Page 50 of Secrets Among the Tides
“Anything, dearest.”
I looked around, leaned down and whispered, “Do you know where I can find the merman they call the Black Blade?”
The merman’s shoulders tensed, his smile dying quickly. He looked me up and down, took in the richness of the dress and cloak, the diamonds I’d worn at my throat. He took in my every detail before sniffing. “Can’t say that I know what you’re talking about. Now get, I’m about to close shop.” I blinked at that sudden abruptness and hurriedly swam out as he waved me away and then closed the doors to his store, turning the sign from ‘Open’ to ‘Closed’.
How odd, his behavior. I went to the next store. The owner was an older mermaid with brightly colored hair threaded through with white. There, it was much of the same thing. She was all smiles until I mentioned the Black Blade and then she was ushering me out and closing the doors behind me.
And it happened in every store I visited.
Whatwas going on here?
Unease bent through me and my fin throbbed as I swam further through the city. Some mer, as if sensing what I wanted, slammed their doors before I could make it inside to talk to them. What were they so afraid of? The Black Blade? Or me?
I was about to turn back around and go back to the castle. I’d been a fool to think I could find him, to think that I could ever have someone in my corner, confide in anyone. I was on my own, and I didn’t even think I had the right to be sad, to want to vent out my frustrations. I’d signed up for this, after all.
I turned slowly when the sudden hands tightening on my upper arms startled me into opening my mouth to scream. A hand clamped over my mouth before that could happen and before I knew it, I was being dragged between two buildings, hidden from the eyes of the public.
I thrashed my tail, trying to fight off my attacker. My hood fell down with my movements, and more panic surged through me. If my attacker hadn’t known who I was, they would now. A sob rose in my throat as I was brought crashing onto a hard body.
“When you go searching for an outlaw,” a voice began in my ear, “you do not ask for them by their name, little fish.”
The hands that held me loosened their grip and I whipped around to stare into familiar dark, dangerous eyes. Elias Blackfin, the Black Blade was leaning against the wall behind him, but his hands were hovering over my upper arms. His lip twitched into a smile that was mocking. And even if I wanted to punch the look from his face, I couldn’t help the relief and joy that surged through me at the sight of him.
“I knew you’d come looking for me eventually.”
His voice was so cocky, so sure, and everything that had happened these last few days came over me in one overwhelming shove. I couldn’t help the sob that rose in my chest or tore out of my throat. I couldn’t help the tears that flowed freely from my eyes. I couldn’t help any of it.
I threw myself into the Black Blade’s arms.
And I wept.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Elias
SHE WAS GLARING ONE MOMENT ANDwithin the next, tears were spilling from her eyes and she was throwing herself into my arms. Her hug was crushing, and I was all too eager to keep her in place. She buried her face into the dark shirt of my tunic, and I held her there with one hand, the other skirting around her waist. Sobs racked her body and something inside of me clenched.
“There, there, little fish.” I pressed a soft kiss of comfort on top of her head. “Who has wronged you?” I’d kill whoever had hurt her without blinking twice. I did not like to see a lady cry. It crippled me.
She sniffled and pulled away, but her fingers were still fisted at my shirt. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t come here to weep all over you.”
I almost told her it was alright, that she could weep all she wanted. I liked her there, pressed up against my chest, showing a vulnerability she’d tried to hide the night we first met. Before I could say anything in response, she was pulling away and wiping away at her tears. Ever strong and fierce, as she looked up at me.
“I’ve been looking for you,” she said.
I smiled. “I know, little fish. So I was told. Take more caution around this part of Eramaea. Though the mer know I am here, they don’t use my name. It would bring soldiers straight to their shop doors. Now—” I broke off and looked around. “Let’s go somewhere more private so we can talk, yeah?”
She complied and didn’t protest when I slipped my fingers into hers and pulled her deeper into the alley and through an opened door. I closed it behind us and pulled her into the comforts of a small home. She stopped by the door and looked around at the place.
“Is this yours?” she asked. Her eyes glued to the décor. It was rather bare, a small couch, a table and clutter.
“This is the back room used for storage,” I replied, guiding her to the couch and sitting her there. “It’s not mine, but the owner let’s me use it on occasion.”
I perched myself on the edge of the table across from her. “Now, tell the Black Blade all of your troubles.”
She glared at me. “Don’t mock me,” she snapped.
“I would never do such a thing.” I smiled. Anger was better than sadness, and if I could rile enough emotion out of her, she’d forget she was ever sad in the first place.
