Page 138 of Of Rime and Ruin
The water is packed with panicking fish. They swarm through the gap between the mountains, scales flashing as they flick their frantic tails, crowding my view.
Their eyes whiten as they spot me, but otherwise they pay me no mind. Irritation crawls up my spine. Predators scare fish away, every damn time. But as I kick my feet and flail my arms, moving sluggishly through the water, they ignore me. Indifferent to my presence. Focused on escaping a threat far stronger than me.
My skin crawls at the touch of cold water, like a warm-blooded guppy who hasn’t grown into his scales. Useless.
Fuck.I’ve lost my touch. I can’t find her scent. Can’t hear her screams. I can’t frighten a fucking silverfish. How can I fight a clawbeast in this weak body? No claws. No teeth. No tail. Nothing but my soft siren skin and an abhorrent amount of delusion.
I grit my teeth, clench my abdomen, and kick. I’ll figure something out. I have to. I’m the fucking King of Frost, this ismydomain, I am its protector, and I won’t abandon Nahla over a bite of cold.
It’s my fault she’s been captured. My fault she left to begin with. I tried to protect her, to protect my kingdom, and she ran.
I force my way through the frantic crowd of sea life as dread twists in my throat.
What else should I have done? My people were dying, and I had to protect them, as a king should. I rid them of their villain.
I push my body harder. Kick faster. Regret roils me, its sour tinge coating my tongue. I was misguided and oblivious, and I chose wrong. I picked the wrong villain, my kingdom is vulnerable, and I could lose Nahla forever.
Water churns behind me, and I turn—a lone Frost Guard plunges into the Rime. He’s equipped to the gills. Knives are sheathed at his hips. Leather armor encloses his chest, too large for his small frame. His tail is damaged at the end, where half of his fin is missing.
As the bubbles clear, I recognize the young guard’s face. Perrin.
My stomach drops. What is he doing here? I should warn him of the danger. The clawbeast is out there somewhere, and he could get hurt. Or worse.
The young guard orients himself in the water, twisting upright with a flick of his tail. The damaged flesh of his tailfin hangs loosely, frayed around the scar my magic left behind.
My throat tightens. I did that. I’ve already hurt him.
He swims forward, a fierce set to his expression, heading for the gap between the mountains.
“What are you doing?” I grab Perrin’s forearm, stopping him.
“Saving Nahla, Sire. I saw the clawbeast take her.” His whiskers twitch, and he flicks his gaze over my useless, naked form. “I thought you’re afraid of the water.”
Annoyance warms the tips of my ears, but I ignore his comment. “You shouldn’t be here. It’s not safe.”
He pulls out of my grip. “Yeah, and Nahla’s out there. I’m her rescue party.”
“Go back,” I snap.
“But Deirdre would kill me,” he whines.
“Theclawbeastwill fucking kill you!”
“You don’t have to protect me, Your Majesty. I’m a Frost Guard, remember? I protectyou.” He puffs out his chest, touching his gills in a sign of respect.
I swallow hard. Perrin’s got his shit together more than I do, it seems. Such bravery. Such innocence. He’s the best of us all, through and through.
He narrows his eyes as our silence stretches. “Here.” He unhooks a knife from his belt and presses it into my hands. I curl my fingers around the bone shaft. “We’re wasting time. Are you coming or not?”
I push the knife away. “No, you keep that. I have magic.”
He flares his nostrils, inhaling before he nods and sheathes the blade. “This way.” With a kick of his tail, Perrin speeds into the fray of fish, leaving me to flounder.
Fuck.
I stir the magic in my belly with a quick spell and pray to the goddess this works. Summoning two blades of ice, I spin them at each of my hands with a push of my magic. Water stirs. My body propels forward, and I chase Perrin between the mountains.
We swim out of Frost Kingdom territory and into the open sea. I ignore the eerie rise in my scales, and the significance of this moment passes without consequence. I can’t remember the last time I left the Rime. My sight-pool doesn’t reach this far, and without good enough reason to risk it, I haven’t dared venture out of my domain.
