Page 101 of The Princesses of Ruin
“Do not approach, princess.”
He holds up two of his tentacles, his coloration changing to dark blue like the water behind him. He’s almost invisible.
“We are going to fight for our lives now.”
“No, you won’t.”
I turn to the audience.
“We will not kill him. He is still useful.”
Blips and flashes of light move through the crowd like murmurs. They don’t understand me.
“Vek’ihr, translate please,” I say, looking over my shoulder at the camouflaged creature. The other sentenced has disappeared entirely.
Jasper stays close to me, his pupils dilated as his gaze darts around the water behind me. Tracking the other ga’hanoi, maybe? It doesn’t matter.
“Vek’ihr isuseful to me. If you want an alliance with the people of Fynren, he will not be killed,” I say, looking between him and the delegate of procreation, who is still and dark.
“He understands,” Jasper says. “He just refuses to change his mind.”
“The Conclave of the Currents has held the vote with the city. The majority has agreed,” Vek’ihr says.
Something grips my wrist and suddenly the water explodes beside me. Jasper is in his massive octopus form and the other ga’hanoi yanks on my arm, hard. I yelp, pulling on my wrist. Jasper grapples the ga’hanoi by the legs in one limb, and another squeezes its body cavity. The creature reaches for me with all its might, eyes pleading.Sunlight. Show me sunlight,they beg.
I let my skin glow, heating the water around us. The ga’hanoi goes limp in Jasper’s grasp all at once, and he rips them in half.
The audience glows and flashes. I can’t tell if it’s approval or disdain, but I don’t feel good about what just happened. Jasper reacted to protect me, but it makes me sick.
I look at the delegate of procreation. “No more.”
The space is quiet and dark again.
“Vek’ihr, come to my side,” I say.
“I cannot,” he says. “I have been deemed unworthy.”
“And that’s a lie!”
My skin glows and the ga’hanoi shimmer in response. They move closer, their large eyes trained on me. Jasper wraps a limb around me and pulls me into him. He’s probably trying to tell me to shut up. Bastard. I willnotshut up.
“I don’t care what you think he’s done wrong, or why he deserves to die. His usefulness to you, or lack thereof, does not mean you can kill him,” I say, looking directly at the delegate of procreation.
“You would deny our authority in our city?” he asks, his skin illuminating with zips of red.
Red like last night when he was angry with Vek’ihr.
“I know I’ve overstepped, but for Zephrom’s sake, how is this just? Murdering because someone ceases to be useful…it’s barbaric!”
“Princess.” Vek’ihr clicks like he’s tsking at me. “I questioned his judgement. I fought the rule of our law.I overstepped. And I have done it many times. My excuse of youth is well expended now that I am four tide-cycles. My death is deserved.”
I shake my head. “No. We wouldn’t kill someone for questioning the law. It’s not right. It’s too cruel. I refuse to kill you, Vek’ihr. And anyone who tries to harm you will have to face me.”
Jasper’s grip on me tightens, and this time he does cover my mouth.
Too late. It’s been said, and I mean it.
The delegate of procreation gestures wildly to the others, and a ripple of color bursts through the crowd. Most of it is somewhere from blue to purple. Some is pink and orange.
