Page 40 of Calling of the Crown

My chest ached for those who couldn’t breathe underwater like we were meant to. I wasn’t sure if not having the ability bothered them, but it left me feeling disappointed on their behalf.

“I can breathe underwater for half an hour, tops,” Dallas stated for my ears only. “I’ll dive with you for safety and security, but if you stay down longer than that, Imani will take over guarding you.”

Imani nodded and met my eyes. “I’m one of the few who can still breathe underwater for an extended timeframe.”

With a plan for my safety set in place, I looked at Rune. He watched me with warm eyes and nodded encouragingly toward the water where the twins still played heartily. Not needing any convincing, I inched closer to the water. All around me, Fae cheered and laughed as they splashed in the transparent water. Some transformed before my eyes, diving deep only to leap out of the water as a dolphin, fish, or some other sea creature.

“How about some surfing?” Dallas asked me, nudging my arm.

I scanned the fairly calm waters. “Gonna be hard to surf without any waves.”

Jesiah chuckled, and his eyes shined with a look akin to pride. “Bria, we’re Water Fae.” He smacked his foot on the tide’s surface, and the water beneath his foot immediately solidified to form a surfboard made of ice. “We make our own waves.”

Jesiah threw his head back and let out a sound akin to a war cry. As if on cue, a rush of water farther out rose into a monster of a wave, and he shot out over the sea’s surface, riding the board to meet the wave in a magnificent display.

“Damn, that looks fun,” Ardley observed with a low whistle. He casually placed his arm over Khalani’s shoulder and leaned there as he watched Jesiah surf in the distance.

Khalani’s lip curled, and she shrugged her shoulder to drop Ardley. Without a word, she waded out into the water and disappeared below the surface.

Jayanna chuckled and nudged Ardley. “She’s warming up to you.”

“You call that warm?” Rune asked with a skeptical brow.

“For Khalani it is. You should’ve seen her when we first met,” Ardley said. He came over and slapped Rune on the back. “How about we go out for a dip? I’ll race you to the mainland and back.”

Rune’s chin tilted up a notch with the challenge. “You’re on.”

Rune peeled out of his shirt so that both Foxes were shirtless, gracing everyone close by with the mouth-watering sight of their perfectly chiseled bodies. They were all sharp edges and clean lines, and there was no denying that they were warriors. Whistles and catcalls came from everyone, and Ardley smiled and waved like a celebrity at a meet-and-greet.

Rune turned to me and quickly slanted his mouth over mine in a deep, toe-curling kiss. He pulled back and whispered against my lips, “For good luck.”

I bit my lip as I watched the cousins wade out until the water reached their hips. They stopped near the twins, who now watched their family.

Akira followed them, counting down from three before yelling, “Go.”

Rune and Ardley dove into the water, pumping their legs and arms as they fought to be the first one to swim across the expanse of water and back.

“I’m really glad you brought Land Fae here,” Jayanna said with a warm smile. “Not everyone here feels that way. They’re still clinging to the hurt and anger from long ago, but I think it’s a great thing. They’ve all been so nice, and it’s just got me thinking about how small-minded I’ve been all this time, lumping Land Fae together as collectively wrong and evil, you know? I never stopped to give them a chance to be anything other than the enemy. So if your goal is to unite Land Fae and Water Fae, I just wanted to say you have my support, Princess.”

Placing my hand on her arm, I grinned. “Thank you, Jayanna.”

“Enough chit-chat,” Dallas shouted, clapping her hands. “Let’s swim!”

Chapter Eighteen

DALLAS RAISED HER ARMS IN front of her, and the water at our feet rose with them. As she moved her hands gracefully, the water rose to form a towering diving platform that slowly solidified into ice. Dallas gestured at the ladder and met my eyes. “Princesses first.”

Laughing, I climbed up to the top of the platform that stretched out over the deeper water. I closed my eyes and inhaled the warm, salty ocean breeze. The fresh scent of water sent a flurry of excitement leaping about in my gut, and without waiting another second, I ran. I ran and dove off the platform with my arms extended.

The moment my body broke the water’s surface, I reacted the way I always had as a human due to pure instinct. I held my breath and kept my eyes closed as I waded beneath the water. Whispers and excited voices filled my ears, and with the sound, I was reminded of who I was. Slowly, I inhaled, and just as I breathed on land, I breathed now without issue. My lips turned up in a grin, and I opened my eyes to the beautiful world around me.

The water was the lightest shade of turquoise, and I could see straight ahead and below me for miles. Water Fae and sea creatures swam around me or splashed above me. Jayanna swam past me, waving as she did. I watched in pure wonder as she twirled in the water, her brown skin slowly changing and her body contorting until there was no longer a slim girl before me but a large, sleek Great White Shark. She circled back to me, and I held my fingertips out to brush them over her fin as she swam by.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” Dallas asked as she appeared next to me, her lush red hair fanning out in the water around her.

My eyes widened. “We can even talk underwater?”

She laughed, and bubbles flitted up from her mouth. “We can.”

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