Page 37 of Beneath the Haunting Sea

Guilt and excitement tangled up inside of her, and she finallyglanced over at Wen.

Caiden looked at him, too. “If it’s all right with my little brother, of course.”

It was a challenge, and Wen lifted his eyes to meet Caiden’s. “You’ll do whatever you wish, without regard to me, or anyone. Just like you always do.”

Caiden held his gaze for a moment, and then laughed. “That’s a rather harsh assessment of my character.”

“But an accurate one.”

Caiden shrugged.“We’ll have to let Miss Dahl-Saida decide for herself.” He rose from his seat and bowed, smiling at her. “Until tomorrow, then. I’ve more work to do this evening.”

She smiled back. “Until tomorrow.”

And then he was gone, and she was alone with her fiancé.

Wen didn’t say anything to her, and she didn’t say anything to him. She sipped wine for a few uncomfortable moments before excusing herselfand retreating upstairs.

She opened the window in her room, leaning her arms on the sill and breathing in the cold, briny air.

Was there something to what Caiden had said? Should she really attempt to return to Enduena and reclaim her homeland? He’d said Ryn would stand behind her—did that mean him?

From the depths of the house she heard the distant threads of melody: Wen, playing in the musicroom. His song was less eerie than that of the sea, but it held more sorrow.

If Talia wanted to see what the Baron was hiding up in the library, she was going to have to get hold of Ahned’s keys. She shadowed the Baron’s steward all the next morning, a host of excuses ready if he caught her following him.

She used the first one when he came up from the wine cellar and spotted her in the hall:“I’ve been looking for Dairon or one of the maids. I need a cup of tea.”

He frowned at her. “Breakfast will be served in half an hour, Miss Dahl-Saida. I expect you can wait until then.” And then he continued down the corridor.

She counted to twenty, and followed.

He climbed the stairs to the Baron’s tower suite, and Talia hid in an alcove, peering around the corner while he knocked on thedoor.

“My lord?”

She heard the Baron’s muffled voice from inside the room. “How is the sea, today?”

“It runs very quiet, my lord.”

“And the temple?”

Talia pressed her fingernails into the worn wood paneling, listening intently. Did he mean the door under the hill?

“Locked safe, my lord.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, my lord. Shall I bring up your tea?”

“I’ll take it with my son this morning.”

“Then I shall send Master Caiden up at once, my lord.”

Talia ducked into the alcove again, flattening herself against the wall and tensing as Ahned walked by. This time she counted to twenty-five before going after him.

The steward went down to the kitchen, where he began to prepare his master’s tea. He filled a kettle and put it on the stove to boil, laid china out on a silver tray.

And then—toTalia’s surprise and triumph—he took the ring of keys from his belt and hung it up on a little nail inside the china cupboard. She couldn’t believe her luck.

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