Page 40

Azure Oath

Iryen

“Yes?” I called, when a knock echoed through the large room.

The water rippled as Kieran, Sienna, Elora, and Ronan stood before me.

Kieran’s tall, broad figure radiated tension, while Sienna gracefully settled into a chair, folding her hands.

Ronan lingered in the shadows, his watchful gaze catching every shift in the room.

Elora, sharp as ever, met my eyes with a skeptical look.

“I assume you’re here to give feedback on the training sessions?” I asked, returning my attention to the scrolls in front of me.

“Yes, Your Highness. The hybrid displayed powers that surpassed our initial judgment,” Kieran replied, his words laced with concern.

Of course he had. He was a cocky bastard. I smirked at the thought.

“Has he now?” I murmured, only half-interested. “What else?”

Kieran’s brow furrowed, his voice lowering. “He’s shown capabilities in water manipulation that would take years to master. He also possesses unique abilities that he might not be fully aware of.”

Ronan stepped forward, nodding in agreement. “He has an instinct for tactics. It’s clear he’s no ordinary triton, even if he doesn’t fully understand it himself. We should monitor him. He may prove useful to the council… and against traitors .”

Sienna’s eyes glazed over, her gaze distant. I knew she was receiving a vision. Her voice, soft yet firm, broke the silence.

“Your bond with him is the key to defeating those who have tampered with fate. Distance will only delay the inevitable.” Her tone carried a warning, one that settled heavily in the room.

Elora crossed her arms. “He’s powerful, sure. But how can he help if he doesn’t even know the full extent of his abilities?” Her words were sharp, but Sienna didn’t flinch.

“His powers will grow beyond anything ever seen in a Triton. This is the will of the goddess. Defiance will only bring pain and weakness. You are stronger together,” Sienna said, her eyes flickering briefly between Elora and Ronan before adding, “Mates are meant to be together.”

Her eyes cleared, and she blinked, the vision dissipating as she rose from her seat. “The goddess has spoken, Iryen. Whatever decision you make, be prepared to face the consequences.”

I swept the room with my gaze, carefully considering their words. Torn between letting him go and accepting our fates as intertwined. But I had made him a promise.

“I’m not involving him any more than he already is,” my voice firm despite the turmoil twisting inside me. “I’ll perform the oath, go to Nyssaion and when I return, we’ll continue hunting down that bastard. Which reminds me, keep a close eye on Thalor. I want every step reported to me. ”

With or without Adrian, I would have justice for my parents. No matter the cost.

I glanced at Sienna and Elora. “You two are staying,” I raised my hand, stopping their protest. “I know you were supposed to go with me, but I need you both here and I need to fix this mess on my own.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” they said in unison .

I left my study and swam through the city streets.

They bustled with vendors eager to sell the last of their Astralis merchandise.

Tourists wandered, enchanted by the beauty of my kingdom.

The scene stood in stark contrast to four years ago when this same festival marked the anniversary of the solstice and my parents’ deaths.

I sighed and continued my way toward the cave, dreading the moment I would face him for the first time since the mating. My heart clenched as I neared its jagged mouth of stone and coral.

When I emerged from the water, Adrian was standing on the edge of the cave, his gaze locked onto me as if he had been waiting, and sensed me.

His stance was rigid, his shoulders tense, and the silence between us was heavy with unspoken words.

His face was blank from emotion and the air was suffocating.

“Finally,” he muttered, his voice with barely concealed anger, each word sharp and cutting. His fists clenched, the skin over his knuckles white from the pressure. “You decide to grace me with your presence. Your Highness.”

I kept my eyes on him, steady and unwavering.

This conversation was inevitable, and no amount of delaying would change that.

Slowly, deliberately, I pulled myself from the water, propping myself onto the rocky shore.

My tail remained partially submerged, the gentle ripples of the sea caressing its scales as I settled in front of him.

For a moment, Adrian shifted his stance, his attention faltering when he saw my tail.

He froze, his lips parting slightly as he took in the sight.

A flicker of wonder and disbelief passed across his face.

It was a stark contrast to the first time he’d seen me like this, truly seen me in my siren form.

Although he couldn’t see much in the darkness, now in the soft sunlight he could see all.

