Page 29 of Across an Endless Sea

Goddess, theyaremushrooms.

Prae rolls her eyes at my open-mouthed staring. “They’re just fungi,” she mutters, clearly unimpressed. “Get used to them. They’re just about the only thing which grows down here. You’ll probably end up eating one at some point.”

Ten

Caed

Ican feel my father’s displeasure as we cruise towards the docks at the far side of the cavern. As a child, I used to imagine that the entire mountain would tremble when Elatha was mad. I spent days waiting for the caves to collapse on me until his fit of temper had passed.

Now I know that feeling is just everyone beneath the mountain holding their breath. Hoping it won’t be them that he chooses to send to the Deep Caves—a fate worse than death, and one I’ve survived before by the skin of my teeth.

Fortunately for me, my punishment has already been decided. Lashes, I can take. I’ve done it before—although the most he’s ever ordered before is twenty. A hundred is going tohurt.

I deserve it. People have faced far worse for daring to raise a blade to the king.

Fuck. This isnothow I wanted my homecoming to go. I was supposed to present Rose to my father, and she was supposed to bow, then he was supposed to say something approving. Instead, I cocked up in front of an entire legion of warriors.

My powers have been fine all week—perfect, even. But after barely two minutes spent in Rose’s presence, they start to act out?

Evidently, even Elatha’s hold over me can’t protect him from my powers when they’re out of control. Ancestors’ balls, I’m just lucky my magic didn’t react when he pretended to strike her.

It took me too long to realise that was a test aimed atme. One I’ve failed, because there was a second there where I thought he’d actually do it. I must have shifted, or grimaced, orsomething, because his answering fury was plain on his face.

I’m on thin fucking ice, and I’ve only been back for five minutes.

And Rose…

Does she have no self-preservation instincts whatsoever? I wanted to snap at her to shut up and shove her to her knees in case Elatha decided killing her was worth the inconvenience of sending me to capture her once more.

She may be delicate, but she’s no pushover. Even when her own wellbeing hangs in the balance, she’ll stick to her ground. I roll my eyes at my own misplaced kernel of pride.

“Tell me about the queen,” my father orders, snapping me back to attention.

Above us, the bitterblue mushrooms glimmer like a distant sky of false stars, and the dim light throws his glower into sharp relief.

Already I find myself missing the sun and the breeze.

I swallow, considering how to phrase my answer. I can’t lie to my father, but I can’t admit to how fascinated I’ve become.

He’s waiting for an answer, getting more impatient by the minute.

I settle for: “She’s fragile.”

He raises a single, disbelieving brow. “Truly?”

The doubt in his tone is unwarranted, given that he ensured my honesty a decade ago, but Elatha trusts no one. That’s the reason he’s still alive.

“Elaborate,” he orders.

“She can barely tolerate iron—less so than other fae. She almost died on the way here, and we had to come up with special restraints for her. Her wings don’t work. She was raised by mortals. She can’t consistently use her magic. She’s barely fae at all, really.”

Elatha narrows his eyes at me. “You expect me to believe that their goddess sent a weakling against us?”

“Her Guard is formidable.” I clench my hand, hiding the mark—shit, I forgot my gloves. “Not to mention her elder brother is Knight Commander Florian. It was sheer luck that we managed to get to her before them after Prae killed her.”

“Yes, Praedra does seem to have the most sense when it comes to her.” He turns his gaze to the front of the barge, although it’s impossible to make Prae and Rose out beyond all the warriors between us and them. “Get your powers—and your instincts—under control, Caedmon. If you can’t manage that, I won’t hesitate to execute you.”

As if I need reminding.

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