Page 82 of The Iron Flower

His expression turns suspicious. “Selkies have been around for years. The Gardnerians’ dirty little secret. Why haven’t they bothered talking in all this time if they’re able to?”

“Because it’s incredibly difficult,” I explain. “Speech through air is completely alien to them, and the sounds of our land languages are hard for them to make out. They speak against the resistance of water, not air.”

“So why is yourSelkie so gifted, then?”

“Marina’s talented with languages. And she’s had the opportunity to live with people who have been kind to her,” I tell him. “It gave her time to learn the Common Tongue. She can speak it fluently now. She’s even picked up a fair bit of High Elvish.”

“High Elvish?”

“My roommate. She’s an Elf.”

Clive turns to Yvan for verification.

“An Elfin Icaral,” Yvan clarifies.

His eyebrows fly up, and Yvan tells him about Ariel, as well. Clive turns back to me, clearly thrown. “So...this Selkie of yours can speak.”

“We could let you meet her, prove it to you,” I offer.

“Why is it so important for you to prove this to me?”

This stops me dead in my tracks. I look to Yvan with confusion, so he steps in to explain. “Marina has a sister,” he says. “She’s been captured, as well. We want to rescue her, and the rest. All of them.”

“You want to rescue all of the Selkies,” Clive repeats incredulous.

“Yes,” Yvan says, his expression adamant. “Before Vyvian Damon convinces the Mage Council to have them all shot.”

“And you want the Resistance to help you.”

“Yes.”

“You want the Resistance to throw its scant resources, with the Gardnerians massing on Keltania’s border, into freeingSelkies?”

“Not all of your resources,” Yvan says stubbornly. “Some.”

“The Gardnerians could invade us at any moment.”

“They’re beating the Selkies,” I cut in, enraged. “Rapingthem!”

“I’m well aware of what goes on with the Selkies,” Clive snarls.

“They’re not animals,” I continue, undaunted. “They’re people, just like us—”

“So are the people of Keltania!” he snipes back, baring his teeth. “But if we don’t hand over our entire country to Gardneria, your people are getting ready toslaughterus!”

“The Resistance helped the Fae in the past,” I challenge him. “They helped the Urisk. The Selkies are people. Just like them.”

“For years,” Clive says, eyes blazing, “I have thought that the Selkie trade is one of the most disgusting, despicable things I have ever seen in allmy life.” He scrubs a hand over his face, looking furious. “But your government is about to march in here and enslave my entire country! So, I’m sorry that I can’t drop everything to rescue a few seal women, but unless the Selkies can help us fight the Gardnerians, they’reuselessto me.”

“Yvan said you were interested in justice!” I spit out.

“I am. Justice formypeople.”

“And no one else?”

For a moment, he looks ready to strike me, and perhaps the same worry enters Yvan’s mind as he steps toward me protectively.

“I am really trying to treat you like the naive, sheltered Gardnerian princess you no doubt are,” Clive says coldly, “but if you push for the truth, you’re going to get it.”

---