Page 60 of Fae Tithe (The Cursed Courts #1)

F rom where the waves kissed the shore all the way to the horizon, the sea glowed with the softest of blues. Even the full moon, larger than Helena had ever seen, shone with a hint of the same hue.

“I have lived by the sea for half of my life, and I have never seen this before. It’s—"

She could feel his eyes on her.

“Breath-taking,” he sighed softly.

“What is it?” she asked excitedly, tearing her eyes from the view to meet her Merman’s face.

Lance looked down at her. His black eyes caught the reflection of the glow and stars. His gaze held the night sky and Helena knew she could easily get lost staring into them.

He gave her a tender smile.

“They are the tiniest of animals, and they usually live deep in ocean. They come to the surface rarely. I have not seen so many in one place since I was crowned, and that was twenty years ago,” he reminisced. “When they come to the surface, they glow like this.”

Helena noticed that Lance’s own bioluminescence was back.

Shimmering iridescent pores dusted his nose and cheeks, just like freckles.

She reached up to cup his face, her scaled thumb tracing across his nose and cheek.

The Merman pressed into her hand, closing his eyes, and gave a contented exhale through his broad nose.

“I haven’t seen these for a while,” Helena remarked.

“I am feeling better,” Lance admitted, opening his eyes. “More content. My full power is coming back after being in the sea again.”

“So handsome,” she complimented, before dropping her hand and turning back to the breathtaking view. “Thank you for showing me this, it’s stunning.”

The High Prince grinned at the compliment. He took two steps down the stone stairs, turned back up to Helena, and extended his hand up to her.

“Do you think you can manage the steps? I have more of a surprise for you down at beach. If not, I will carry you.”

Helena managed halfway down before her joints burnt more furiously. Sometimes, she wondered if that was where the curse of death from the Seelie King had settled, after Atlas had forced it into submission within her body.

“Lance?” she asked, a step behind him, gritting her teeth at the spike of pain in her knees and ankles. “I need—”

In a blink, he turned, sweeping her up into the shelter of his arms. He held Helena to his chest and pressed kisses to the top of her head as he descended the steep, limestone steps to the beach.

Once Lance toed the shore with his bare feet, he lowered Helena to hers, her sandals slipping loose as she went. She felt the Merman practically buzzing with excitement as he threw an arm around her shoulder and pointed out to the sea.

“Look!” Lance exclaimed.

Helena’s Dragon eye could see clearly in the soft, blue glow.

She gasped as two large dorsal fins peeked from the mirror-like water.

One of the animals breeched, nose first, from the sea and landed smoothly back in with barely a splash.

Helena squinted at the dorsal fins as they emerged again.

They were a dusky pink. She had seen dolphins in the past at her beach, but never ones like this.

“Dolphins!” she squealed, craning her neck at the sight. “They are beautiful… and different. I’ve never seen ones like this before!” Helena could not tear her eyes away from them as they frolicked in the glowing water.

“They’re our personal guard,” Lance explained.

She snapped her head up to the Merman, eyes narrowed.

“But—”

“Len, just wait. Let me explain, please. I negotiated with my court down to two guards when I told them about you. They wanted to send me with a dozen. This is Fraser and Peale. Fraser is the one with a nick in his dorsal fin. They are a Bound pair of Encantados, Seafolk, but they prefer to stay in their dolphin forms. I have known these two since I was a pup. They are good men. I have asked them to stay here full time, even when I am away. Then, if you decide to leave Seelieland and come to one of the islands, they will help. Packing, moving, whatever you need.”

“So… they will stay down here? At least, until I need their help?” Helena asked slowly, processing all Lance has just told her.

“Yes.” He nodded. “You will still have your privacy while you recover, have your home to yourself, but they will be close by when you need them. We can discuss it with Fraser and Peale, whatever we all decide, and plan from there.”

Helena ground her teeth irritably at the thought of being guarded . She took a deep breath before continuing.

“This is really important to you, isn’t it?”

“Yes. It makes me feel better, knowing that someone I trust is nearby when I am away. If the Fae come, you will need all the help you can get. I hope you won’t be too angry with me.

I am finding it… challenging to balance my court duties with my need to be with you.

In the sea, being a High Prince isn’t laden with luxuries like it seems to be on land.

