Page 98 of The Princesses of Ruin
Vek’ihr translates.
Another argument breaks out.
Vek’ihr remains “quiet” while the conclave communicate.
“To capture the serpent and extract bile would be a great undertaking. It would risk many lives.”
“Is it not…domesticated?” Reina asks.
Vek’ihr tries to make a noise like a laugh. It grates down my back, and my spines deploy on instinct. “Ahouse pet, you think it? No. The creature lives in a symbiotic relationship with our colony.”
“How so?” I ask.
What could they possibly give it?
One of the conclave members calls his attention and they speak for a moment.
“I cannot reveal additional information to you. The conclave states if you want the bile, you must offer us what you think is worth fifty of our lives.”
“How could I?” Reina murmurs. “I can’t put a price on a life, let alone so many.”
“You must,” I say.
She looks at me with wide, naive eyes. She was hardened by the court of her kingdom, but not in these kinds of dealings. She’s accustomed to trading secrets and starting rumors, not deciding fates.
I caress her cheek to bring her comfort as I deliver the blow. “This is the way of queens, ohksana’amai.”
The ga’hanoi in the room shift at the sound of my selkie language, of what the word means. They may not be speaking to us, but I feel in my gut that theycanall speak.
“You are mated?” one of the others asks in selkie, confirming my suspicion.
Reina turns to them. “Delegate of expeditions, yes. Jasper of the Opal Isle is ohksano’amai.”
The ga’hanoi flash and wriggle, speaking their language of color and movement. Vek’ihr remains quiet and dark. His silence irks me. If he’s so ready and willing to negotiate for a place back in the light, why doesn’t he enter the discussion?
Finally, the rapid-fire of information slows, and Vek’ihr turns to us.
“The honorable delegates are inquiring if your mating has led to offspring.”
“That’s not their business,” I say, heat flooding my system.
Reina turns, putting herself in front of me. Her face is stern. Angry.
“Control yourself,” she snarls.
Frustration swarms my body. She’s siding with them?
Her hand cups my cheek and her face softens. “Remember where we are.”
My gaze darts around the room of its own accord, taking in the twenty ga’hanoi that we could surely destroy…but then the hundreds or perhaps even thousands in the city below. We might not survive trying to escape. Even if we did, we wouldn’t get what we came for.
I nod. “I’m sorry, my love. I’ll try harder.”
She turns back to the delegates. I focus on the flow of water through the chamber instead of the emotions coursing through me.
“Forgive his reaction. I understand that breeding is likely monitored among your people, delegate of procreation, but it is not a cultural norm for our kind to discuss such things outside of our family units.”
Oh, fucking hells. Of course the bastard in charge of knowing who’s squeezing out clutches would be asking whether she’spregnant. It’s their sole focus in life to pay attention to that kind of thing. She’s so much better at this than me.
