“Where is the lass?” he asked. “I went to check on her, but she didn’t answer.”
“She’s asleep,” Delia said. “She’ll be staying here until Storm returns.”
“Good. Do you want me there tomorrow when Gráinne talks to the Tuh’rens?”
“Please. A handsome face usually allays their fears.”
Like the previous time I’d slept here, I woke up to the smell of breakfast. We were finishing our meal when a knock interrupted us.
A lumberjack of a man with a mob of red hair and freckles grinned at me when I opened the door. Beside him was a girl about seven, carrying a basket with several rolled up parchments of paper. With her mop of red hair and freckles, there was no doubt they were related.
“Come inside,” Delia called out. “Lexi, this is Assane Morgance and his daughter Andromeda, or Meda as everyone calls her. Morgance is the best woodsman in Vaarda.”
I smiled at the little girl, but she stared back solemnly.
Morgance smiled. “We have different designs of beds, tables, chairs, and wardrobes. Show her, muh’Meda.”
The little girl spread out each rolled up parchment to display different designs of furniture. Two were for beds, the next ones for chairs and tables, and the last one for a chest and portable wardrobes. Whoever had drawn them was gifted.
“They’re all so beautiful. Did you draw them?”
Meda shook her head.
“Ma did,” she said. “She makes beautiful clothes, too. One day, I’ll be just like her.”
She spoke with a cute lisp and had two of her front teeth missing like Sienna. I missed that little girl. I hoped she didn’t believe I’d died and left her like her mother. That would be too much for a little girl to bear.
My throat closed with emotions, and I forced myself to focus on the present. Meda glanced at her father, then Delia before adding in a low voice, “Did you really break Prince Tullius’s nose and make him cry?”
Glyn and Max. I should have known those two would not stay quiet. “Yes, but it’s supposed to be a secret.”
“Oh. Okay. I won’t tell anyone.” Except the adults in the room had heard her.
“Thank you,” I whispered back. “Which design do you think is perfect for my room?”
She looked around and frowned. “Where is your room?”
“I’ll show you.” I stood and offered her my hand. She stared at it, then looked at her father, who nodded. She took my hand, and I led her to my room. She and I discussed where the furniture would go. She was adorable but had the unhappiest face I’d ever seen on a little girl. Once again, images of Sienna flashed in my head.
“Blue is my favorite color,” she whispered.
“Mine too.”
“It was Ma’s too before she went away.” Her chin trembled.
“Oh. Where did she go?”
“Far away in the Tuh’rens’ land, but Da said Storm will find her and bring her home. She didn’t mean to go away. Bad Tuh’rens took her.”
I stared at her as the conversation I’d had with Storm flashed in my head. He’d said that someone had kidnapped Meda’s mother. This little girl was Meda.
“I’m so sorry,” I said.
“She’ll come back. Da said the ones taken always lookout for the Mac Lir. Da said I must be patient, but I just want Ma back.” She gave me a wobbly smile, her eyes tearing. “I don’t want to forget what she looks like. Luna forgot her ma when she was taken.” A tear escaped and slipped down her face.
Oh no. “I’m sure you won’t. You love her very much, and because you do, she’ll always be here.” I placed my hand over her heart. “Always.”
“That’s what Da said.”
I wiped the wetness from her cheeks. The next second, she flung herself into my arms. I wanted to resist the tug of her tears and the trembling body pressed against mine, but I’d gone through this with Sienna and I was transported back. I gave in to my emotions and my eyes filled, too.
Sounds came from the doorway, and I looked up to find Delia and Meda’s father staring at us with varied expressions. Delia looked amazed while Morgance fought tears. I stared helplessly at them, not sure I liked them seeing me this vulnerable, yet helpless in the face of Meda’s pain. When Morgance stepped forward, his arm stretched as though to take her, I shook my head. Delia took his arm and led him out of the room.
