one strain of the river’s music seemed out of the ordinary. Yet still it worried me to see the Dorset floating at anchor, vulnerable in the dark. By letting the mermaid escape, I’d put the ship and her crew in danger. What if she returned and her singing drove the night watch mad? Or what if the power that guarded her chose to attack in the night?
We will drown you all.
Was it just an empty threat? Maybe. But if there was even a chance it was true, I ought to keep watch over the ship. Though not from here. The landing would be better; I could hear everything out there.
The maidservant made a token effort to dissuade me from going out, but she was in too much awe of my magic to do more. Cloaked against the damp river air, I slipped through the passageways, headed for the landing.
At this hour, few lights were left burning, but memory and touch guided me. A left turn through this doorway, and then down the steps.
Hands skimming the rail, I turned the curve of the staircase. A shadow loomed in front of me, but I was going too fast to stop, and I thumped straight into it.
The shadow turned out to be a person. At first I didn’t know who—only that it was someone big enough to knock me off my feet and send me sliding down the stairs. Sprawled on the bottom step, head swimming, I heard an unmistakable voice.
“Lucy?”
“Nat?”
“Yes.” He knelt beside me, still shadowy. “I’m sorry. I didn’t see you. Are you hurt?”
I checked my ankle, which had borne the weight of my fall. “Nothing that won’t mend.” My head was still swimming, but for a different reason now. I could only just make out the lines of his body, but he was so close, I could feel the warmth of him there in the dark.
“You’re still up?” I asked.
“The King wanted me to tell him everything I knew about mermaids. And you?”
“I’m going out to the landing.” There was no reason to hide my plan; it wasn’t a state secret. “I’m worried the mermaid will attack the Dorset again, so I’m going to keep guard over it.”
“There’s no need,” Nat said. “We found some more serviceable earplugs here in the palace, and they’ve been delivered to Captain Ellis. The night watch is now wearing them, and the rest have them at the ready.”
“Oh.” That would go a long way toward keeping the Dorset safe. “But there are other ships . . .”
“Thousands,” Nat agreed, “but no one can guard them all, not even you. Especially when you’re exhausted. If a mermaid attacks, you can be sure we’ll call on you. But for now, you should go back to your room and get some sleep.” He reached for me. “Here. I’ll help you up.”
His steady hand wrapped around mine, pulling me to my feet. It was done in a moment, but it left me breathless. His rough chin brushed my forehead, and I felt him take a deep breath. He still had my hand, and we were so close that we could have kissed.
I lifted my head, and then we were kissing. So familiar this, and yet so new after all this time apart. When I leaned into him, his hands circled my waist and pulled me closer, as if to erase all distance between us. His lips were like music on mine, and I felt a rush of elation so intense, it was almost painful.
He still loves me. After all this time, he still loves me. The thought was as powerful and irresistible as magic itself. After so much sadness, so much loneliness, I wanted to drown in his kisses, drown and be lost.
He broke off the kiss and turned his head, his chin scraping my cheek. “Someone’s coming.” He pulled away, and then I heard it too, the tramp of boots coming close.
“You wait here,” he murmured. His own boots made hardly any sound; I knew he was gone only when I heard a door click shut. A little later, I heard voices in brief conversation, though I couldn’t make out the words. Soon he returned alone, a bright candle in his hand.
“Just one of the guards,” he said quietly. “Nothing to worry about. I told him I was having a quick check of the place. I . . . er . . . didn’t mention you were here.”
“Oh.” Was Nat simply trying to safeguard my reputation, or