Nathaniel’s face turned solemn. “You must tell Sybil when we return to the castle.”
That weak waif of a woman? She was already halfway to being a ghost. “It would kill her.”
Nathaniel stood and pushed the chair back. “She would want to know. Besides, she might have a way to defeat him.”
“Would she act against her one true love?”
“If he placed Ebonvale in danger, she would.”
Chapter 25
Lady Love
Nathaniel leaned against the railing, staring into the horizon. It had been two days since the Sea of Urchins, and nothing had changed. The horizon lay bare, the waves lapped in an endless tide, Valoria avoided him, and Brax was as irritable as ever. Ebonvale would crumble and fall, and the dead would plague the ends of the continent before they even returned to shore.
“You trust this man to reach the Sapphire Isles?” the warrior grumbled beside him as he shaved his head with his dagger and some soap.
“He’s brought us this far.”
Brax used the tip of his dagger to point at a new scar above his left ear. “Right into the mouth of a giant beast.”
“We brought him there. You forget, not many would sail us through the Sea of Urchins. Half his ship is torn to shreds.” Amok had been drinking from that flask frequently these past few days, but Nathaniel couldn’t blame him. The attack had frayed all their nerves.
Brax shrugged as if it were nothing. “I’ve already told him we’ll pay the damages once he delivers us safely to the Isles and home.”
His brother didn’t understand sentimentality. A ship was an object that could be replaced, much like a town could be rebuilt. He didn’t understand the melancholy feeling of losing something so close to you, you lost part of yourself with it.
“Do you miss your father?”
Brax stopped in mid shave and gazed out at the sea. It took him a moment to answer, yet his face remained plain. “He fought bravely and died with honor. I am proud to be his son.”
“That is all true beyond a doubt. But do you miss him?”
Brax continued to shave. “That is the difference between us. You allow your thoughts to wander where they make you weak. I might miss him if I allowed myself to dwell on his absence. Instead, I think of the great deeds he has accomplished and it motivates me to pick up my sword and follow in his footsteps.”
It was wise advice, but Nathaniel could not take it. To disregard his own feelings would be to tell himself a lie. No, he relished sentiment. It was what made him human. It gave him compassion for others. He took those feelings head on. Brax might call him foolish, but in his own way, he considered facing the darkest part of his emotions brave.
“Ahoy! Land ho!” Amok called from the bow.
Nathaniel turned, hope rising inside him. A speck of land so green it could have been carved from emerald rose above the sea. He ran to the bow, leaving Brax to finish shaving. Two more specks materialized on the horizon, and the sea shone scintillating blue around them.
“The Sapphire Isles.” Valoria spoke with awe beside him, making Nathaniel step back in surprise. She hadn’t left her room since the attack.
Her hair blew across her face in streaks of auburn as she approached the railing. She still wore her nightgown, and it blew against her body, showing her curves in the wind.
Nathaniel looked away, stifling the urge to hold her against him. “How do you know it’s the right place?”
“The water. ’Tis so blue it bests the sky on a clear summer day.”
“’Tis beautiful.” But, truly he didn’t speak of the water.
“And dangerous.” She placed both hands on the railing. Her knuckles were white. “No algae grows in these parts. No fish swim, or seaweed floats. The mermaids eat everything in sight. They wipe the sea clean.”
Nathaniel imagined a sparkling, empty sea as a chill settled in his shoulders. “You did not speak of this before when you told us of this quest.”
She turned to him, her silver eyes vulnerable and wide. “Would you have still come?”
“Yes.” He didn’t take a second to think about it.
“Ahem.” Amok approached them and glanced at Valoria’s nightgown. “Best dress in your battle gear, you might need it.”
Valoria nodded. “How far will you take us in?”
Amok shivered and brought his hands around his shoulders. “Not far, lass. The mermaids prey upon men who don’t have a lady whom they love. They find empty hearts the easiest to trick. I’d be a goner.”
“You’ve never had someone?” Valoria’s tone turned wistful.
