Page 40 of Midnightsong
His parents tugged on his tiny hands, and after thanking him again, disappeared inside.
Kaden watched after them, his thoughts still on Angie. He hadn’t yet brought her to this spot, but he would. His heart ached for her.
The tides turned once, twice, and Kaden made his way to the council chambers for their upcoming meeting.
This was his chance to turn the tides in his favor, get the council to listen and hopefully talk Saeryn down, and he couldn’t squander it.
The Mer-King was already inside the circular chamber when Kaden swam through the entryway, anchored around the intricately decorated, smooth, coral pillar across from him. Two empty pillars rested on either side of him for the monarchs and their high advisor. In the middle was an elaborate coral structure, shaped like two faceless merfolk passing each other beneath a sculpted tsunami like a roof over their heads.
Five additional pillars lined the walls in a curve flanking the entryway.
One by one, by seniority, Darya, Hylin, Allie, Oryma, and Alasdair took their places, stone slates in hand, anchoring themselves as Kaden and Saeryn were.
After Kaden and the councilmembers bowed their heads to one another in greeting, Darya raised a hand and commenced the conclave. “King Saeryn, Prince Kaden.” She gave them a bow of acknowledgment and the other council members followed in turn. “We all know why we’re here, so let’s begin.” She looked at her slate. “Our first order of business is allies who support a war. Alasdair?”
The merman raised his own slate, reading from it, and Kaden’s shoulders tightened. His chance was coming and he drummed his fingers against his tail.
“We have allying queendoms who support the prospect of a war, Binghai, and Haiping.” Kaden’s head jerked back at the news of Haiping supporting the war—wincing at the back of his head hitting the pillar behind him. He blinked once, twice, three times in rapid fashion as he tried to process what he heard. This was the first time he heard of their support. Wasn’t Saeryn supposed to tell him he was in talks with Cassia and Varin, as Saeryn’s supposed high advisor? Out of the corner of his eye, confoundment was painted on Saeryn’s face.
“Lastly on this topic, to my knowledge, Princess Calora of Haiping is seeking out alliances from the Southern Pacific.” Princess Calora, his cousin, and Cassia and Varin’s daughter. That was why he hadn’t seen her. “Does anyone have something to say before we move on to the next order of business?”
“Please, let’s keep going,” Saeryn said at the same time Kaden said, “I do.”
Saeryn folded his arms over his chest, but said nothing, motioning with his chin for Kaden to speak. “Starting another war with the humans would be catastrophic, noble counsel.”
“Oh?” Darya tilted her head. “Why do you say that?”
Kaden repeated the same speech he had told Saeryn. “Humans are much deadlier than we may—”
“What are you talking about?” Saeryn cut in. “There is no talk of a war. We are simply gathering intel as to who may support it should it come to that.” The rest of what Kaden wanted to say caught in his throat as Saeryn addressed the council. “Noble counsel, please excuse my nephew. He is likely still traumatized from being in the war two tidesyears ago.”
Kaden gaped at him, aghast.
“Sometimes he worries.” Saeryn shrugged, as if Kaden was nothing more than an insolent fry, he couldn’t rein in.
“I do worry! I was there when the last war happened. Uncle, you say there’s no talk of a war now, but that’s not something we should be considering.” His furious pulse pounded in his temples.
“And I am very sorry you found yourself in the midst of such horrific times.” Saeryn didn’t sound sorry. “But you must understand that as monarch, I will do what I must to protect our people.”
“We should consider more peaceful means,” Kaden tried again.
Saeryn’s features tightened and he gave the council a hard smile. “Can we move onto the next topic, please?”
What in the trenches happened?
The five council members eyed him first, and then Saeryn. “Very well.” Oryma picked up her slate, her lavender tail held stiff. “Our next and last topic for this tidesday is increasing security measures. Sentinels have caught wayward mer coming in seeking refuge for various reasons. They are coming from the North Atlantic and the Queendom of the Southern Seas, and they have been turned away, as per King Saeryn’s decree.”
Kaden waited for Oryma to finish speaking before he dissented. “My parents’ creed was to take in all who seek shelter and refuge and provide a welcoming environment for all. We cannot turn away everyone that comes to us!”
“And I decreed this because we cannot risk strangers coming in at this fraught time. We don’t know who they are, or their purpose for coming here, whether it be nefarious or innocent.” Saeryn’s tone was sharp as a shayu’s tooth. “But I will reconsider this decree once the queendom is more stable.”
Allie spoke next. “The majority agrees with this decree. We must keep our queendom safe until we have achieved more stability, even if that means we must cloister ourselves for now.”
Kaden’s tailfins curled and he raked a hand through his hair, the muscles in his arms and legs twitching. He might as well be trying to convince an immovable cliff face.
After their meeting was adjourned, Kaden followed Saeryn out the entryway. “Uncle, why did you order that we stop taking in refugees, bar the mer from traveling past seventy fathomspans, and turn around and relocate citizens beyond that?”
“I did no such thing.” Saeryn turned, blinking.
