“Your wife?” I’m puzzled. Can he really talk about her like an enemy?
“You sound surprised, young king.”
My entire body tenses. How can he know?
The Sea King chuckles. “No need to hide who you are. Not from me, at least, even if I missed things before, if I couldn’t recognize who surrounded me, couldn’t notice when I had my mind poisoned. Now I know. She killed her.”
“Your wife killed Lidiane’s mother?”
“Lidiane?” He smiles. “That’s my daughter’s name? Her mother was called Karyanne. I called her Kary. My love for her was greater than the entire ocean. When she left, I thought I’d rather die than carry that pain in my heart. But I was angry too. So angry. I married Selena. Never had a drop of love for her, and yet, the marriage benefitted her. She gained power, influence, and I couldn’t bring myself to stop her, since she’s Machiel’s mother. I do love my son, despite everything.”
“As you should.”
He snorts. “I’m not so sure.” He changes his tone, then asks, “Was that why you came? To ask for my daughter’s hand?”
I blink, taken aback. “No.” I realize my reply might have sounded offensive, and add, “Not yet, at least. She needs help, and I thought—correctly, now I see—that you’d be able to help her.”
“What is it?”
I show him my hand. Surprisingly, the white retreated away from the palm. “I’m suffering from magical poisoning. The Witch King stabbed me.”
The king narrows his eyes, his features turning gloomy. “He’s been awakened?”
It’s interesting that he didn’t even assume the Witch King was dead or show any surprise that he returned. I might ask him some questions later, if I have time. For now, I get back to my main point. “Yes. And when I transcend, he pulls me, so that’s what he did, and how I ended up in the cave where he was kept prisoner.”
“How did you escape?”
“Someone transcended me away, but before that, he stabbed me, and gave me magical poisoning. Later, I had to transcend Lidiane, due to an emergency, and now she has the same problem. Her brother might have it too. It’s why I’m here.”
“Brother?” His face is a mix of confusion and anger.
“I transcended Lidiane and her brother. She has magical poisoning, and I believe he does too, unfortunately. It was an?—”
“What do you meanbrother?” He’s trembling, as is his voice.
“Ferer, her older brother.”
“A brother four years older than her?”
“I’m not sure about his age, but about that, yes.”
The king swims up, away from his seat, and looks away, then turns to me. “You’re sure he’s her brother?”
“It’s what she calls him, and they look alike. They seem to be related by blood, and he’s a half-sea fae with gills and all.”
“No, no, no. He died.” His voice breaks. “He died, and I mourned him every day of my life.”
I feel sad for the king, and even though I don’t know if my words will hurt or soothe him, I have to tell him the truth. “Ferer is alive, but might have magical?—”
“Poisoning. Like yours? Sea water will keep it from spreading.”
“I was hoping for the Pearl of Healing.”
“That’s a fairytale. Thankfully, you don’t need a mythical object. Seawater is enough.” He points at me. “For you too.”
“Then how come nobody knows this is the cure?”
“Nobody who?”