“Me?” Amok wrinkled his bulbous nose. “I had a girl I liked a long time ago. Got this to impress her.” He pointed to the tattoo on his neck. “You see, she liked this tough lad with ink all the way up both arms, pictures of creatures much like the one we met a few days ago. Anyway, turns out she didn’t like my tattoo, and I was stuck with the ugly thing.” He wiped at his neck. “Taught me you can’t change yourself for love. If it’s true love, you won’t need a tattoo.”
Nathaniel studied the old man, impressed by the wisdom of his words. He was off the mark with many things, but on this occasion, he spoke the truth.
Amok turned to Nathaniel. “Concerning those mermaids, you won’t have anything to worry about, now will ya?” The old man elbowed him in the side.
Nathaniel stepped away, disgusted. Just because Blanca kissed him didn’t mean he was in love. But, he nodded all the same, avoiding Valoria’s gaze. “I’ll be fine.” He didn’t mention the true reason.
Amok gestured toward Brax as the warrior ran his hand over his freshly shaved head. “What about your friend, does he have a love?”
Worry crawled into Nathaniel’s heart. But, he couldn’t speak of his doubts in front of the princess. To say Brax didn’t love her would be underhanded. “I cannot speak for him, but he should.”
Amok pointed his gnarled finger. “Make sure he does. If he goes out there with a free heart, then he’s nothing but bait.”
Brax caught them all looking at him and stood. He wiped the soap off his dagger and returned it to the sheath on his belt as he approached them. “What is this matter of which you speak?”
“True love.” Valoria approached him with stoic determination. She set both hands on her hips. “If you do not have it, then the mermaids will capture your heart for themselves and eat it raw.”
Brax didn’t flinch. He crossed his arms with a bored look on his face, as if they told children’s stories to scare each other at night. “They will not get the better of me.”
“Very well.” Amok moved to the side of the ship where a small boat lay underneath a tarp. “Get your things. You should move in while the day is new and the sun shines bright.”
“Do they attack at night?” Nathaniel squinted into the water, but he couldn’t see anything moving underneath the sparkling surface.
Amok handed him a paddle and rolled his eyes warily. “They attack every minute of every day.”
* * * *
For her sake and his, and that of the quest, Valoria hoped Brax loved her. He certainly wasn’t as annoyed by her as he’d been when he first met her. She’d like to think she’d earned a small degree of his respect. But love?
There was only one way for her to learn the truth.
Amok lowered them to the water in the small boat. Brax and Nathaniel held paddles, and she held her harp. She remembered the songs she’d learned as a child. “They are weak out of water, and they have no true power over humans. ’Tis all an illusion. In reality, they are mere fish in the sea.” She said it to comfort herself as much as inform the two men.
A cool layer of mist hung above the water, making it difficult to see anything farther than a few feet away. Valoria pulled her cloak tighter around her. This was the place they’d traveled miles to reach, yet reaching it sent shivers across her arms and legs.
“Did you bring the pearl
s?” Brax’s muscles bunched as he began to paddle.
Nathaniel tapped the upper pocket in his vest. “I’ve kept them safe.”
“Let me see them.” Valoria held out her hand. If anything, it would keep her mind off the fact they were paddling through mermaid territory.
Nathaniel dug into his pocket and pulled out a crimson velvet bag tied with gold cord. He upended the bag over her hand and five violet orbs shone in the sunlight. They were heavier and silkier than she thought.
“What makes you think these mermaids will trade their most precious commodity for a piece of jewelry?” Brax huffed as he paddled.
Valoria resisted the urge to glare at him. Sometimes, the brute was too logical for his own good. “The tales say these are precious stones of wisdom passed down through the generations. It is said King Pradarian, the great grandfather of King Artemus, tricked the mermaids with a deceptive peace treaty and stole them.”
Brax snorted. “Ha! No King of Ebonvale would behave in such a manner.”
“That is why the song is not sung in Ebonvale.” She raised an eyebrow, challenging him.
Brax stopped paddling. “Are you accusing my bloodline of being thieves?”
