Page 59 of Tide of Waves and Secrets

By midday, I decided to give up and return, guilt at leaving him locked away gnawing at me. On the way back, it occurred to me that Rowan did not have to be locked away. I’d never given him the option, and was almost embarrassed to do so now, so many days later. By the time I changed and stood outside his chamber, my cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

If you will be queen of Thalassaria, you’d best find more courage than this.

With a few deep breaths, I touched my fingertips to my face. No longer aflame, I knocked. When he didn’t respond, I knocked again.

Nothing.

Fingers fumbling with the key, I imagined all sort of scenarios, most of which ended with Rowan injured… or worse. What a fool I’d been, to crave his presence more than offer Rowan his freedom.

At the sight of him, a cloth of finely woven seaweed wrapped around his waist, I froze.

Rowan arched his brows, nodding toward the door.

“You may want to close that,” he said.

So much for my cheeks. I spun back around, grateful for the excuse to hide my face, and did just that. Getting myself back under control, I faced him.

Rowan hadn’t moved. His hair was wet, and he’d obviously been washing when I first knocked.

“Late to rise today?” I asked. He could not have possibly just woken.

Rowan gestured toward a chair which previously had four legs. Instead, only three remained. One lay across its seat.

“It has been many years since I practiced my skill with a wooden sword. Or, in this case, a chair leg.”

The admission made me feel even worse.

“Apologies for leaving you this morn. I wanted to train and just…”

“Are upset, still. Because you believe I lied to you?”

“You did lie to me, Rowan.”

“I told you, there were things I cannot share?—”

“You having the Sight being one of them?” His bare chest was beyond distracting.

“I do not have the Sight. Not in the way you are thinking.”

“Semantics,” I accused. “Do you deny knowing Caelum was looking for me? Or that you sensed, or saw, where the spy was hidden?”

“No. I do not deny it.” Rowan looked up, toward the ceiling, expelled a breath, and then re-focused on me. “When I came here, I had no ability beyond that which I told you about. The others… have developed since.”

That made little sense. “You developed the Sight since coming to Thalassaria?”

“What humans define as the Sight is different than what I’ve been experiencing. Having said as much… I am already breaking a sacred vow.”

“A vow to whom?”

“My fam— my people.”

“I’ve not heard of an Elydor-born human developing such an ability.”

Once again, we were at an impasse.

“It occurs to me,” I said finally, “that I should have offered you an opportunity to leave. To not be locked away and to have your sword returned to you.”

“By leaving the palace until the Festival of Tides?” He’d considered as much already. “I’d considered it when Queen Lirael denied, or rather delayed, my answer.”

---