Page 60 of Ship of Shadows
The water washed up into a small wave that carried King Salazar. “Princess.” He nodded, his white hair tied back. “You’ve found yourself with curious company.”
“So I have,” I said carefully.
He tugged at his long, braided beard. “We have what you seek, and as long as you promise to give us the trident, we will give you your answers.”
Relief flooded me.
“Princess, are you sure about this?” Leoni asked from behind me.
“Love, think about what you’re doing. That’s a powerful weapon you hold in your hands,” Bastian said, still at the helm.
I didn’t turn to look at either of them. I didn’t have to think about it. I stuck out the trident and said, “Now tell me what you know.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
King Salazar accepted the trident, silver scales stretching up onto his hand and shimmering in the moonlight. “I cannot give you any answers,” he said once he held the trident.
Water appeared in my hand in the form of a spear, and I was ready to shove it right through his eye for lying to me like that.
“Easy, love.” Bastian’s hand curled around my arm, but I shook him off. I hadn’t even heard the pirate approach, but now he stood at my side.
King Salazar held up his hands. “I cannot tell you what you need to know, but my daughter can.” He raised the trident in the air as another wave brought up a seawoman. Her glimmering blue tail flapped, splashing water up onto the deck as she peered at me with her huge purple eyes and tucked a strand of her fire-red hair behind her ear. “As soon as I use this trident on her.” He pointed the object at a little shell that hung on a piece of twine around her neck. It was white, unassuming.
She crossed her arms over her chest, a mixture of coral and seaweed woven together into a bra that stretched across her breasts.
My gaze snapped back to the sea king as I registered his words. “What are you talking about? That’s powerful magic, ancient magic. You can’t use it until we know more about it.”
Anger flashed in his purple eyes. “I can, and I will.”
Bastian swore, the rest of his crew standing behind him, silent and watching. “I knew this was a mistake,” he said. “You’re not using that trident, mate. I won’t let you.”
The sea king gripped it tighter, baring his sharp teeth. “It’s my price to pay.”
Bastian jabbed a finger at him. “You don’t know what the price will be.”
“Humans.” The sea king scoffed. “No, I don’t know the exact price, but it will be my price, and the cost will be worth it. I do not need magic explained to me by you, pirate.”
A bored look passed over Bastian’s face. “It seems that you do since I’m the one who has to remind you how bloody stupid this is.”
The king raised his hand as if he might smite Bastian from the ship, but I stepped in between them.
I turned to the pirate. “He’s right. If he wants to use it, that’s his choice. Besides, it’s not like the dark magic that comes from Sorrengard. This belonged to Spirit Water. We don’t know if the cost will be deadly. We don’t even know if there will be a cost. This is different from any magic we’ve ever encountered.”
Bastian’s jaw ticked. “And what if you’re wrong and your life is the price?” He raised his brows. “Did you think of that, love?”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Bastian, we’ve come too far to not get the information we seek. We can go round and round with what-ifs, but at the end of the day, I need answers, and this is the best way to get them. She is the best way.”
Bastian stared at me with those dark eyes of his. It hadn’t been that long ago that I’d made the very same argument to Liliath when she’d wanted to use the pixie dust for her ownmeans. I’d told her it wasn’t worth it, but now I realized how naive that was. She’d been trying to save her court, trying to do the same thing I was doing now. At the time, I couldn’t imagine what would make anyone desperate enough to use magic that unpredictable. Now I realized I’d pay any price to save my home, my family, even if it meant giving my life.
Bastian threw out his arms. “Have her write the damn story out.”
King Salazar growled. “Enough. She is my daughter, and I will free her voice.” He pointed the trident at that seashell around her neck, and my breath caught in my chest.
“Her voice is stuck in there?” I asked.
Murmurs rose from the crew behind us.
King Salazar didn’t answer. Water flowed from the forked end, spilling out and toward the sea princess. It surrounded her, swirling in circles, faster and faster and faster, so fast my eyes blurred. The water shot toward the shell and shattered it, a light floating from the broken remnants toward her mouth. Her eyes widened even bigger as she clutched her chest.
