We exited the palace and headed across a narrow bridge. Beneath us, the currents of Osphanis glowed brighter as night began to settle above the river.
For a moment, I stopped and looked down. The naiad moved through the light like pieces of sea glass. Beautiful, distant, untouchable.
Rydian came up beside me. “You handled yourself well.”
“That sounded almost like approval.”
“It was.”
I studied his face, the half-light making it hard to tell what he was thinking. “You didn’t like being used as a bargaining chip.”
“I’ve been called worse things than shadow.”
“Mostly by me.”
He glanced over, eyes dark and unreadable. “I deserved it.”
Something in my chest tightened. I looked away first.
On the other side of the bridge, we entered another building. Or maybe it was another wing of the same palace. I couldn’t be sure with the way the walls rose up, disappearing into the opaque waters above.
Ahead, Cerynth and her guards turned down another hallway. As we followed, faint music drifted from below—notes that rose and fell like a tide itself. The notes were beautiful.
If I closed my eyes, I could almost forget why we were here. Or what waited out there. Almost.
We were shown to a suite of rooms that looked out over the glowing city. Beds carved from coral, linens soft as river silk. On the dresser, a basin of clear water that refilled itself each time we drew from it.
When the guards left, I sank onto the edge of the bed in the room I’d claimed and let out a slow breath. The events of the last few days pressed in all at once—the journey, the court, the way Patamoi’s eyes had cut straight through me.
Rydian stood in the doorway, arms folded, expression unreadable. The others were gone, probably prowling through their own rooms, hoping for a hot shower.
“He’s testing you,” he said.
“I gathered.”
“The dinner will be another test. He’ll wait to see if you’ll cast me aside.”
“Then he’ll know my answer won’t change.”
Rydian looked at me for a long moment. “Stubborn. As you said.”
“Don’t start liking that about me now.”
His eyes softened, and he started to speak, then seemed to think better of it. “Rest,” he said instead. “You’ll need to be sharp for tonight.”
“What happened when you were here last time?” I asked. “Why does he hate you so much?”
“You mean other than the fact that the Midnight fae fought against the naiad in the Great War?”
“Yes. Other than that.”
He sighed. “We came here once before. Years ago. Our mission was to request an alliance with a kingdom that would be willing to fight for our freedom until our own gates were unlocked and we were free to do the same.”
“And Patamoi refused?”
“We never made it that far. His soldiers came to greet us. Words were exchanged. One of our men was killed.”
“I’m sorry. That sounds awful.”
