Chapter 8

Chapter

Eight

K aralyn flew swiftly back to Tridor, doing her best to fly from cloud to cloud. There were some clouds that were beneath the two floating isles. She could not risk being seen by the other winged beings nor by the elves or shapeshifters or anyone else who might be watching her from down below. If a mermaid were to throw a harpoon or trident up at her, she should be able to avoid it, but she would rather not risk any more violence, especially when she was alone.

Gradually, the sand castle came into view, visible through the cloud, and she descended and hovered above the entrance. Was Harald here? Should she have done a better job of checking where the longships had been docked on the beach? She was rather tired after her scouting expedition, and she needed to eat. When had she last eaten? She was not even certain on that account.

The large doors to the castle opened, and Harald himself strolled out. Slight lines formed on his forehead, and she hated to see him so distressed, but he then gave her a smile, his stress visibly receding, and she strove to feel less concerned.

"You've returned safely," he said, holding out his arms.

"I have, but…" She wearily wiped a hand down the side of her face. "I forgot to venture to Fae Falls and bring down fairies to help watch over Tridor."

"Do not fret. Your friend already saw to that."

"Oh, good," Karalyn murmured.

"You look pale. Are you quite all right?"

"I just need a bite to eat," she said faintly.

"Yes, of course. We can discuss all that we uncovered over a meal. If you will follow me…"

Harald was so sweet. He had prepared for them potatoes, carrots, cucumber salad, and radishes—all foods she could eat, as fairies never eat meat or fish and only minimal animal byproducts such as honey and butter.

"You can eat fish in front of me, you know," she said.

"This is fine. If it's good enough for the queen consort, then it is good enough for me."

She smiled at him before taking a sip of her mead. It was a bit too bitter for her. It needed far more honey in her opinion, but she was not about to complain, not when they had so many other pressing matters to worry about.

"Do you wish to go first?" he asked.

"No. You."

"That poorly up above, hmm?"

She eyed him and smirked.

"Ah, yes. You won't let me trick you into going first. Very well." He forked some potatoes into his mouth and sighed. "The elves and shapeshifters are far too friendly. I did not see any who hail from beneath the soil, but I would not be surprised in the slightest if there is far more going on than what I could see."

"And the mermaids and sirens?"

"I was careful to avoid being detected."

"Which also means you did not see what they might be up to."

"Correct. I did not." He made a face. "I did not venture near their underwater cities. I couldn't take that risk."

She reached over and clasped his hand. "I am glad you did not. It would have been foolish."

"And you? What did you see?"

"The manticores… It is always so strange to me to see a man's head on a lion's body, and their tails are that of a scorpion. Are there any scorpions on Tridor?"

"A few."

"Few on Fae Falls too. I wonder if there are some on Ashelin and Theriana too. Their wings are so different from a fairy's and even a sylph's… Wyverns with their grand wings and hind legs. None of either kind breathed fire at all, thankfully, but…"

Harald squeezed her hand. "You do not need to fear their fire."

"No? I cannot swim, and fire would burn me."

"You will be kept safe always."

"Do not make promises you cannot keep."

"If it is in my control…"

She hung her head. She was not certain if they would have to part ways again shortly, and if so, they could not keep each other safe.

"Do you know of any other sylphs?" she asked.

"Only Siervol."

Karalyn winced. She had not wished to bring up a sore subject. His friend had been killed, replaced by a shapeshifter who took on the sylph's form and attempted to assassinate her.

"You mentioned that he flew down to Tridor?"

Harald nodded. "He wished to hear the sirens."

"Have any manticores or wyverns flown down there?"

"None that I can ever recall. Why would they? Those two seem to be…"

"A bit more animalistic than the other species, yes. They do not speak, not with words at least. Aloud, I mean."

"You are tired," Harald said gently. "We can speak more of this in the morning."

"No, no. I've barely told you anything. It is not that wyverns and manticores cannot speak. I mean, manticores have faces like you and I do! I have never heard one speak aloud, but they and the wyverns can both communicate telepathically, if they so choose. I have not heard any of their voices, though, and maybe the manticores can speak but opt not to because the wyverns cannot. But the sylphs…"

"Did you see them?"

"I did."

"And?"

"I recognized one of them, at least I think I did. I had not seen him since I was very young, but I am fairly certain it was him."

"Do you mean…"

She nodded. "Princeling Marviash."

"What was he doing?"

"He was talking to a few manticores and wyverns. What about, I cannot be certain, because he was not talking loudly. I could not be close enough. Or maybe he was merely talking to them through his thoughts? I never attempted that, and as the only ones I've seen up close have tried to kill me, I didn't stop to talk or think at them. But I know he was. He was flying about and spreading out his arms, clearly communicating with them."

"That in and of itself does not mean they suggest that are planning another attack."

"No, not necessarily. The elves and shapeshifters though…

"Given that a shapeshifter already tried to kill you?"

"I met their prince not long before we ended up agreeing to the fake wedding." She laughed softly. "It feels like that was so long ago."

"How did your meeting with the elvish prince go?"

