Page 21

21

Barren

S tepping out of the van, I inhaled deeply. The delicate fragrance of frangipani and sea hibiscus hung in the breeze, mingling with the salt of the sea. Despite my frequent travels, that initial breath of island air always reminded me how I longed for this place. For home.

“This is where you live?” Claira braced a hand against the van’s door. She glanced up at the stretch of luxurious apartment buildings before us.

“Mmh,” was all I could manage. It wasn’t a complete lie.

My molars clenched. I’d wanted to see her face when we landed. To memorize her expression when she took in the white sands and crystal-clear water of the island that I loved. Instead, it had been the dead of night when we touched down, with a van awaiting to transport us to the heart of the island.

And instead of the shores and coconut palms, here Claira was, surveying what my father’s vanity had created and what my sister now controlled.

I could admit it was a convincing illusion. The apartment complex’s lights shone brightly against the night sky. Thanks to my father’s legacy, this part of the island never slept. Merfolk scattered around us, moving in straight, somber lines, either coming back from work or setting out for the day.

Under my father’s rule, only the Indian Ocean’s most loyal bloodlines had been permitted to follow the crown up on land. Now, everyone my queen wished to keep a watch over lived here. She provided everything they needed and, in return, permitted them the honor of working long hours for the greater good of her kingdom.

Unable to take Claira’s awe-filled expression any longer, I went to retrieve our luggage. Our driver got out of the van as well, dashing toward the trunk until he noticed me and stopped abruptly. His pristine white gloves clenched uselessly as he hesitated, keeping a safe distance away.

I didn’t need to glimpse into his mind to know that merely driving me had made him anxious. Coming close enough to me to help unload the luggage? Unthinkable. Even if it was his duty as an attendant to do so.

Having adapted to my situation, I couldn’t fault him. Superstitions were deeply ingrained in us, intertwined within our very survival instincts. One accidental touch and the photograph he had tucked in the visor of his van would be the only way he could see his family. He wouldn’t dare return to them after coming in contact with me. Couldn’t. For fear of the misfortune he might bring back with him.

“Here, I’ll help.” Claira’s mood was bright as she came up beside me. When I didn’t immediately hand over her suitcase, her rosy lips pursed. “Come on, it has wheels. Despite what Laverne thinks, I’m not that useless.”

“What’d you say about me?” Laverne’s voice boomed as she flopped out of the van. She strode toward us, followed closely by a stumbling Kai.

Claira shooed Laverne away with a wave of her hand. “Oh, the usual. You hating me for some unknown reason.”

Claira’s scent caught in my throat as she edged closer. Sweeter than frangipani, it had been tempting me since the start of our first flight. What I wouldn’t give to hoist her up to me and find out what her lips tasted like on land.

Her hands wrapped over mine to take over the strap of her suitcase, and my slacks suddenly felt tighter. “Let me take it.”

Laverne hissed. “I have a reason!”

“You do? Then, by all means?—”

A startled sound erupted from the driver, cutting their conversation off and making Claira jump.

“ An’dhiri nafseve ,” the man blew out under his breath, a curse in the wind. His white glove held firmly to the brim of his driver’s hat as his eyes widened, focusing on where Claira’s skin rested over mine. Then, as if realizing he had forgotten himself, he jerked out of his daze. Still, he didn’t dare move closer.

“Please.” Although his English was choppy, urgency shook through his voice. “Step away, miss.”

Claira cocked her head in a manner that made me wonder if she understood him. But I understood. Those words had followed me in whispers since the day I lost the title of crown prince.

An’dhiri nafseve . The tainted one.

Although I’d expected his reaction, it did not make the reality of it any easier to face.

I took the step for her, yanking my hand away like maybe I was as tainted as my kingdom believed, but Claira was reluctant to let go.

“Step away from what?” Irritation weighed down her voice as she stole the strap from me to hoist the suitcase out of the trunk. Her hip leaned right against me without a care. More contact, another startled gasp from our driver. “Seriously. I haul fish for a living. I can carry my own suitcase.”

The driver’s head shook with desperation. He couldn’t understand her, and from the fear in his eyes, he must have realized she couldn’t understand him, either. Spinning on his heel, he fled for the van.

I drew in a breath. Of course, she wouldn’t have known what he meant. But now that we were here, it was only a matter of time before Claira learned of my kingdom’s beliefs. What would she think of me once she knew I was on the brink of exile, only summoned when my queen found a use for me—an arm to be broken or a mind to be infiltrated?

Leander circled the van, snatching Kai’s bag from the back. “Are we going, or what?”

“Which way?” Claira’s eyes glimmered in the dark as she tracked Kai and Laverne toward the softly gurgling fountain in the center of the courtyard.

“Not sure,” I said, digging into my pocket for my phone, watching Claira’s legs work as she went over to join them. My chest hammered as I saw the dozens of notifications I’d missed. Alhey. My queen would have to wait. Opening up the application that held my confidential information, I scrolled down in search of the note I’d written for myself before leaving the island.

“Not sure?” Claira cast me a perplexed glance as she clutched tightly onto the back of Kai’s shirt, presumably to stop him from tumbling into the water. “You don’t know where you live?”

“Mmh.” I had no doubt that somewhere in the complex was an empty apartment meant for me. On official records, it was where I lived, but I’d never stepped inside it. Nor would my kingdom welcome me here if I tried. We had been dropped off here simply because my kingdom didn’t care where I lived as long as I came running whenever our queen called.

I didn’t bother looking at the merfolk around us as I took off down the least crowded path to the apartments, but the air was thick with their unease. Even in the faint light of the walkway lanterns, I was certain they knew who I was. An’dhiri nafseve .

I slid my phone back into my pocket after I reread my note. Second row, third on the right . When I crouched down, reaching to dig into a flowerpot, Leander’s amusement was evident. “What are you doing?”

I pulled my keyring free from the soft dirt as I offered a shrug. “Getting my keys.” I’d barely had time to stash them after my queen ordered me to travel to the Atlantic.

Claira came up to us, rolling her suitcase behind her. She glanced around, undoubtedly thinking about the high volume of merfolk who frequented the courtyard. “You keep your keys hidden in a bush?”

“Flowerpot,” I corrected, brushing the dirt from my knees as I stood. “Didn’t have time to hide them elsewhere. This isn’t where I live.”

“It isn’t?” she asked, casting another glance up at the apartment buildings. A forlorn look settled over her face, causing my insides to twist. Was she disappointed? I fought the urge to pry into her mind and find out.

“Yeah. You live on the water, right?” Leander threw an arm around her waist, gesturing up at the dwellings with his chin. “Sounds better than this fucking nightmare.” He snorted, shaking his head as though he saw right through the illusion of luxury to what these buildings really were. A prison where my queen had full control.

“On the water?” With Leander’s support, Claira straightened, an eager look on her face. “That does sound nice. Where is it?”