Page 55 of Battle Fluke

“Yes, Hudson!” The roar might as well have come from thousands of mers ready for war.

“So, are we going to show these bastards what the Talon are truly made of?” Her own voice screamed out, creating ripples of water over their heads.

“YES, HUDSON!”

She laughed—loud and maniacal. She found herself filled once more with the thrill of war and the thirst for a fight.

But being honest with herself, she also felt that hole within her. The one that craved to have Honour in the battle arena with her, and Kyree in her cave at night.

“Hud-son, Hud-son, Hud-son, Hud-son.” The chant pulled her out of her head, and she laughed again, her lips rolled back as she revealed her teeth.

She didn’t bother changing the chant to Talon, as she might have once upon a time.

With part of her still pining over her mers and what she had left behind she led her men out of the temporary camp and headed back toward the real fight, toward the surface, and Reine.

19

Honour swam back and forth in her rooms while Kyree lay on her bed, playing with Nylah. The room wasn’t large or spacious, but it was a home Honour had known for such a long time. Being in it now with Kyree, she looked at the barren existence with a harder eye then she ever had before.

She shook her head, ignoring the lack of decorative shells or embellishments.

“How can you relax?” Honour couldn’t take it anymore. Even the movement did nothing to help the restlessness that continued to fizz beneath her skin.

“Because we need our rest while we can get it.” Kyree’s voice was calm and even.

Honour had known this woman, and yet the weight that settled over them since they had returned to Reine pressed down between them.

“We need to go and get Soulara,” Honour snipped back. She scrunched her face, feeling guilty at the sharp words, but not finding herself able to apologize. Soulara was still trapped in that cage in the sky. Someone had to get her out and Honour was the only one who could do it. She was the only one who could breathe above the water—and yet, no one in all of the oceanknew that she had that ability. Thank the stars that Soulara had used her magic for that before she’d been taken as a prisoner of war.

“We can’t get her, not yet.” Kyree lifted up her torso, using one hand pressed against Honour’s bed of seaweed and sponge to keep the top half of her upright. Her tail still hung over the end of Honour’s bed, not designed for the length of deep sounding mers. “She’s doing her duty, being our eyes and ears inside the human prison where they’re keeping her. It’s a better defense than we could have ever planned.”

“So you think it’s a good thing that I nearly died, that she’s being held against her will and gods only knows what else she isn’t telling us about, just so she can do her duty?” It wasn’t Kyree’s fault. None of this was, but that didn’t stop Honour from throwing her frustrations out at Kyree as though all of the war were her fault alone.

“Of course it’s not a good thing. But I’ll take the good things that have come out of it.”

“Right, having a spy in a cage and with only limited access to any information is definitely worth me dying.” Honour stopped swimming and faced Kyree, eyes boring into her, demanding an answer about the worth of her own life.

“It’s worth saving our people and our home. It’s worth having an advantage over the enemy so we might actually know how to win this war.” Kyree’s voice was rising with each word, her own frustrations leaking through.

“I don’t care.” Honour resumed swimming back and forth, knowing that part of her cared. But Soulara wasn’t just her charge—she was Honour’s best friend. “And neither should you.”

“Why shouldn’t I care about how this war goes?” Kyree narrowed her eyes at Honour.

Honour stopped, Kyree’s words finally making her think about what she had just said. About the fact that she’d justaccused Kyree of not caring about the fate of the ocean. About the fact that she’d told Kyree that her life was worth it and wasn’t worth it in the same moment.

“I’m sorry.” She moved her fluke gently but with purpose toward Kyree. She propped herself on the edge of her bed in front of Kyree. Beneath her bottom, she felt the lingering warmth where Kyree had been lying merely moments ago.

“I didn’t mean it like that.” Honour scrubbed her hands over her face. “I just…”

“You’re worried about your friend.” Kyree reached up and pulled Honour’s hands from her face, leaning against Honour’s strength to keep her core muscles from taking the brunt of keeping her core upright.

“Yes.” Honour nodded as one hand moved to Kyree’s hip, the other tangling her fingers with Kyree’s. “But why aren’t you more worried about another mer’s safety and freedom?”

“Of course I’m worried.” Kyree lifted her free hand and pressed her palm against Honour’s cheek.

Honour leaned into it and the touch was a comfort she had missed and seemed to constantly crave. When had that happened? When had she wanted Kyree like this so desperately? More than anything else she’d wanted before. Including her status as a general?

This was right and safe and complete.

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