Page 128 of Cursed Waters

“You would rather destroy your own kingdom?”

Leander recoiled at that, looking down at the trident in my arms like Barren’s words had snapped him out of his rage. “No, but—fuck—for a second, I thought you were trying to take it from me.” His voice dropped lower. “That you might keep it.”

Barren’s jaw hardened. “Mmh.” I knew he didn’t like magic, but he for sure didn’t look amused by the thought of keeping King Eamon’s trident.

My night vision flickered on just as the last bit of coral left Leander’s hand. Looking down at the shell and the trident, I pinched my eyes shut as I knocked them together. A spark of magic flashed behind my eyelids. “I wonder why they do that?” I asked, mystified. Hopefully, the sparks would be enough to light the ocean and blind any cecaelia hidden nearby.

“I don’t know, but keep it coming,” Leander said, sounding suddenly exhausted. Even Barren’s tail had slowed down, and although his chest was still heaving from exertion, we seemed to move through the water at a much more manageable speed. Light must have really helped them feel more at ease.

“Where’s Kai?” I asked. Now that the immediate danger had passed, now seemed like a good time to regroup. “Is he really safe? Shouldn’t we go get him?”

“Laverne is with him,” Barren said simply. “She knows to take him back to shore.”

Laverne had him? No wonder Barren seemed so certain. She would keep him safe.

I let out a long sigh, feeling relieved. “That’s great.”

Even shut, my eyes burned as I knocked the two items together, but I kept it up, keeping the ocean nice and bright for them, all the while wondering what it was about my eyes that made them so sensitive to light.

By the time we closed in on the shore, pain throbbed across my forehead, and my arms ached from striking the shell against the trident.

Uneven tides rolled over us as we approached the surface. “We’re back already?”

Leander didn’t say a word, but I felt a series of shivers run through him, his palms opening and closing on my tail like he was more than ready to be out of the water.

Barren grunted as he fought against the pull of the tides, pushing us closer to the shore with the strength of his tail until we reached the surface and Leander took over. We washed up, little by little, as Leander raked through the wet sand, dragging us behind him. As soon as we were close enough, I tossed the shell to dry land, followed by the trident, and pulled myself onto the shore.

Light from the lanterns lining the pier dotted the sky above us. Could it really still be the middle of the night? It felt like hours had passed in the dungeons, as well as the entire swim to the palace and back. My eyes landed on where I’d left my clothes, and I let out a gasp. There was someone lying underneath the pier. “Kai!”

Could it really be him? There was someone else, another body hunched over him. Laverne, maybe?

I bounded forward, slipping between Leander and Barren without even thinking.

Pop.

Too focused on the body sprawled out under the pier, I fought through the sand, dragging my tail behind me. My muscles were screaming, protesting the movement until—pop.

I was up on my feet as soon as my legs formed, stumbling through the first few steps before taking off at a sprint. Laverne’s head popped up, and my heart clenched. “Guys, they’re here!”

I glanced back at Leander and Barren and nearly tripped over my feet. Where had they gone?

Realization hit me just as they both popped back in two brilliant explosions of naked bodies and sand.

“Sorry,” I choked out, feeling guilty for leaving them behind. I would have to make it up to them later, because right now, I needed to know if Kai was okay. If he was still breathing.

Sliding under the pier, I dropped to my knees and scanned over his body. Our clothes were pulled on top of him, covering him from his legs to his chest, the edge of Barren’s shirt still hanging from Laverne’s mouth. She looked at me, whiskers sagging. A deep sadness rounded her eyes as she lifted her head off his stomach.

My ear went flat against his chest, listening for his pulse and feeling the soft swell of air entering his lungs. He wasalive.

“Thank you,” I choked out. “Thank you for keeping him safe, Laverne.”

I skimmed a hand over his arm. Even with all our clothes covering him, he still felt so cold. We needed to get him inside. Back into the hotel.

“Barren,” I called, and I lifted my head, unprepared for the scene waiting for me across the sand.

Barren was already on his feet, but something was wrong. His stance was wide, and he looked like he was about to lunge at Leander. “Stop!” Barren barked. Desperation amplified his voice, making it carry down the shore.

“He can’t have it, Barren,” Leander called back. The trident was back in his hand, and he lifted it high, spreading his arms wide. “He doesn’t deserve it! If I go back, he’ll take it from me and… and then…” Wet hair lashed as his head shook fiercely. “No, I won’t let him have it!”

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