Page 79 of Enchantment of Silver and Sea
I realized with horror that I was still standing. I dropped to the tile in a low bow. The movement was so abrupt that I slammed both knees harder than I had intended, and I bit my lip against the pain.
Larimar’s opaque eyes beheld me. Suddenly even Kieran felt wildly expressive and easy to read by comparison. “I told you when we met by the shore,” they said. “I cannot interfere in conflicts between humans.”
“I completely understand,” I said. “I’m not asking for you to interfere in a human conflict necessarily. The thing is, I learned that I’m a Conductor. Which I guess is what my people are calling it when a human can borrow magic temporarily.” Wait a second. “You already knew that, though, didn’t you?”
Larimar nodded once in affirmation.
“Then I guess maybe you already know where I’m going with this,” I mumbled, looking down at the side of the porcelain tub. I didn’t have it in me to continue looking them in the eye.
“Correct,” Larimar said simply. “You want me to lend you my powers so that you can assist the, as the citizens of your city refer to them, ‘Strangers,’ in their present siege of your city.”
My eyes snapped back up, my embarrassment temporarily forgotten. “What do you mean by ‘present siege?’”
There was a pause. “You are unaware, then, of the battle that is taking place on the eastern shore of Cyllene.”
I swallowed. “Yes, completely unaware. Please tell me, what battle?”
“The ‘Strangers’ are attempting to enter Cyllene from the water. Their understanding is that this is the weakest point ofentry. The citizens that your city calls ‘Enforcers’ are defending Cyllene against the attack.”
I thought I had experienced enough shocking revelations to last a lifetime. Yet here was another one.
The marsh wolf skins. The cave devil weapons. The Leviathan scales that would have made impenetrable, waterproof shields. All things that would allow the Strangers to approach and invade, undetected until the last minute, from the ocean.
I dropped my head into my hands and let out a sigh of frustration.
As expected, Larimar remained silent. Then, unexpectedly, “What is that liquid?”
Larimar was pointing their fin at the small jar sitting on the edge of the tub.
I stood immediately and grabbed it. Turning the shower head away from us, I held the container out in both hands for Larimar to inspect.
“This is bubble bath,” I explained. “It’s meant to have a pleasant scent. This one is lavender.”
Larimar tilted their head to the side. Waiting. For what?
Oh. A demonstration.
Without another word, I unscrewed the lid and dumped some of the contents of the bottle just below the spray from the shower. It didn’t take long for thick, purplish foam to begin forming.
The bubble bath, yet another rare luxury that Brielle had gifted me, had only been used once or twice. Luxuriating in a bath wasn’t really my thing. As I breathed in the sweet scent of lavender, I tried to imagine what Brielle’s reaction wouldbe if she knew it had been used in the presence of an ancient, intimidating, and apparently curious water spirit.
Larimar knelt and cupped a mound of light purple bubbles in their fin-like hands. As they stood, some of the bubbles floated into the air. Larimar’s gaze followed the bubbles’ path.
I hadn’t thought it was possible for this encounter to become more absurd. Yet here we were.
“You can have it if you want,” I said lamely, holding out the still half-full jar.
“I have no use for bubble bath,” Larimar said, even as they examined the bubbles again. While Larimar did what I could only describe as poking a few bubbles with their pearly fins, I shut off the shower to keep the tub from overflowing. The quiet that followed only added to the awkwardness.
After a moment, Larimar stood up straight and directed their full attention toward me again. “You were not aware of the conflict taking place. What, then, do you need my magic for?”
“TheEnforcershave detained both me and Kieran. My room is being guarded as we speak. And I know it’s worse for Kieran. They’re probably…” I struggled to finish the sentence. “They’re probably torturing him.”
If Larimar knew anything about that, they did not let on. “What is it that you wish to do?” they asked.
“I wish,” I began. “To have enough magic that I can disarm the Enforcers. Not kill them or seriously hurt them, but just temporarily disarm and disable them. And then I need to break Kieran out of wherever they’re holding him and get him to safety.”
Although Larimar wore no expression, they tilted their head again. I was beginning to understand that they did this in the same manner that humans did, when considering. “Kieran’s companions are currently engaged in conflict. What of that?”
