Page 49 of Secrets Among the Tides
A fierce wave of protectiveness crashed through my chest. “Why is the Princess crying?” I hissed. I’d heard shouting earlier, though I couldn’t make out the words behind the raised voices. I could make outhisvoice clear enough.
I’d been coming to see how she was doing. I knew it was far from proper, as we were courting and it was her custom to only see me twice in a week. But to the abyss with those traditions. I wanted to see her. I wanted to see how she was, if she was still shaken up from everything that had happened. I was about to knock when I’d heard the raised voices.
I shouldn’t have tried to eavesdrop, but I had been worried. I had waited to hear crashing, fighting, so I could barge into the room and put an immediate end to it.
And now Captain Saber was in front of me and his anger was almost palpable. And I’d never wanted to drive my fist into his face more than I did now.
“What did you do to her?” I advanced, my hands tightened into fists. If he’d done anything to her, I’d pummel him to the floor.
The captain’s eyes narrowed, and he took a stroke forward. Our chests bumped together. Tension, dangerous and palpable, flowed between us. It had never flowed this hot, like a lava seam, threatening to consume us entirely.
“The Princess,” he spat, “is fine. She is distraught over being forced to have extra guards follow her. I assured her it was for her safety.”
I despised the captain with every fiber. I hadn’t thought much of him before. All he ever did was glare at me and trail behind Odele. But then that day in the gardens, when he’d pushed me aside to cover Odele’s body with his own, I noticed something between them.
Something akin to passion.
And I’d hated him ever since.
“The Princess ismybetrothed,” I reminded him. He blinked before he swam around me and started to swim away at a tight, slow pace. I swam after him, keeping up at his side. “It doesn’t seem proper that you spend so much time in her room. Even if you are her protector, there will be talk—”
The captain turned so abruptly, I startled to a stop, eyes widening as he looked at me with unconcealed fury. “Do not worry yourself unnecessarily,Majesty,” He packed as much sarcasm as he could into the word. “I would never jeopardize her reputation.”
I nodded stiffly. “Good,” I replied. “I would hate to see her suffer because of your mistakes.”
The captain usually didn’t reply to clever retorts. Today was different. His rage just kept rising. He snorted. “Do not pretend to care for her suffering. You never did before.”
“Things change.”She changed.
The captain shook his head. “Am I supposed to believe you suddenly love her?” I didn’t reply. But the answer must have been plain on my face because a moment later, the captain was pulling me forward by the collar of my Kimono so that we were close. “You do not loveOdele.”
I let loose a breath. I could easily break his fingers and leave him writhing in agony. I was not called the Dragon Prince as a term of endearment. And he would do well not to test me. I just pried his fingers from my clothes and he seemed to realize what he’d done. His eyes widened and he took a stroke back.
“How do you know how I feel?” I asked quietly. Who was he to dictate what was inside another’s heart?
He grumbled low in frustration and turned around. I didn’t bother to ask where he was going.
I didn’t care.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Maisie
ICOULDN’T STAND IT.I couldn’t stand the way the tears flowed from my eyes or the way my heart pounded like a painful gong inside my chest. I wanted to stop feeling, to tear it out of there and tuck it away. I didn’t want to care what the captain thought of me, didn’t want to dwell on what I may have ruined.
Mostly, I didn’t want to feel like a failure.
I barricaded the door and swam away from all the troubles, trying to leave them behind as I swam into the cove and out into the alley. It was broad daylight, unlike the other times I’d visited, and the reflection of pink towers shone down to illuminate the shadows. The alleyway was empty. But why had I expected it not to be? Was I starting to be so entitled that I just expected the Black Blade to be here, waiting for me? I was even starting to act as selfish as the Princess.
Shaking my head to clear my foggy brain, I swam forward and into the bustling streets of the city. Bodies pushed past me, not one apologizing. And my eyes tried to go everywhere at once. The colors of the water seemed to blend together in bright blues, pinks, purples and oranges and I tried to contain my awe as I watched a school of manta rays swim above my head, darkening the waters into shadow for a brief second.
Mer rich and poor swam about. The richer mer were sitting on top of ivory clamshell carriages, being pulled by strong hippocampus’s with long serpentine tails. Stalls and stores could be seen all around, mer with bright colored tails and impressive dress swam around.
I’d hidden my hair beneath a hooded cloak of periwinkle. I looked rich, royal, and I knew it. But I hadn’t wanted to take the time to change. I’d needed to get out of the palace as quickly as possible. I wanted to see the only other person in this city who could quite possibly even remotely understand me. The Black Blade. But where would I even begin to look for him?
I swam deeper into the city, past the rich housing and stores, past diamonds and gold and into poorer parts. Though not as lavish as the places closer to the palace, these stores were still rich in colors. The mer looked a bit more unsavory, their stalls a bit more shabby. I’d swam out without my blade for protection, too distraught to even think of bringing it. I regretted it now as I looked at the mer here.
Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, I swam up to the store of an elder merman. He was selling hippocampus riding gear. I waved to him in greeting. “Excuse me sir.” He perked up at the sight of a possible customer and smiled. “I was wonderin’ if you could help me with somethin’.” Out here, I didn’t bother hiding my accent. Out here I wasn’t the Princess, but any other mer.
