“You would see how irresistible I can beifI was trying to entice you. Unfortunately for you, I am not. And it’sfemales. Not women.”
I narrow my eyes as I take a bite of the soft roll. He’s right, but I’ll never give him the opportunity to correct me again. “What do you want?”
He takes a step closer to the bed. Too close—citrus and sandalwood reaching me easily as I take my next inhale.Why does he have to smell so fucking good?I hate myself for wanting to lean into it.
“I suppose a ‘thank you’ for making sure you didn’t die is too much to expect?” he rumbles, his head tilting to the side.
“Stop being dramatic. I wasn’t dying.” I scowl, though the memory of how weak I was is one that will be forever burned into my mind. I have never been that vulnerable aroundanyone.“And besides, as I remember you soeloquentlysaying, if something happens to me, our deal is null and void. So don’t pretend your care of me was anything more than ensuring a business transaction stayed intact.” I stand from the bed, my arm brushing his as I grab the pitcher of water to pour myself a drink.
“You had no problem with me coming into your room unannounced before,” he says, as if I had a choice in him coming tohelpme.
I sigh heavily, tilting my head up towards the plants hanging from the rafters. The room starts to feel sweltering with him so near to me. “Let’s assume that anything that happened over the past few days was a once in a lifetime moment for you. Barging into my room unannounced, holding my hair back as I purge my guts, and”—I hesitate, swallowing a drink of water—“any other care you provided willneverhappen again.”
“Fine,” he growls from behind me. “Don’t expect suchgenerosityfrom me again, however. I’d sooner turn this ship around and drop you right back off in your kingdom than have to deal with trying to get you to fucking drink water again.”
“I would expect nothing else from you, Your Majesty. Now, if you’d so kindly leave, I’d like to get some more rest,” I say through gritted teeth, my heart pumping against my ribcage in frustration.
King Kai chuckles, the sound sliding down my spine. His booted steps echo out in the room as he walks towards the door, opening it before pausing. I turn to look over my shoulder at him, his glower set deeply into his face.
“You might want to open the window in here. You may have been able to shower, but the room cannot.” He slams the door shut before the roll I hurl at him makes contact.
Asshole.
Chapter Eleven: Aria
“Aria, wake up! You’regoing to be late!” Lyre’s panicked voice makes my eyes fly open, my heart racing in my throat as I haphazardly swim to the door to unlock it, swiping my ruby-colored braids away from my face. “Stars above, Aria! How could you sleep in solate? You only have five minutes to get ready!”
“I’m sorry!” I scrape out, moving to my white coral and pink sea glass vanity. “I stayed up late doing glass art.”
While most of my sisters had taken up sparring as their hobby, I had never wanted to learn combat. I wasn’t interestedin reading about the histories of our world either, like my sister Dyanna, so I spent my free time making art out of sea glass.
I study myself in the mirror and grimace. Dark bags hang under my eyes, dulling their hazel glow. The usually rich darkness of my skin tone is wan, making the even darker freckles sprinkled across the bridge of my nose more prominent. My full lips pull down in a frown, their color matching my skin’s pallor.
Knowing my appearance is a lost cause, I motion for Lyre—who is nervously pacing back and forth—to go through the door.
“We have to hurry,” she practically yells as she takes off down the winding hallway, her lavender tail leaving little bubbles in her wake. I rush behind her, going through my mental list as we near the throne room:jaw and shoulders relaxed, lips flat, spine straight, and attitude vicious.I repeat it again, making sure each body part follows suit. More straight. More relaxed. More vicious.
“Aria!” My concentration is broken by the raspy, familiar voice. “Aria!” she calls again.
Slowing down, I look over my shoulder to see Lore’s bright yellow tail glistening as she swims closer to me, her chartreuse braids wrapped around the top of her head tightly.
“Lore, I’m late for the queen’s assembly,” I say quickly, already turning to follow Lyre again.
She tugs on my hand, soft fingers wrapping around my own. “I know, and I won’t keep you but… Imissyou. It’s been a while since we’ve had some time together.”
My shoulders sink and my stomach twists as she speaks. Lore and I met a few years ago at the annual Summer Solstice celebration. We bonded over the expectations thrust upon us by our mothers—though I wasn’t very detailed with her on what those expectations were. Still, we had found a sort of camaraderie with each other. And later that night, as we writhed against one another in bed, we found a different solace there too.
Lore squeezes my fingers again, her eyes lingering on my body.
“I’m sorry, Lore. Things have been crazy lately. I will find you after the assembly, and we can chat, okay?” I pull my hand from hers tentatively. She nods her head, eyes gleaming with hunger, before I spin back around and bolt to the throne room.
There is another large gathering of sirens here again. Only, instead of revelry, they will be asking for the queen’s favor. The decorations have been taken down, returning the room to how it normally feels—bare and cold.Spine straight. Jaw and shoulders relaxed. Lips flat. Attitude. Vicious.I scan the dais as quickly as I can while moving up the center aisle. Counting only five bodies, I nearly sigh in relief.I’m not the last one here.
My mother sits on her throne of bones and decay, her dark purple tail draped delicately over the seat of the chair and brushing the floor of the dais. Once I reach the base, I keep my eyes downcast as I tread the water, holding my bow to my mother as steadily as I did last night.
“Late again, Aria. I’m starting to wonder if you’re trying to send some sort of message. That perhaps you don’t value your family enough to show up when you are supposed to.” I grit my teeth together, my heart pounding so hard in my chest that I’m sure she must hear it. But I stay silent, bent over and frozen with the exception of my tail moving just enough to keep me in place. “You may rise, Daughter.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” I unfold and swim up the dais stiffly, hoping my mask is still in place despite how I feel my blood rushing through me like an icy waterfall.
