Page 67 of Of Rime and Ruin (Sirens of Adria #2)

Chapter sixty-four

Aethan

TWO WEEKS LATER

The castle is quiet. I sit at my desk, rolling a gold-banded ring between my fingers so the diamond catches the light.

The stone is the size of my pinky nail, bedded in a brilliant halo.

The diamond reminds me of Nahla—it catches and bends the light to bring the best colors forth, in the same way she captures the best parts of me.

It’s my mother’s ring, and I intend to use it to ask Nahla to be mine. If she’ll have me. Already, the nerves split my stomach, and I tuck the ring into my pocket.

The future is looking bright.

Last week, I had my room stripped of its iron casements, which uncovered the traditional darkwood paneling beneath.

Two windows frame my bed with a view of the courtyard, and for the first time in ten years, light streams through the glass, cutting sharp lines across the slat floor and illuminating the dust. A roaring fire crackles in the fireplace.

My door has been replaced with a sturdy darkwood feature with a single lock from the inside, and I’ve propped it open to draw a cross breeze from the hallway.

The guard is gone—I sent him on recess with the rest of the staff. As of an hour ago, the Rime was reopened for swimming, and the whole Frost Kingdom turned out to celebrate.

A smile tugs my lips as I dip my fingers into the sight-pool on my desk and activate its magic.

The image ripples and zooms into the open water, revealing the crowds of Frost merfolk gathering there.

My breath catches in my throat at their beauty.

Their blubbery tails show off shades of blues and grays, blacks and whites.

Dark browns. Silver. Some are dappled like the hide of a pikewhale, others smooth monotone.

Beauty once concealed by a decade of wearing their legs.

I spot familiar faces among the crowd. Cyrene is surrounded by a group of hunters, several of whom accompanied our hunting trip across the Frosted Plains. They speed off with harpoons at the ready, chasing a shiver of pearlsharks. No more hunting regulations. No more danger. They’re free.

Perrin swims with a group of young guards nearby.

The males take turns circling around a smaller group of females, showing off their somersaults and flips in the water.

Perrin out-skills them all. With a slap of his tail, he pulls off a triple twist, then dives in to plant a quick kiss on a young blonde’s cheek.

She blushes and dips her head. As Perrin speeds away, he glances over his shoulder with a tusky grin.

Around the edges, guppies cling timidly to their parents.

They stare with wide eyes, taking in the new surroundings.

Most of them have never been underwater until now.

A brave few venture forth, turning slowly as they experiment with the change in gravity.

When a silverfish slips by, the guppies clap their hands in delight.

My chest tightens, filling with an odd mix of sadness and pride. The younglings have missed out on so many beautiful things. They have so much to learn about the sea and their place within it.

“You should be with them.” Nahla’s voice sounds in my ear as her hands slide over my shoulders. Her thumbs press into the muscle, easing my tension with small circles. Her scent washes over me, warm and welcoming, and I inhale. The Beast purrs his approval.

I catch her hand, passing my fingers over her soft skin.

“Not yet,” I say.

“You’re their king.” She presses a kiss to my hair but doesn’t push the matter. I squeeze her fingers in gratitude.

“Is this what you want, Nahla? Where you want to be? We can make it work. I could spend part of the year in the Brine, return here when duty calls. It’ll be difficult, but I’d make it work. For you.”

She chuckles and rests her chin on my shoulder. “You? In the Brine? I’m not sure the traditional garb would suit you.”

My ears grow warm. “And why not?”

She trails her fingers across my chest, circling my nipples through my shirt. “How do you feel about starfish, clinging right about here?” She lays her hands flat and laughs.

“I’m more of a fur cloak kind of guy,” I grumble. “But I like them on you.”

She ducks close, sneaking a kiss on my cheek. “Aethan, you’d be miserable in the Brine. Besides, I like it here. With Deirdre and Perrin and”—she taps my nose—“my grumpy Frost King. I think I could make a difference. Use my powers for good. I can help people.”

I relax at her words. She’s right. She will make a difference here, and under her leadership, the Frost Kingdom will thrive. We’re lucky to have her.

I’m lucky to have her. “You won’t get homesick? We can visit often.”

“You are my home,” she whispers.

My heart swells until I can hardly speak. We watch the sight-pool together in silence for a moment.

Soon enough, the water stirs, welcoming two newcomers to the festivities.

I adjust the view, panning out to watch as Deirdre and my mother dive in.

Deirdre shifts into her tail-form, a vision in midnight-blue scales and unpinned silver tresses.

As my mother transforms, her claws lengthen and her horns twist out.

She grows in height, filling out her intimidating form.

The onlookers pause their activities, staring. A few parents hide their guppies beneath their hair.

My mother grasps the tip of her tail, wringing it between her hands. But Deirdre reaches out, smiles, and takes my mother’s hand. Together, they enter the fray, as newly named Duchess and former Frost Queen.

It will take time for my kingdom to rebuild their trust in me and my mother. To undo years of terror at the sight of a clawbeast. But with Nahla, I no longer fear their rejection. With her at my side, we can heal this kingdom, turn it into something magical, the way it should have always been.

“What is that?” she says, peering over my shoulder to point at a shadow on the edge.

I adjust the spell, panning out. She gasps and grips my arm, leaning closer to see the image better.

There, at the entrance to the Rime, treads the largest creature I’ve ever seen. Its shoulders are too broad to fit between the gap in the mountains. Giant paddle-fins stir the water, keeping its mammoth form afloat. Through the sight-pool, I glimpse an armored underbelly and a large snap-jaw mouth.

