Page 64 of The Iron Flower

Gareth and I pause our conversation as Bleddyn and Iris pass by. I can see Bleddyn taking in Gareth’s silver-tipped hair, her large emerald eyes narrowed in appraisal. She glances at me and smirks.

Iris notices the exchange. She shoots me a glare and tugs Bleddyn decidedly away. But as they near the bottom of the hill, Bleddyn lifts her hand to Gareth and me in a silent good-night.

Heartened by her gesture, I turn back to Gareth. “Have you eaten?”

“No, and I’m starving.” He eyes the back door to the kitchen, a playful glint in his eyes. “I don’t suppose you’d know where we could get some food?”

* * *

A few minutes later, we’re ensconced in one of the storerooms, surrounded by shelves of preserves and barrels of grain. Gareth and I sit on overturned wooden crates, the top of a barrel acting as our table. Steam wafts up from a pot of mint tea, and a mountain of warm, freshly baked mushroom turnovers fills a plate next to it.

“This is a lot of food, Ren,” Gareth comments with a laugh.

I grab up a turnover and take a huge bite. “It’s just enough food,” I say through a mouthful, grinning at him. Gareth’s like a third brother to me, and I love how I don’t have to be the least bit civilized around him. “I’m starving, too. And these are really good.” I’m momentarily lost in the bliss of buttery mushrooms, flaky crust and caramelized onions.

Gareth digs into the food as well, his eyes lighting up. “Sweet gods, thesearegood.”

I nod, a congenial warmth washing over me. I’d much rather be sitting here with Gareth, eating mushroom pastries, than dining on roast swan at some fine Valgard estate. Plus, I bet Fernyllia’s cooking skills could best any of the fancy chefs employed by wealthy Gardnerians.

Gareth takes a sip of his tea. “What’s happened while I’ve been gone?”

I let out a long sigh, relieved to be with someone I can speak freely around. Someone I can trust completely. “Settle in and eat,” I say, nodding at the plate of turnovers. “This story is going to take a while to tell.”

* * *

“So, you’ve rescued a Selkie,” Gareth marvels, the tea long since cooled, the pastries rendered to crumbs on the plate. “What’s she like?”

“Marina’s wonderful. Kind and sweet,” I reply as I stroke the kitchen cat who’s curled up, purring, in my lap. “She was very sickly at first, but her health is slowly improving now that we know she eats raw fish. And she’s speaking the Common Tongue quite fluently.”

Information about Marina has come in thick waves since she’s found a way to communicate with us, full of incredible revelations, and I relay to Gareth everything she’s told me.

The Selkies live in large cities in ocean caves lit by fluorescent coral, and though they number in the thousands, their society is very communal and tight-knit.

“It took a while for her to understand our language,” I tell Gareth. “Land sounds are distorted to her, and the strange tones she makes against air are clicks and musical tones underwater. She’s a musician in her land, apprenticing with a bard, so I think she has an ear for language.”

“That’s incredible,” Gareth says, an awed look on his face. “I’m glad you’ve been able to help her.”

“We need to do more,” I reply, frowning thoughtfully as I absently pet the soft cat. “Her skin is the source of her power, but we have no idea where it might be hidden. She’s in a severely weakened state without it.”

“So why do the Selkies come to land?” Gareth asks, curious. “It’s so dangerous for them here.”

“Their shifting magic can get snagged by a spell that was cast long ago. It can happen whenever the moon is full, and it inadvertently pulls them onto our shores. I don’t really understand all of it, but that’s what she was able to explain to us. And...well, you know the rest.”

Gareth is quiet for a long moment. “Can I meet her?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Gareth. We’ve tried introducing her to Trystan and Rafe and some of the others, but she’s terrified of men.”

“You need to get her out of here, Ren,” he says, his voice gentle but firm. “There’s serious talk in Valgard about killing all the Selkies as soon as they come to shore, and I think someone on the Council is going to make an official motion soon.”

I return his grave look. “My aunt, I know.” I reach up to massage my temple, a sharp headache blooming. “Marina has a sister who’s probably being held in one of those...taverns.” I spit the word out with blistering disgust. “And there are so many others. We need to find a way to free them before my aunt rallies the support she needs on the Council.”

“Can the Resistance help?”

“We’d need a small army to mount a rescue, which the Verpacian Resistance doesn’t have access to. They’re overwhelmed just trying to help the refugees streaming through here.” I shake my aching head and meet Gareth’s steady gaze.

He reaches over to place his warm hand on mine. “Ren, I’m a mariner. Let me meet her.”

I hold his resolute gaze, the ever-present kindness in it swaying me. Perhaps there’s some slim chance that Marina won’t be as intimidated by him.

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