Page 92 of A Forgery of Fate

“It’s been many years since I have come to these waters,” said Haidi, surveying the state of the castle. Her face was plain, but her eyes were round and ancient like the moon. “Things have changed.”

“I must apologize for this urgent appeal,” said Elang. “We would not wish to involve you in the affairs of dragons,but—”

“But there was no choice. I understand.” Haidi nodded. Her long fingers were webbed, and gossamer silk spun out of the rings on her fingers, arcing over her umber-gold fins. “In truth, I also wanted to meet your wife.”

I became aware of the gentlest pressure from Elang’s hand on the small of my back. When had he gotten so close?

“Your…Your Majesty,” I stumbled. “You honor Yonsar with your presence. I am Truyan Saigas.”

Queen Haidi touched my chin, lifting it. “The mortal who’s captured Elangui’s heartless heart,” she murmured. “You’re the talk of Ai’long, Lady Saigas. Come, I want to hear more about how you accomplished the impossible.”

She turned, and her long tresses fluttered as if beckoning for us to follow. Elang saw me into the carriage, then took his seat at my side. Together, we trailed the queen and her guards past the castle grounds.

Once we entered the open seas, Haidi blew into the water. A low keen passed through her lips, and the sound drew a ring of ripples that crystallized into a flat and lucent pool.

“I will pass first,” she spoke. “It goes against King Nazayun’s decree to welcome you to my realm…but there’s no rule that I cannot leave the gateway open.”

With that, a wrinkle of silvery sea unfolded before us, and we followed her into its mysterious depths.

Chapter Twenty-Six

It was like stepping into a dream. The water was bluer than the richest indigo, and it was warm! I’d gotten so used to Yonsar’s wintry bite that I’d forgotten what it was like to not be constantly shivering. Below the carriage, the gray rock beds had become plains of vibrant green algae, and shoals of little fish poked in and out, flurrying about in darts of color. This much was exciting enough, after so many long days shrouded in gloom. I’d forgotten Elang’s presence next to me when he suddenly tugged on my sleeve, pointing.

“Look there, a pod of flash whales.”

I glanced to the left just in time to see a pair of white-streaked whales gliding below us. They were enormous, as long as Dattu Street. Our clamshell carriage rumbled from the vibrations they made in the water, and I jutted my head out to keep watching them.

“They’re incredible,” I breathed. “Did you see how they swim? Like they’re dancing.”

Elang actually smiled. Then he faced forward again, assuming his usual solemnity. “We’re nearly at Nanhira. It will be a more pleasant experience for you than Yonsar.”

I heard the thickness in his tone. “Yonsar isn’t so bad. It has its charms.”

“But it’s gray.”

Like his eye, I thought. “Gray is the color of truth. The same in art as it is in life, nothing is ever as black and white as it looks.”

Elang regarded me, taking a long moment before he responded, “Well said.”

He inclined his chin, diverting my attention to the city ahead. “There it is, the Veiled Realm of the Merfolk.”

Framed by a lush kelp forest, Nanhira was a colossus of crystal and marble. And the energy! Schools of fish fluttered, their fins dancing like dragonflies, and the sea anemones flowered their colorful tentacles when we passed. As the carriage picked up speed, I lost count of how many arched bridges we swooped over and under. Merfolk sped down the highways, riding dolphins and whales and turtles, many laughing and shouting out to greet their queen.

At the end of our journey was the palace. The walls shone a creamy pearl, and each door was inlaid with subtle jade carvings. It was plain, compared to the magnificent spiraling towers and shell-bricked villas outside, but upon entering, I felt more serene than I had in days.

Elang escorted me out of the carriage, and the guards led us to a receiving chamber. There we were seated at a wide coral table studded with colorful anemones, and I was offered Red Hearts tea, a specialty of the realm. According to Queen Haidi, its leaves grew at the bottom of a red canyon and could only be cut with magical scissors. I inhaled, savoring its rich aroma, until I glanced at Elang, who hadn’t been offered a taste.

“You may drink without unease,” Queen Haidi said, taking the seat across from us. “To mortals, Red Hearts tea is floral and light, whereas immortals find it earthy and aromatic. I would offer your husband a cup, but—”

“He is not permitted?” I guessed.

Haidi gave a guarded smile. “I am not a god, Lady Saigas. My tea is not restricted to divine palates. I merely withhold a cup because he’s had a taste before and did not find it to his liking. A story I’d best leave to your Elangui.”

My Elangui.

At the invitation, Elang leaned forward, wearing the charming facade I’d seen him put on for Governor Renhai and my family. “It was in this very room that I met Her Majesty,” he recounted. “We sat at this same table.” He folded his arms over the surface. “A rare and ancient coral, beautiful upon first glance—but be wary of its anemones. They’ll sting if they don’t like you.”

“You sound like you have experience,” I said mildly.

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