Page 14 of The Rake OR The Orca Who Met His Match in a Selkie Desiring Revenge

Then again, her mother had always said that reformed rakes make the best husbands, pointing to her father as the perfect example. Apparently, in his younger years, her father had been a wild one until he’d met her mother. She’d been from another colony and they’d met at a jamboree.

“Others warned me about him,” she’d say, eyes misting over as she reminisced by the fire. “Telling me about all of his previous exploits. But, apparently I’d tickled his fancy andafter I’d led him on a merry chase for a few months, I let him court me in earnest.”

Regardless, it didn’t matter either way if rakes made good husbands, as he wasn’t for her. An odd twist of fate had bound them together, and he had no idea it was even the case. She needed to get away from him as quickly as possible—before he knew he could command her.

Growing up, she’d been enamored with the idea of a blood bond. Of being so close to someone, trusting them so completely that you bound yourselves together forever. It was a sort of mutual surrender that she’d always hoped she’d find someone she loved deeply enough, trusted so completely, that they’d enter into one. Instead, she’d found herself in a one-sided atrocity, a mockery of the most deeply personal commitment a selkie could make.

In spite of that, however, she still found her eyes lingering on him. Admiring the lines of his powerful tail or the way his pattern shifted in the beams of light that cut through the water. His movements broadcast a grace and power, a presence that overpowered anything she could hope to muster that made her stomach quiver. From fear, or excitement, she did not know, but it was unsettling either way.

“So…” Aegir began after a time. “Where are you bound? As we seem to be going the same way.”

“I am searching for someone, if you must know.”

“I see, well, I hope you find them. I’d gladly help, if you need…”

“I’m sure I don’t.” She cut him off. “And yourself? Where are you headed?”

“Sunax, I’m investigating something.” With one pump of his tail, he shot ahead of her, as if he hadn’t just mentioned the exact last known location of the company keeping her brother.

Wait. His tail?

He’d absolutely walked on the boat, and to her knowledge, fishkin had legs that they held together and used as a tail when swimming, certainly, but legs nonetheless. But surely he’d alsobeenthe orca? Squinting at him ahead of her, she was certain that his legs weren’t split. It was a solid tail.

“Wait a minute, where are your legs?" She demanded.

“Inside my tail, where they’ve been the whole time."

“You can change your form… I’ve never heard of a fishkin who could do that before."

He stopped swimming, and turned to her. He pressed his lips together and bowed hishead. “I think it’s time we were a little more honest with one another, love.”

Her heart felt as if it would beat out of her chest. It slammed against the bones of her rib cage, which she supposed was probably due to the bond they shared.

“First off, I am not a fishkin as you presumed. It’s a reasonable assumption, all things considered. However, in light of the situation, I feel I should be transparent with you, and I hope it’ll be returned.”

He ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it before continuing. Elspeth’s eyes darted around. She’d already been nervous, his words had only increased it.

“I assume that you read the letter on my desk, and that you are headed the same place I am as a result. Further, I think you might have left because we’d accidentally formed what was referred to in the letter as a blood bond. I am still not entirely sure what all that means or entails, and I hope you’ll enlighten me.”

During his words, Elspeth’s hand crept to her mouth, and she found herself biting her thumbnail. It seemed her plan had been thrown out the window now. She hadn’t any idea what she should do. Or could she lie to him about the blood bond, play down its significance?

“Since it’s my understanding that we’re now tied this way, I feel like there are some things that are important to share with you. Further, considering what I’ve guessed about your prior captivity, I’m going to assure you I have no love for the Empire.” He drew in a deep breath, steeling himself. “I am a human, with the ability to shift my looks and form via magic. I have specifically trained to be able to shift my body into that of an orca, though I am also capable of taking on other forms and faces.”

Elspeth blinked. “Humans don’t exist.”4 The words burst from her mouth unbidden. He was talking nonsense. Humans were a fairy tale, told to little children. From what she’d heard, they looked like selkies without markings and rounded ears, or round little elves but were taller than a dwarf. Perhaps, she allowed, humans had lived at some point but the fact was, until thirty seconds prior, she’d been convinced that they didn’t exist at all.

“I assure you, we do. Though I know it’s a shock, and I am not surprised you don’t believe me. Suffice to say, I can change shapes and I imagine you’ll see me in several guises.”

“Very well… human, I’ll say that the blood bond is a relationship betweenintimatepartners, of which I have no interest in pursuing with you.”

“Honestly,it’s a shame. I think we could have had a lot of fun, if this hadn’t come along and complicated things…” He shrugged dejectedly. “No matter, I’ve no interest in being tied down either, why I couldn’t even—” He coughed. “Regardless, it seems we are both in difficult positions, and perhaps, in a place to help one another out. If you could find a way to dissolve this bond, then we’d both be happy, no?”

“I have no reason to believe it’s possible,” she said. “I’ve never known anyone to dissolve their bond, though… admittedly, I am not precisely certain of what all it entails.”

“Well then, it seems to me that perhaps we should do some testing?”

Testing sounded… risky. “I don’t know if that is a good idea…”

“The letter seemed to imply that it imparted some kind of compulsion, which sounds absolutely horrifying. So how about this: I hereby order you only to obey orders you want to obey, forevermore.”