Page 75 of The Hunted

Mattue cleared his throat. “You didn’t notice?”

“She’s beautiful, Mattue. Many sea women are.”

“It’s more than that, Prince. Her coloring, the red hair, and the brand on her hand. It’s very similar to the last one they caught—safe guess, they could be sisters, but if not, they’re certainly related somehow.”

Eryx had not looked at her hand. He’d not noticed a brand.

“And what of the brand?” he demanded.

“Well, that’s the interesting bit. The other one had it, too. Arrows, if you noticed.”

He simply stared at Mattue, waiting for the man to explain. Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long.

“Blu Sea royals,” the advisor said, shrugging one cloak-covered shoulder. “According to the hunters, a brand like that means a royal.”

“Arrows, you said?”

Mattue nodded. “Specifically, one atop the other.”

Arrows.

Where had he seen that mark before?

And why hadn’t he noticed hers?

He had another thought, too. If the mermaid was a royal of her kind, then any doubt he had that she didn’t understand him, or his language was nonexistent. While the people of Atlas certainly didn’t communicate kindly with the Blu Sea mermaids, he knew other lands did for many reasons. Or so they had been told.

She absolutely could speak his language.

A lot like the others they’d caught could.

It only pissed him off more.

Why hadn’t she answered him today?

“The hunters—they know more about those markings?” Eryx asked. “About the mermaids?”

“Corval certainly seems to.”

Eryx would remember it.

Just in case …

“Thank you, Mattue. I’ll be seeing you.”

Turning, he finally offered a palm to the boy waiting with the horse’s reins. Once mounted on the horse, Eryx clicked his tongue and pulled on the strap of leather to turn the beast. It was only Mattue’s call that had him halting the animal.

“What is it now?”

Mattue tipped his chin up, a slight smile playing at the edges of the man’s lips. “Well, you have what you wanted … is it not my turn, now?”

Ah, yes.

A crown for a mermaid.

Eryx had not forgotten.

“I suppose that’s for you to figure out, Mattue,” he replied.