Page 112 of Oceansong
Angie was fading, flashes of black burst into her vision.
She pressed both hands under her breasts, pushing down the pain. She sucked in another gulp of water, retching at the briny taste and gritty texture.
Tian, she could use one, or three or four of those damned air bubbles right now.
The cell door swung open and a pair of hands grabbed her, pressing strong fingers on both sides of her jaw and forcing her mouth open. The touch of lips came next, and then a rush of soothing breath from their throat to hers.
The world cleared and her breathing resumed. Angie’s head still pounded, but she lived. Her eyes met Kaden’s, his hands still clutching her shoulders as he floated above her. She gasped in relief, putting both hands on his chest.
“Kaden. Oh, I’m so glad it’s you.” Her head tilted back to rest on the floor.
He touched her cheek. “I feared I was too late.” His words came out rushed and panicked. “I couldn’t escape the infirmary any sooner.”
“No, I’m sorry too. I didn’t expect my dad and brother-in-law to be there, waiting.” Her eyelids burned with hot tears, and she released them, letting the sea wash them. “I didn’t know.”
“I know you didn’t.” Kaden’s easy chuckle was a sweet harmony to her ears. He pressed his forehead to hers, and Angie curled her fingers around the back of his hand.
“Then why am I being kept here?”
He moved his head back, his features grim. “My mother still had her reservations about you. So she sent two sentinels shortly after us to keep an eye on me. They saw me return to the sea with a bleeding tail, and after sending me to the infirmary, reported to her that you had led me into an ambush.”
“You have to tell her it was a mistake. Have you talked to her?”
“I will. Now that I know you’re okay. I heard rumors about a landwalker in our prisons. Somehow, I knew it was you.”
She raised a hand and brushed a lock of hair from his face. “There wasa maelstrom. I thought you said your mother was bedbound?”
He fiddled with her fingers, still entwined with his. “She recovered much faster than I expected. A blessing from the Sea Goddess, perhaps. And, I visited Cyrus. He lives, though I suspect his consciousness is elsewhere.”
“Thanks for the update. Will he recover?” Angie watched him carefully, waiting for his answer.
“Yes, but it will take some time. Three tidesyears. One for every tidesday that your people trapped him and drained him of his magic.” He rolled his lips between his teeth. “Our energies are not meant to be drained so quickly.”
“Three years. I’m so sorry.” Angie shook her head.
“The healers will take good care of him. Thank you for keeping your word.” His gaze locked on something behind her head, and he let go of her. “The sentinels are here. Stay alive, and I’ll come back for you as soon as I can.”
“Stay alive, huh? I’ll do my best.”
His fingers peeled away from hers as he swam out of the cell. She rolled so she faced the door, both hands flying to cover her mouth when the mer-queen approached, flanked by two armed sentinels, cutting Kaden off.
Serapha faced her first, then sent a glare set on fire to Kaden, her fists and torso held tight, as if stopping herself from strangling him with her bare hands. “Kaden.” Her voice trailed out in a low growl, like her son’s name was a word she had to force out. “What are you doing here? This landwalker tried to have you killed.”
“Mother.” Kaden held up a hand. “She is innocent and brought your message to her father, but they were awaiting us at the shore. The bottle was lost while she tried to save me. I bled too much to try to retrieve it.”
“I knew I didn’t have a good feeling about her, but I took yours and Adrielle’s word for it because Cyrus was in danger. How do you think those landwalkers knew exactly where to await the two of you?”
The thunder in Serapha’s tone struck fear into Angie’s core.
“Aurora told them! The mermaid that was trapped with Cyrus,” Angie burst out.
“You expect me to believe that one of ours would turn on us, while under capture from yourrevoltingspecies?” Serapha snarled at her. “You must think me a brainless barnacle.”
Kaden said nothing, gaze unflinching as he floated eye-to-eye with her. Serapha swam upward so she towered over him. He didn’t move to meet her level.
“I want you to stay away from her. She cannot be trusted, and neithercan you, for putting your naive trust in a landwalker in the first place.” Her lips morphed into a scornful twist, the venom in her eyes pierced Angie through the chest. “I will use her to make the landwalkers back down. And you.” She jabbed a finger into his chest. “If I catch you around here again, or going near the surface, you will be exiled. Understood?”
Kaden’s arms slackened at his sides. “Wh-what?” He looked with wide, frantic eyes in Angie’s direction. “You cannot simply exile me–”
