Page 89 of Between Despair and Hope

Emma was being much more patient with him than I would have been.

“When Dewalt came to me at the Cascade, I thought the two of you had discussed it.” The tone he used as he changed the subject told me our conversation about Emma was finished, but he seemed to hold genuine concern.

“He sprang it on me just a few minutes before that.”

“Shit. Why would he do that?”

“Things were—I’ll spare you the details, but things had been off since Mairin came around.”

“Was Dewalt right?”

“That she has feelings for me? I don’t know. I doubt it.”

Considering I thought she was avoiding me, it seemed Dewalt was wrong.

“Perhaps it’s something to discuss with her on this trip,” he said.

I sighed, standing from my seat. “Where are we going? I don’t even know—”

“Northeast of Olistos.”

“Divine hell, that far?”

“Brenna is coming with theNetarito Northport. She’ll wait there until after the coronation.”

“Why theNetari? Do you expect trouble?”

“We’re sending a dragon with you, and theNetariis the fastest ship with room for it.”

“And you think this is worth it? Asking the merrows for help?”

“If they say yes, they’d be invaluable.”

“I suppose I don’t understand. How are they supposed to stop the ships from crossing?”

“The Sea Queen.”

I snorted. “The Sea Queen?”

“According to Mairin, she truly exists.”

“Existed. Dead. Gone. Ancient.”

“I suppose you’ll have to ask her about it, considering what she told me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Mairin is the last daughter of the Seaborn Queen.”

Sterling met me at the door, letting me in with haste, the frigid wind carrying snow into the estate and whipping my cloak around me. I hadn’t been here since I’d returned from Folterra, and I was kicking myself for it now. I’d wanted to give Rainier and Emma plenty of time to adjust as a family, though my brother was clearly wasting that time.

Emma had invited me over to meet Elora last week, but both Dewalt and Mairin were invited—I didn’t want to deal with them both at the same time. It was cowardly, and I’d made an excuse. I glimpsed myself in the gilded mirror in the entryway as I marched toward the stairs. Snowflakes melting in my curls, they glistened, and I was grateful I didn’t look more windswept.

I hoped to sneak in and speak to the merrow and leave before anyone knew I was there. Quietly running up the stairs, I heard humming from the room I knew Emma had reserved for Elora, and I stopped, undecided about what I should do. It would be quite rude to not introduce myself, but I wasn’t sure if Emma or Rainier would want to be here for it. They’d been quite protective of her, understandably, and I didn’t want to cross any lines. It was stupid of me to even come. It was possible Mairin wasn’t even here. Slowly, I eased backward toward the steps, when a sweet voice rang out.

“Mama? You’re back early. Good. I need my charcoals from downstairs, and since you won’t let me go downstairs…Mama?”

Well, now’s as good of time as any.

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