Page 39 of Calling of the Crown

Her glare shot daggers at him, and Jayanna stifled a laugh next to her.

“I will admit,” Khalani hesitated as she met my eyes again. “I was extremely skeptical when I got here and saw Land Fae. But actually, they’ve all been really nice. I think I was more shocked by that fact than anything.”

“We are pretty great,” Ardley stated with a prideful grin as he leaned back on his hands. His bare, chiseled torso flexed with the movement, and a handful of Fae sitting around us gawked over the handsome man.

Khalani gave me a tight-lipped smile and amended, “Well, almost all of them.”

“I apologize for my cousin,” Rune said. He looked just as annoyed with Ardley as Khalani did. “He’s an imbecile but a harmless one.”

The Fae had taken to forming a semi circle around me so they could talk to me and listen in on anything I said. Drake leaned forward from the group, and asked, “Since you’re friends with Land Fae, does that mean you don’t want war with them anymore?”

It was a fair question, and it was one I intended to give everyone an answer to. Just not today. I wanted to make that announcement and go into detail about it at length with Water Fae all at once. I planned on doing so at the welcome home gathering in a few days. Today wasn’t the day for that kind of talk. Today was for having fun and growing closer.

“That’s a conversation for another day,” I started, getting to my feet. “Instead of talking, how about we go for a swim?”

“I’m game!” Jayanna cheered, leaping to her feet. She leaned in close to Khalani, who stood with her and tried but failed to whisper, “I can’t believe we’re getting to hang out with the Princess.”

I fought my grin as Rune and I approached the shoreline, hand in hand. The crystal-clear water beckoned me to leap into its waves, and I practically bounced on my heels with anticipation to explore.

Newt and Greshim stopped their sand-sculpting when they saw us approach the water. The twins leapt from their knees and darted over.

“Are you two going swimming?” Greshim asked excitedly. The wind whipped his black hair around his face, and he fought to keep it back as he stared at his older brother.

Rune nodded. “We are.”

“We want t-t-to join!” Newt cheered. He quickly took off his purple-rimmed glasses and ran them back to Alvaro, his fluffy fox tail dragging behind him.

Fighting a smile, Rune placed a thoughtful finger along his chin. “You want to join us, huh?”

The twins nodded with a light sparkling in their eyes that I was so happy to see more of these days.

Rune glanced at me, and I immediately recognized the teasing glint there. Biting back my own grin as I realized what Rune wanted, I dipped my head in a subtle nod.

Looking back at the boys, Rune said, “If you’re sure …”

Rune darted his arms out to snatch Greshim, and I scooped up Newt just as quickly. The boys screamed with delight as we ran right up to the edge of the sea and tossed them into the water. They popped above the surface, and their heads were thrown back in laughter. They started splashing each other and darting about, already having a blast.

Rune turned to me and nodded at the ocean. “You ready to join them?”

Looking back at the glittering water, my own need to dive in resurfaced. “How long can you hold your breath for?” I eagerly asked him.

He smirked, exposing a sharp canine. “Certainly not as long as you.”

I smacked his chest, because I knew exactly what he was referring to, and it was not a conversation to be had in public. “I should’ve looked for diving gear so that you could go under with me.”

“Don’t worry about me. Don’t worry about anyone. You just be careful and swim your heart out.”

Jayanna and Khalani came up next to me with more Water Fae in tow. Dallas and Rance were right behind me, and I smiled over my shoulder at my best friend. Her eyes ignited with excitement, and I knew it was not only for her sake, but for mine as well.

I’d been reading up on and practicing controlling water with Jesiah in between all of the other work I’d been doing. We were still primarily focused on the basics—mastering calling on the water, strengthening my control of it, correcting any sloppy movements—and while I was enjoying the groundwork of mastering my abilities, I also craved more. I wanted to learn and understand it and all its wonders. I wanted to deepen our connection, and I felt like this—wading through the ocean, exploring the seas here in Ambrolia—would do just that.

Turning to Jayanna, Khalani, and the rest of the Water Fae, I said, “I know breathing underwater is a skill not everyone has. Does anyone here have that ability?”

“I can, but only for ten or so minutes,” a boy called.

A few others raised their hands and some shook their heads.

“Those of us in the Creature Class can, but only when in our animal form,” Khalani explained. “If we’re in our human or Fae form, a lot of us can’t.”

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