Page 179 of In Rising Tides

Maelys and Ridge shared a look.

“What do you mean?” Maelys asked.

“I mean,” Wilder’s voice sharpened. “It’s high time I got off my fucking ass and did something. She’s doing everything down there!” He slung an arm toward the sea. “We need to do our part. To make it a world worth fighting for.”

Ridge nodded. “We’re going back to the Wilds, aren’t we?”

Wilder sucked in a breath. “We’re going back to the Wilds.”

Maelys gaped. Her golden eyes were nearly swallowed by the white. “And you’re going to challenge for the throne?”

“I’m going to challenge for the throne.”

They trudged back through the surf towards Jordania and Otto, who appeared to be in a heated debate.

Jordania’s arms waved as if she were casting a spell.

While Otto’s face had turned as purple as some of the leaves in their garden.

“You should tell him!” Jordania hissed.

Her words were carried by the sea breeze right to his ears.

“If I want him to act irrationally,” Otto countered, crossing his arms over his leather-clad chest.

Ridge’s brow furrowed, and Maelys picked up the pace.

“What is going on?” she asked, looking first at Otto, then at Jordania.

Jordania didn’t pull her glare from Otto. “Tell them. OrIwill.”

Otto closed his eyes and tilted his head up to the sky. His shoulders rose with his deep breath.

Whatever he was thinking about, he was struggling with. He scrubbed a hand down his face and opened his eyes.

“There’s been a new development in the Wilds …”

Wilder felt the cold from his sodden clothes seep into his bones. There was such despair in his friend’s eyes.

Whatever the news was, it had to be terrible.

“What?” Ridge pressed.

“King Oberon has imprisoned Queen Aine.”

Otto’s words were a punch to the gut.

“On what charges?” Wilder barked.

“Treason,” Otto muttered. “In aiding your escape.”

“That’s a lie!” Wilder felt rage well up inside of him, incinerating the chill that had taken root. “She wasn’t even there!”

It was silent.

The wind stopped blowing, and Wilder couldn’t even hear the crash of the sea.

“She was,” Maelys whispered. “She helped orchestrate the whole thing. Her and Daisy.”