Page 56 of Midnightsong
“I talked to the healer some tidesweeks ago. But–”
“But?” She fidgeted with her bathrobe’s belt, as if it would make him answer faster.
A sheepish frown crossed his features. “I’ve had symptoms since the past tidesyear.”
“The pastyear? When were you planning on telling me?” Her head spun and temples pulsed. “Did you not trust me? Why did you put your life on the line for me? I wish you told me you were feeling this after giving me breath so many times; we could have figured something else out!”
“I didn’t want to burden you! You had to think about school and your job. And especially since you went through something similar with your mother. You can’t be worrying about me.”
Angie’s spine stiffened as she sat ramrod straight and bit hard on the inside of her cheeks. He knew she had to watch her Mama wither away. He knew how helpless Angie felt that she couldn’t help her because she had confided in him. The sadness and fear of those years came rushing back. “You hid this from me. And you still tried to brush it off when I asked multiple times.” The timbre of her voice dropped and shook. “It makes me feel like you don’t trust me. And I’ll be honest. It hurts. A lot.”
“I’m sorry.” He reached for her, but Angie pulled her hand back, her forearm muscles twitching and growing taut.
It was too much for her to bear, and she turned her head away, unshed tears burning her eyes. She slid off her chair and without another word, strode to her room and closed the door.
Twenty-Three
Kaden
Memories of his visit with Angieflooded Kaden’s mind as he made his way into the deep sea back to Haiping. His visit was cut short, and she returned with him to the shoreline when the skies were black and dotted with glittering stars and the silvery glow of the crescent moon.
She had left him with the curtest of goodbyes.
The deeper he descended, the colder the temperatures, and the gentle pressure of the sea’s depths bore down on his body.
Where the sea had pricked icy on his skin when he dove back in, he’d reacclimated. The initial spike of cold had made him jolt and shudder. It must have been because he spent the past two tidesdays on land.
He ran his fingers through a patch of eelgrass, the last patch he would see before he reached the depths, with its sandy seafloors, vibrant corals, and seamount ranges, and he plucked a clean, bright green blade to nibble on.
The midnight zone opened her arms to him, and he paused where he was, flaring his fins and arms to keep himself in place as the currents swirled around him.
His eyes readjusted to the dark again.
While he waited for the waters to calm, his mind drifted back to Angie again, and the part of the past two tidesdays that were enjoyable.
Though he got used to moving on land with the wheeled contraption she gave him, he still felt awkward, uncoordinated. Did humans feel that way when they moved in the water, despite how comfortable they looked?
And her words were a coral polyp on the verge of blooming.
I think you would do a better job as King.
Should he do more? Try to take the throne? If only he believed in himself as much as she believed in him.
Saeryn’s words wiggled their way into his mind again like an incessant, pesky haichong—how he was always meant to be in Cyrus’ shadow.
With those words and memories in mind, he struggled with the notion he had to lead, and something in his gut squelched, like the seafloor and crustaceans were trying to burrow inside.
How could he? He didn’t have any experience with leading anything or anyone. The feelings of unworthiness returned like a maelstrom, sucking in any thoughts of being king. He wasn’t good enough. He didn’t deserve the throne.
His surroundings were growing clearer, but he wasn’t there yet. Kaden took a bite of the eelgrass blade, the dull, earthy flavor mild and pleasant, temporarily settling his inner turmoil.
The surroundings cleared, revealing a seascape dotted with rock walls. A haishen—a sea cucumber, in Angie’s words—was wiggling up the rock face to his right; its soft body reminded him of Lulu—that furry little menace.
Kaden looked away. Thinking about Lulu only made him think of Angie, a painful reminder of how he hurt her.
His thoughts wandered as he kept kicking his tail.
If he was King, he could protect his people and stop the hostility between them and the humans.
