Page 116 of In Violent Waves

“Yes,” Aine said.

Wilder slid his gaze from the king to his mother.

“Wilder, please. Even without knowing all the details, it is vital that we restore balance before the gods intervene.”

It was unusual that they hadn’t already. This bargain had been in place far too long to go without their notice. This must all be part of the conniving, grand scale that was fate.

“When do we leave?” Wilder asked, accepting defeat.

“Tomorrow,” Oberon ordered.

“Does she know?”

Aine shook her head. “You’ll need to tell her.”

“Oh, and another thing,” King Oberon added. “You will be taking no one with you. Just you and the princess. I’ve arranged for four of the noble houses to host you for two days each.”

“Lyra had trouble on the way here,” Wilder muttered. Flashes of him having to carry her across emerald fields and through the shadows of towering trees surfaced in his mind.

“You can take the carriage, of course,” Aine offered. “But I doubt she’ll enjoy being stuck in there alone.”

There was a light in his mother’s eyes when she said that.

A gleam of meddling he was all too familiar with. She couldn’t be trying to push them together?

Their kingdom would never accept a mermaid on the throne, and her kingdom—well, let’s just say the tithe was not even the top concern when it came to his still-beating heart.

“You should go tell her now. So she has time to prepare for the journey,” Aine said at last. Wilder groaned internally. Another journey, another order, another choice taken away. He didn’t know how much longer he could do this, could be the obedient prince.

He rose from his chair without so much as a farewell and stalked across the castle to her room. This was typical of his life, flitting from order to order, never having plans or goals of his own.

The door to Lyra’s room was shut, but he could hear movement inside. Two guards beside the door bowed as he approached, and he nodded in return, even to the dark-haired one he detested.

He couldn’t even remember the male’s name, but there was always a sort of smug arrogance about him.

Wilder rapped his knuckles against the door. There was no answer. He knocked louder and waited. When there was still no response, he tried the handle. It was unlocked.

He paused with the handle in his grip. It was most impolite to just barge in without an invitation, but she was their captive.

“Do you want us to go in first, Your Highness?” The blond guard asked. Wilder approved of that guard. He had always been genuine.

Wilder shook his head and pushed the door open. It was empty, but not still. The window was opened, and a breeze billowed the sheer curtains.

He froze, thinking the worst. That she had somehow snuck out the window and scaled the castle wall to escape. There was no way she could have done that. Her legs weren’t even strong enough to do a complete lap of lunges yet.

The water turned on and off in the bathing room, and he sighed, trudging over to the closed bathing room door and calling through it.

“Legs?”

There was no response. Only the turning off and on of the water.

“I know you can hear me.”

He leaned in close. Her scent was stronger here. The smell of her mingled with the bath oils Daisy added.

“If you don’t respond, I’m coming in. And I doubt you want that,” he said louder.

He waited a heartbeat, and when she still didn’t respond, he pushed into the room and stilled.