I wore a top made from silk, the delicate fabric clinging to my skin, moving with every breath I took.

Tiny, glowing pearls adorned its edges, casting a soft light that reflected in the water, painting the pond in a gentle glow.

His gaze lingered on my body, tracing the lines of my form, and despite the seriousness of the situation, my cheeks burned, remembering his hands caressing me.

Focus. You’re here to do the spell and release him. Don’t let this turn into what happened last time. I reminded myself.

I cleared my throat, bringing his attention back to my face. “My eyes are up here, Mr. Nikolai,” I said, my tone firm but tinged with a challenge.

His eyes snapped up to meet mine, hardening once again as if he remembered why he was angry, why he felt betrayed.

“Your dogs finished with my training and now you ran out of excuses to avoid me? Is that why you are here?”

“I get you are angry—”

“Angry? I think you’re underselling it, Princess. You trapped here for days—no answers, no explanations, and you haven’t even bothered to show up.” He scoffed, stepping closer. His words hit a nerve, and I straightened, my tail flicking in unease.

“I can’t answer your questions and not only for my kingdom’s protection, but for yours as well.”

“Protect me?” he growled, stepping even closer, his hazel eyes blazing. “From what, Iryen? From the truth? Or from you?”

I clenched my fists, trying to steady my emotions. “You wouldn’t understand what this connection between us means, nor would you want it.”

“Then tell me!” His voice echoed off the cave walls, frustration bleeding into every syllable. “Stop hiding everything behind your walls of secrets and spells!”

“Fine, you want to know so badly?” I snapped, the words spilling out before I could stop them.

“This connection, Adrian, is a mate bond. Something chosen by the goddess herself to bind two souls as perfect for each other. Mates are sacred in my world and they must stay together. There. That’s what you wanted. ”

The air between was heavy, with my confession lying there raw and unfiltered.

He stepped back, eyes widened, the tension in his face shifting from frustration to shock and disbelief.

I could see the gears turning in his mind, processing everything.

His silence stretched, the cave walls echoing my outburst.

What have I done? I shouldn’t have told him.

“Is that why you ran?” When he finally spoke, his voice was low, almost hoarse. “Why I sense you and even hear you in my head? Why did I have that dream?”

There was no anger in his tone this time, just quiet questions that sliced through the chaos between us. His eyes now searched mine for something more than the walls I had built around myself.

I took a breath, my tail flicking behind me in the familiar rhythm of swimming, a nervous reflex I couldn’t quite suppress. My gaze dropped to the water for a moment before I forced myself to meet his eyes again.

“Yes, the bond connects us in every way, mind, body, and soul.” I admitted quietly, a vice grip on my chest tightening with the words. “And I ran because this can’t happen. You are from land.”

He stiffened as if I had slapped him. “I know I’m an outsider, an unwanted hybrid in your perfect little kingdom,” he spat, his words bitter, each one cutting deeper than I wanted.

“It’s not because of that, Adrian,” I said, trying to steady my voice.

“You have your own life, your world… and I assume you have a family,” I continued.

My chest was caving in, like something heavy was pressing down on my ribs.

The realization struck me like a wave crashing against the shore.

“You… you are single, aren’t you?” The words tumbled out before I could stop them, and with it came the startling truth: I didn’t know him. Why should I care? He is leaving.

His laugh was like broken glass: brittle, cutting, and utterly joyless. “ Now you ask me this?” He shook his head, his expression darkening. “Yes, if you must know, I am,” he said, frowning. His jaw clenched before he added through gritted teeth, “And you, princess? Are you single?”

Was he… jealous? The thought bubbled up inside me, and a giggle escaped before I could catch it. I quickly composed myself, though. “Yes, I am… at least for now.”

His face flushed red with anger, and he began pacing around the cave like a storm barely contained. His chest rose and fell in quick, uneven bursts, his breath sharp and ragged . “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he snapped, his voice growing harsher with each word.

“Nothing that concerns you,” I said coolly, despite the tumult inside me. “Now, let’s do this and send you back to your place.” The words tasted sour, but I forced them out. The sooner he was gone, the easier this would be, at least, I told myself.