The Caster Queen and I groaned at the same time.
This was not going to be pleasant.
And it wasn’t…
Because when all was said and done, my soul mate did have to carry me, the gawking merfolk be damned. He also had Queen Mikko flopped over his other shoulder, so it wasn’t entirely too humiliating. Running for that long was simply not feasible when one had not trained for it. The Caster Queen and I had completely collapsed to the sand—more grit in my teeth—before we had waved the white flag and demanded assistance.
“Finally,” Queen Alora muttered irritably. “We are here.”
King Athon bent at the knees and slowly set the Caster Queen and me down on our feet. He held on to my elbow when I wobbled at first, steadying my swaying body. “Are you well, elf?”
I rubbed at the front of my hips with my free hand as that had taken most of the impact from his shoulder. “I am fine. At least, we made it here on time.” I gently pulled my arm away from him and readjusted my hood. “I may need to start running more, though, in the future.”
“Hear, hear.” Queen Mikko stretched her body side to side. “If this is what we’ll have to achieve, I’ll need to be better prepared.”
King Traevon rested his hand on my shoulder, stating seriously, “You did well, my heir. Do not think you did not. I am not sure if I could have run as long as you did.”
I sighed and nodded, turning to face the carnival’s entrance. The building was an overlarge piece of yellow coral, with the inside hollowed out for the festivities. It was as tall as my own castle and half as wide. I breathed in an immense breath. “My Fae, that is a striking building. However did they get that in here?”
“The same way Queen Mikko transferred the bridge troll into her dungeon.” Queen Alora stalked toward the entrance, with King Elon on her heels. “A caster spell.”
I blinked and glanced at the Caster Queen. Father had once said that her kingdom’s coffers were sporadically low. How that could be possible with the amount of coin her people made on spells for the realm was highly confusing. I asked curiously, “How much would something like this cost?”
Queen Mikko snorted. “It was probably done in trade, just as most of our spells are. It is how my kingdom operates.” Her dark face stared up at me, and her smile turned feral. “Except for certain spells. Those, we charge much for, as you well know as a royal.”
I smiled just as bitingly. “Yes. My fireproof-spelled clothes thank you for your generosity.”
King Athon jerked his head toward the Merfolk Queen and Gorgon King, where they were speaking to merfolk securing the admissions booth. “Shall we? I believe that they are having issues gaining entry. They are saying the carnival is at full capacity already.”
I stared at his right ear. I would do well to remember his hearing was bloody frightening. Even with a merfolk’s shrill voice, we were not close to where they conferred.
Hurrying our steps, we stopped behind the two rulers.
Queen Alora growled, “I do not care what you have to say or about the regulations. You will allow us entry. It is a matter of import.”
The merfolk man stared down at her from his booth, where seashells and fish bones hung from the ceiling—the Merfolk Queen’s shoulders barely clearing the stand. He tightened the purple jacket he wore with harsh, irritated jerks and stated adamantly, “You are not allowed inside. If you continue to argue, I will call the guards.”
The Queen of Merfolk stared. Then…she snorted softly. “I commend you on your loyalty to guidelines and law.” She lowered her hood and gazed at him with all the regal airs a ruler has. “I am your queen. You will do as I say. And you will tell no one that we are here.”
His solid green eyes, with frantically swirling white sparkles, stared in horror at her. As she pulled her hood back over her multihued hair and forehead, he stumbled over his desperate words, “My apologies, Your Royal Highness. I didn’t recognize you. Of course, you may enter any time you like.”
Queen Alora nodded regally. “If you might assist me further, do you know where I might find the owner, Jeremiah, inside?”
The merfolk still stared in panic. “The show has started, so he’ll be on stage right now.”
“And what does he perform here? How shall I recognize him?”
That shocked the merfolk out of his distressed state. He stated incredulously, “He is the star of the show.” He turned and pointed to the large sketch of a handsome merfolk behind him. “You cannot miss him.”
* * *
I pressedmy hand against a large, round glass enclosure that was filled with water and held a massive, purple glowing jellyfish in it. In the darkness where I stood, I peeked around the edge of the glass. There were twenty of these enclosures surrounding the back of the playhouse, with six royals all spying around one to watch the ten aerialists high on their poles as they twirled to a lively beat. The musicians stood or sat beneath the performers on the upraised stage, playing their instruments and stomping their feet, while the audience in front of us clapped along to the rhythm and cheered wildly to the amazing feats the merfolk were executing.
Ribbons of all colors whipped in circles in the air, hanging from the bottom of the poles. And merfolk performers sparkled with their attire fully gemmed in different shades. They flipped and contorted their bodies in marvelous feats of agility and strength to keep the pole spinning for them at swift speeds.
My eyes caught on the merfolk in the center.
He was the star.
