Page 103 of The Court of Secrets
We needed one of them to kill the necromancer, but preferably both. We were going up against an ancient entity with no real knowing if our plan would work. The Dagger as backup wouldn’t be the worst idea. “Aqugar’s taking his time.”
“He could be anywhere.”
Blaise had danced magic through the water an hour before. I watched the blue sparks leave him and enter the water, then move through the waves before they disappeared. He had called to the mer king, and I hoped it had reached him. In the distance, I watched as icebergs appeared to melt into the sea. Without them, I couldn’t tell where the sea ended and the sky began.
Blaise side-eyed at me. “It’s a reverse mirage.” His smoky eyes widened as he watched out at the starless night sky. “The air is colder than the sea. It’s rare, but it’s happened before. Look.” The ships at the port to the west appeared much smaller than they had when we’d arrived. The icebergs, I noticed, hadn’t disappeared but were a fraction of the size, looking to be much farther away.
I smiled, feeling the cold air circle into my lungs as I took a deep breath in. “Not many things shock me, but nature fails to surprise me.”
He nodded and turned his attention back to the lapping waters. “Are you ready for this?”
I looked at him incredulously, tucking my hands further into my sleeves. “For you not to be in pain anymore? Of course.”
He exhaled a chuckle, fogging the air in front of his face. “I mean to have every part of me.”
I half-smirked. “I thought I already did.”
He gazed upward and became lost in the starlight and crescent moon. “I’m looking forward to enjoying the freedom in loving you.”
Of course it felt like a cage to him. There was no freedom in loving me now, only pain. Something splashed in the waters. I hadn’t noticed the large tail until it crashed into the surface of the water, sprinkling icy droplets ashore.
Water coursed down his barrel chest and muscular arms when he emerged. The coral crown on his head was colored with oranges and reds, darkening the crimson in his compassionless stare. Hair made from green weeds, as if just plucked from the depths, slicked against the curve of his jaw and diamond-shaped face. His pointed teeth could be seen under the light of the moon in perfect clarity. “Do you have them?”
My gaze narrowed. He had sunk one of my ships, filled with eighty-four of my men, causing devastation to their families. I hated him, but he wasn’t human, and I wasn’t sure why I’d expected him to act as so. “You gave me a year,” I scowled.
“I feared you needed a nudge.”
My fist balled, but I uncurled my fingers, reminding myself we needed him. For now.
“We have them.” Blaise unfolded the corners of the brown cloth, showing the Amulet of Viribus, Dagger of Ruin, and Ring of Immortalem. Next to them, the largest Object of all, the Sword of Impervius, glimmered beneath the moonlight. We didn’t dare touch it. They all held curses and Blaise and Aqugar were living proof of how dangerous those curses could be.
“Give us the Crown of Discieti,” I commanded, holding my head high. I knew he expected us to hand the Objects over to him.
“No. You were to hand them to me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, huddling pockets of warmth. “From where I’m standing, we hold the leverage.
His voice rumbled like thunder. “That was not the agreement.”
“I don’t care!” I shouted over his tempered words. “We don’t trust you to give them back, and they are ours. What do you have to lose by giving us the Crown?”
He growled. “It’s mine.”
“You can have it back for all I care.” I hissed the lie between my teeth. “We won’t betray you because we want the curses broken as much as you. We will perform the ritual here.”
His thin nostrils flared. “Do you have what is needed?” A snarl curled his thin lips, and I looked to Blaise.
“Do we?”
Blaise gave one curt nod.
“Then yes,” I replied.
His gaze shifted to Blaise, who looked statuesque under the white illumination. Ice had frozen his jet-black hair at its ends. The Crown, secured in place, was lost amongst a sea of dark waves.
“Where is the body?” Aqugar asked.
My eyes widened. “Body?”
