Page 21 of The Dark Sea Calls

“They’re impressive,” I dipped my head genteelly. “Do you have a favorite?”

A shrewd look crossed her dark eyes. “But of course,” she said, matching my smile with one of her own. Revealing her shining white and shark-like teeth. She held out her hand, ushering me further into the room. Each Silver seemed to pulse as we walked past, speaking in hushed tones like gossipy courtiers. The surface of each mirror might have been dark, but all were reflective in some way, mirroring my own face back at me. Too long, too wide, or too small.

We reached the procession of looking glasses and the dark wall at the end of the room. A smooth sheet of black marble that had lost its sheen. Fissures of gold and white veins ran through the stone.

I glanced around, waiting for the Siren Queen to gesture to her favorite mirror, but she made no motion. I didn’t like the look on her face—as if I was missing something important.

She huffed. “Behind you, Cruinn.” She flung out her hand to the marble wall. “Thatis my favorite above all else.”

“The wall?” I wondered aloud, my brow furrowed.

Her eyes lit up with manic glee, and her wings shifted as she stepped forward, both palms facing out to touch the smooth surface. “Have you heard the story of Belisama’s Cradle?” she asked, her attention fixed on the marble wall.

I cleared my throat. “I’ve heard it,” I admitted.

The queen nodded to herself. “They say that the gods walked among us once and sometimes come down from the Tuatha Dé Danann to look upon their creation. Belisama fell in love with a Sídhe, it was said. A maiden with a voice so fair that she could call the stars from the sky. He watched her from the clouds, and when she came of age, he came here to the Aos Sí. She agreed to be his bride, and his tears of joy flooded the Night Court—forming the dark sea. This marble is said to be the doorway to the gods. A dead Silver spent and left behind.”

“It’s a lovely story,” I said.

“It is also said that the Kraken is a beast that answers only to Belisama.” The Siren Queen turned to face me fully. “And yet Colm said that you spoke to it.”

“Colm is mistaken,” I said, keeping my voice flat. “I have a way with the water, as all Cruinns do. I simply distracted the beast by changing the currents.”

Her eyes narrowed. “A way with the water?”

“Yes,” I nodded stiffly.

The Siren Queen cocked her head to the side. “I was under the impression that King Irvine has no heir, save for his son by marriage.”

“Liam Cruinn is dead.” I kept my eyes forward, though I felt them burn with tears as I thought of the frosted sands. I did not answer her question or speak any untruths, but I allowed her to come to her own conclusions.

“A bastard then,” the queen nodded. “It stands to reason that you would flee if his heir has passed. Many kings act rashly when they are grieving. Unless your mother is of royal birth, you would never hold a place in court, let alone stand in line for the throne.”

“It is said that no woman can hold the High Throne,” I kept my voice low and impassive. “It is said to twist their minds into soup.”

The Siren Queen let out a barking laugh, throwing her head back. “If you believe Queen Caoimhe was mad, then you are stupider than I thought, Maeve Cruinn.”

Arden stood before us, his hands knitted together in front of his hips as he studied the line of recruits.

Two other females had reached majority since the night Colm gained his golden wings, but even being granted magic by the gods was no excuse to get out of running drills through the canyon, it seemed.

Arden clapped his hands together, frowning as he studied us. “Today, we’re doing something different. No teams. No races.”

The other recruits groaned, and Moira turned to me, her gaze questioning. I shook my head at her, my eyes wide.

Arden cleared his throat to get our attention. “Over the past few days, I have taken a single item belonging to each of you. You will not rest until you have recovered and returned your item to the gates. This is an exercise in tracking your own essence. It has many merits, but for the purposes of today, it will aid in finding lost things.”

Moira lifted her hand, biting her bottom lip. “What if we haven’t reached our majority?” she asked sheepishly.

“All Fae can do this,” Arden told her. “It is your birthright.”

Moira didn’t look convinced, and I was sure I didn’t either.

Another recruit piped up. “We have to go alone?” they asked.

Arden gave them a look that stopped the chatter quickly. “Youmustbe alone,” he growled. “I expect some of you will sleep on the canyon floor tonight.”

“Can you give us a clue?” Colm stepped forward, his new golden wings ruffling. “Perhaps, some sort of hint to what item you have squirreled away from us in the night?”

---