I wasn’t sure how long I stayed on the floor holding the little girl, but my legs became numb from kneeling on the cold stone. I needed a carpet in the room. A thick one. And why I was thinking of that now was beyond me. But the mundane thought steadied me, and the tears stopped.
Meda stepped back and sniffled. I wiped her cheeks, and she reached up with her tiny hands and wiped mine. “Why are you crying?”
“Because I’m sorry your ma is missing. I lost mine too, so I know how you feel.”
“Did she come back?”
Damn, that was the wrong thing to say to her. If I said no, she might believe hers wouldn’t either.
“Yes, she did,” I lied.
“Then Ma will come back, too.” She grinned, showing the gap between her teeth. “Can I show Da your favorite now?”
“Let’s show him together.” We went back to the living room and showed her father what I had chosen. We discussed sizes, and he took measurements before they left. The little girl’s face and pain stayed with me.
At the back of my mind, I’d taken the moral high ground and perceived Storm and the islanders as the bad guys for kidnapping us. Even when he’d talked about why they needed us to save his race, I’d still considered us the good guys. The victims. Yet one meeting with a little toothless girl with a mop of red hair was making me rethink my position.
“I’ve never seen Meda take a liking to someone so fast. She’s always quiet, the poor lass.”
“She told me about her mother. When was she taken?”
“About six months ago. Sometimes the current is so strong we get swept past the Veil when we frolic in the sea. Part of it is our fault. Selkies love colorful things. We get so caught up with collecting gems we don’t realize how far we’ve drifted. The Veil might stop Tuh’rens from seeing us, but it doesn’t stop deep-sea fishermen from catching one of us in their nets. The smart ones can recognize a Selkie even when we shift to our human form and shed our skin.”
“Have you lost anyone in your family?” I asked even though Storm had mentioned her little sister.
“Briny, my little sister, was saved by a fisherman when she was only seventeen. When they found her, she’d fallen in love with her Tuh’ren mate and didn’t want to come back. They had two beautiful daughters. She’d given him her fur, and without it, she could never shift back into a Selkie.” Sadness crept into her voice. “It broke my parents’ hearts, but I was happy for her. True mates are hard to find.”
“Did you ever see her again?”
“No. If I were a shieldmaiden, I would have, but I never took up the sword. I’m better at running things. Nerissa found out about her.” A smile crept into her voice. “Briny lived a happy life. Maybe one day one of her children or grandchildren will answer the call of the sea and find us. Once the sea is in your blood, you can’t resist it.”
“Do Kelpies ever fall in love with humans and live with them?”
She nodded. “Oh yes. I know a few stories of young Kelpies kidnapped by Tuh’rens who ended up falling in love with the daughters of their kidnappers and willingly gave up their bridles to their Tuh’ren mates. Love is a beautiful thing, whether you choose to give up on immortality and join your Tuh’ren mate or join your Muh’ren mate and embrace the change.” She took our plates to the water trough while I mulled over her words. “I have to go to work now, lass. More merchants will stop by, so you have enough to keep you busy today.”
Delia left me still trying to process what she’d told me. Would I embrace the change? Because of his bond to the island, Storm could never leave.
Another knock distracted me from my though
ts. It was the upholstery seamstress, Carolina. I didn’t catch her last name. She did curtains and tapestries.
“I’ll make sure I give Morgance the right fabric for your chairs so they match the bed,” she said, measuring the window after showing me samples, each with different animals.
I didn’t even think twice before choosing the ones with winged Kelpies. The way she smiled with approval made me wonder if she was one. But when I asked her, she chuckled and shook her head.
“I’m a Selkie now.” She originally came from an island off the coast of South America, which explained her caramel skin and curly hair. “I think Selkies are the most beautiful creatures the gods ever created. But then again, I might be biased because I’m married to one,” she added, grinning.
“Was it tough making the decision to become one?”
