Sigurd’s eyes twinkle as if he knows my thoughts. He steps forward. “Sire, I fully understand the severity of the charge, and the consequences are dire indeed, but with Your Majesty’s permission, I would investigate the Lady Melusine’s disappearance. Mayhap there might be a simpler explanation.”
“He is right, Father,” Marin says, swimming forward. “We cannot simply punish a whole town for what may be incorrect information.”
“Cannot?” the king says in a steely voice. “Is that a word you use to your ruler?”
Marin shrugs. “It is a word I use to my father. Do I misspeak?”
The king’s eyes warm with affection. I’m getting dizzy from his mood changes. “Nay. It is a family trait. I well recognise your mother in you.” The two stare at each other, and the atmosphere warms.
I relax slightly, but then Melusine’s mother moves forward.
She throws her hair back, and it cascades down her spine. It’s a practised, seductive move, and the king instantly turns to her, everyone else forgotten. His eyes are warm with lust. “Arista,” he says, his voice as sweet as honey. “You wish my attention, dear heart?”
“Yes, sire.” Her voice is low and musical, rippling in invitation.
Marin stiffens. I sneak a glance at Delmar, but he’s staring vacantly out of the window at a shark swimming past, showing no signs of noticing the way his wife is behaving.
“Well, you have it. Come to me, my sweet.” The king raises his hand, his rings twinkling.
Suddenly, there’s the sound of trumpets, and the great doors swing open.
“Make way for her majesty!” someone shouts. “Queen Nerissa approaches.”
The court erupts in mutters, and I strain my eyes to see a woman enter the chamber and move towards us, a retinue of Mer behind her. Her hair is long and dark, touched lightly by grey, and her eyes are a deep, rich blue. A smaller crownidentical to the king’s rests on her head, and her fingers glint with jewels. Her tail is green, white, and silver like her son’s.
She trails her hand over her son’s head as she moves past him, and mother and son exchange a long look before she moves up and settles herself on the smaller throne.
“My love, you honour us with your presence,” the king says. His eyes are dark and hungry as he watches her, but she just regards him coolly.
“I heard my son was here.”
The king sags a little in obvious disappointment.
She raises her voice. “And the dragon, too, with his human… companion,” she finishes. Her voice is sweet and musical. Her smile at Sigurd is warm and affectionate. “’Tis good to see you as always, dragon.”
Sigurd bows low, his red-blond hair drifting in the water. “As beautiful as ever,” he says, stepping forward to take her hand and kiss it.
“Flatterer,” she says affectionately. “We will make a courtier of you yet.” She smiles at me. “Cary, is it?” I attempt a bow, which isn’t easy in water, and her eyes gleam with amusement. “Well, what a pretty little human, Sigurd.”
“He is that, Your Majesty.”
She turns to the king. “I hear strange talk of revenge and destruction, husband.”
The king licks his lips almost nervously. “Yes. Melusine has gone missing.”
Her gaze fixes on the woman standing close to the king, and she visibly chills. “Ah, yes. What has the foolish child done now?”
Melusine’s mother’s eyes flare with anger. “My daughter is innocent.”
“Peace, Arista,” the queen says in a cold voice. “Melusine is young, thoughtless, and reckless. Rather like you in your youth.Perhaps you have forgotten.” She pauses for a second before finishing softly, “It was such a long time ago, after all.”
Ouch. I look at the queen admiringly, and for a fleeting second, she catches my gaze. I’m sure she winks, but she carries on talking. “We were all young, yes?”
The king nods. “But none can hold a candle to your beauty, my love. Then and now.”
Arista’s eyes kindle with rage, but the king doesn’t notice. He’s too busy staring at his wife. Queen Nerissa inclines her head graciously at him, but her face is still cold as ice. “Thank you, my lord. I understand the dragon is willing to intercede.”
Sigurd nods.
