Page 54 of The Dark Sea Calls

“When was your coronation?” I asked. It was a valid question. It had been just over two months since I had left the lake behind and over half a year since Tor’s father had passed. “Was there a reason it was delayed after your father…” I left the question hanging in the air.

Tor cocked his head to the side as he considered my question carefully. “It didn’t seem important.”

Rainn, who had sat on the bed and started eating with zest, choked on a mouthful of food. It took him a moment to get his coughing under control. “It didn’t seem important?” He wheezed, looking at his friend as if he was insane. “The Reeds is the third largest kingdom in the Twilight Lake. Kelpie magic is superior to both Mer Glamour and the assortment of skills that the Undine possess. You didn’t think it was important to take your title?”

Tor shrugged and picked up his own plate before sitting on the single stool by the table. “I never expected to be king. My mother was taken in the Undine’s attack on the village between the Reeds and the front line. Cursed by the wasting disease when she visited the dying fae there. My parents were Shíorghrá. My father could not go on once she was killed.” Tor didn’t look at us as he spoke; instead, poking his food and carefully selecting just the right bite of meat before he lifted his fork to his lips. He chewed thoughtfully. “Elsbeth went missing, determined to find her revenge in Cruinn. It was only through sheer dumb luck that I am not the last Shadowhock living after what she did.”

Tor did not look at me, though I felt his gaze like he had. I had freed Elsbeth after all. An act of rebellion after my uncle had told me that I was no longer welcome at the castle once I had reached my majority—a declaration that to this day still confused me.

“Cormac called us to speak with his advisors the morning after we…” Tor frowned, his attention catching on the memory of what we had done the night before I had fled Tarsainn. “It was noted that Lady Bloodtide was not in attendance. She was Cormac’s chief advisor. She had several guards, and they later revealed she had decided to pay you a visit.” Tor squinted as he chose his words carefully. “Cormac questioned everyone, but the only conclusion was that you had been cornered by Lady Bloodtide and, through luck or some hidden skill, had turned her to foam. Cormac rallied his troops, claiming that you were an assassin.” Tor’s eyes flicked to mine, and he studied me momentarily as if asking himself the same question. He shook his head to himself dismissively. “I told him that he was addled.”

“To be sure,” Rainn agreed; his mouth was full.

“Lady Bloodtide had imprisoned you in iron. If she had chosen to try and finish the job for whatever reason, you would be within your right to take her life. Such is Lake law,” Tor continued.

“As if Cormac would believe me,” I scoffed. “Lake law aside, his mother tried to murder me, and I took her life in the process. It was, as you are so fond of saying,luck.”

“Hmm,” Rainn elongated the sound, making it known that he didn’t quite agree with me. Rainn had seen my way with the water. I had told him about the High Throne. I waited for him to argue with me and make some exaggerated claim about my abilities, but instead, he reached over and grabbed the wine bottle, pulling the cork from its lip and taking a swig, speaking volumes without speaking a word.

Tor ignored his Selkie friend. “Cormac petitioned the Reeds for soldiers. He told me his plans to march on Cruinn, but I declined his offer.”

“And you returned to the Reeds?” I prompted.

“I had to,” Tor said gravely. “Cormac threatened to petition my sister, Elsbeth, for aid from the Kelpies if I refused. Elsbeth is nursing a raw wound from captivity. She cannot sleep. She struggles to eat. My sister would take great pride in marching on Cruinn if only to try and aid her fears.” Tor placed his plate on the table, forgotten. He brushed his raven-wing hair from his eyes. “I didn’t think you had fled to Cruinn, but I couldn’t be sure. Still, I refused to march on Cruinn. I had to take the throne immediately to stop Cormac from trying to manipulate my sister. Rainn later told me you had left the lake behind, but he could find you.”

“I’m guessing that Cormac Illfin wasn’t too happy when you both ran away?” I winced, imagining Cormac’s perfect smug face creased in anger. “And Shay? He went back to his village; how did Cormac handle that?”

“Oof.” Rainn flinched, sitting back on the bed and rubbing his full but still flat stomach. “It couldn’t be helped. Shay got word from the elders and had to return. Nymphs often have The Sight. Soothsayers. They wanted Shay Mac Eoin away from Tarsainn, and Cormac had seen the state of the Nymph village. Less than a hundred. Not enough food from the lake, and their water-breathing abilities dwindling every day. The lake is filled with rage, bitter and metallic, like blood. Fish don’t like it. Everyone is hungry, but the nymphs are worse off than any other creed. It has surprised me that they haven’t moved on yet.”

“It's their home.” I drifted further into the room and nearer the bed. Rainn moved his legs, and I sat down, holding my plate but unable to eat.

“Aye.” Tor slanted me a look. “That it is.”

“Almost makes you want to go back to my cottage on the Skala Beach,” Rainn said happily. “The rocks and my kin would protect us.”

“The Reeds is perfectly suitable to hide Maeve from the Undine King,” Tor replied quickly, though his teeth were gritted as he pushed the words through them.

“Eh.” Rainn shrugged, turning back to his food.

“Boys,” I warned. “Stop fighting.”

“Boys?” Tor cocked his head to the side while Rainn spluttered so loudly he had to wipe his mouth with his wrist.

“I called you boys because you are acting like younglings.” I sniffed haughtily. “It's been a long day, and I can’t stay awake much longer.”

Both males exchanged glances.

Rainn cleared his throat. “Do you want us to leave?” Somehow the question felt unfinished.DidI want them to leave?

I shook my head. Unwilling to tell them that I needed both of them to feel safe, and I didn’t think I would be able to sleep after everything that had happened in such a short time unless I felt safe. “You don’t have to leave,” I clarified.

Rainn and Tor exchanged another quick glance, but I didn’t try deciphering it.

I was the water, and the water was me.

Spread so thin across miles and miles, with my conscious saturating every drop of the Twilight Lake. No body. Justthere.

I saw my uncle across the water, staring at the abyss surrounding Cruinn. A hovering darkness that formed a barrier that no one wanted to travel through. Cruinn castle sat in the city's center, a glowing bastion in the gloom. My uncle sat on his balcony, despite the late hours. He rubbed his hand down his face, showing how tired he felt.

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