Valoria straightened in her seat. “I am.”
Nathaniel raised his hand. “Hold on. Stories can be twisted over time.” He gave Valoria a knowing look. He believed her. She could feel it.
She wasn’t going to surrender so easily, though. “We’ll see when we meet them, won’t we?”
“Shouldn’t you be playing some music to keep them at bay?” Brax grumbled as he continued to paddle.
Valoria shook her head. He knew so little. “They are creatures of illusion and magic. Songs won’t work on them.”
“Then why did you bring your harp?” Brax curled the right corner of his mouth.
Valoria shifted uncomfortably. He’d pegged her with that one. “I feel safer with it.”
Brax shook his head as if she’d disappointed him. “Two warriors around you, and a piece of wood with a few strings brings you peace of mind?”
Frustration built inside her. If he was any more insensitive, she’d climb off that boat and take her chances with the mermaids. Then, she noticed a small smile curve the corner of his lips. He was teasing her, almost flirting. Valoria raised an eyebrow. “Warrior skills will not help you in this place.”
“No songs, no swords.” Nathaniel rubbed his forehead. “We’re doomed.”
* * * *
The lush vegetation of the island hung over them as they approached. Vines hung from trees so tall they blocked the sun. Small black birds flew in a v shape overhead. Distant whoops of monkeys echoed from the hills. The waves that bore them closer crashed against steep ridges of rock. Their boat rocked in the turbulence.
“There is nowhere to cast anchor.” Brax looked more annoyed than fearful.
“There won’t be.” Valoria stared in awe. “The island is only meant to lure ships close. No man has set foot in the jungle. ’Tis rumored there are underground channels that weave through the island where the mermaids take refuge during storms.”
“Horred’s grave!” Nathaniel jerked back from the edge of the boat.
“What is it?” Brax grumbled.
Unease crossed Nathaniel’s face. “I thought I saw something.”
Doubt clouded Valoria’s mind, pulling her confidence apart. She gripped her harp to her chest and plucked a few strings to calm herself. They were here to save Ebonvale. They needed the blue fire and they had something decent to trade. But, she couldn’t help but feel vulnerable and foolish, like a little girl who’d strayed too far from home.
“The mermaids can’t touch you if you stay in the boat.” She scanned the water. The crashing waves churned up pieces of shell and rock, and it was difficult to see what lay under the surface.
“There!” Brax pointed to the right by his side of the boat. “A tail like an eel.”
“Over there!” Nathaniel pointed in the other direction. “A clump of kelp appeared and disappeared.”
“Do not fall prey to their tricks.” Valoria warned. She raised her voice. “Mermaids of the Sapphire Isles, we are here to trade.”
The water bubbled around them. A pinkish fin slapped the surface. Webbed hands rose up, reaching up the sides of the boat.
“Valoria…” Nathaniel backed to the middle. “What do we do?”
She thought back to the songs. Was there a hierarchy among them? She shouted over the water. “We’ve come to see your leader.”
When she turned back, Brax was leaning over the edge of the boat, staring at something in the water.
“Brax!” Valoria reached over and pulled on his arm. It was like trying to move a bull. “Nathaniel, help me.”
“Helena’s sword!” Nathaniel moved and grabbed Brax’s other arm.
Brax’s eyes glazed over, as if he saw beyond the water to a place he longed to go. She’d never seen him so melancholy, and it scared her more than the mermaids in the water. He muttered under his breath. “It cannot be.”
Her fingernails dug into his skin. “Pull him back!”
“I’m trying.” Nathaniel gritted his teeth and kicked against the side of the boat.
A face emerged from the depths below. Eyes black as ink with no pupils stared up at them as hair-like kelp lilted around cheeks frilled with gills. Blue lips opened to reveal uneven, pin shaped teeth.
“The creature is hideous.” Nathaniel gasped with shock. “Brax, come to your senses.”
“He doesn’t see the mermaid. She’s showing him what he wants to see.” No matter how hard Valoria yanked, Brax leaned closer and closer to the surface.