“No, honey. Of course being kidnapped by pirates sixty years ago wasn’t fun, and I was scared when they brought me here, but Cove was so sweet and gentle once he scented me. There’s something very romantic about a rough seaman turning into a giant teddy bear when he sees you just because your scent resonates with him. I fell hard and didn’t care whether he was human or a supernatural being.”
The second she left, the rug man arrived with his apprentice. “The whole floor or just a smaller one near the bed? Delia said the whole floor because the stones do get cold at night, but she said the final decision was yours.”
“The whole floor,” I said.
They took measurements. “I’ll confer with Morgance and Carolina. We should have them ready in two days.”
The candelabra maker was next with samples made of brass, wood, and porcelain. My thoughts returned to the one in Storm’s tower. Storm’s mother. What was her story? How could she abandon her son?
The room already had two candle sconces on the walls, but Delia had told them Storm wanted them replaced and a new candelabrum for the table. I went with brass. Porcelain was delicate and could break easily.
The shoemaker returned with several pairs of boots tailor-made for me. All had a sheath for hiding a dagger. It appeared having sheaths was the standard. With every craftsman and woman that visited, my feelings toward the people shifted from wariness to appreciation. They were nice, friendly, and diverse. They were not shy about sharing their stories. Some had lovely anecdotes about their families. But some, like Meda, had tragic tales because of Tullius or us. Humans. Tuh’rens.
That evening, I caught another training session. This time, the swordsmen, not the shieldmaidens, were using the courtyard, and Ryun was their trainer. Glyn and Max joined me and showed me some cool footwork. I completely forgot to lecture them about spreading the story I’d told them.
The mattress man brought a new one that evening, and I slept a little better.
Chapter 6
I spent the next day with Max and Glyn. Ryun had given them the day off. They shadowed me as I did rounds with Delia, begged me to tell them stories about my world while we hung out in the tower, and helped me practice fight moves Kai taught the shieldmaidens. They even had dinner with me. I’d just finished cleaning up Delia’s place when Ryun arrived with another basket of fruit.
“More fruit from my orchard as ordered,” he said.
My mouth watered. “I don’t think Storm meant it.”
“Oh yes, he did. The man never says anything he doesn’t mean. He promised to beat the crap out of me if I ever came anywhere near you again without gifts. So will you accept my apology?”
“I already did with the first basket.”
“Thank the gods.” He caught my wrist before I could take the basket from him. “What did you do to your hand?”
“It’s nothing.”
“What happened? Was it something you ate?” He checked the backs of my hands and my arms.
If only I could claim it was the meat sauce, but the woman was warming to me and I didn’t want to mess that up. “I cleaned up the bedroom and forgot to protect my hands.”
“The bedroom in your tower?”
My tower. I had a tower. I indicated where I’d slept. “That one. The scabs are falling off. Are you coming in?” I reached for the basket again, but he moved it out of my reach.
He entered and went straight to the bedroom. The expression on his face was one of confusion. “There’s nothing in here but that old bed. You scrubbed the floor?”
“And the walls. Delia used it for storage so I removed everything and spruced it up a bit. That’s where I slept.” I missed the bed upstairs already.
Ryun turned around, a weird look on his face. “First, you shouldn’t have cleaned the place without protecting your hands. Delia knows that. Second, you shouldn’t have cleaned the place, period. Storm is going to go ballistic when he sees your hands.”
“He already caused a ruckus over nothing, just like you are doing now. When exactly will Storm come back?” I asked to distract him.
“Soon.” Ryun grinned. “You miss him?”
“No.”
Ryun chuckled. “You’re not a very good liar, lass. So it’s a good thing I shifted in front of you and brought you and my illustrious leader together?”
“I don’t think you should take credit for anything yet. The shifting was both good and bad.” I picked up a bowl and a knife from a shelf and almost bumped into Ryun. He took the utensils from my hands.
“You’re not using that hand until it heals.” He placed the bowl on the table and removed the papaya from the basket. “What do you want me to do with this?”
“Make fruit salad.”
