The Rising (The Rising #4) - Kristen Ashley Page 0,16
royal line of Mer has silver eyes. My two aunts have silver eyes. My cousins have silver eyes. As you can see, I have the same. My aunts have not left the underwater realm to go to land. However, my father spent much time in the country of Wodell, and in his diaries, spoke of meeting, and lying with, the lady of the arbor. I did not know until I knew of Silence that the lady of the arbor was the Lady of the Arbor. And thus, Silence, Queen of Firenze is my sister.”
Jorie’s expression changed, grief seeping into it, before he cleared it and carried on.
“He was beloved, my father. By me. His people. He was generous and he was caring. He valued family above all else. My mother died on her third attempt to bring forth another child for him. In his last breaths on this earth, he apologized to me again, something he had done repeatedly since her loss, that he gave in to her desire to have more children and thus I lost my mother. This before he shared his love for me and called to her to tell her he could not wait to see her again.”
My husband turned his head to look at me.
“Both of their fathers were kings, and both of their fathers are lost,” I whispered.
“And now we know the foundation of what makes the King and Queen of Firenze,” he whispered back.
He then returned his attention to Jorie.
“Do you know of the prophecy?” he asked the King of the Mer.
“We know much. Lena, your witch in the Great Coven, keeps us apprised of the follies of those on land.”
I could tell by the tightening of Aramus’s jaw he did not like the word “follies.”
Fortunately, he did not dwell on this.
“Silence, as well as Ha-Lah, and myself, are part of this prophecy,” Aramus shared.
“I know this too.”
“The Beast rises.”
“We feel the quakes here as well and know what causes them.”
Aramus again looked at me.
“Make your request, Sea King,” Jorie demanded.
Aramus turned again to Jorie.
“I have outlawed whaling,” he shared.
“We know this,” Jorie replied.
“I have abolished the binding,” Aramus went on.
“We know this as well,” Jorie said.
“And I have decided that any harm done to a Mer will mean the perpetrator’s death, hanging from the yardarm, blood drained from the neck.”
Jorie sat still and stared at my husband.
He did not know that.
“The law has been written,” Aramus continued. “But it has not yet been enacted, for we will wait until such time as we can call to the Mer on land, and now at sea, to share they are safe. Now is not that time. No one is safe in this time. But when those prophesied make Triton safe, I will assure the Mer are the same. And I will garner oaths from every kingdom of Triton for their protection of the Mer. However, proclaimed or no, enacted or no, if word comes to me that a Mer has been harmed, the perpetrator will hang from a sirens-damned yardarm and be drained of their blood.”
Jorie did not speak, but I did not fail to note he was watching my husband very closely.
Aramus stood and looked down the table at his fellow king.
“My wife is your people. But this is not the only reason your people are my people,” he stated. “I am the Sea King. I will protect the Mer in promise and deed, with my armies, my armadas and my life.”
Jorie remained silent.
Aramus did not.
“Now you may wish to involve yourself and your people with the happenings on land, or you may not. That will be your choice. I will not make a request for your might, your power and your magic. It will be up to you to give it. I will not negotiate you doing the right thing. I will not hold your sister from you. Not for you, but Silence adores her cousin True and she has much love to give. I would not keep a brother from her. Thus, Jorie, King of the Mer, it is up to you what you and your people will do. When you are ready to meet your sister, we will make that so.”
Jorie still did not speak.
Thus, Aramus continued.
“Now, my wife and I are going home. There are two little girls who have already lost too much in their young lives who are undoubtedly frightened beyond reason Ha-Lah and I have gone missing. We must return.”