“Enough.” A brilliant hum radiated from Lumina with a wave of her gold-finned hand, and Arlo lulled before my eyes, his face relaxing into that peaceful smile he’d borne when his ship was headed to its doom.
My stomach sank.
They could control a man with such ease.
“Thank you, Lumina,” Morvyn said.
“If only I could do the same to you, then you would finally stop talking so much,” she said, then left the library with Arlo in tow.
“Will he be safe?” I asked Nixie.
“Regrettably,” Morvyn said, inspecting his nails.
Nixie elbowed Morvyn, then her eyes softened. “I promise, on my life, that no harm will befall him, Elowyn. Along with the others.”
“I’ll escort you to your room, if you would like?” she added.
“I’d like to browse the books,” I said.
“Of course,” Nixie said. “Morvyn can escort you after—”
“I know my way to my room. I do not need an escort.” There was something else I needed to inspect in the library. That faint glow from the day prior, pulsating gently like a heartbeat in blue upon the bookshelf, out of reach. I hadn’t spotted it on this visit yet, but the captain had distracted me from scanning the shelves for its subtle gleam.
A look passed between Morvyn and Nixie that I knew carried a thought.
“You say I’m a guest here but you worry about me lingering in a library without a chaperone?” I pushed, but kept my features neutral, not letting on just how much I longed to be alone with whatever called to me from the bookshelf atop the mezzanine.
“You are an honored guest here,” Nixie said.
“Fine.” I glided past them, testing the statement and its bounds. “Then I will head to my room after I find something to read, unless I am nottrustedto do so.”
“It is not you we distrust, Elowyn.” Nixie’s pink brow furrowed, telling me all that I needed to know.
Ice puddled in my gut.
“Am I in danger?” I asked with false bravado, although fear settled, frigid, in my spine.
“The kelpie, last night—those creatures do not dwell near Naiadon …” Nixie said reluctantly.
“Nixie, Hylos said—” Morvyn started, but Nixie cut him off.
“She needs to know. Elowyn, someone likely summoned it here.”
Back in my room, I noted another book at my bedside, likely placed there by Nixie’s webbed hands. She was persistent. Did she really believe I would find comfort here? Why give me a false sense of safety when Naiadon was clearly dangerous?
And how could she promise safety for the others when something lurked in the shadows, summoning beasts here? Either she lied or she was a fool. Maybe they all were. Either way, it was clear. Naiadon was not safe for any human.
I settled into the bed and skimmed the pages of the book. The worn book had kept its pungent scent of ink, melded with sea salt. The prose was old, with clunking words spelled differently than what I knew. The story was of a woman who fell in love with a man she didn’t know was her betrothed. It reminded me of the fairytales that preached the same morals to little girls. Do as you’re told, marry the man your father tells you to, and be a dutiful wife.
Cedric haunted my mind and I shuddered. That loathsome look on his face when I slammed fists into his chest.I never thought you were foolish enough to not know your worth.
He was an idiot if he thought I was worth anything. Infernum, I couldn’t even convince my father I was worthy of spending more than a single night in his court.
If I returned to land, I’d be forced to wed him. Then Cedric would attempt to use me, as my father had tried to use my mother for an heir and failed. When I disappointed Cedric, I would be at his mercy.
The mere thought made my stomach roll.
Yet I was prepared to return to land, to warn my father of what was to come, all to save the people of Oakhaven.