It is a constant series of acts of service.

I spend most of time looking after my Seafolk, which I am glad to do, but it is tiring,” he admitted.

“If we come to live on an island in your territory…” She felt a small spark of excitement. “Could it be one near Nautilus? That’s where you mostly work, right?”

In the glow from the water, she watched his throat bob, tears silver in his eyes.

“I would love nothing more. It means I would be able to see you all nearly every day.”

Helena opened and then closed her mouth, a combination of frustration and excitement bubbling within her.

Having two guards seems ridiculous, but it means a lot to him .

She ran her gaze over Lance. And the idea of all of us being safe, together, and seeing him every day…

it’s worth it. Plus, the guards could help us if the family agrees to move.

“I’m not happy about it, but I understand this is probably for the best… for now.” Helena watched as the pair of Encantados leapt together, breeching high from the water, before their dorsal fins swam side by side into deeper water. “Where are they going?”

The Merman let out a long exhale of relief, and she felt the tension leave the grip on her shoulder.

“They have gone hunting. If you need to send me a message while I am away, they do understand Seeliespeak. You can tell them, and they will swim to wherever I am and relay it. They just cannot form the words when they are in their dolphin shapes.”

“Ah, just like you in your Mer form?” Helena asked.

“Exactly right.” Lance smiled down at her, but then took a deep breath, a look of apprehension settled on his face.

“What is it, love?” she asked, a twist of concern in her stomach.

“I… I feel nervous, but I wanted to ask you.” He caressed her upper bicep with a slow stroke of his fingertips. “I would like to be Bound to you, more than anything. And now you know everything, this is me formally asking.” The question shining in his gaze.

“How does it work?” Helena asked, curiosity piqued, limbs tingling with excitement.

“Some have a handfasting ceremony and declare themselves as a Bound couple in front of their loved ones. They then retreat to privacy to make the Bite, as it is quite… intimate. Others prefer to just exchange them in solitude. Basically, you bite me, and then I bite you. It must be hard enough to leave a scar. Seafolk will recognise that we are Bound from the mark— ”

“Yes,” she answered.

“There’s more.” Lance took a deep breath. “I need you to know, Len. My folk will take lovers and temporary partners, but once we are Bound, it is for life. Are you sure?”

“I said yes. ”

Helena turned fully to him and rested her arms around his neck, her fingers threaded under his hair.

He lied to me. I left him behind. Every other moment though, before and after? I couldn’t ask for a better partner.

The Merman settled his hands on the small of Helena’s back. She looked up into his eyes with a soft smile and stood on her tiptoes. Lance lowered his ear to her lips.

“I have never been surer of anything. We can have a ceremony later. I don’t want to wait a moment more.” A grin spread over Helena’s face. “But you’ll have to catch me first. Then we’ll be Bound,” Helena teased. “Do you remember our word, just in case?”

The High Prince’s eyes narrowed in lust as he looked down at her in his arms. “Pearl,” he whispered huskily

Helena tore away from his grasp. Lance liked to chase and hold her. She knew it was because he was a hunter, and it gave him a thrill. Helena also loved to be caught by the Merman. She hastily stepped out of her new dress, abandoning it on the shore, and splashed into the glowing waves.

“Come get me!” she taunted, the cool water comforting her burning joints, but also making her scarring burns sting.

“You’re at a distinct disadvantage in there, Len!” the Merman called back.

He tore off his clothes, desire on his face, and dove into the smooth water. The blue glow temporarily dispersed before joining together as he cut through it.

As his head surfaced, she giggled.

“That’s the point! I want to be caught.”

Lance’s shift took a short while, and Helena sped away in a skilful front stroke, putting a significant distance between them. She looked over her shoulder, noting that the Merman had disappeared beneath the waves. The moment she faced out to sea, Helena nearly slammed into his lean chest.

Lance wrapped his arms firmly around her waist and locked his webbed hands to the small of her back.

His long tail worked lazily back and forth to keep them afloat.

Helena traced her fingers around the grey scar she had left just under his left collar bone.

It marred the top of his blue spiral tattoo that twisted down his chest.

“Shall I bite you here?” She pressed a finger to his right side, where the High Prince’s neck swept down into his shoulder.