"Prince Morlok Taldrul is rude and terrible. Worse than you, if you can imagine that."

Harald smirked. "Do I need to worry that your feelings for him will change as yours did with me?"

"Not in the slightest!" She pushed her plate away.

Harald eyed it. "You did not eat enough."

"I am not particularly hungry."

"But I thought…"

She looked away. She had lost her appetite. What she truly needed was sleep, but this conversation was not yet over.

"I cannot help but wonder… Might diplomacy be best?"

"Diplomacy?" he repeated, clearly baffled. "With who?"

"With everyone."

"Oh, no. No. I do not see how that is possible. How can any of them be trusted? The shapeshifters after the stunt they pulled? The entire Kingdom of the Skies came for Fae Falls, and the sirens and mermaids have beached the sea raiders for now."

"I know, but we want peace. The fairies do, the sea raiders do… I can scarcely believe that the others all want war. If we can come to an agreement…"

"I do not see that happening." He leaned forward. "Tridor is at odds as it is, and Skyemoor is not going to be happy with the fairies through words, and you know it."

"I know, but if we can find out why they are so opposed to us…"

"If it's the curse…" He looked away.

Karalyn grimaced. It was her fear that he was exactly right, and if that was the case, there was nothing they could do to stop the war.

"We must do something," she insisted. "It would be almost impossible for me to be able to talk to the wyverns separate from the manticores. To talk to them together… I do not like the idea. My parents might know how best to talk to them, but for now, I think it best to avoid them."

"I agree."

"Did you know any other sylph?"

Harald shook his head.

"Do you think it possible that they… They could not have known about the shapeshifters' plot to assassinate me, or else they would have gone with the shapeshifter."

"And Siervol would still be alive," Harald said grimly.

"If we go and talk to them, how do you think it would fare?"

"I worry," he admitted, his voice low. "They fought us. While it is conceivable that they did not know about the shapeshifter and Siervol, the fact remains that they still attacked Fae Falls, and with their close proximity to the fairy kingdom, I do not think it wise to approach them."

"We cannot merely stay here and do nothing," she argued. "If not the sylphs, then who?"

Harald hesitated. "There is no one clear option. The dark dwarves and them… No. I prefer for them to stay in their kingdom, but so far at least, they haven't crossed the sea, so they aren't a threat. The shapeshifters… avoiding them would be best."

"The elves then?" she suggested.

"Their prince might not be happy to see you with your husband."

"I do not think he wanted to marry me any more than I had him," she said with a wave of her hand. "We just fought the mermaids?—"

"I know, so that leaves the sirens."

"The sirens? Oh, Harald, that is not… You are not serious, are you?"

"I am," he said, his smile and tone equally grim. "The sea cannot be divided by halves. That is an insult that the sea raiders cannot abide by. We have no choice but to speak with the sirens. The mermaids attacked us."

"More recently, but the sirens have already fought you how many times now?"

"I know, but between the two…"

"You do know the mermaids and the sirens far better than I," she said slowly. "I could be wrong, but I would have thought that…"

"Yes, the mermaids tend to be more peaceful, generally speaking, but something must have stirred them up."

"More than just the realignment of the sea?"

She wished she had not said that as Harald's scowl was fierce, and his eyes flashed.

"Whatever they are up to… It is my hope that if we can secure peace with the sirens first, peace will be all but assured with the mermaids in well."

"How can we go about securing that peace?" she asked softly.

"I suppose they could ask for any number of things." He spread out an arm. "They might demand regular tributes of gold, silver, gemstones…"

"True treasure does not lie in material things," Karalyn protested.

"Then we should not mind giving them up, hmm?"

"I would think that if the mermaids sought one of the staves, the sirens might want one."

"That they will never have," he growled.

"What else?"

He sighed. "We do not overfish, but they might think that we do. If we split the sea into thirds… ridiculous. Utter madness. But if we did, they might demand that we not fish at all in their tides."

"A simple enough request."

"If the elves and shapeshifters or anyone from that continent were to make a move against those of us in the sea, they might want us to come to their aid."

"All of this sounds reasonable."

"I have a thought of what they might want that is less than acceptable."

"Oh?" She knew already she did not wish to hear this.

"An exchange of hostages."

"No!"

"One of our sea raiders would have to live among the sirens, and one of the sirens live with us, as a guarantee of peace."

"That sea raider would need the staff to breathe in their underwater kingdom, and, Harald, they would kill him for it!"

"We might have to see if any would volunteer?—"

"You cannot ask!"

"If any would be willing to in the name of peace…"

"If you ask, one of your friends will step forward, and you might never see him or her again!"

"I am king," he said, his jaw set. "None of this is going to be easy, but I will do what I can to ensure that few of my people are killed. I want war as little as you do. We must try, Karalyn."

"Mark my words, it will not?—"

"Pretend to be an optimist for once. For my sake. I have enough dark thoughts as it is."

The bitterness in his tone stole her breath away, and she reached over to touch his hand, but he placed his hands on his lap before standing.

"We will leave in the morn. I have preparations to make. I will join you shortly to rest."

And he walked away without another word, and Karalyn felt utterly alone.