“You’d be surprised how used to it I am by now.”
Lirik nodded. “I hear things. Whispers.” She swam in a loose, lazy circle around her. “I don’t envy you, but I think you are brilliant.”
“Brilliant?You hear kinder whispers than I do.” Yemi smirked, but it was difficult to keep it from twitching into a smile.
Lirik tilted her head as she inspected Yemi. “I’ll get a smile out of you today, don’t worry.”
That alone almost worked.
A gaggle—a shoal, even—of bedecked merfolk Yemi recalled from the great hall emerged from the palace. After peering around the area, they made a determined line for the two of them.
“Oh no.”
“What is it?” Yemi asked, though a similar aura of mob complaint had followed the Bay Counsel every time they’d shown up to the palace.
“The Quorum. A few millennia’s worth of years between them and about a day’s relevance.”
“They a danger?”
“No, just bored.” Lirik turned to her with an apologetic smile. “There will be a lot of threats. Don’t mind them. I’ve got you.”
Yemi hadn’t realized how thirsty she’d been for any amount of friendliness as she followed Lirik to confront the Quorum. She blamed her almost tearful relief on an empty stomach and lack of sleep.
They came to a stop just over the Valley.
“Elders, to what do we owe—” Lirik started pleasantly, placing herself between them and Yemi.
“Who areyouto wear the skin of Merrine!”
The question came from the front-most representative, a barrel-bellied man with jackknife stripes and nearly blue lips that seemed to be well chewed. Yemi wasn’t sure if he was scowling or if it was the effect of the V-stripe pattern above his eyes, cascading backward over his head. But she knew a politician with the capacity for bluster when she saw one.
“This is Arielle’s granddaughter,” Lirik declared, more sharply now. The collective exchanged looks in range from concern to fury, their chirps of protest building rapidly. “A queen in her own right and here underourqueen’s protection!” Lirik shouted over them. “You will leave her be.”
Yemi clutched her spear tightly. She would have to go through them to reach the city’s entrance if it came down to it.
“I mean no one here any harm,” she assured them. “Including your queen. This is a kinship visit only.”
“Avisit? Then you are not condemned?” another cried, clutching desperately at the string of imperfect pearls around her neck.
“She is a trick of the witch!”
“A scheme!”
“She must leave.”
A pulse reverberated throughout the water, and the group shuddered. Lirik seemed to be the source. “No,” she said, her voice hollow, almost musical. “You must.”
The leader flushed a furious shade of pink. “Howdare—”
Before he could continue, a horn sounded. A low, menacing drone from the main conch of the palace that shook the world around it. The Quorum spun in its direction.
Lirik stretched out an arm to keep Yemi behind her. “Stay here,” she said quietly, her voice back to normal.
Yemi followed her eyes as she stared out over the city beneath them. Svelte figures appearing as silver flashes of light darted among the palace towers, pursued by the hulking forms of exterior guards. The few other inhabitants seen milling about disappeared into structures as the guards chased the silver merfolk from palace grounds and into the city proper.
The gathered inquisitors remained still and silent as they watched, waiting for the creatures to be caught. One by one, the creatures disappeared into the dark chasms that established the separation of city blocks.
“Come with me,” Lirik whispered and took Yemi’s hand. The two of them snuck away toward the wall of rock behind them while the mob of nobles remained fixated on the chase of the creatures.
