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T he voice came from another sea kynd, a female who sat on her pallet, legs crossed, wrapped tightly in a red wool blanket. She looked a bit like Lilia with those fierce eyes and broad cheekbones. She stared into the fire, shoulders slumped.

“Queen Lilia died, and we went to the Source’s Blackwater well to ask for a new queen. But the sea floor swallowed the well.”

Vahly shook her head. It couldn’t be true. Lilia was dead? And there was no other Sea Queen? “How did you end up here? Like this?”

The female licked her lips. Vahly went to her and helped her drink from the cup of freshwater.

The female’s hands shook so badly that she spilled some onto her blanket.

“This tastes so odd, but I find I want it.” Tears pooled in her odd eyes, and she wiped them away.

She studied her fingertips, gazing on the novelty of tears.

“The currents…” She shuddered, and Arc walked up and set a healing hand on her back.

She sighed, eyes closing briefly before looking again at Vahly.

“The current drove us here. The magic,” she punched at her chest, “shoved us out of the sea and onto your land.”

“Do you have any idea on how we can fix this and get you back to your home?”

The male near Arrosa shouted, then curled in on himself. Arrosa adjusted the blanket around him.

The female glanced at him. “We don’t want to go back. The sea has…it has changed. I believe that is the word for it. Our magic no longer works as it once did. We are unable to speak across the waters like before Queen Lilia died.”

“What killed her?”

The female shrugged. “Time, I suppose.”

Just like it had taken Amona. “But you can’t stay here on land, can you? You’re miserable.”

“I am feeling better already.” She lifted her shoulder and inhaled, lips parting. “Did your elders tell you stories of the first days, of the elves and how some became sea, earth, and fire kynd?”

“I’ve heard some of those tales. I don’t know what’s true and what isn’t.”

“We read such tales in our scrolls,” Arc said, a sadness pulling at his words.

Vahly knew he missed the ancient library of his kynd, the one destroyed by Astraea and her flood.

“The magic in earthblood altered some elves so that they became dragons. The sea magic rose and touched those on the coast who then became your ancestors, yes?”

The female nodded. “Exactly so. And the elves who bonded with the land spirits and the Source’s spring became human earth mages unlike the ones who took to air magic and who are like you, King Arcturus.

” She tilted her chin, and her gaze dragged across Arc’s new horns, then touched on the twins’ smaller versions.

“I think we are not the only ones seeing great change.”

“You’re welcome to stay as long as you need to,” Vahly said. “It’s awful what you’re going through here, but honestly, we are happy to see such a crowd of new faces.”

“Perhaps that is the Source’s plan.” Arc jerked his chin toward Arrosa and the male sea kynd. He drank from a cup she held, their gazes locked. “To encourage the repopulation of the land.”

The female sea kynd lay back on her pallet and let her eyes close. “Who am I to fight the Source?”

Soon, her breathing grew deep and slow as if she were sleeping, and indeed she likely was. Her flesh was nearly a match to Vahly’s now, and the sea folk nearby had likewise taken on human flesh tones in olive, dark brown, and light peach.

Vahly and Arc walked out of the great hall hand in hand. “I’m pretty glad you’re here, elf. I’d hate to deal with all this madness as a sole leader.”

Arc paused and cupped her face in his large hands.

He kissed her Blackwater mark, then her nose, then the spot just below her ear.

“And I am glad you are strong, my love, and that you seem to have passed your strength on to our daughters. Because if the vicious Vahly weren’t Arrosa’s mother, I might be worried about leaving her alone with a sea kynd male. ”

Delightful shivers danced down Vahly’s body as his lips brushed her neck. “Arrosa may not have magic, but like Cygnus, she can certainly hold her own. Besides, that male seemed more likely to vomit on her boots than strike her.”

Arc grinned. “Agreed.”

Nix hurried toward them, Aitor in her wake. “There’s been a message from Eux. She begs a meeting with you both as quickly as you can manage it.”

Vahly grabbed Zuzan as he strode by, looking stormy. He’d pulled his red hair back into a knot, and it made his eyes seem even more severe than normal. “You’re going to lead a scouting party into the northern mountains. We will be just behind you. Matriarch Eux has asked for an audience.”

He breathed out his nostrils, but his eyes sparkled as if he enjoyed being asked to do something important for once. “As you command, Mother, Father.”

Arc clapped him on the shoulder. “Take Cygnus too.”

Zuzan’s hands fisted at his sides. “But I lead, yes?”

“Yes.”

Zuzan nodded once, then turned on his heel and headed toward the doors.

“Arrosa!” Vahly called back toward the great hall. Arrosa rushed over, her cheeks bright as apples. “We are leaving to meet with the Jades. You are in charge here. Eeator?”

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Will you remain with Arrosa and make certain all is done according to her command?”

Eeator bowed. “Of course, my queen.”

Nix patted his head and grinned. A dangerous light rose in her eyes when she looked back at Vahly. “And now, it is time for a good, long trip. My wings have longed for it, to be honest. The ciderhouse will run without me. At least for a time.”

“Then we go,” Arc said. He called out orders to the valets and servants, detailing what should be packed and who would be joining them.

Before the hour was up, they were in the sky.