Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
“Tonight, we must show my men your magic.”
I grew stiff in his arms.
Those arms tightened, and his voice lowered. “Ha-Lah, you can trust them.”
I knew this, for Aramus trusted them. I also knew this, for they’d been showing me I could from the moment we started our voyage to Firenze with their service and regard of my king.
It still worried me.
“Is it only the sea, or all waters that you command?” he asked.
“All waters, though my power, all my magics, Aramus, are stronger when I’m close to the sea.”
He nodded.
“Saltwater,” he deduced.
“Yes,” I confirmed.
“But you still command fresh,” he went on.
“I cannot call down the rain. But yes, a lake, a pond, river or stream, there is power there for me.”
“Therefore, should we see a lake or pond, we can separate from the other men and you can show my brothers, when you are ready.”
I gazed at my husband.
That was it?
I’d stiffened, I didn’t make even one verbal protest, and he decided we would wait?
“Aramus—”
“And now, I must ask about your powers. I felt your magic on the way to Fire City. Does it debilitate you to use it when you are not close to water, fresh or sea?”
I took us back to our previous subject, saying softly, “Aramus, we can show them tonight.”
He shook his head. “No. You aren’t ready. We will do it when you’re ready.”
“Do you trust them?” I queried.
“Yes,” he told me. “With my life. But more, with yours.”
Then it was decided.
“We will show them tonight.”
“Ha-Lah, if—”
“Aramus,” I pressed into his chest with my hands, “we have no idea what the future will bring. If it is needed that I call upon my magics, they should not be surprised by them. If you trust them, then I trust them and tonight, they will learn about me.”
His face gentled and he bent to give me another swift kiss.
“If you’re ready, we shall,” he said when he pulled away. “If the night comes and you find you are not, then we shan’t. It is your magic, your gift, your choice, Ha-Lah.”
“Thank you, husband.”
He shook his head again. “It is naught for you to express gratitude for, my queen. It’s yours to give and it is you who must feel comfortable in the giving.”
Somewhere along this journey, I had earned the love of my husband. He had not told me this, but I knew.
And it must be said, he was earning mine in return.
Very swiftly.
Especially when he said things like that.
I pressed to him and it was me this time who touched my lips to his.
When I slid away, I answered his earlier question.
“And no. It does not debilitate me to use my magic when I’m not close to water. Though, it is not as strong when I’m not close. And like any witch, the more I use it, the less of it I have. It has to regenerate, and it does, but if I’m not close to water, not very swiftly. This happens faster when I am near lake, pond, river, or stream. And even faster, when I’m close to the sea. Indeed, it’s almost immediate and the magic is nearly indefatigable when I’m in the sea. It would take great works and onerous feats for it to dim when I am in the sea.”
Something passed over his face as I said this, making it appear as if he was not looking at me even when he was.
“Aramus,” I called.
“That is very Mer.”
By Medusa.
How did he know that?
“Pardon?” I whispered.
“The merfolk. Their magic comes from the sea, so when they’re in it, it’s nearly inexhaustible.”
“How d-do you…” I cleared my throat, “know that? The merfolk have been gone for centuries.”
Something shifted in his eyes I could not read before he gave me a squeeze, straightened me in his arms and said, “I am King of Mar-el. King of the Sea. My father passed on to me many things others do not know, as his father shared these with him, and his with him, and so on for millennia.”
I did not think that was it.
Or not all of it.
“My king—”
I said no more for something else changed about him and his head jerked to the side.
It was then I felt it.
And heard it.
There was a restless feeling about the beach and loud murmurings of the men farther up the shore.
I heard a call.
Then a shout.
And more shouting.
After that, I was up.
All the way up, in Aramus’s arms, and it seemed he was intent on running up the beach with me.
I understood why. There was a great shadow coasting down the beach, blocking the sun.
By the seas, what could that be?
There were even more shouts, and as Aramus started running up the beach, Xi, Nav and Bond were suddenly there, surrounding us, all with their sabers unsheathed.
“Get the bounden under the trees!” Aramus bellowed, and I looked where he’d directed this order and saw Nis turn on his boot in the sand and go running back up the beach.