How much of the curse do these people know about?
I ignore them when a man approaches me. He’s tall, with dark blond hair, and eyes that are a startling blue, vibrant but not as vibrant as Kai’s golden ones, which look like they’re glowing. He isn’t fae, but he is beautiful. There is a sense of familiarity to him.
“Hello there, Princess. What a surprise that you made it today, too.”
His eyes roam over me, not in a perverted way but as if he’s studying me deeply. I force a smile. “Of course, today is my sister’s engagement. It marks a great day. A day that the sea sirens stepped onto shore after centuries.”
He laughs. “Do you really believe that all of the sea sirens stuck to the oceans?”
“Didn’t they?” I ask politely, although that laugh grates on my nerves.
“Not the nobles; I am a sea siren, and I live in the Holerian Sea. I come to land often enough.”
I stare up at him, and my gaze flicks to Father. How is that possible?
“Morcant has spies everywhere, and who better to trust than your own kind?” The man smirks.
“And you are?” I ask, trying to mask my annoyance.
“Lord Gideon.” His grin only becomes wider. He knows he’s annoying me.
“I’m sorry, but I have not heard of you,” I respond, trying to move away when he cuts my path.
“But I’ve heard of you, Siralaine Stormborn.”
“An honour.”
“Yes, yes, it is. After all, your mother was my sister.” My eyes widen as I look up at him. His grin grows. “I finally have your attention.”
“Then where were you when she needed you?” I whisper.
His smile fades, replaced by a frown, and for the first time since we met, he’s not finding this amusing. “She ran away. I never knew what happened to her until the whispers of your curse returned to me, and I put it together. Rest assured, I willnot forgive those who hurt her.”
I nod. “Yeah, you shouldn’t.” I feel angrier than ever.
“Well, it was an honour to meet you.” He clasps my hand, kissing it, but at the same time, he’s slipping something into my palm before he turns and walks away.
What was that about?
He’s left me feeling confused… I keep the paper in my hand as I take a goblet of wine from a passing waiter. I smile as I sip my wine and walk deeper into the crowds until I can discreetly unfold the paper and read what it says.
Do not kill your fated. The moment you do, you will seal your own fate, too. Watch your back! The ice fae are going to overthrow Morcant today, and I’m not sure which side we should be on because he is worse than your father.
I scrunch up the note and slip it into my mouth, chewing the paper, feeling uncertainty and worry wash over me. I knew there was something up with the ice fae.
And I never knew I had an uncle, a sea siren who lived in another sea. My father told me my mother had no one, and he kept me isolated. If I could hate him even more, I would.
I have mushed the note into a tiny ball, and only when I’m satisfied it can’t be read, I spit it out discreetly.
I’m about to place my glass down when I hear a scream. I look up as everyone turns towards one of the doors that lead off the ballroom.
“My lord, I will go check-” Lord Zeran says as he strides towards the doors.
“I will come with you. That was my daughter,” my father says, his eyes blazing.
“Maerina,” I hear Kalina whisper to my stepmother.
Scanning the crowds, I realise neither Maerina nor Lord Vaan are here. I hear another whimper, and I quickly make my way through the crowds.
