Page 115 of A Soul’s Awakening

King Rian continued to stare down at Lance. The Merman kept himself, Helena, and Eleanor under the protective water dome, the only sign of its placement a thin, translucent veil shimmering around them. The Seelie King finally tore his eyes from the High Prince and turned to Eleanor.

“Is this true?” he asked, his own face smooth, but a hint of anger brewing in his voice.

Say yes. Lance bit the inside of his cheek. For the love of the sea, say yes.

“Of course it’s true, Your Grace,” Eleanor replied, her voice steady.

A furrow appeared on Rian’s forehead. “You did not think it prudent to mention?” he snapped.

“You didn’t think it prudent to ask?” Eleanor bit back.

Lance sensed an invasion into his water ward, a penetrating psychic claw piercing his magical shield. It came directly from the King himself. The High Prince turned and watched Eleanor step back, digging her nails into her forehead, whimpering with pain.

“El!” Helena shouted, eyes wide in horror.

Lance lashed back with his water magic. King Rian’s mental talon retreated through the hole it had torn, and the Merman sealed the breach.

“That,” the High Prince bit out, “was a gross invasion of my daughter’s privacy.” The furious resonance of the water shield calmed, but rage still danced in Lance’s eyes.

The Merman nearly chuckled at the near identical faces of shock amongst the Seelie Lords. Clearly, they had never seen someone repel the psychic probing of the King before.

Rian narrowed his eyes. “I was merely trying to ascertain the truth from my claimed, High Prince,” he replied, resting his arms again on the sides of the throne.

“I am insulted by the fact you think it is a lie. I have not seen you since my coronation, when we renewed the treaty between Seelieland and Nautilus, but I have honoured the agreement between our territories. I have allowed Archipelago of Sol to send their navy and merchant ships across my waters.”

“Well, yes—”

“I am not finished.” Lance continued, “Until the moment I entered your capital, I have kept to the treaty, but I will not lie and pretend that all is well. I feel the tension between our two Courts, Seelie King. The grievances I have are many. Six years ago, I was harpooned by a Fae from a whaling ship hunting my citizens of Nautilus. Additionally, the number of merchant vessels from Archipelago passing through my territory far exceeds the agreed amount. These ships disturb my Seafolk and interrupt their migratory patterns. Finally, you kidnap my adopted daughter and assault my intended in front of me.”

“Get to the point, High Prince,” Rian growled.

“It would be preferable, for all parties involved, if this can be resolved diplomatically. I am sure the wealth of Seelieland would be seriously impacted if you could no longer sail your merchant ships through my seas. I can make sure that not a single plank of wood from them is seen again,” Lance challenged.

The Seelie King bared his teeth. “You would rescind the treaty between our two courts?”

“That would only be the beginning,” Lance promised. “I will do far, far more than that.”

“Unless?” the King bit.

“You release my family,” the Merman replied.

The Seelie Lord to Rian’s right, wearing a bright blue overtunic embroidered with silver-threaded ships and waves, turned to his King. “Your Grace, we need to discuss this further. The implications on the treasury alone could be catastrophic.”

Rian snapped his head to the Fae man, and the Seelie Lord bowed his head in submission. “I hear you,” he hissed, before turning back to Lance. “Anything else?”

“You turn me back!” Eleanor blurted out.

“That is simply not possible. The Changeling Potion is permanent and irreversible.”

Eleanor’s breath hitched as she felt her throat close. For a heartbeat, she could not breathe. Warmth prickled behind her eyes, then tears spilled over before she could stop them. Eleanor did not recognise the sounds that escaped her, a heaving sob and a half-whimper. Movement caught her eye. Her mother’s fingers wrapped around her, pulling her close. Eleanor collapsed into Helena, her own arms slack, her chest wracked with shallow, broken breaths.

“We’ve got you,” Helena whispered through her hair.

Lance reached out behind him and squeezed Eleanor’s bony shoulder. She peered up through her tousled waves, looking into his eyes as his face softened with tenderness.

“Your mother’s right, we’ve got you,” he whispered to her.

The High Prince turned back to the Seelie King. Eleanor watched as Rian stared back at them, his face once again smooth, betraying not a hint of emotion. She knew his eyes, though. The swirling fire in his irises revealed the anger at the threat levelled at him by Lance.