Kingdom of Sea and Stone (Crown of Coral and Pearl #2) - Mara Rutherford Page 0,12

my sister a vicious look. Zadie blinked, remembering herself, and quickly went to fetch a cup and some fresh water from the bucket. I had told Talin about Sami’s banishment on our way back to the house, so he wouldn’t ask Zadie about him. At least Talin seemed more optimistic than she did that the rose and the song were a message, though he also didn’t know what they meant.

I showed Talin to our sturdiest stool, praying it wouldn’t collapse beneath him, while Zadie set a pitcher of water—only slightly chipped—and a few oranges from her last trip to the floating market on the table. It wasn’t much, but at least it was fresh.

“Please, sit,” my sister said. “You must be tired from your journey.”

“Thank you.” Talin settled himself on the proffered stool, which stayed blessedly upright beneath him.

“Did you come alone, Your Highness?” Mother asked.

Talin chuckled politely. “Alas, my navigational skills do not extend to the ocean. My men are nearby, waiting for my signal. I thought it best I arrive quietly.”

“I’m sure Governor Kristos will be eager to see you. Although we are deeply flattered you chose to grace us with your presence first. Aren’t we, Nor?”

I struggled to keep my voice as serious as Mother’s. “Oh, indeed.”

Talin smirked at me, then looked back at Mother and cleared his throat. “I wanted to speak to your family before meeting with anyone else. Is your husband home?”

“Several of the men went on a fishing expedition,” Mother explained. “We hope they’ll return tonight, though it could take longer.”

Talin nodded, his expression serious. “I see. Well, I wish this news could wait for his return, but I’m afraid it can’t.”

I was grateful that Talin recounted the story so I didn’t have to. But when he got to the part about Ceren healing from the blood coral knife, I saw the confusion on Zadie’s and Mother’s faces.

“How did he survive such a wound?” Mother asked. “Nor nearly died from the tiniest scratch from a blood coral.”

Talin glanced at me, and I nodded for him to continue. “When my brother imprisoned your daughter, he discovered the healing properties in her blood. He injured her, repeatedly, to gather her blood so that he could study it. Eventually he realized that by...consuming her blood, he could also heal himself.”

“Consuming it?” Zadie’s voice was as thin as seagrass. I hadn’t told her that detail, only that Ceren had found a way to heal himself with my blood. It had seemed too awful to say the rest out loud.

Mother’s voice was eerily flat when she spoke. “He drank her blood.”

Talin nodded. “Yes.”

I closed my eyes, but the silence that filled the room was so thick I was finally forced to look around. When I did, I saw that my mother’s face was streaked with tears.

When I had been injured as a child, and when Zadie’s legs had been scarred, Mother had wailed and moaned loud enough for the entire village to hear. I was accustomed to her histrionics, yet this silent display of grief was far more difficult to witness.

Talin took her hand and waited patiently while she collected herself. “I wanted to give you time to process all this before the rest of the villagers hear, but I think I should speak with Governor Kristos and the elders right away.”

Mother glanced out the window just as the first drops of rain began to fall. “I understand your concern, but I’m afraid Kristos has joined the men on the fishing trip.”

I turned to stare at her. Given the tension in the village, it seemed like a particularly dangerous time for Kristos to leave.

“He was criticized for his economic decisions,” Mother explained to me. “He felt he needed to do more to contribute.” She returned her attention to Talin and bowed her head. “I know our home is small, but we would be honored to have you stay with us tonight, Your Highness.”

“What about Grig and Osius?” I asked, my eyes returning to the window, where the rain was already falling heavily. “They’ve never spent a night at sea before.”

“They’ll be all right,” Talin said after a thoughtful moment. “Grig only gets mildly seasick.”

* * *

At dinner, Talin managed to consume several bowls of watery fish stew and seemed to genuinely enjoy it. Mother had gone to bed early, claiming a headache, though I had a feeling she was still trying to process what Talin had told her. Zadie washed the dishes as I prepared a pallet for