparently Mariana disagrees with her mother’s philosophy.

Coral gave me the impression that her sister believes their power is being diluted by the numbers.

I don’t know if she’s right—I’ve never seen it work that way.

But apparently Mariana thinks if she spills all their blood and releases it into the water, she’ll be able to gather all the power to herself.

She thinks that’s why I’ve grown so strong—because the Awakened on land have become fewer.

As if there’s one source of magic we’re all pulling from, and if she reduces the competition for those resources, then… ” He shrugged.

Arden squeezed her eyes shut. “It doesn’t matter if she’s right. If the plan is true, then Jade will be sacrificed in two months along with the rest.”

“If Mariana isn’t stopped, then yes. Maybe. But obviously the Black Tails have risen again to try to stop the massacre. They must think…they must think your sister can help them.”

It was on the tip of Arden’s tongue to ask how one girl, untrained, could make any difference. But then she opened her eyes again and saw the man beside her.

One man, able to hold off an army. Downgrade hurricanes and still tsunamis. Keep rivers in their banks and rain falling wherever it was needed for most of a continent.

One person could accomplish things inconceivable. True, Jade hadn’t been trained—yet. But Coral’s demonstration had made it clear that the mer did things with their magic that even Seidon had never thought to do.

Anything was possible now.

Seidon leaned over, rendering her stupid by pressing a kiss to her forehead much like her family did—though it was a far different kind of warmth that spread from the touch.

“I’m glad you’re safe. And I thank you for your help.

After you’ve eaten, perhaps you would mark what you observed on my charts? ”

Not waiting for her nod, he stood and clasped Storm’s shoulder.

“In the morning, I’d like to have a conversation with you about your goals.

Your uncle has trained you well, and if you’re not opposed, I’d like to get you sworn in as soon as possible.

I have a feeling we’re going to need your skills. ”

Storm hesitated for only a moment before nodding, his jaw tight. No doubt he was thinking about how he’d promised to give up those dreams for Jade.

No doubt he was realizing that taking back that offer could help save her.

Then the king moved to Father Enoch and pulled him in for a quick, one-armed hug. “When this settles down, we need to talk about why there are only a dozen friars in residence.”

Enoch’s attention shifted away from Arden. His shoulders sagged. “I wasn’t going to mention it until after the celebration.”

“And now, after this madness. But I see. I want you to know that.” He turned to the head of his Guard. “If you need me, you know where to find me.”

The woman gave Seidon a sharp salute.

The king scanned the room again, his gaze falling once more on Arden. His question, however, didn’t seem aimed at her. “I still can’t sort out the hawk. Why is it so interested in finding Jade? Never have I heard of mounting up on the wings of a hawk before. It’s…confounding.”

“Mount up on the wings.” Enoch straightened, his eyes brightening behind their lenses. “Your Majesty, I need to get back to my library.”

“No.”

“I’ll be careful. No one will—”

“No. Not with their forces poised so close to shore.” He turned to Storm, pointed a finger at him. “Your job is to keep him here tonight, cadet. And he won’t make it easy—he’s a sneaky old fool.”

Arden’s lips quirked when her cousin sprang to his feet and saluted, like Papa had ingrained in him to do. “Aye, Your Majesty.”

Enoch scowled.

Without another word, the king strode out of the cave, passed through the waterfall, and jumped into the lagoon.