He frowned. “What’s that?”
“Cut them into small slices and put the pieces in the bowl. Then add the next fruit. If you have time, that is. I don’t want to take you away from your students or farm.”
“I have all the time in the world. So mix all of them?”
I nodded. “Until the bowl is full. Whatever is left, I’ll eat tomorrow.”
“Or you could smash them and make a nice brew,” he interjected, cutting the papaya in two. “It would probably taste like one of Gráinne’s broths, but it’s better than eating them fresh. I never understood why Tuh’rens would want to do that.”
“Because it tastes good and it’s healthy for you.”
He tasted a piece of papaya and made a face. “The wine tastes better.”
“Let me try it,” I said. He forked a piece and put it in my mouth. It was juicy and sweet. “It’s so good.” When our eyes met, he cocked his head, furrows appearing on his forehead. I wiped my chin. “Do I have something on my face?”
A mocking smile crossed his lips. “No.”
“Tell me about you.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. Whenever I talk, women tend to go into this state, and the next thing I know, I’m flat on my back and they are all over me trying to take a chunk out of me.” He shuddered. “It’s the Kelpie charm.”
Another islander who was full of himself. “I promise to keep my hands to myself and do my best to resist you—unless you don’t finish making that fruit salad. Then I’ll strangle you.”
His hand went to his neck, a grimace on his face. I sat on the bench and watched him dump the seeds on the table and slice the papaya.
“Is this a good size?” he asked, showing me a piece.
I nodded. “So tell me about you.”
“No, let’s talk about you and Storm. Explain why you said it was good and bad when I asked you about revealing my Kelpie. Why was it good?”
“Because I’d rather know the truth than walk around ignorant. But I didn’t need to nearly crack my skull open in the process.”
Ryun winced. “I apologized profusely and with the best from my orchard, which would have netted me a nice bottle of wine in trade. Does your head still hurt?”
“No. And the bump is gone.”
“Good. Unfortunately, if I had to do it all again, I would.”
I scoffed. “What a terrible thing to say. Why?”
“You didn’
t see Storm when you fell, lass. I’ve never seen him so furious. I was sure he’d rip off my head.”
“And that’s good how?”
“It confirmed that you are the one. I don’t buy into the true mate nonsense some of my people like to throw around. As long as the scent is right, claim her. That’s my motto. He, on the other hand, believes in true mates, and seeing him lose it like that told me his feelings are real. He and I have been through a lot, but he’s never threatened me with bodily harm over a lass until you.” The smile disappeared from his face. “I hope he’s the one for you too, lass, because he needs light and laughter back in his life. He’s dwelt in the darkness for too long. Once he was a carefree lad like me, but now”—he sighed—“ghosts from the past and responsibility weigh him down. He needs an outlet. Someone who can slowly ease his burden, make him laugh again.”
“And if I’m not the one?”
“Then I’ll court you myself.” He leaned closer and inhaled. “You smell nice.”
I leaned back. “I don’t like you that way.”
“Thank the gods, because I’d hate to have Storm as an enemy. He’s unstoppable. Methodical. Calculating.” He continued to drop chunks into the bowl. “Don’t misunderstand me, though. I love the man. He is my hero, my uncrowned king, and I’d follow him to the gates of the underworld if he asked me to, but I’d never want him for an enemy.” He angled his head and studied me. “Have you claimed each other yet?”
No, he didn’t just ask that. I crossed my arms and refused to answer him.
He chuckled. “Kraken’s breath, he’s grown slower with age. The Storm I knew would have had you on your back in five minutes flat.”
I could feel a blush starting and fought it. As though aware of it, a naughty gleam entered Ryun’s eyes.
“From the way he looks at you, I know he can’t wait to bite a chunk of your ass and put his bridle around your neck.”
Okay, he got me this time. Warmth crept up my cheeks. “Can we talk about something else?”
[Phantom Islanders 02.0] Storm Revealed Page 10
