Page 102 of The Dark, Dead, Deep

I snorted. “Please. That won’t happen.”

“He declared it,” Tormalugh urged. “In front of his entire court, I might add.”

“As you declared that I am your shíorghrá?” I laughed again. “What is this plan that you all keep going on about? Do you all plan to marry me and bring all the creeds together just like the prophecy says?” I shook my head. “What nonsense.”

I continued swimming, and Tor and Rainn did not follow me. It took a moment to realize they had stopped, and I turned at my waist. Both men exchanged glances in the guilty way they always did when they had a secret. Which was often.

“Spill it.” I put my hands on my hips.

Tormalugh pushed his fingers through his hair. He winced before I felt the familiar feel of his magic on the water.

“No, you don’t,” I growled, reaching for Tor as if there was something I could do to stop him, but a moment passed, and instead of a man with dark curly hair and midnight eyes, there was a horse with the same. “Coward.” I jabbed my finger at Tormalugh, but he answered with a whinny before trotting forward.

“I suppose you’re going to shift too?” I said, gesturing for Rainn to get on with it.

His lips pulled into a straight smile, and his fist tightened on the chain. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

I eyed him suspiciously. “You wouldn’t?”

Rainn winked. “Though, I suppose there might be some advantages to being on your bad side,” he mused as his eyes raked over my body.

“I don’t have a bad side,” I told him.

Tormalugh made a noise that sounded like a horsey snicker.

“I’m being used.” My fingernails dug into my palms. “Every moment of my life has been one giant game that I have no control over. From the moment my mother passed, I have been deemed too addled to make my own choices.”

“Royalty doesn’t get to make their own choices,” Rainn pointed out.

“You’re the youngest of seven,” I pointed out. “You will likely never wear a crown.”

“Neither will you.” Rainn didn’t say it to be hurtful, only stating a fact.

I quirked a brow. “Haven’t you heard? I am to sit on the throne by Cormac’s side as his trophy. The entirety of the mer people will be overjoyed that their king is so justified, kind, and compassionate that he has found his shíorghrá with a gilded fae, they’ll think, ‘what an amazing king, and we are surely on the right side of this war, because even the Undine King’s niece has chosen our side.’” My nostrils flared, but I could not stop my mouth as it began to run. “My uncle used me until I was no longer able to be used, and now Cormac will too.”

“What choice do we have?” Rainn moved closer to me. “The game needs to be played.”

“Does it?” I blinked, tilting my chin to meet his sky-blue eyes. “Why are you here, Rainn? You could return to the Skala Isles, protected by the other selkie and their jagged rocks. Shunning all outsiders and waiting for the war to end.”

He lifted a hand and cupped my face. I closed my eyes and leaned into his touch.

“It’s not that simple,” Rainn whispered.

“Vengeance. Revenge. When does it end?” I did not open my eyes as I spoke. “The scales will never be even.” I thought of the selkie younglings that my uncle had wronged. I thought of the battlefields where undine soldiers were torn to shreds by seal-kin. “There will never be peace. My mother was wrong.” It took everything in me to step back, away from Rainn’s comfort.

Tormalugh circled, lowering his head and tossing his mane. Apparently, the kelpie wanted to say something, but not enough to shift back into his two-legged form.

I knitted my fingers together. “Undine marriage rituals aside, what if marrying Cormac Illfin stops my chance at finding my true mate. Perhaps, not even that, a chance at truehappiness. Though I don’t need a male for that.”

“Undine marriage rituals?” Rainn cocked his head to the side. “Do you worry that Cormac won’t be able to provide a dowry? I can assure you that the Tarsainn’s coffers are filled to the brim.”

I snorted a laugh. “As if I would worry about that.” I shook my head. “Undines bind themselves together when they find their shíorghrá. They share their magic and thoughts with their mates.”

“Oh, dear.” Rainn’s eyes widened. His hand went to his chain as if by reflex.

“Yeah,” I said slowly. “Imagine reading Cormac Illfin’s mind. I think it’s a rather terrifying place.”

“You would know. You spent an afternoon there,” the selkie pointed out.

---