Chapter 10

Chapter

Ten

T he maestra slowly swam around their bubble much like a predator sizing up her prey. Harald did not like the glint in her eyes, not one bit.

"For there to be peace between the sea raiders and the sirens… well…" She came to a halt in front of Karalyn. "You are beautiful, but how foolish could he have been to marry a fairy instead of someone from Tridor? If he sought a wife outside of his kind, then a siren wife or a mermaid would have been so much… smarter."

"You would hate me even more if I married a mermaid," he protested.

"Is it that you two… Is she pregnant?" The maestra wrinkled her nose. "No, no, I do not think so. Hmm." She sighed. "The only two cursed beings in all of Evermore have wed. Why, by the tides, would you think that a good idea? Or that the other kingdoms would not wish to rise up and revolt against this when the fate and fabric of our entire world is doomed by the two of you?"

"Don't you see?" Karalyn asked quietly. "We aim to be more than our curses."

Harald squeezes his wife's hand. "We aim to be curse breakers."

"Na?ve and fools, that is what you are, but I suppose that if you have any control at all over your curses, if we are allies, perhaps the sirens will be spared. Fine. Here are my terms."

Harald braced himself.

"The leviathans have consumed all of the whales, their favorite delicacy. As a result, they need more food. Give us no less than three sea raiders every month to appease them."

"You mean to sacrifice them as meals for… What are leviathans?" Karalyn looked both terrified and furious.

"Sea monsters," Harald murmured, stunned. He had not thought leviathans were anything more than myths. "You know we will never agree to that."

"No more swordfish are to be consumed by sea raiders, nor hubsa. Those are our favorite… although we prefer… other meat sources." She grinned wickedly, flashing her teeth.

"We can agree to that," Harald said stiffly, "but the first?—"

"If you are to swim or sail in our waters, you and your people must be unarmed."

Harald gritted his teeth.

"The mermaids attacked not that long ago. The high ceiling of our grand hall in the citadel was ruined. It had been adorned with intricate shell mosaics, and it must be restored. I demand that your raiders contribute to repairing the damage. Likewise, I would ask that some stay here so that they can help protect us from any threat."

"Not as…" Karalyn glanced at Harald and fell silent.

"I think it prudent to have a siren on each and every longship. They can oversee and ensure compliance with our agreement made here."

Harald remained as stiff as a statue. Not every sea raider had protection against the sirens' songs. This was madness.

"A matrimonial alliance would have been nice, but the only one worthy has already wed, so…" The maestra held up a finger. "There will be a siren settlement on the isle."

"That is not possible," Harald blurted out, unable to hear another word. "Sirens cannot live outside of water?—"

"And a staff. Oh, and you must cease all raiding activities altogether. I know you are sea raiders and all but… If you swear a magical oath to bind you to promise to all of this, then you will have an accord with us."

"All of that and for what? You will grant us nothing in return for the lost lives, the lost revenue, the…" Harald was trembling. A magical oath? Was she made? That would place not only him but all sea raiders under a supernatural obligation to the maestra, and if Karalyn were to make it too then perhaps all fairies would fall under the same parameters.

"Those and those alone are our terms," the maestra said, sweeping out her arms. "Anything less is wholly unacceptable."

Karalyn tightened her grip on his hand, nearly turning their joined hands into fists. He knew she understood all too well that the maestra had made demands that were impossible for them to agree to.

The maestra gave them a grand, chilling smile. "You have a week to think things over, but you might wish you accepted come eight days… if you use unwisely. You will be allowed to return to your isle and then to come back unharmed within the week to give your answer. So be it."

Her entire body—skin and tail alike—glowed fiercely.

Harald bowed stiffly, and Karalyn curtseyed. He had their bubble bring them back the way they had come. The other sirens followed, tailing at a distance this time, and they only swam off once they had nearly reached the beach of Tridor.

"That could not have gone worse," Karalyn murmured once the bubble popped and she flew above the beach.

"We're alive, aren't we?" he asked bitterly. "Yes, it could have been worse, but what we were offered…"

"I know. I know," she said softly.

They had barely moved at all from the beach when Elton hurried over to them.

"You have returned. Good."

Harald sighed and wearily rubbed a hand down his face before scratching his beard. "What did we miss?"

"The mermaids."

"Have they approached the isle?" Karalyn asked. "Their, ah, portion of the sea is where?"

"Over there." Elton pointed. "No, they have not come here and spoken to us, but through the looking glass, we can tell that they're restless."

Karalyn bit her lower lip. "Do you think it is because we sought out the sirens? If they fear the sirens will side with us, they might see that as our turning against them all the more."

"They attacked us," Harald reminded her. "We cannot and will not stand for violence. If that is all the rest of Tridor will stand for, then we will protect our own, but violence will not be our choice."

"If you mean for us to only be on the defensive side…" Elton shook his head. "I do not like that. I do not wish to fight. We should be united, all of Tridor, but I think both have always been slightly prejudiced against us because we cannot breathe in the water."

"And they hate that we can control the sea, and they cannot."

"If we take measures to fortify the isle, they will most likely see that as an invitation to attack," Harald said. "I do not see how we can have peace if they hate us so."

"There must be some way," Karalyn said. "Your father had peace?—"

"That was before," Harald said grimly. "A different time. Before our marriage. Before the curses."

Elton's eyes widened.

Harald went to run his fingers through his hair, but his crown prevented him. He wished to take it off his head and throw it, maybe even into the sea so he could watch it sink.

"We will find a way toward peace," Karalyn whispered, coming to land beside him. She rested her hand on his shoulder. "Have faith."

"Faith in what?" he said, trying not to spit out his words. This was not her fault in the slightest, but the situation was so far out of control that he scarcely knew what to do or say or how to make things better.

"Faith in us at the very least."

He watched as Elton slowly backed away, leaving them in privacy. Once they were alone, Harald said, "Faith in the only two cursed beings in all of Evermore?"

"Faith in the Curse Breakers."

Harald eyed his wife. Her smile was small but bright, and he knew the maestra was wrong. They were not na?ve.

They just had not given up all hope.

Yet.

That day might be coming for them soon, though.