Page 60 of Of Song and Scepter
The narrator’s voice fills my head with a sweet, melodic tone.Today, Eero chased the beasts into the deep. They will not come back, now. He says the reef is safe. We will make a home here.
The first image shows a young mermaid female swimming in a dead reef. Her soft pink features are the only bright spot among the white-washed corals.
A siren male wields a trident, his gills fluttering with the exertion of a fight. They wear the battle gear of the ancients, hard shells strapped around their breasts and shoulders, hardly strong enough to cover their weak points in a serious fight.
A scattering of mermaid soldiers swim behind them, picking through the debris with grim expressions. They’re battle-worn, trailing fresh blood through the water.
It’s hard to believe we beat them. There were so many of those beasts and so few of us. But Eero is a great leader, and he will be king someday.
The male, Eero, approaches Amura, with a grin stretching his cheeks. There’s a fresh cut on his cheek, slicing through his right eyebrow. His jaw is strong and sharp, flexing as he watches the female. He has bright green eyes. Golden brown skin. Long dark hair tied with a strip of leather. It’s a striking resemblance to—
I twitch my fingers, skipping the scene. I have no interest in Coral history, particularly the part of their history that banished the dredgebeasts to the Drink—tomyhome waters. If the beasts didn’t lurk in the inky depths, life in the Drink wouldn’t be so hard. The mermaids wouldn’t be relegated to living in Vespyr, away from the wealth and stability of the royal siren city. I wouldn’t have become a death-dealer. I wouldn’t be here, hiding in a forbidden closet, avoiding the very mermaid who taught me how to survive.
…willbuild a palace for me, where our family will reign forever. We found the perfect spot, warm and sunny. Our people are tired of swimming. We are ready to settle, dig our toes into the sand…
The next scene shows Eero standing on a blank sandbar, hands outstretched, as the beach ripples under his invisible magic. Large white stones sprout from the sand, twisting skyward, forming the spires and curls of a marble structure. Amura lounges in the sand with a pile of lushfruit, admiring the backside of her mate. One hand drapes across her rounded stomach, full of her future young.
This isn’t an easy read. I flit through the scenes, increasingly aware of the sheer power this King Eero possessed. Who the fuck is this male? Over the next few scenes, Eero builds the entire Coral palace, carves out the reef districts, erects the defensive wall. A few sirens join him, donating their magic, but they tireeasily. Eero is like a god among them, with energy that doesn’t drain.
No wonder the Abyss didn’t fight back when he unleashed the dredgebeasts on us. We cowered in the darkness and let it happen. What would have been the alternative? Fighting a male like this?
Heart pounding, I skip forward, unsure what I’m looking for, if not an excuse to burn this whole palace down. I’m about to give up on the diary when the voice says:
…he says it’s a gift for our coronation day. A charm so that no one will hurt me again.
I pause the image, zooming in on the necklace dangling from Amura’s hand. I’ve seen it before, hiding in a velvet pouch. The pendant mimics the shape of a spiralfish shell, curling into a tight point in the center. When Amura slips the chain over her head, the shell rests against her sternum, glowing softly.
"This will keep you safe from those who intend you harm."The king cups her face, brushing his thumb over the crest of her flushing cheek."I almost lost you. I will not do it again. I’d see this whole sea perish before I let anything place a finger on you."
"How does it work?"
The king smiles, a near copy of his descendant’s lopsided grin."They must speak only one word to you, the slightest of sounds, and if they intend you harm, my magic will consume them body and soul."
"But you’re speaking to me now. Do you not intend me harm, my king?"
Eero’s eyes darken. Amura reaches for the king, tugging his chin into an emphatic kiss.
I drop the book with a clatter, severing its connection.
That necklace—if it’s a weapon of mass destruction—what thefuckis it doing in Soren’s desk?
Chapter thirty-five
Soren
The queen’s nails rapon the breakfast table, the only sound in the dining room. She sits with her spine straight, chin held high—her favorite posture for intimidation. She parts her mouth as if to speak, then closes it. It’s a game we play often, and whoever speaks first loses.
I’m not falling for it. I lift my teacup slowly, taking a sip of the steeped lushfruit.
Our game requires every ounce of my self-control this morning, and after my morning with Enna, my reserves are dwindling. I don’t want to be here, sipping tea as the silence stretches. I could have stayed behind those rocks, buried deep inside her. The unbridled shriek as she came still echoes in my mind—beautiful and feral. My cock stirs, summoned by the memory.
I blow on the tea; my mother’s lips tighten. I take another sip.
I know I crossed the line this morning. I shouldn’t have joined Enna in her sparring practice. I shouldn’t have been watching her from my balcony to begin with—shouldn’t have grabbed my trident, thrown Nara’s name as an excuse to my guard, and marched down there with the intention to rile her. To get under her scales as much as she gets under mine.
I took it too far. Her touch, her fire; I couldn’t help myself. And now my body is wrought with tension. Part of me screams to fall back in line and do my duty. The other, louder, part wants to leave this kingdom, to dive into the waves and escape into a world of color and muted sound, with Enna by my side. Away from Aquisa, we could be just two sirens in the sea, leaving the pressures of the crown. The thought is both warming and terrifying.
Impossible. Yet tantalizing, nonetheless.
