Page 33 of Depths
“He’s not from Okeanos!”
Felipe’s brow quirked, emphasizing a little scar there. “Yes, he is. Mycousinwas attacked by a hammerhead when he was younger. It’s left him a little uncoordinated and a bit soft in the head,” Felipe replied smoothly. “He forgets things. Like his parents, or the national anthem, or what his favorite type of eel is.”
No. My eyes flitted from one to the other. They both were still and calm. Felipe even looked confident. Couldn’t they see how foolish this idea was? “No one will ever believe it.”
“I already introduced him to his bunkmate an hour ago. A man named Julian. He didn’t seem to have any issues.” Felipe gave a careless shrug.
“If anything, he was fascinated by me,” Mateo muttered. “Asked me if I’d ever heard of blood-letting treatments. Some fool has decided that draining your blood is a better idea than allowing a healer to use magic on you.”
“What?” I shook my head adamantly. “You can’t possibly win this tournament! I didn’t even design these challenges! I don’t even get to score them. They’re meant to test sea men’s wit, will, strength, and heart. But you’ve only been here—”
“I’m coaching him,” Felipe interrupted. “He’ll be fine.”
“He can hardly swim!”
Felipe’s eyes narrowed and his voice took on a low, commanding growl that I’d never heard from him before. “He’ll. Be. Fine.”
It was official. I was going to pull my hair out. Two of the most honorable men I knew had decided that they were going to hoodwink an ancient tournament in order to … what? Fail horribly … or try to ensure my happiness?
Tears suddenly brimmed in my eyes, which was ridiculous because we were under the sea. They felt just as hot and salty as ever, though. I shook my head, not quite believing but at the same time realizing that these two foolish bastards had just done something so wonderfully and dangerously dumb; they’d restored my hope. And what could I do? They’d already introduced Mateo to the other competitors. It was already done. Removing him from the competition would only make the others suspicious of me. Perhaps I needed to just realize and accept this wildly ridiculous gesture for what it was. A gift. So that my life wouldn’t have to be filled with only loveless marriage.
My eyes met Mateo’s and softened, all the longing inside me streaming out in a singular look, wrapping around him.
His own chocolate gaze grew hooded, and he sat back down beside me, reaching out and taking my hands in his. “If you want me, I’ll do my best to win.”
A tear dripped from my eye, and his face blurred as my tears joined the ocean around me, just another drop of saltwater. My heart contracted. And I couldn’t tell if I was light-headed because of him or because I was dying. I pretended to myself that it was allhim.
I reached out and let my hand sweep gently over his jaw, feeling the end-of-day stubble there. He was here and I was here, and he still wanted me and I still wanted him, and now we had a chance.
It was perfect.
The most perfect moment I’d ever experienced.
“You’d better go,” I whispered softly, caressing his cheek, longing for a kiss but not wanting an audience, even if it was our matchmaker. I slowly lowered my hand, and Mateo grabbed it and pulled my palm toward himself. He kissed the base of my palm softly, and my stomach exploded with joy.
We lingered for a moment. Part of me didn’t want him to go, but the other part knew that the other men in the tournament would be expecting him. If I showed too much favoritism, they might get suspicious. I didn’t even want to think of what might happen if they found out he wasn’t from the sea.
Felipe cleared his throat.
Finally, Mateo pulled back from our stare with a sigh. “Well?” he looked up at Felipe. “Come on. Help a poor crippled merman out.”
“Stop saying that, people will take you seriously,” Felipe grumbled as he swam over to help Mateo. He pulled the younger man up and put an arm on his shoulder to guide him.
“Now gently with the tail,” Felipe instructed.
Of course, Mateo’s tail swung out wildly and whacked my guard. I wasn’t quite sure if it was on purpose or not, but it still made me giggle.
I watched the pair bicker as they left my chambers through the servant’s entrance, a fond smile settling on my lips and refusing to budge.
Until my heart gave an untimely lurch.
That just brought everything back to the stark reality. I had to select one of these men to become a sacrifice, because my life and Mateo’s happiness now depended on it.
9
Fascination is one step in the direction of foolishness.
—Sultan Raj of Cheryn
