Page 76 of Tide of Waves and Secrets

Travelling to Ventara, the same clifftop village I’d passed on my way to the palace, I never could have predicted such a chain of events. Still reeling from my vision from the day we stepped off the dock in Corvi, one that coincided with Marek’s unhinged plan, one thing had become clear.

Not only was I the new Keeper, but my visions were strong and true. I would no longer doubt them but learn to harness them, as my grandfather and those before me had. But today was not about me, or Marek. His role would come in four days’ time, if he was able to pull off such a scheme. Today, the first day of the Festival of Tides, I would continue to seek allies, cement Nerys’s challenge and discredit the queen’s increasingly unhinged claims.

In lieu of my mount, or Marek’s ship, I’d paid for passage on a cargo vessel that was heading to Ventara for the festival. Paid good coin for the privilege, but it had proved a worthwhile endeavor as the ship’s captain was no friend of the queen.

Making my way from the docks, I asked for directions to The Salted Gale, where Caelum had sent a message that he, Aneri and Nerys would be staying. As we sailed into port, I could see flowing banners in every oceanic hue imaginable and massive sand sculptures along the shore where some of the seaside festivities would take place. On land, the sights were no less spectacular. Bioluminescent coral sculptures, more banners, and an excitement among the swelling crowd were all evidence the festival was commencing.

“Pardon me,” I asked a couple who were studying a sculpture of the goddess Thalassa. It was the largest of all the land sculptures and glowed a bright teal from within. At night, the sculpture would be spectacular. “Can you point me in the direction of The Salted Gale?”

The woman eyed me appreciatively, her partner noticing, and offered directions. I moved off without preamble, climbing a set of winding stairs that could have put those in the Deep Archives to shame. Some of the vaelith, Marek had told me, watched the entire festival from town, never making the trek down to its shores. By the time I reached the top, I understood the reason. And also why they were reluctant to move the festival elsewhere.

From here, the scene below was every bit as spectacular as Zephyria, the Aetherian spring festival of renewal held in its Sky Pinnacle, a sacred mountain where the winds were at their strongest in all of Aetheria.

But I was not here to admire the pomp and circumstance of the festival, nor even to witness its opening ceremonies where, according to Marek, the Tidecallers would conjure aquatic displays, setting the tone for the days to come.

I was here to find Nerys.

Following the woman’s instructions, I navigated throngs of Thalassarians dressed in robes as flowing as the banners, most adorned with jewelry crafted from pearls, shells, and gemstones. Just as I’d been instructed, The Salted Gate, perched cliffside in perfect position for its residents to watch the festivities below, was decorated with the same banners as most other buildings. I entered the inn, serving also as a tavern, and ordered an ale.

I could not ask for her, so as not to raise suspicion. Instead, I waited for a stool to become available, sat upon it, and listened, waiting. Not surprisingly, talk was of the opening ceremonies later this eve, but also of Nerys.

“They say she is not coming until the challenge,” the woman who served my ale said to a group of haranya. Like Marek and Nerys, they were neither young ones but had not reached thaloran. For nearly five hundred years, they would remain as such, appearing similar to a human who had lived nearly thirty years, like me.

“I heard she’s come already. Someone spotted her at the docks but she disappeared into the crowd,” one said.

“Either way, I hope she wins.”

It was the soft-spoken admission of the red-headed woman sitting beside me. Her hair was an unusual color for a Thalassari. She was pretty enough, but for me, every woman would now be measured against Nerys. And every one, including this one, would be found lacking by comparison.

“Did you hear of the sea serpents she summoned at The Moonlit Current?”

I continued to listen, my head turned in the opposite direction, until their talk moved from Nerys to the queen to the next day’s competition. Apparently, one of them had entered as a contestant in deep-sea pearl diving, his first time participating in the festival.

To my left, another conversation, but this one more somber. Two men, nobles by the look of them, wagered on the outcome of the challenge.

A third chastised his companions. “If there will even be a challenge. Rumor has it the queen will render Lady Nerys ‘unfit to compete.’”

The first man snorted, swirling his wine. “By accusing her of treason? The people will not stand for it.”

“She’s already sewed enough doubt,” the first noble countered, leaning in. “Questions of her sanity have made some question Lady Nerys.”

“If she’s alive to make the challenge,” the second said grimly.

My hands gripped the hilt of my sword, as if ensuring it was still there. Nay, not my sword, I qualified. One Marek had secured for me our first day in Corvi. My own still sat within the palace walls.

Opening myself to accept the emotions of those around me, I stared straight ahead, allowing my own anger of the noble’s words to subside. She was safe, and any moment, Caelum would find me and take me to her.

Confusion. Hope. Excitement. Lust. A gamut of emotions, but I could sense nothing nefarious. Except someone who was watching me.

Sensing it, I spun around on my seat, searching the growing crowd. Sure enough, Caelum was approaching me. “There you are, old friend,” he said. “Bring your ale with you so that we may catch up.”

I reached for it, the groups on each side of me not even glancing my way. Leading me from the tavern to the inn, a covered walkway connecting both, before long I found myself in an empty corridor. “We are the only ones on this floor.”

With the number of ships at port and size of the crowds, before the Festival of Tides even began, I questioned Caelum on how such a thing was possible.

“Marek somehow arranged it.” Caelum gave me a look that said,“Don’t ask how.”

“When—” I started, but my companion shook his head.

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