Unless he's toying with me for his entertainment. A likely possibility, but I ignore it.
"What do you want, Lind?"
I don't point out the obvious. I am at his mercy. There is nothing I can deny him today.
"Well, you want pieces of me. I'd like a piece of you in exchange."
I blush, taken aback. Somehow, I didn't expect that.
Lind made it clear he wasn't interested in me ten years ago. Now, he is willing to trade water elemental stones for sex with me? I was offering everything—anything. I can't believe this is his price.
He'll have it, if he demands it. I don't have a choice. But Drusk. The very thought of touching anyone but Drusk makes me want to vomit.
"I don't…" I wet my lip. "I have a mate. Is there anything else?"
He laughs again. I could strangle him. All of my people are about to die, and he's making fun of me.
"Aren't you just a darling? I don't hurt for female company, Nevlaria Bane. Your body, delightful as it might be, isn't what I require." Humor leaves his sea eyes, now set on me with a harshness I didn't know him capable of. "The immortals came for your land. On the other continent, the folk are being attacked, hunted. Humans and their technology have worked out that we rule the world, and now they want a piece. The gods are on their side, as they can control mortals, but cannot hope to have us kneel at their feet."
He gets to his feet and advances toward me. "Misguided as your former high queen and my mothers were, trying to pair me with the likes of you, they had a point. We need to be linked in the only way that cannot be denied or broken. By blood. The sea, the land—seelie and unseelie alike. We need to stand together."
I'd forgotten he’s a ruler until now. A lord of the sea. I won't make that mistake again.
"I will give you twelve stones, and you and I shall be allies. The price you will pay will be your blood. Your third born will be sent to the sea, raised among us, and wed into the Sea Lands."
I hate this. I hate every single part of this. He's trying to turn me intoher. Into Morgana, who played with her children like she was their god, rather than their mother.
"An arranged marriage? I thought you didn't believe in them. I thought you said I was too weak for the sea."
He tilted his head. "I may have been mistaken, when it comes to you. But a child raised in the sea will be one of us. And you aren’t arranging a thing. Give me the child. The rest is up to me."
My ears are boiling.
I'm bargaining my unborn children? I feel sick.
But truth is, without his help, I may not have any child at all. I could die with the rest of Tenebris, fading with the light at the next sunset.
“Why the third?” I may never have three children. Plenty of fae aren’t blessed with even one, in all their years.
He grins, and shrugs. "I'm leaving you with an heir and a spare, landling. As I said, I'm not entirely heartless."
I would laugh if I could. "Not entirely. Just mostly."
The prince of the sea offers his hand.
I have no choice but to take it.
The Price
Vlari
My limbs are lighter and stronger on the way back, and the water that worked against me pushes me forward. When I forget to emerge for a longer time than should have been possible, I finally notice that I don't need to. I don't need to breathe.
“You and I shall be allies,” Lind had said, and he'd meant it.
I just have to hope it'll be worth it, despite the price I have to pay.
When I finally reach Whitecroft harbor, I freeze in shock.
