Page 79 of Hymn of Breath and Bone
“We saw.” She hushed me with a press of her lips to mine. I felt something warm and coppery dribble from my mouth, and she pulled away with red staining her lips. Blood. “You promised you wouldn’t die, and I’m holding you to it, like all of your other promises.”
I wanted to tell her that I’d try. That I loved her, and that meeting her was the best thing that ever happened to me. I wanted to promise her the sun and the moon and the sky and a thousand years together as my blood dripped into the sand.
But as strong hands lifted me and pain shattered through me, I heard Marina cry out in agony, and then I heard no more.
Chapter 28
I cried out, thepain of the warriors lifting Caspian excruciating in my back and sides.
“Take him,” I gasped when they paused to look at me in concern. I looked over my shoulder to see Astraios and Zephyr fighting a fierce battle with the Stormcrow’s thugs. I turned to Sereia, still fighting waves of agony. “Do not leave his side until I return.”
She nodded, and for oncedidn’t argue with me.
I stood and ran, hurtling back down the beach as I called the sea. The ones that had turned the Stormcrow into a bloody pulp were still lost to a frenzy, thrashing over the bones that were left as they battled each other for the scraps.
But Phyll slithered to my right and Rannoch to my left, both joining me as I moved to intercept the battle.
Astraios had already felled one opponent, leaving him badly injured. The others continued to fight as I told Ran and Phyll what I needed.
Rannoch slipped between the combatants, his watery form insubstantial when he needed to move quickly and perfectly solid when he bit down on the sword arm of one assailant and dragged him away from Astraios toward the sea.
“Put down your weapons!” I commanded as the kelpie dragged the struggling, screaming male into the surf. His friends ran for him, trying to pull him from the water horse’s grasp, but Phyll hissed at them as Ran pulled the male under.
“I said drop your weapons,” I repeated as Ran emerged from the sea, his victim floating face-down on its surface. “Now.”
The males obliged, as Zephyr and Astraios kicked their weapons aside and Phyll circled them menacingly.
“Take them to the dungeons and lock them in the cells where they kept you,” I ordered. It felt strange to give orders to Caspian’s crew, but both put a hand to their heart and said, “Yes, My Queen,” as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
I stood a little taller, trying to hide the pain I felt through the bond as I ordered Vitulus’ remaining guards to follow. They looked to my father to confirm the order, and he merely nodded. “Go.”
“I’ll take you to Caspian,” Zephyr offered, leaving the prisoners to Astraios and the selkie warriors.
“No. I need you to lead the Nordhavn selkies and sirens,” I told her as we landed. “Guard them. Let them speak to the people, if they wish. Find them a place to stay here.”
“I should guardyou,Marina,” Zephyr argued. “Cas would want that.”
“Cas wants peace,” I said, taking her hands in mine. “Please, Zephyr.”
She nodded, frowning. “Send the kelpies if you are in trouble.”
I watched her stride away, her wings still too broken to fly. I’d need to make her see a healer soon too.
Healers were already swarming around both Caspian and Vitulus, who tried to wave them off and protest he was fine. His wound was long, but shallow. Still, he had lost a lot of blood and looked paler than usual.
“Stop arguing and let them stitch you,” I commanded, glaring at the captain. “Take him to his room when he’s fit enough,” I added to the healers.
“And what about…um…” One of the healers, a terrified-looking young male, glanced at my mate. “None of the guest rooms or cots in the infirmary have beds big enough for his wings.”
“Take him to my room,” my mother commanded, brooking no argument from the healers.
“We can’t—”
“You can,” she said firmly. “And you!”
My mother whirled on my father as he climbed the last step to the courtyard that looked out over the beach. “How dare you!”
“Silene—”
