Page 95 of Salt in the Seas
“I hunted you for three moons while watching my father fade away. I only stopped because my mother wouldn’t have wanted me chasing vengeance. Not when I could chase love instead. But if I’d known what you did with my mother’s body, if I’d found this sorry excuse for a show, I’m not sure it would have mattered. I would have come the same day and killed you myself.”
Dreyfus’ eyes flicked between the stairs and the tail, but he pulled another hatchet from his belt. “Maybe we can work out a deal.”
“I don’t make deals with liars and swindlers. And definitely not with murderers.”
“Swindlers?” Dreyfus scanned their necks and hands, likely assessing the source or strength of their power.
He was using conversation to stall, and it made Aeliana uneasy. Just because he didn’t have magic didn’t mean he didn’t have ways to trick them. And just because she couldn’t see a starlock didn’t mean he didn’t have magic.
“I give people exactly what they came for. A glimpse of the beauty of the Sayhleen.”
“Let’s go, Velden.” Aeliana stepped forward with her shield, forcing Dreyfus away from his prized possessions on the wall. He stepped to the side, reluctantly, hissing as the edges of her shield touched his skin.
She reached for the silver fish first, mostly because she wasn’t sure how easily they could get either off the wall. Sure enough, nails were bent to hold the fish in place. As her fingers brushed the metal, a warmth surged through her, followed by a humming vibration.
Her shield flickered with the distraction, and Dreyfus lunged for her.
He knocked her to the floor, and his axe came within a handsbreadth of her face before she regained control. As her energy shifted to strengthen her arms and hold him at bay, Velden stepped in, pulling Dreyfus away by the collar and placing a dagger at his neck.
Aeliana stood, brushing off her pants and giving Velden a warning glance. “We’ll get out of here faster if you don’t kill him.”
“You’re right. Maybe I won’t kill him. Just take what he took frommy mother.” He let his dagger slide down near the man’s thighs. “Only seems fair.”
Dreyfus elbowed Velden and knocked the dagger from his hand, then each man drew another weapon.
Aeliana turned her back on their match to face the silver fish. Velden could use his magic on Dreyfus at any moment and tip the scales. Both men had to know that. So what game were they playing?
She pried the nails apart until she could loosen the fish and tuck it into her pocket. Next, she moved to the tail, but she hesitated over the way to get it down most respectfully.
“My mother once told me that each Sayhleen takes their form in the water in different ways.” Velden’s voice held an unfamiliar edge that added urgency to Aeliana’s choice.
She worked at the nails holding up the tail, bending them like she’d done for the silver fish.
“Some form a single tail like she did.” His words were punctuated by grunts and thuds as they continued attacking and blocking. “Others retain most of their lower legs but gain dual fins and scales. Still others transform with scales and fins covering their entire body, a shift so intense they rival the skills of the most powerful somatic progeny. No magic required.”
Aeliana glanced back. Dreyfus’ eyes gleamed with this information, and Velden used his distraction to finally draw blood on the sailor’s cheek. She went back to her work.
“Aeliana,” Velden called lazily. “I think we should take him with us. See if the Sayhleens want to put him up in one of their museums.”
“That’s enough, Velden,” Aeliana muttered, more frustrated with the nails holding the tail in place than her friend.
“As if you can reach Sayhla Island.” Dreyfus guffawed, but he couldn’t hide the curiosity in his voice.
Aeliana finally bent enough nails away to loosen the tail and slide it free. Its weight nearly toppled her until she infused her arms with strength from her starlock. Even then, it was awkward to carry. She didn’t see how they could get above deck and off the ship without being swarmed.
“We can now, thanks to you.”
Aeliana turned to catch Velden’s mock bow. Dreyfus made one last lunge with his hatchet, but Velden easily dodged it, water snaking out from his hands to wrap around Dreyfus’ wrists. It was unusually effective considering it was water, but Aeliana had seen him do it once before to Felk and remained confident it would hold.
“Did you really not know you had a starbridge all this time?” Velden’s sneer lent more contempt than curiosity to his question, and Dreyfus’ eyes widened in shock. Velden pulled his dagger back out. “Come on. Let’s take this liar above deck and let him put on his final show.”
CHAPTER 36
Orra shutthe door on the eastern garden where Felk and Lilik settled with the other winex. She leaned her forehead against the door, wondering if it was worth keeping them here when they grew more discontented.
The braid on her wrist hummed ever so slightly, and she stilled. Had Mayvus crossed the barrier again? But it felt different, more distant. She smiled softly.
No. This was a different starbridge. She supposed Gaeren could be holding the arrow, but something about this felt different.
