Page 25 of Depths
There was a thump as the whale’s tail hit the ground and made it shake, the sand shifting beneath my feet. The thing was nearly the size of my castle! What was he doing, treating it like it was a pup? That was dangerous!
I couldn’t help the tiny yelp I gave when my wings flared and lifted me from the ocean floor to avoid the miniature earthquake.
“Your Majesty.” Radford shoved the broom back toward the stable boy and swam over, his strong arm muscles contracting with each stroke.
I immediately tensed. I’d sent one of my four castle mages over to him to hopefully pour a potion over his cracked skull. But the mage had swum back to me and told me that nothing was physically wrong with Radford, there was no crack to mend. I could only conclude that he was mad. The fact that he liked to entice whales to create miniature earthquakes only added mortar to strengthen my conclusion and build a wall between us. His look when he saw me, a bright look that faded to stiff-jawed fury, added another stone.
When he reached me, he bowed stiffly. But then, instead of addressing me, he turned to Ugo. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were there, or I wouldn’t have done that.”
He was going to snub me? What kind of contestant did that? Why the sard had he joined this tournament?
Radford’s eyes darted out to the sea, his expression relaxing. But as soon as it slid back to me, his face tightened. I’d never seen anything like it. I’d seen courtiers hate Queen Gela, peasants loathe her. But none ever acted like this. Radford visibly struggled. He closed his eyes and tensed his fists. And then he spoke.
“Sir, will you deliver a message for me?” he asked.
Ugo looked around, his gaze darting toward the stable boy before he asked, “You mean me?”
“Yes, sir. I’d respectfully like you to tell the queen …” He paused for a grimace. “I’d like to request some parchment and ink please. And I’d like to thank … you for the mage.”
My brow furrowed as a chill crept up my spine. Something was happening here. The look on Radford’s face was almost pained. I exchanged a glance with Ugo, who seemed confused.
“What mage?”
“I sent a mage, to check on him after our meeting at the ball.” I licked my lips and stared at Ugo while Radford remained there with clenched eyes and fists, standing stiffly and refusing to look at me.
The mage had said there was no physical injury. But what if there’d been a magical one? Rebels had invaded the ball after all. What if some sort of spell had set Radford off?
I leaned around Ugo and called to the stable boy. “Excuse me.”
He dropped the broom. “Y-yes?”
“Can you run up to the castle and get someone to fetch my new handmaid, Gita? Then, when she comes to you, please let her know I need the necklace my sister gave me.”
The little mer boy nodded his silver hair and shot off as fast as an arrow.
Ugo just stared at me. Even Radford’s eyes had popped open, though he glared. I tried to shuck off the uncomfortable feeling I always got when hatred was shoved in my direction like a bouquet of thorns. Instead, I tried to focus on the problem. “Radford, the night of the ball, did you feel anything unusual?”
“You mean like vomit in my throat at the sight of—” He cringed and turned half away from me.
Ugo’s spear lowered, recognizing the insult, but I shook my head and waved my hand. “He’s not a threat. I think he might be spelled. You ask him.”
Ugo’s skeptical expression told me that I was alone in my theory. “You really want me to ask about his feelings?”
“Yes, yes, I know. Men don’t talk about those.”
“Or ask.”
I huffed. “Just do it.”
Reluctantly, my orange-haired guard turned to Radford and asked flatly, “What did you feel at the ball?” His lip curled and he muttered under his breath, cursing me, no doubt.
But I only had eyes for Radford, who was carefully staring off into the ocean, his face no longer scrunched in anger. “Everything was wonderful. Then all of a sudden, I couldn’t look at her without feeling … this rage. Still can’t.”
Ugo’s eyebrows shot up. “Is that normal? That rage?”
He asked about feelings a second time without even a grimace now that he was curious himself.
Radford shook his head as his teeth worried his bottom lip. His blood red hair got caught in the current and swept back, and I could see a smattering of red freckles near his hairline. His profile was quite striking, especially with that spiral shell on his back. I hoped I was right this time, though my stomach twisted nervously.
