Page 50 of Depths
“I made it because you’re blinded by who my birth mother was and you paint me with the same brush. I am not heartless.”Yet.I left that last word off, bit it back.
After a long moment of silence, Watkins asked, “You are aware that group who attacked us had Sorcha with them?”
“Who?”
“The witch. After sea sprites, Sorcha is the most powerful damn creature in the sea. Do you really not know anything about this kingdom you’ve taken over?”
I narrowed my eyes and swam closer, floating higher so that we were eye to eye as I glared at him. “You might want to watch your tone.”
“I might not.”
The water around me felt like it was on the cusp of steam. Or perhaps that was just me—the combination of fury and attraction that Watkins stirred up in me churning my blood until it boiled. “Felipe, please take Watkins’ arms,” I commanded as I stared at the shark shifter. He’d given me information, but his derision had pushed me. He’d overstepped. Just like in the ballroom, he’d driven me to a height logic couldn’t reach, even if it stretched up tall and stood on tiptoe.
Felipe swam up behind Watkins and pinned the shark shifter’s arms back. If Watkins had chosen to fight, I’m certain the brawl would have destroyed my room. But he didn’t. Instead, he sneered, “So what is it? The rack? Going to frame me for that attack? Execute me to make a point?”
The craving inside my chest grew as I swam closer. “No. I’m simply going to take your suggestion.”
Watkins’ sharp intake of breath as I bent forward and dragged my lips across his neck was the most delightful sound in the world. When I straightened, the beautiful red stain on his skin made my pulse thud possessively. I smiled demurely up at him. “Can’t wait to have you swim through the parade at my side,darling.”
* * *
I’d experienced parades,and I’d experienced magic, but nothing was as magical as the parade that signaled our official entrance into Reef City.
The parade was held above the reef itself so that citizens gathered at the very top edges of the reef and stared up at us where we swam through open water. On land, a human parade would have meant I sat in a carriage, waving demurely at the crowds. But in the sea, there was no carriage.
Instead, a school of clownfish swarmed around me, encompassing me like a cocoon. They swam in circles so that I couldn’t see the crowd and the crowd couldn’t see me. They waited until the orchestra started up in front of us, playing the national anthem of Okeanos. On a cue that I was not privy to, all the clownfish parted and swam away. I wasn’t certain who was more enchanted, the crowd or I. It was amazing to look down upon thousands of people waving ribbons and cheering, little mer girls squealing in delight with little phrases like, “Mama, look at her hair! I want that!”
My soldiers flanked my competitors and me, performing acrobatic tricks and trident twirls to impress the children. Ugo was a crowd favorite, able to do at least ten consecutive backflips without making himself sick. Felipe, of course, took his job seriously, not straying far from me, his face always alert. I wasn’t certain if it was because I was flanked by Humberto, the hero of the day, and Watkins, who—to my shock—hadn’t washed away my lip stain. But neither appeared to be a threat. Both of the men smiled proudly at the crowd, though they were very careful—for very different reasons—not to touch me.
I didn’t focus on the distance they kept; I was as caught up as the children below in the sights and sounds of a sea parade.
Even Mateo seemed to be enjoying himself. He’d been given a seahorse to ride and so was riding sidesaddle, a common technique for mer with their tails, as he waved at the crowd and smiled. The sight of him made my heart skip happily before my attention was pulled in a thousand different directions.
My mages might have been rotten in battle, but they knew how to enchant with the best of them. They shot out rainbow-colored bubbles all around us. When the bubbles popped, small bits of confetti rained down on the cheering mer children below.
Up ahead, one of the competitors—I couldn’t tell who from this distance—started up a nonsense song that had the men and crowd singing and clapping.
Ray, Ray, Roll and go,
Roll and go with the wave.
Moon up, Roll and go,
Roll and go with the wave.
Mayor Deacon swam past, giving me a wink before he turned his skin a bright yellow, then a bright green. Children started shouting colors at him. “Orange! Turn orange!”
“Blue! I love blue!”
“He can’t turn blue, stupid! He’ll blend in with the water!”
Watkins and I both laughed, making eye contact inadvertently. He froze when he realized that he’d looked at me with something other than disdain. I merely raised a brow and turned back to the crowd, but inside, I was reeling. Because I liked an angry Watkins, but a smiling one?
It was a good thing we were in the ocean so that no one could tell exactly how damp my panties had gotten.
I squeezed my thighs together, wondering if sea sprites emitted mating scents when Keelan and his turtle darted past. Keelan wore an unusual jacket, one that was velvet with brass buttons and matched his breeches. It was a sky breather outfit. More particularly, a sailor outfit. It appeared Sahar’s son had donned a costume. I grinned. He did have a bit of flair for the dramatic.
“Get back here, thief!” Keelan waved a furious fist at the turtle, who had something in his mouth. I stifled a giggle as Keelan and the turtle darted in and out of the crowd. The children joined the battle enthusiastically, joining together to form a little wall and block him from getting to his mischievous pet.
