‘Jesus, it’s good to see a friendly face.’ Rory pulled himself upright. By Neacel’s side, Acha bobbed her head. She seemeduncertain of Rory, but gave his shoulder an experimental nudge with her nose anyway.
The water practically fizzed around Neacel. ‘You travelled the currents? How did you do that?’
‘Um. I just sang to the water. Like Fionn does.’ Rory patted Acha’s head, allowing the relief to flood his chest. He wasn’t alone in this any more.
Neacel seemed struck by amazement. ‘Ordinary Bluefolk cannot command the currents, Rory. That is a skill known only to our royal house.’
‘Oh. I didn’t know that.’ Rory wasn’t sure if he’d just committed a crime or done something impossible, but either way it didn’t matter right now. He took a moment to shake the tension from his body and noticed how Neacel’s eyes grew even wider.
Rory cringed and held up a fin. Acha brushed it with her whiskers. ‘New look, right? Hope it’s not too weird.’
‘I didn’t know what to expect.’ Neacel swam around to see Rory’s spines. ‘Fionn told me you were Redfolk, but I’ve never seen one before.’
Rory’s spirits lifted. ‘You spoke to Fionn? Is he all right? I haven’t seen him since—’ He stopped short.Since the idiot fucked offdidn’t seem the right thing to say.
Alien fins forgotten, Neacel was all business now. ‘It’s the wedding, Rory,’ he said seriously. ‘The Redfolk are here. Fionn’s been taken to meet his betrothed in the palace.’
‘What, right now?’ Rory flinched. That couldn’t happen. He followed Neacel’s gaze down to the seabed. The moonlight penetrated this patch of clear water with soft streaks of silvery light. It made the stones themselves seem spectral, and the apparently empty space they shielded all the more other-worldly.
Neacel grabbed his shoulder just as he started to dive for them. ‘Wait! It’s guarded.’ Despite the stress in his song, Neacel’s expression had turned positively excited. ‘Do you mean to interrupt the wedding?’
‘Whatever it takes,’ Rory said firmly. ‘I won’t let them take Fionn away.’
‘But if he sees you again… surely you will become bonded once more.’ Neacel’s eyes searched his. ‘Is that what you want?’
‘Yep,’ Rory said simply. He’d probably never made a simpler decision in all his life.
Neacel gasped a stream of happy bubbles. ‘Fionn told me none of it was real. He thinks the bond made it all a lie, Rory. But it’s not, is it? That’s why you’re here.’
A lie. That’s exactly what Fionn had said to him.
‘Bloody convincing lie, then,’ Rory said dryly. He spread his arms, like he was opening himself up for Neacel to see inside his heart. ‘I’m not bonded to Fionn any more. I don’t know what happened, but it’s gone. And I still feel this way, and I still want him. He’s gonna have a hard time convincing me this isn’t real.’
Neacel worried at his bottom lip, fingers fidgeting with his kilt. ‘I don’t know if you know. Fionn was the one who cut the bond. He thought he was doing what was best for you.’ He added this in a hurry, like he was afraid the information might dissuade Rory somehow. ‘I don’t believe he was thinking straight. He loves you still, Rory, I know it.’
It wasn’t really news to Rory. A part of him had guessed Fionn might be behind their soul bond going cold. Rory was just happy to know Fionn’s life wasn’t in danger. Or, well, perhaps in danger of being sold off to some other spiny monsters, but that’s why Rory had to get there first.
He stared at the shimmering mirage beyond the boundary stones. ‘How do we get past the guards?’
Acha flicked her head, calling their attention to another shape gliding through the midnight gloom. The creature was easily as large as a man, broad, with four flippers. Rory recognised the scarred carapace of the leatherback turtle as she swam into their circle.
‘Hello again,’ Rory murmured. ‘Did you hear me, too?’
The leatherback gazed back at him with wise, solemn eyes.
Then, a low booming song reverberated over their heads. It vibrated through Rory’s bones and disturbed the sand on the seabed.
‘I… Am… Here.’
Out of the same patch of darkness a far larger, far mightier shape gathered from the shadows.
Neacel squeaked and ducked behind Rory. Rory lifted his arm and grazed the underbelly of the giant whale as she sailed over him.
‘A humpback whale,’ he breathed. She was majestic. Easily fifteen metres long. A living leviathan. Her calf clung to her side.
‘Is she here for us?’ Neacel detached from Rory’s side. The beautiful whale mother turned a slow circle around their party. She seemed to be waiting for them.
‘I think so.’ Rory was giddy again. He looked back to the boundary stones. The palace guards would probably have weapons. ‘Would they attack her? I don’t want any of you to get hurt because of me.’