Fear tingles along my scalp. What is that thing?

Several merfolk tread the water around the creature, their scales brightly colored, their skin shades of deep bronze.

One is female, resembling a taller, sharper version of Nahla with a pale green tail.

Her companions include an older male siren and several well-adorned guards.

Each one of them looks cold and out of place.

Fuck. More uninvited guests.

“Winona!” Nahla exclaims. “Keen!”

She squeals in my ear and bounces on her heels. I turn to face her, grinning despite myself. She’s beautiful when she’s happy. Her face radiates joy, infectious, and I can’t help the warmth that spreads through my chest.

Nahla launches into my arms, encircling my neck. “Ramona got my message!”

If these visitors are her family, I suppose I can welcome them warmly. Deirdre will enjoy the bustle of a full house, and it’ll be good to chase out the dust once and for all. If Nahla wants them here, then that’s all I need.

She’s happy. Who am I to ruin it?

Slowly, her words sink in. “Your message?”

Her cheeks stain a delightful pink. “I summoned them, when I was thinking of running away.”

My smile falls. She notices my expression and her brows pucker with worry. Fuck. How long will this be a sore spot for us?

My gut twists as a new thought crosses my mind. She could still intend to leave me. Her family’s sudden appearance could mean more than an unexpected visit—what if she departs with them, when they go? What if she asked them here to take her home?

What if she hasn’t changed her mind?

“I see,” I grunt, carefully choosing my next words. “And are you still trying to run away, Sunfish? Do I need to chase them off?”

Because I would. I’d fight that giant paddledrake if I had to—as unlucky as my odds may be. I size up its mouth and swallow hard. It would end me in one bite, one smack of its flipper, or one lash of that barbed tail.

Her eyes glint with mischief. “No,” she says, ducking to kiss my cheek. She tugs my arm, pulling me out of my chair. “Come on. Winona’s going to love you.”

***

The Brine Queen stares at the severed head mounted on a pike before my gate.

Hoarfrost has mottled the healer’s skin, frozen his blood around the iron post, and formed a crust over his stringy hair, giving him an eerie blue cast. Her guards eye it warily, keeping proximity to their queen.

The older companion ignores the head altogether, instead inspecting me with the intensity of a mother pikewhale.

A smug smile tugs the corner of his mouth.

I posted Lucas here in retribution for his damage to the kingdom. Now each time one of my subjects passes by, they spit at the stones beneath him. I didn’t consider how a severed head would look to an outsider . It must be intimidating.

“Thanks for making the journey all this way, Your Majesty.” I dip my head and touch my gills in the sign of respect.

With a bland look on her face, she returns the gesture.

The queen tugs her travel robe tighter and crosses her arms, the stones clacking as she shifts her weight.

The family resemblance is obvious—she has Nahla’s fierce brown eyes and matching hair, the same slant to her jaw.

I’d recognize that stubborn pout in her bottom lip anywhere.

It’s like the goddess Audrina formed them from the same sheet of ice.

And when she speaks, her voice rings with a matching alto timbre.

“Nahlani,” she says, glaring at Nahla where she’s tucked under my arm in her frostcat cloak.

“Winona,” Nahla echoes in the same flat tone. I squeeze her shoulder, rubbing my thumb in soothing circles, and she leans into my side.

“You know, when Keen translated the message from Ramona, I thought this was a rescue mission.” She flicks her gaze over my form, to my arm slung around Nahla’s shoulders, then to the castle behind us. “A land-bound nation. What an interesting choice for a getaway.”

“Look, Win, I’m sorry,” Nahla mumbles. She curls in on herself, her shoulders sagging by the minute as if caving under her sister’s reprimand. I grit my teeth, not liking that one bit.

The queen’s expression sours. “Yes, well, we came all this way at your request, so why don’t you come on board and we can catch up where it’s not so…”

“Cold?” I offer with a smirk.

“I’d prefer not to impose on Your Majesty’s hospitality.” Her gaze flicks once more to Lucas’s severed head.

“Understood,” I say, squeezing Nahla’s arm.

“Excellent. We’ll see you for dinner then.” The queen whirls on her heels and moves toward the surf. She drops her cloak, which her guards hurry to pick up and store within a transport satchel as she dives into the water. Her green tail flicks and submerges with a splash.

The older male shrugs. “I believe she means now. Which is a pity. I would have enjoyed gleaning from your hospitality, if it meant getting the story behind the poor headless fellow,” he says.

He touches his gills and bows before me.

“Keen, lead way-maker of the Brine, and very pleased to make your acquaintance, Sire.”

Nahla laughs. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way over, Keen.”

The male brightens and spreads his arms in welcome. “Splendid, my girl.”

Nahla drops her cloak and steps toward the sea with the way-maker, preparing to dive.

She means now. I swallow hard as a flurry of nerves batters my stomach. As in, swim with them to that colossal paddledrake. What will Nahla’s family think of me when they see the Beast? What will my kingdom think, as I swim right through their celebration?

Not even the plump curve of Nahla’s bare ass can soothe my anxiety.

She splashes into the water, then breaks the surface with a timid smile as she looks back at me. “Let’s go, Beasty,” she says. My resolve crumbles at that name alone. “Don’t make me do this without you.”

How can I say no to her?

With a brisk inhale, I step forward, drop my cloak, and submerge.