Page 15 of When the Wicked Sing
Mariana pushed herself up, pulling Aurora up with her so they were face to face. “Hear me out. The witch would defend us if we left on our own. Together, we could find Astra andsecure the amulet before the king getscloseto resurrecting his dead son.”
Aurora scoffed, pulling her hands free from Mariana’s grasp. “And you think the queen wouldn’t punish us for defying her? You’re living in a dream if you believe that,” she said, turning away.
“If we succeed, she wouldn’t dare!” Mariana quickly swam around to block her sister’s path. “Rora, we have to do something. You know it—”
“Of course I know it, Mari! But I don’t want to make a stupid choice that’ll get us both killed!”
“We won’t! We’ll protect each other, just like we planned during the meeting,” Mariana argued, desperation edging into her voice. But Aurora’s tail shifted her away, her eyes dark with turmoil.
“No. What you’re suggesting is treason. You can’t just march into enemy territory against the queen’s orders to prove a point. We all want Astra back but not at the cost of losing you.”
“And what about Astra?” Mariana’s voice trembled with raw emotion. “Are we so willing to lose her?”
Aurora’s expression was a battlefield, rage and fear warring beneath the surface. The silence between them grew heavy, fraught with unspoken fears and the weight of impossible decisions.
“I need to think,” Aurora finally whispered, her voice strained.
Mariana watched her sister swim back toward Salus, her auburn hair vanishing into the swaying kelp like a fading ember. Mariana’s fists tightened, nails digging into her palms untilshe felt the sting and her blood seeping out. She stared at the half-moon marks in her skin and the slow tendrils of crimson swirling in the current as the wounds healed.
More blood would stain the sea if she did nothing. No, it couldn’t end here.
Glancing back in the direction Aurora had gone, Mariana shot after her, weaving through the kelp and descending into the dark tunnel that led into the heart of Salus. She emerged in the bioluminescent garden where Aurora sat among the glowing flora.
Vines twisted around marble columns, their violet blossoms glowing softly in the cavern’s eternal night. Brightly colored fish swam lazily through the coral, weaving in and out of Aurora’s long hair, while crustaceans scuttled across the sand, tending to the vibrant display.
“This was her favorite spot to think,” Aurora murmured, fingers trailing through a delicate anemone. Its soft, stinging tendrils curled around her thumb, turning it a dark shade of pink. Mariana could feel the weight of her sister’s grief, a shared ache that pressed down on her heart.
Mariana settled beside her on the sand, careful to avoid the coral. She gently pulled Aurora’s hand away from the anemone, holding her fingers lightly as the pink hue faded to its natural bronze color.
“I miss her,” Aurora whispered, her voice breaking.
“Me too,” Mariana replied, meeting her sister’s sad gaze. She swallowed, then cleared her throat. “I’m sorry I suggested going against the queen’s orders. It wasn’t fair of me.”
“I want to do it.”
Mariana’s heart skipped a beat. “You want to?”
“Yes.” Aurora’s expression was suddenly resolute, her eyes burning with determination. “You’re right, Mari. Astra needs us; and the amulet can’t fall into the wrong hands.” She squeezed Mariana’s hands, her grip firm. “I need to gather supplies, and we need to rest. Tomorrow, midday, while all of Salus is asleep, we’ll meet here. Then, we’ll swim for Aurelia.”
Mariana’s breath caught in her throat. They were going to do this. “Together,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and excitement.
Aurora nodded. “Together.”
Chapter 8
Marianaliftedherheadfrom the violent waves and used her power to shift the unruly water out of the way, creating a path up to the beach. She expelled the water from her body and glanced up. A storm was brewing. Its wicked and wild head roared a short distance away. Soon, rain would fall from the dark clouds filling the early morning sky.
No market today, Mariana silently noted as she trudged through the sand toward Celeste’s home.
Aurora had everything prepared for their journey. It would take a few days to swim all the way to the fae capital city, assuming the currents didn’t shift, but Mariana was ready. This was the right choice; it had to be. Everything hinged on their success. Once they got Astra out, together, they would find the amulet and take it back home to Salus. Simple.
Mariana glanced over her shoulder as thunder cracked overhead. It wasn’t a good omen—if she believed in those things like Celeste did. Hopefully, her friend wouldn’t overthink it.
She knocked on the door and was surprised when Celeste didn’t answer.
“Hello? Celeste?” Knocking again, Mariana said in a joking tone, “Are you still sleeping?” She knocked harder, and the door swung open with abang, jolting her.
Taking a hesitant step inside, she halted. The bed was empty and rumpled, and fear gripped her heart.
