Page 77 of Ballad of Sea and Sky

“The siren bastard,” he spat, looking around as if he might see Caspian. “He had you under some thrall. We tried to get to you with the maelstrom, but you were bewitched.”

“I’m under no thrall,” I snapped, stepping away from him. “Caspian didn’t hurt me.”

“Caspian,” Vitulus said, blanching noticeably under his dark skin. “The Siren King took you?”

“How do you know he’s the King?” I balked. Vitulus recognized the name, even though I’d never heard it. I hadn’t known who Caspian was until Astraios had let it slip. Seas, I had let them keep me so sheltered.

“Because there’s only one Caspian with a reputation like mine,” came a deep voice from above as Caspian dropped beside me in a crouch, his wings folding gracefully behind him. He stood, looking wild and untamed next to Vitulus and his men, but undeniably powerful. Strong. Every bit the pirate king. “We meet again, Captain.”

“You.” Vitulus grabbed for my wrist, but I stepped out of his grasp and into Caspian’s waiting arms, raising the wall of water between us again.

“Marina!” Vitulus shouted, anger coloring his face a deep ochre. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not going with you, Vitulus,” I said, feeling Caspian’s arm wrap tightly around my waist, his heart thundering against my back. He probably seemed completely calm to Vitulus and his men, but I could sense that he was raging with fury. “You should go.”

“Go?” Vitulus laughed, his soldiers looking between each other with increasing confusion. They had raised their spears when Caspian had landed, and they took a step toward the wall of wateras if mere mortals could menace the sea with their tiny, inconsequential sticks.

The thought hadn’t been my own, and I gasped as the sea left my mind, the thought fading like words in the surf.

“Marina?” Caspian murmured, his lips close to my ear.

“I’m fine,” I said, loud enough for Vitulus to hear. “Go home, Vitulus. Take your men and tell my father that I will come home when I am ready.IfI am ready.”

“What do you mean ‘if’?” Vitulus asked incredulously. “You’re the princess, Marina. You belong in the keep with your family. With me.”

“I belong nowhere and to no one,” I replied. “Tell my parents—” I swallowed, feeling the words stick in my throat. “Tell them I love them, and I’ll return soon.”

“I am not leaving you here with thatmonster, Marina,“ Vitulus growled. “His people betrayed ours. He kidnapped and ensorcelled you.”

I felt Caspian’s arm stiffen around me, but his laugh was relaxed and unconcerned. “I’d like to see you try to stop her, Captain.”

“This doesn’t concern you,” Vitulus growled, nodding at his soldiers. They began to inch around the wall of water in opposite directions, hoping to catch me off guard. I pulled the wall around us, surrounding us in the sea’s protection.

“Marina seems to think it does,” Caspian shouted, grinning wickedly at my betrothed. Quietly, so only I could hear, he marveled, “You are divine, Princess, have I told you that?”

“Not lately,” I teased, focusing on the sea.

“Remind me to tell you more often,” he chuckled.

“I’ve made my choice,” I said quietly, so only he could hear me. “I’ll go with you, to meet your people and hear their story.” His arm tightened as his breath caught, and I added, “But I haven’t decided about the marriage yet.”

“I can live with that,” Caspian chuckled, pressing his lips to my ear. “Urchin.”

“Leave, Vitulus,” I commanded, raising my voice above the sea. “I will not be your mate. I will not return with you. I will return home whenever and however I wish. I say this of my own free will. I am under no enchantment.”

“Don’t do this, Princess,” Vitulus said, dropping the familiarity of my name. “Your father will not stop until you are returned. He will bring the rage of the sea down on your sirenfriends.“ He spat this last word, giving me a look of disgust, and the sea seemed to roar in response, a pounding and thundering of hoofbeats along the sand.

Not the sea.

Rannoch was at the front of his herd, tossing his head angrily as he led the kelpies charging down the beach.

“What in the seas—” Vitulus began.

But the kelpies didn’t slow as they reached the wall of water. Ran jumped, clearing our heads in a mighty leap as his herd split around the sea, chasing Vitulus and his men back to their boat. The kelpies whinnied in angry snorts, water racing behind them like the sea intended to sweep the little boat away.

“You can’t run from your duty, Marina!” Vitulus shouted, his cry muffled by the water horses stamping at the shore. I dropped the wall of water I had kept around us, staring at his retreating form as he looked back in rage and disbelief. “I’ll come back for you!”

“He’d better bloody well not,” Caspian murmured, his wings flaring irritably.