Page 29 of The Horned King
Descending the stairs as she finally rests, I shake the visions from my head and return to the present. And in the present, wicked touches are certainly the furthest thing from her mind. She's currently furious at our arrangement, but if she would just let her preconceived notions of me and my people go, she would realize that this is the best-case scenario for her.
Not only is she the safest where she is, but in the coming days, people from all of our neighboring countries are going to arrive, stake claim on rooms within the hall she was occupying, and turn that wing into a miniature version of the fights we've had over land for centuries.
I deserve this room because the sun rises too early here compared to home.
No, I require this room so I can look upon the gardens outside.
Well I'll be taking this room because I cannot sleep with the crashing of the waves just outside.
I have spared her from overhearing the relentless arguing, mostly between King Farhan and Prince Tirriel, along with Farhan's incessant snoring. She should be thanking me, and I can think of several ways.
But for now, I have to speak with Valta.
I walk until my boots nearly touch the foam encroaching on the shore, throwing the pearl as far as I can, watching for only a moment as the ripples spread, the light of the moon dancing across the moving surface. When my alliance with the queen first began, she gave me dozens of the small shiny things to use as a signal for when I travel to meet her.
She only allows for meetings near the caves southeast of Avolire, insisting that's the only place spies won't think to follow. The journey there by land is treacherous. The walkway against a cliffside is barely a foot wide, crumbling to pieces day by day due to constantly being pummeled by the storms that ravage this area. Usually, I would prefer to take Drakken, but she hates this journey and is exhausted from our long excursion yesterday.
As I hold myself against the frozen cliffside behind me, I grit my teeth and glare at the ocean, almost daring it to try to consume me. Sharks roam these waters, sinking their jaws into anything that falls within reach. Only the merfolk can pass by safely and only because they're far more dangerous than the sharks.
Finally, the makeshift trail makes a sharp turn down, broadening and opening into a long, flat beach with crashing waves to one side and three caves on the other.
And there, just off the shore, amongst the tumult of the salty sea, the queen herself sits upon a throne of flowing water.
"Your Majesty," I bow, showing her the deference both her stature and her power deserve, lest I be at the receiving end of the treatment she gave two of my guards yesterday. Again.
"It takes two days to respond to my messages now?" She raises one sharp, blue eyebrow, the iridescent scales above it shining in the moonlight from the motion. "Do I need to make them more clear, King?"
I can barely resist rolling my eyes. Valta might be powerful, but she forgets that I could steal the breath from her lungs— or gills— with only a thought. "No, it was received loud and clear. I have simply had other matters that had to be attended to first."
"Other matters?" Her curious nature gets the best of her, her anger fleeing even faster than it appeared. "What other matters could be so important?"
It's best to tell her as little as possible until I know where she stands with it all. "I have peace meetings in the coming weeks in Oksangui."
"And?" she scoffs. "That's all? Preparing to have guests? Don't you have staff for that?"
"Yes, well, staff being up to date on the laws and culture of our neighbors will hardly help me in negotiations, will it?"
With a musical laugh that sends me back into yesterday afternoon's farmer's memories, she tilts her head, full of amusement. "You mean to tell me you're not just disposing of them all when they arrive? Have you gone soft, Kairon?"
Countless times, I've considered wiping this conceited monster off the face of this earth. And she adds to the tally each time we speak. If her daughter wasn't exponentially worse, I would have years ago.
"It's easy to consider killing every neighboring country when you can simply flit off where none can follow, but some of us-"
"Are you insinuating I'm cowardly, Your Majesty?" Her turquoise eyes subtly glow, a warning I won't heed.
"Not at all." I shrug. "I am plainly stating that you are a coward."
"How dare you?" she starts, but I have no patience for her theatrics tonight.
"What is it that you need from me, Valta?" I ask through gritted teeth.
She stares at me, knowing that as much as she dislikes me, I am her only ally on the land. She may believe being allies means we must be friends, but the opposite is true. The only true ally is one who will choose your side without any emotional attachment involved.
"Fine." She throws long tresses of emerald off her shoulder, an agitated, nervous habit. "Several merfolk are missing."
"And?" It's not as if I can leap into the water and find them for her.
"You don't understand, Kairon. They're missing." Her eyes water, the theatrics starting again. "Vanished from the seas. There's no sign of them. Not so much as a corpse left behind so my people can grieve."