Page 39 of I Summon the Sea

“So it is done,” he finally says. “You have chosen your course.”

“I have,” Athdara says, looking unperturbed, though on closer inspection, a muscle is feathering on his jaw, and a vein is beating fast in his corded neck. A sheen of sweat gleams on his brow.

He’s not as unaffected as he pretends to be.

“So be it, Athdara Two-souled,” the telchin says. “You know your magic will be restricted by the water, and other means will be used to reduce your power. If you want to become a pawn in the game of the gods, you need to diminish yourself.”

“I know.”

What does that mean?

“Well, isn’t this interesting,” Neere says, scowling. “Not a good look, the dragon speaker joining the humans. I bet the king will love it… Joking. He’ll be furious.”

“Don’t joke about this,” Tru says, his face pale. “Nothing like it has ever happened before. What was he thinking?”

“Told you he’s crazy,” Arkin mutters.

No, no.This isn’t making any sense. I grab Tru and shake him.What is Athdara doing?

“I would think it’s obvious,” Tru spits out the words, yanking his arm out of my grip. “He has joined the games as a contestant. The King’s Sword, entering the games. Unbelievable.”

But he can’t enter the games!I mouth.He has magic. Magic isn’t allowed.

“His magic doesn’t work in the water,” Arkin says. “And he will be drained of it beforehand to even the field for the other contestants.”

But…I cast about for another reason he can’t do this.He… he’s fae.

“No, he’s not,” Tru says, and sounds truly sad.

What?I’m staring at Athdara—Jai, whatever—as he gathers back his wild black hair, twisting it and tying it off his forehead with a leather band, and for the first time, I see his ears.

Not pointed. They aren’t pointed. They are rounded, like mine.

Human.

Athdara is human.

My hands are twisting together, and I make myself stop. A human in the service of the fae king. A powerful human. That’s as rare as finding an entire dragon skeleton on the plains.

But why? Why is he doing this?

“We should have seen this coming,” Arkin mutters.

“Should we? Don’t tell me this is about what I think it is,” Tru snarls.

Neere huffs. “Are you seriously doubting it? You saw him earlier. He’s fascinated.”

About what?

Neere turns and stomps away, while Tru and Arkin just shrug and sigh, leaving me to wonder what I’m missing.

CHAPTER TWELVE

After that unexpected turn of events, the guards move in to herd us toward the docks.

No more speeches, no more questions asked.

They prod us with their long spears toward a flat barge that is much larger than the ones that transported us here.

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