Page 61 of The Dark Will Rise

The Tuatha Dé Danann renew.

Many undine odes were dedicated to Belisama, the God of the waves. Boann was just another name Belisama went by. Not many songs mentioned Dadga—the God-King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the realm of the gods.

As I looked up at the dancers, I couldn’t help the swell of sadness that stopped me from enjoying the performance. I imagined Moira and Liam sitting in the Guppie Market dozens of times while I sat back at the castle. Alone.

Over the years, I had built the Guppie Market into something beautiful in my head. A festival of sorts.

As the vendors jeered and shoved in the aisles, and pulled at customers for their coin. I saw beyond the veneer to the dark belly underneath, the tattered costumes of the dancers, and the worn, hoarse voice of the Órán Sidhe.

I had spent all of my life in Cruinn with privilege and a full belly. But the undine around me were haunted, their cheeks sallow and eyes empty as they drifted through the market.

The sun had set, and the faelight lanterns surrounding the city bobbed like Will-o'-the-wisps in the water as we made our way to the bridge.

The carefree joy of the market and our day of freedom rapidly melted away as we approached the moat of shadows—the remnants of the abyss surrounding Cruinn.

I stopped on the bridge, staring up at the foreboding castle. Somehow, even though the tower with the High Throne sat away from the main castle, I felt its magic on the water. Its hunger stole my breath, and I clasped my chest, struggling to pull enough water through my gills to breathe.

The princelings stopped walking and Tor brushed my hair away from my face, where I had curled over, clutching my heart. I waved his hand away, ignoring the hurt that slashed on the kelpie’s face.

“I can’t let Elaine know we’re together,” I whispered. “The Undine Court will do everything they can do to keep me. I am a Cruinn by blood, not by marriage.”

“You think they mean to keep you?” Tor growled, turning to the castle, his dark brow furrowed as he glared at the building.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But whatever is happening. Be it the monsters or an effort for peace, I can’t be seen to favor you all.”

Rainn stepped up, his face cautiously blank. “You think of us as a weakness?”

“More like a secret weapon.” I flashed him a pained smile.

“The news of your mate bonds with Rainn Shallows and Tormalugh Shadowhock traveled through the lake the moment you stood together on the coral fields against King Irvine.” Shay crossed his arms over his chest.

“Neither of us pulled out our cocks and marked Maeve as our territory in front of the undine.” Rainn’s nostrils flared.

“How would pulling out your cocks be marking your territory?” My nose wrinkled.

Rainn’s irritation fled, replaced by a mischievous grin. “On land, there is an animal called a dog—”

Tor held up his hand. “Perversions aside, Shallows, Maeve’s idea has merit.” He stepped back as if to punctuate his point. “They don’t need to know that we are allied with Maeve. It can only benefit us if they try to make demands.”

When I’d asked Rainn about the coral fields, he claimed that my body had turned to foam before the abyss cleared and King Irvine had perished.

There was no reasonable explanation that could connect me to the King’s death, yet as I walked over the bridge and into the courtyard, I felt the stares of every undine prickle against my scales as if they somehow knew that I was responsible for my uncle’s death.

I hadn’t expected a reception of any kind, but I had forgotten that I traveled with the Princelings. Though I didn’t warrant a celebration, hosting the leaders of the other creeds was an occasion that wouldn’t pass without notice.

The war had raged for ten years, and I felt the bitter hope on the water.

The Princelings in Cruinn was a sign that the war was ending. That peace might be on the horizon.

I never used the front entrance to the castle if I could help it.

The guards that manned the courtyard doors were the largest troid Sídhe I’d ever seen, both then and now. Pater and Jon, if I remembered correctly. Liam always made a point of saying hello to them. I imagined they were who Liam wanted to be once he reached his magical majority.

Pater and Jon opened the gigantic stone doors, making the movement look effortless and natural. However, I knew how heavy the doors were. Shay, Rainn, and Tor swam through, tipping their heads in thanks as they entered Cruinn castle without looking back.

As I looked up at the expansive doors, spanning at least three floors high, my fingers twitched, and every inch of my skin felt too tight. I wanted to run. Far and fast.

There was no reason for my presence in Cruinn save for my bargain with the Kraken.

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