Page 53 of Lore of the Tides

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They walked past hundreds of families on their way to the palace.

Siren leaned on each other’s shoulders as their siblings or children played with delight, racing through the water, small bodies flipping, tails undulating—playing as only children could, despite a clear crisis happening.

All of their families’ possessions were piled on boards secured to sea animals or wagons. It was clear to Lore that the families camping here were ready to leave or flee at a moment’s notice. She could see why they hadn’t left, if beyond the shield were creatures like those tentacled beasts.

The palace doors were not closed and guarded but thrown open, and more displaced people were inside the palace. They were everywhere: camping out on grand staircases, sleeping against the pillars, all in the flickering, wavering light of the shells.

They had to pause as they maneuvered through the space when the lights flickered and went out. The palace was thrown into complete darkness, just like what she had awoken to inside the holding room.

Lore braced herself against Finndryl, gripping his muscular forearm, suddenly brought back to that darknessAuroradelhad shown her. Her breaths came shallow, too quickly, as she dug her nails into Finndryl’s arm. She expected a cry to rise from the children.

But the darkness only lasted for a few breaths. Lore sagged with relief.

When the lights flared back to life, the children remained playing as they were, unfazed by the dark.

Or used to it.

Chapter 18

Though the palace served as shelter to the siren community and appeared open to all, from peasant and merchant class to nobility, the queen’s wing and private parlor remained strictly off-limits and, as such, were guarded by royal soldiers. The guards wore ornate armor of polished chest plates carved from shimmering abalone shells; pauldrons shaped like cresting waves adorned their shoulders, and decorative wrist guards resembling river currents gleamed on their forearms.

Cuan paused outside the throne room, fixing their piercing gaze on Finndryl. “Would you mind surrendering my spear? We would prefer if you were unarmed when in the presence of Queen Naia and Prince Consort Jaladri. Once you have left their presence, we will provide you with a weapon of your choice.”

Finndryl leveled his gaze at them. “I would prefer to keep a weapon when in the presence of those who abducted us.”

Cuan drew their lips into a thin line.

Lore tensed.

They needed to find out why they were brought here. So far, the siren had been respectful... Lore placed a hand on Finndryl’s shoulder. Finndryl studied her expression before releasing the spear to Cuan.

“We will return it once you are no longer with the queen,” they said and opened the double doors to the queen’s parlor.

Lore had only ever met one queen and, if you had asked her that morning, she genuinely hoped to never meet another. If Lore was asked to describe Queen Riella in one word, she would have chosen, without hesitation:petrifying.

What would the siren queen be like?

Lore and Finndryl followed Cuan into the sea queen’s opulent quarters. The walls were adorned with pearls and jewels in every hue. The floor was covered with stunning carpet woven from shimmering plant fibers and threaded with various colors, creating an elaborate pattern. They traversed a large room, passing gorgeously embossed columns that stretched toward an amethyst ceiling casting a lilac haze over the space. The entrance room tapered until they passed through an arch that led to the queen’s receiving room.

Lore raised her chin, squaring her shoulders.

But as they reached the dais holding two impeccably fashioned thrones, Lore found them empty. Confusion twisted her mouth as she glanced around.

“I’ve always hated those thrones; it never suited me to sit elevated above everyone else. Lording over everyone in your presence doesn’t make for decent conversation, and I enjoy nothing more than stimulating confab,” said a siren sitting at a round table to the right of the thrones, her posture straight as the columns lining the room. Her silvery hair was plaited into an elaborate braid that fell over one bony shoulder. A delicate crown fashioned from laced coral, studded with pearls, was clenched in wrinkled hands as though she feared her crown would be ripped from her at any moment. Lore swept her gaze up from the crown to a lined face. Queen Naia wore her age with pride, and Lore couldn’t be sure, but she had the strangest feeling that the queen’s map of exquisite age lines had been impressed lovingly into her warm brown complexion by years of laughter.

She couldn’t saywhyshe thought that, though, as the queen was not smiling now.

Maybe it was in her eyes. They danced with mirth, though it was dimmed, no doubt due to the hundreds of displaced subjects living in and around her palace.

Her prince consort sat beside her, a protective arm resting on the back of her chair. He was ancient too, his curling hair silver with age. The queen’s wrinkles might possibly have come from laughter, but his mouth was drawn into a frown, and his guarded, cunning eyes were overshadowed by thick, wild, silvery eyebrows.

Lore would never have guessed that these two elders were royalty if not for Cuan’s deep bow to them.

Unfortunately, sitting on the other side of the queen was a figure Lore would recognize even if her sight were still blurred by the water. Syrelle sat stiffly, didn’t move a muscle besides his eyes, which roamed over Lore as though checking for injuries or signs of trauma. His expression, though, was void of all emotion. Ah, that apathetic mask. Lore had almost grown used to it. Syrelle was adorned in the finest leathers. Not one hair out of place, he looked beautiful, as always, with his wings spread out behind him, the black-and-gray feathers shifting in the water.

His dreaded cousin, Coretha, perched beside him on the edge of her seat. Lore was glad to see that at least she looked the worse for wear. A bandage on her cheek and escaped hair from her usually perfect braids were proof that there had been a battle on the ship before they’d found themselves under the sea.

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