Page 69 of The Sins of Silas (The Otacian Chronicles #2)
Chapter Sixty-Nine
LENA
“ D id the ocean please you?” Valter asked me later that afternoon. I could tell he fancied my presence, and I needed more answers. So, when I went to him directly, he decided to bring me to the palace's library.
It was a room in one of those pale blue domes at the top of the palace. White shelves lined the room, filled with books. I strolled across the light wood flooring, sitting in one of the many blue velvet chairs that sat across the multiple desks.
“More than pleased me. Truly, this is the most magical place I’ve ever seen. Literally and figuratively.” My hair was still in those fishtail braids, drying. I had dressed in a casual sweater and leggings that Valter had left in my room. He'd said I would be dressed to the nines tonight, so relaxing attire until then would do. “Immeron—the brother of Igon, our seer—said the Sea Nymphs once ruled this place. I’ve seen the statues, too. ”
“Indeed, they did. Until the War of Three Pirates.”
“What happened?” I asked curiously, resting my cheek on my fist. “And how are there some still residing here?”
Valter sat across from me, setting down a handful of books. “Three of Tovagoth's most notorious pirates wanted the Sea Nymphs for themselves, not just their own lands but the undersea city itself—Nereida, before it became what it is today. All for different reasons.” His green eyes slid to mine. “Do you know the Sea Nymph’s greatest power?”
I shook my head.
“Their ability to charm. Seduce. Not to be confused with the Angels’s ability to compel, though I suppose they could achieve a similar outcome as charming if they wished. But the Sea Nymphs were a different type of beauty. One look in their eyes and human men and women would fall to their knees. Would give up their gold and their lands.
“One of the pirates, Prince Davian of Balifor, believed this power was too easy to be taken advantage of. He swore to hunt and kill every last one of them. The other pirate, Raden, was his best friend and the Prince of Wrendier. He also believed in doing this to an extent, but he wished to rule the land—to strike a deal so he could use the Sea Nymphs charms to get whatever he wished.”
“So, he planned to betray his friend?”
“Indeed. The last pirate was Ketsia. Not only was she the sister of Davian, but she was also betrothed to Raden. She wished to find balance. She didn’t believe for one second that her fiancé’s plans were just, even as he attempted to convince her that he wished to leave most alive, unlike her brother.
“Ketsia decided to hell with her brother and fiancé’s plans. She made the trip to Nereida on foot and passed through the Valley of Awakening with ease. That ward is cast through the Nymphs, not us Mages. At that point, Nereida was a city underwater. The Sea Nymphs provided her with a magical air bubble so she could travel down below.
“She went to the King and Queen and begged them to spare her people—the Mages. The leaders almost laughed in disbelief. Mages had always been known to be the most powerful. But here was this Mage woman…a woman of importance, right in their clutches.
“They bound her in chains and planned to use her as leverage. She felt like an utter fool for believing the Sea Nymphs could be changed.
“The undersea Prince, Zale, was ordered to get information out of Ketsia by any means necessary. He found Ketsia fascinating and brave, but the two were true enemies. She begged—no, ordered him—to hold his magic, to hold in his charms.
“He agreed but made sure she understood that if she didn’t obey, he’d take away her air. But Ketsia was clever. She knew she was more valuable as leverage. Knew he wouldn’t harm her.
“The Sea Nymphs and the Mages of both Balifor and Wrendier discussed a deal over forty-three days. During this time, the Prince had been pressured further to torture information out of her. He'd had a Warlock cast a spell on her, shifting her into a dove to be his spy during that time. His parents—his people—most were not kind. But Zale grew fond of Ketsia over time. And when his father swam down to the cell she was kept in, when he watched him repeatedly starve her of air, over and over and over again, despite how he begged and groveled for him to stop, he slit his father’s throat.”
“My Gods… ”
The story made me think of my own love…the man who'd done the same—betrayed his kingdom so I may live.
“Ketsia was shocked, to say the least. Zale released her from her chains and swam her to the shore. He told her to run, run far away, and never come back.
“But she couldn’t. Wouldn’t. She knew the Prince would be put to death for his crimes. ‘Come with me,’ she said. ‘Let us change this world for the better. Together.’
“He hesitated, but knowing there was no home for him, he pushed himself onto the beach, experiencing sunlight for the very first time.
“Ketsia teleported the two of them to her home. She knew from his intel that her brother and fiancé were on the seas.
“This is where their ethics were…questionable. Ketsia and Zale came up with a plan. Sea Nymphs were too feared, and Zale was too far from the ocean. He would need to soak in a tub for a certain number of hours just to keep himself from drying out, from dying. But they decided to play the part that he was human. He would stand beside her on the throne and use his charms to convince everyone that she was Supreme. Not her fiancé, Raden.” He smiled. “The very first woman to hold that title.”
“Long story short, because it is a very long, in-depth story, the war was not between three pirates, but between her and those of Nereida, her brother and fiancé being another conflict.”
“So…she won?”
Valter smiled, and then we were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Kismet is sort of like that. Though my mother is Supreme, Kismet and she share equal power.”
“Kismet is a Sea Nymph?” There were so many questions I needed to ask, including where Valter's father was.
“Enough of story time,” Kismet drawled as she entered. “It’s time to get ready for the ball!”
Valter rolled his eyes but smiled, standing and making to leave the room.
“Valter.”
He turned to me.
“Thank you for the story…it helped more than you know.”
He gave a courteous bow. “My pleasure,” he purred. “We can discuss more history when the ball is over.”
I nodded, and then he was gone. Kismet clapped her hands after he left.
“Chop, chop! I have orders to give you the royal treatment.” She wiggled her eyebrows, and a team of ladies scurried in the room carrying cases of cosmetics, baskets of gems and seashells, and what I could see of my gown.