Page 63 of I Summon the Sea

She walks to the open door, glances out, then returns, smiling again. “Stay close to Athdara, and you should be fine.”

My frown darkens.Why?Did he send her?Why would I be safe with him?

“Athdara joined the games for you.” Her eyes fill with stars, and she clasps her hands together against her bosom. “It was so romantic. No member of the royal court has ever joined the games. You have to be human to join, of course, and most members are fae, but still, you cannot imagine the uproar!”

Member of the royal court?I mouth the question.

“Oh, yes. The king adopted him early on and gave him a new name, a new role. Such a kind gesture, the king adopting a poor human boy from the countryside. Of course, it has to do with his shadow powers, the king isn’t fooling anyone, yet he didn’t have to adopt him and give him a life of luxury. His majesty King Rouen the Magnificent has a heart made of pure gold.”

A human believer in the fae cause. She looks so sweet, and I don’t want to hate on her already, but I hope she won’t keep harping on how kind the fae king is, or I’ll be sick.

Having to dress up and simper to get close to him is already making me nauseous. He took everything from me. Nothing could endear him to me, no sweet story or gesture.

On that note… I eye the food on the tray and force myself to grab a fork and eat, nausea or not. The healers and Daria are right, I need to regain my strength, and quickly. I don’t have many reserves to draw on, and the unexpected crimp in my plans means I have to work twice as hard, push through the human weakness of this body, and get it done.

“Athdara joined the games for you.”

That’s surely a joke. A bad one.

And I’m not laughing.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“There you are,” a familiar male voice says as I drag my feet after Daria.

It’s Arkin.

Yes, here I am, I think. At least a maid gave me back my dagger in its leather sheath, and I don’t feel as vulnerable, as exposed as I did when I first woke up, though the robe doesn’t feel like much protection against anything.

I don’t feel like pretending I care whether he’s here or not. My head still aches and my stomach feels heavy, unused to the fae food that favors cream and spices. My bitten leg is much better, I’ll hand it to the healers, but it feels weaker than the other, and my arm that had been wrenched so badly during the trial feels less like it’s about to come out of its socket.

“Good to see you back on your feet,” Arkin says, falling into step beside me.

He’s dressed like Tru was, in a formal uniform, his long red hair caught back in a high ponytail. His ears are covered in bright silver and black nightgold—hoops, studs, bars, intricate designs like leaves following the slope of his ear to the sharp tip.

“Don’t glare like that,” he goes on, “you’ll get cross-eyed, and the king won’t like it.”

I stick my tongue out at him and cross my eyes as much as I can to show him where he can stick my concern about the king’s preferences.

“Yeah, I see how this is going.” He snorts. “I didn’t ask to be on babysitting duty, you know.”

Babysitting?I was never much good at keeping my feelings off my face, and he chuckles.

“Guess who sent me, human lady, just like he sent Tru to your bedside.”

I huff and follow Daria through yet another passage with the annoying fae guard by my side, trying not to limp.

“He’s worried about you,” he says more softly. “Athdara, I mean.”

I roll my eyes.Just use his name, I mouth.

“Nobody is allowed to use his true name,” Arkin says, slowing his strides to match my pace, “except for his close friends.”

I frown.Isn’t itJaien?

Arkin stops. His reddish brows go up. Then he catches up with me in one huge stride. “Right. Jaien.”

“My friends call me Jai,”that’s what he told me, but I’m not his friend. Then again… I finally huff a laugh. He only told it to a mute girl who can’t repeat it to anyone else.

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