The mermaid reached up with both webbed hands. Valoria’s stomach lurched as Brax reached toward her. Their hands met, and in the blink of an eye, she pulled Brax under. Valoria fell forward with him, but Nathaniel caught her with both his arms around her waist. Brax’s leather shirt slipped through Valoria’s fingers. She fought wildly as Nathaniel pulled her back into the boat.
“No!” Shock and disbelief rattled her to the core. Another wave crashed, sending bubbles around their boat. When the water cleared, there was nothing there. “He’s gone!”
She fought against Nathaniel, her whole body shaking. This was all her fault. She’d brought the rightful heir to the throne to his death. Desperation came over her as she reached over the boat. She’d have to go in after him.
“No, Valoria.” Nathaniel pulled her back. With one arm he held her against him, and with the other, he ripped the velvet bag from his pocket. “Bring him back, or you’ll never see your precious pearls of wisdom again.”
“They don’t want to trade.” Tears stung Valoria’s eyes as she crumpled into his chest. “I was wrong.”
“I do not believe it.” Nathaniel had such faith in his voice, it gave her a small thread of hope. He turned back to the waters around them. “Our companion for the pearls.”
The water bubbled up again, and a mermaid crawled onto a rock a few feet away with quick and fluid movements reminding Valoria of an eel. She was smaller than the average person, her body thin and wiry like a starving child. Her skin shone a translucent white, her hair dark and slimy. She raised a webbed hand, and the water stilled around them. Even the waves eased.
“Your tricks do not work on me.” Nathaniel shouted and drew his sword. “If you refuse, I’ll slice a dozen mermaid heads off before they pull me under.”
Valoria stared up at Nathaniel in awe. His strength at such a dire hour surprised her. She’d never seen him so fierce and determined.
“Why trade for that which is rightfully mine?” The mermaid spoke with a deep throaty voice, forming the words awkwardly in her toothy mouth. Her gills wheezed and dripped water down her chest. A starfish clung to her shoulder. Barnacles covered her body, opening their mouths to gulp the air.
Nathaniel pointed the end of his sword at her heart. “If he dies, your kingdo
m dies with him.”
She clicked her tongue, and the water bubbled beneath her tattered fin. Three mermaids lifted Brax to the surface. His skin was pale, his chest unmoving. Small, red scratch marks drew across his forehead and right cheek.
Terror seized Valoria. She gripped the side of the boat, her hands trembling. Was Brax dead?
Nathaniel’s face slackened, but he did not lose his ground. “Return him to us.”
“Why so important?” The mermaid stroked Brax’s jaw.
Valoria’s chest tightened. Would Nathaniel dare to tell her the truth?
Nathaniel straightened and spoke as if she’d offended the gods themselves. “He is the future king of Ebonvale. He came to return what is rightfully yours in exchange for your aid.”
A guttural sound came from her throat. “King of Ebonvale stole our pearls.” Water dripped from her black lips. “Why help him?”
“Because if you do not, the sea will die. The undead will march on Ebonvale, and spread through the continent until nothing lives. Have you seen an undead?” He paused as the question sunk in. “They are relentless and they do not need to breath. They will march into your waters and turn your own people against you.”
She swayed and her gills puffed. “This man can stop them?”
“With your blue fire, he can.”
Her black eyes narrowed. “You offer us another treaty?”
“I offer you a chance to survive.” Nathaniel’s tone was even and calm as if he knew he had her beat.
Valoria tightened her grip on the boat, praying the mermaid believed him. She straightened and the mermaid’s black eyes focused on her. “My people have made a treaty with Ebonvale for our protection as well. You hold my betrothed, the man who will unite Ebonvale with the minstrels of the House of Song. If you kill him, you have us to answer to as well. But if you allow him to live and give us what we need, you will make another ally.”
The mermaid tilted her head up, scrutinizing her. She glanced at Valoria’s harp, at the calluses on the tips of her fingers, and then her auburn hair. Did she look as hideous to the mermaid as the mermaid looked to her?
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