“So pretty.”
“Most of the time, I’m bound by duty, but here . . . I can be myself, speak whatever’s in my heart.”
I enjoyed his poetic side. “I’m new to the sea. It’s beautiful.” My words felt paltry compared to his statement. “You’re right,though. When I stare at the swirls and ripples, I almost think I can hear the sea trying to tell me something.”
“Close your eyes and listen. What is it saying?”
I did as he suggested and sent out my soul to touch and sink deep.
He slid one of my dangling curls behind my ear, his simple touch drawing a delicious shiver from deep inside me. Distracting me, but . . .
“I hear echoes of laughter and tears, as if the sea remembers every soul that dared to listen.” I frowned. “And . . . When storms rage, only those with courage will find safe passage. Drift at your peril or dance with the wings of your heart.” I opened my eyes and shook my head. “I’m not sure if I really heard that or I’m just making it up.”
“Dance, Reyla,” he said gravely. “If nothing else, please dance.”
We stared at the water for a long time, saying nothing while Farris nosed around us, sniffing everything.
Finally, Merrick turned to lean his hip against the rail. He took my hand, linking our fingers again. “I understand you grew up in a fortress on the western border.”
“Has Lord Briscalar been talking?” I injected a teasing tone into my words. I liked this man, my husband.
Husband.I swallowed but the lump of pain wouldn’t go down. Now wasn’t the time to think of lost dreams. My focus needed to remain forward.
New life.
New chance.
Unexpected friend.
“Lord Briscalar didn’t tell me much,” he said. “You don’t mind that he filled me in, do you?”
“Not at all.” Though I’d keep some of my thoughts to myself in the future. A solid reminder that at this point, I could trust no one.
Not even Merrick?
I suspected I’d soon find out.
12
REYLA
“Tell me more about how a high lady of Weldsbane Court came to be raised in a fortress,” Merrick said. “I imagine there’s quite a story there.”
I tried to ignore how nice it felt to hold hands with him. Actually, it felt more than nice. Heat seared from his fingers, traveling up my arm. I snuffed it out before it could reach my heart. “It might take time to share how that came to be.”
He flashed me a smile that made tingles flick through my body. “What else do we have but time? Depending on how the sea behaves and the wind, it’ll take us four or five more days of travel to reach the shore of Evergorne.”
“How far from there is it to our home?”
“A short distance. The first king of Evergorne built our home on a hillside with a gorgeous view of the sea.”
“I understand your court is at war with the others. I heard this when I was staying at Lydel Court.”
His chest expanded, his muscular frame stretching the soft-appearing material of his dark tunic. “Weareat war. We have been for as long as my family has held Evergorne Court.”
“What’s the source of the war?”
“Magic.”
