Page 25 of Seas and Scepters

And for the first time since my father had raised his trident and transformed me, I felt truly, completely whole.

Chapter Eight

Eirik

"A siren," I said aloud, tasting the word as we hurried through the winding back streets of the city.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows between the buildings, providing welcome cover as we made our way toward the harbor.Selene walked close beside me, her head covered with a simple hood to conceal her distinctive silver-white hair.We had changed into nondescript clothing—dark, well-worn garments that helped us blend with the common folk.

"Yes," she replied quietly."Though less of one with each passing day."

I glanced at her, studying the face I had come to love.Was it different now that I knew the truth?Did her eyes seem more otherworldly, her movements more fluid, her beauty more dangerous?

No.She was still Selene.Still the woman who had looked past my scars, who had chosen her own death over mine, who had revealed her true nature at the cost of her future.

"It explains much," I said, guiding her around a corner as a patrol of palace guards marched past the end of the street."The way you speak sometimes, as if common customs are foreign to you.Your connection to the sea."I smiled despite our precarious situation."Your singing voice."

She shot me a sharp look."You've never heard my true voice, Eirik.The one that calls men to their deaths."

"And I never will, thanks to these."I touched the scars that marked the left side of my face.For the first time since the attack that had given them to me, I felt a surge of gratitude for their existence.Without them, I would have died that night on the dark sea, another victim of a siren's song.Without them, I never would have met Selene.

"No," she agreed."The protection is absolute.That's why my father's curse was so cruelly perfect—the only way I could return to the sea was to kill you with my own hands, not my song."

We fell silent as we passed a group of merchants engaged in animated discussion.From their words, I gathered that news of my absence from the cathedral had spread through the city like wildfire.Theories abounded—I had fallen ill, been kidnapped, or most dramatically, been murdered by political rivals.No one seemed to have considered the simple truth: that I had chosen love over an arranged marriage with a woman for whom I felt nothing except for pity.

"My father will be furious," I murmured once we were alone again."The alliance with Astoria has been years in the making.To have it collapse on the wedding day itself..."

"Do you regret it?"Selene asked, her voice soft.

I stopped walking and turned to face her, uncaring of who might see us in that moment."Not for a single breath," I said firmly."I regret the pain my actions will cause others—Astrid deserved better, and the diplomatic consequences will be significant.But choosing you?That I could never regret."

Relief softened her features."Even knowing what I am?What I've done?"

"Especially knowing that," I said."You chose to spare me when it meant sacrificing everything you knew.How could I do any less for you?"

She leaned forward and pressed a swift kiss to my lips before pulling back, mindful of our surroundings."We should keep moving.Your father's men will be searching for you by now."

She was right.We needed to reach the docks, secure passage on a ship heading south along the coast, and be well away from the city before the king's guard thought to look for us there.But first, there was another destination we needed to visit.

"This way," I said, leading her toward a narrow alley that few knew existed."There's a passage here that leads directly to the palace libraries.If we're going to find Morgana, we'll need more information than children's tales and sailors' superstitions."

"The palace?"Selene's eyes widened."But that's the first place they'll look for you."

"Precisely why it's the last place they'll expect me to go," I countered."Besides, the confusion of the abandoned wedding will work to our advantage.The guards will be deployed throughout the city, the nobles will be demanding explanations, and my father will be locked in emergency councils with his advisors."

The secret passage was hidden behind a weathered door that appeared to lead to a storage cellar.I had discovered it years ago during my boyhood explorations of the city and had used it countless times when I wished to slip away from my royal duties unnoticed.The tunnel was damp and narrow, forcing us to walk single file through the darkness, guided only by the small lantern I had purchased from a street vendor.

"The royal family has maintained these passages for generations," I explained as we made our way through the underground labyrinth."They were built as escape routes in case of siege or rebellion, but over time, they've become useful for more...mundane purposes."

"Such as princes sneaking out to visit brothels?"Selene asked, a hint of teasing in her voice.

I chuckled."Among other things.My father used them to visit my mother secretly during their courtship, before their marriage was formally arranged.And I suspect my grandfather used them for far less noble pursuits."

The passage grew steeper, and I reached back to take Selene's hand, helping her navigate the uneven stone steps.Her fingers felt cool in mine, reminding me of her true nature.How strange that I had never noticed that subtle difference before—the slight chill of her skin, as if she carried the ocean's depths within her.

"Tell me more about your father," I said as we climbed."King Nereon of the seas, you called him."

Selene was silent for so long that I wondered if she had heard me.When she finally spoke, her voice echoed oddly in the confined space.

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