Page 12 of Taken By the Storm King

“Tell me about Earth,” he said, cutting into my thoughts. “A good memory.”

I set down my fork, grateful for the distraction. “When I was little, maybe six or seven, my sister Sarah and I snuck out one night to watch the meteor shower. We weren’t supposed to be outside after dark---the air quality wasn’t great back then. But Sarah said shooting stars were worth breaking rules for.”

Thalassar leaned forward. “Did you get caught?”

“Oh yeah. Mom was furious.” I smiled at the memory. “But Sarah just looked her dead in the eye and said ‘Sometimes magic is more important than rules.’ Mom couldn’t even argue with that.”

“Is Sarah one of the women you’re trying to contact?”

My smile faded. “No. She… she died. Then I went into hibernation, like the rest of the humans on our ship. We slept through the journey… and now I’m here, not knowing how many years I’ve lost.”

Thalassar’s hand covered mine on the table. His palm felt warm against my skin, his scales smooth where they brushed my wrist. “I’m sorry.”

I pulled my hand away, pretending to reach for my drink. His touch sent sparks through my body, and I couldn’t deal with that right now. Not when my team might be in danger.

“Actually, you remind me a bit of her,” I said. “She never backed down from what she believed in either.”

His fingers traced the ridged patterns that armored his forearm. “Do you want to learn about the time I tried to avoid the harvest dance?”

I grabbed onto the change of subject. “You? Avoiding tradition? I’m shocked.”

“I was very young,” he said. “And very convinced that dancing was beneath my dignity as future king.”

“What did you do?”

“I ran away to the underwater grottos.” His lips curved up. “I thought no one would find me there.”

“But they did?”

“My mother.” He shook his head. “She didn’t drag me back, though. She sat with me in that grotto for hours, telling me stories about all the rulers of the past who had danced at harvest. How it connected us to our people, to the land itself.”

“Did it work?”

“No. But then she said if I didn’t dance, she would tell everyone about the time I got stuck in a coral formation because I was chasing fish.”

I laughed despite myself. “You didn’t.”

“I did. I was convinced I could catch them in my mouth like the sea birds do.” He grinned. “I was a very determined child.”

“So you danced?”

“I danced. Badly. But my people loved it anyway.” His expression softened. “My mother said that’s what made me a good leader---being willing to look foolish for my people’s sake.”

A comfortable silence fell between us. I found myself studying the way the pearl-light played across his scales, how it shimmered in his hair. The memory of our kiss flashed through my mind again, and warmth spread through my chest.

He caught me staring and held my gaze, then pressed a small button on the table. Within moments, a warrior entered and knelt beside his chair. Thalassar spoke to him in their musical language, his tone carrying authority despite its gentleness.

The warrior stood, bowed deeply, and left.

“What was that about?” I asked.

“I’ve sent scouts to where your team was last seen,” he said. “They’ll bring back word of your friends.”

My throat tightened. “Thank you.”

He stood and walked around the table, extending his hand to me. “Care to learn the harvest dance?”

“What?”

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