Page 51 of Battle Fluke

The water was so tense. Kyree could cut it with a reed. They all stared at each other. Well, Honour glared at Hudson, and Kyree was at a complete loss for words.

Finally, Honour sank back slightly. “I have to go. I have to make sure King Pregtox knows where Soulara is. He’ll help find a way to rescue her and Autumn, without them being casualties of this bloody war.”

“I understand.” Kyree nodded. And she did, even if she didn’t want to. Even if it broke her heart. Because maybe there was some truth to what Hudson accused her of.

But Honour had the right to leave. Kyree always saw and acted beyond her own wants and needs. That’s why she was here in the first place, wasn’t it? She understood and cared about the effects things had on others, not just herself. It was the biggest difference between her and Hudson. Despite Hudson’s softness that snuck through at unexpected moments, she hadn’t known loyalty the way Honour or Kyree had. Such ideas had never been rewarded or seen as strengths. And yet, this was the breaking point.

They’d only just begun and now they were going to end.

“Hudson, the war is bigger than us.” Honour shook her head slowly as she backed away, already pushing them out.

Kyree wanted to cry. She wanted to sob and yell and scream, but she had no words for either of them. She didn’t know what she could do or say that would make a difference.

“I’m not going there. You two do what you want. But I’m not following you to Reine. I’ll find my own way to fight the Talon.” Hudson smacked her hand through the water, her cheeks tight with pain.

“So you did lie to me, then.” Honour’s words were steeped in anger. Kyree could feel the shudder in the water as Honour fought to bite back a barely contained fist of emotion.

“Which time?” Hudson smirked, but Kyree saw the lie in her arrogance. She was hiding, just like Honour was.

“We were just distractions to you, nothing but a little play to bide your time, to get what you wanted?” Honour seethed between closed teeth.

Hadn’t Hudson just accused Honour of the same thing?

Kyree looked between Hudson and Honour. Something inside of her cracked. The jagged line within her was not entirely unlike the one that broke the soul stone around her neck. How had she ever thought that a relationship with the two of them—two mers so bent on getting what they wanted and seeing that their way was the only way—would work? It wouldn’t.

“Please don’t go, Hudson,” Kyree whispered.

“You’ve got thegeneralhere,” Hudson said, saying Honour’s title like it was an insult. But she avoided Kyree’s eyes. “You’ll be safe enough. And soon she’ll have the King’s guard protecting you. Like you’ll ever fucking escape that.”

“Hudson,” Honour said. Her tone softer, hints of a plea behind the name.

But Hudson didn’t turn back, and Honour didn’t say anything else.

In the heavy silence, Kyree watched as Hudson’s tail grew smaller as she swam farther away from them.

“I’m sorry,” Honour whispered.

“I don’t entirely know what you are apologizing for. We all make our own choices.” Kyree breathed through the pain in her chest. She’d never felt something like this before, like her soul was about to be ripped and torn out of her, broken and shattered. Maybe she would meld with the stone pressing against her skin.

“Will you come with me to Reine?” Honour’s words were laden with other questions. Kyree hoped she understood what they were.

“Yes.” Kyree couldn’t smile. The pain was too much. She’d made her own choices, just as they had.

Honour smiled, and with a small bow, she moved on her way. Kyree took one last look at the now empty space, the place that Hudson had held—the place she’d always hold in Kyree’s heart. She sent hope and safety following after Hudson, praying it would be enough to find her again. Maybe their choices would be different in the future.

With a fortifying gulp of water, she turned back around and took her place beside Honour.

She made her choice.

But she had never made one before that had felt right and wrong all at the same time.

18

Hudson pushed her fluke harder, forcing herself to speed through the water as fast as she could.

What was she thinking? Who the hell was she kidding?

She was a rogue Talon mermaid. She was a warrior built to fight. And she would fight.

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