Page 24 of Of Rime and Ruin
“Poke? You insult my skill.”
“Apologies, healer. You’ll have to excuse my manners. I’m a bit out of my element.”
The magic stalls, caressing my tail. “No. This was Deirdre’s doing. She gets fussy when we have guests.”
I file the name away for later. A friend among my enemies. “And this is how you treat your guests? Locking them into an ice cube?”
His magic resumes, passing through me faster now. Hotter. I flinch.
“No. That’s how we treat foreign spies, m’lady.But I’ll pass along the message.” His teeth gleam.
The magic reaches the end of my tail, then retreats, speeding through my torso and neck. It swirls around my temples, glowing in my periphery. Pressure taps the boundary of my mind.
Odd. Is he a type of mind-speaker?
Then I feel him, testing the edges of my conscience. Fuck no. I steel my mental defenses, shoving him out of my head.
He cuts his spell, the light fades, and I’m plunged into darkness. “Impressive,” he says.
I shiver at his spell’s final brush and pretend he didn’t just violate my inner sanctum. That’s a line we way-makers never cross; to enter another merfolk’s mind is the ultimate breach of trust. Impossible for most to achieve. We specialize in animalistic minds. The king’s beast was difficult enough.
Who the fuck is this male?
I speak through chattering teeth. “You’re a healer. Can’t you do anything for the cold?”
His voice comes from the darkness, hovering at the boundary of my entrapment. “Unfortunately, no. The heat of my magic is temporary. I fix only what’s broken, not merelyuncomfortable, and you, my dear, look right as Rime.”
The water stirs. I hear the whisper of his tail, churning bubbles. The bastard’s leaving.
“I’m not a spy,” I call after him, hoping he’ll pass it along.
His voice echoes through the tunnel. “Then you’d best prove it, Sunshine. You won’t survive forever down here. And the king takes a while to… warm up?”
Chapter eleven
Aethan
I’moutofdistractions,and my self-control hangs on by a thread, as frayed as the tattered hides on my bed. One more thought ofher, and I’ll unravel.
My latest mug of tea is cold in my hand; cold, like everything in this frigid room. I could light a fire or a torch or any of the tallow candles stored in the closet, but I’d rather wallow in my hoarfrost.
I dunk the herb pouch in the tea, winding the string around my knuckle.
Dunk.
The sight-pool catches my eye, and I fight against the craving in my gut. My fingers itch to awaken its magic and dive into the Rime. But if I cave, I’ll be sucked in by her wiles in an instant, and I’m weak for pretty eyes and a pouting mouth, even when they belong to my enemy.
Guilt rushes in, and I look away from the pool. She’s not my enemy.
Dunk.
Probably not a spy, either.
I shouldn’t assume the worst. Why would the Brine Kingdom care to spy on me now? My family hasn’t made contact for two generations, so there’s no need for them to send a spy.
Dunk.
Besides, Lucas’s report came back clear. She has no hidden weapons, nor any trace of poison. Just an outsider, visiting my keep for an indeterminable and highly suspicious reason.
