fixed wide blue eyes on me and telepathed directly into the deepest place she could find. Rania. I know this is unorthodox, but you must trust me. Do not mention it to him. Imogen. Do not mention her.
Before they went, I clocked the extra dose of fear in their eyes. “Hey, Epaste, enjoying the wedding?” I was talking not telepathing, just to annoy him.
It’s lovely. But his eyes didn’t look so impressed.
I was about to let him know I resent having my conversations cut short by anyone, when I noticed the Princess out of the corner of my eye. She was leaning back on a bed of blue-green silks, her golden hair splayed out behind her, talking with a group of young women. She did that quick, uncomfortable shimmy that I know so well. I thought how much she would be hating this. All these people. All watching her.
But she seemed okay, no signs of lasting injury from yesterday. Thank you Ran.
And then I remembered. I was talking to one of the pompous assholes who’d decided the wedding had to be here. Regardless of what happened to Lecanora yesterday. Men.
“Yeah,” I agreed, half-listening. “Listen, Epaste, I’m sorry but I really need to—”
Of course, you must have much to catch up on. But Rania. He paused, and I noticed that his eyes were quite beautiful inside his mammoth face. Don’t believe all you hear. Times are strange. It is so hard to know truth from myth.
Cryptic asshole.
So many pieces to this puzzle. My dead mermaid, who was looking for me when someone did her. Then tried to do me. Angel-voice Imogen missing. Freaked-out choirgirls. And now a warning from one of the High Triad. None of it was making any sense to me right now. Epaste vacated my head and I kicked off and began to swim over to Lecanora.
But before I could get there, I got another telepathic interruption.
Hey Rania, long time no see, babe.
It was Rick the Dolphin.
Rick and I have been buddies since I summer-schooled in Aegira one year. I’d bonded with him after helping him disentangle his fin from a net one day. He had this awesome dolphin name – lots of squeaks and a series of high pitched trills. But I called him Rick. (As in Astley. As embarrassing it is, She Wants to Dance with Me was huge that year and I was a major fan).
Anyway, by way of payback all those years ago, Rick had let me peek into his head to get help with my algebra. And the shit I saw was out of this world. Whole universes swirled and the secrets of the cosmos peeped out. I knew then that if those guys were really responsible for The Prophecy of Earth and Sea, as legend told it, then I was totally buying it.
They were magical geniuses of the first order.
Anyway, Rick’s spent a lot of time hanging around human ports. He kind of thinks he’s human, although that would be a serious evolutionary demotion for a dolphin.
Hey, man. Whatcha doin’ here? Is the bride an old girlfriend?
Rick laughed into my head. Yeah, right. (He shuddered like only a dolphin can.) What would I do with an Aegiran?
I shrugged. Knowing you, you old smooth-talker, anything you want.
Rick started laughing again.
I asked him what was on my mind. Seriously, though, how come you’re here? Thought only the head honchos got invited to the royal weddings?
He tried to keep the ego out of his mental voice. I’ve ascended.
What? Que?
He shimmed again. To the High Council. I’ve moved up.
Wow. I didn’t know you were even in line.
Rick rolled tiny little dolphin eyes, another trick he’d picked up in those ports. Ha! It’s not like you guys, y’know, your quaint hereditary thing. It’s pure merit. And I’m brilliant. The Seer herself chose me.
The mention of the Seer made me feel sick. Took me back to the day we went to her. The oldest dolphin of all. The wisest and most magical of a race of magical wise-asses.
I touched his forehead gently. Kinda like a handshake. Wow, Rick. Congratulations. And regards to The Seer. But, to myself: Yeah, right, screw her and her Appointed Hour Of Death. Then, back to Rick again: I’m really sorry buddy. I’d love to chew the fat, but…
That cute dolphin shudder again. Ugh, that is a gross saying. I’m not using that one.
I shrugged. Sorry. Look, I really need to go talk to Lecanora. Maybe we could—