The Siren and the Deep Blue Sea - Kerrelyn Sparks Page 0,41

seal friends called to her as they plunged into the water. We need to go! Now!

Maeve eased to her feet, keeping an eye on Alfred.

“The next bolt will strike the water,” he yelled at her. “And it will fry your companions.”

“Awesome!” Quentin pranced along the shore.

“Stop that,” Bettina hissed at him.

A cold shiver slid down Maeve’s spine. She was caught. Hooked like a fish. If she went into the water to shift, she would cause her friends to die. She would die with them. Brody had been right. She was no match for an Embraced army.

Alfred motioned to her with his hand. “Come with us.”

Hot tears burned her eyes. Go, she told her seal friends.

We don’t want to leave without you.

I know. A tear ran down her face. But you have to. There is a sea cave east of here. Rest there and eat. I will join you as soon as I can.

As her seal friends swam away, Maeve squared her shoulders and steeled her nerves. I will escape, she told herself. The kings on the mainland had to be warned.

Soon they would face an army with the same powers they had.

Chapter 8

“Your Majesty.” Nevis bowed low as Queen Esther rose to her feet behind her desk. “I bring greetings from King Leo and Queen Luciana of Eberon.”

The queen gave him a regal nod. “Please extend my gratitude to them for the lovely presents.”

“Mother, we need to talk.” Princess Elinor led the queen into an alcove behind the desk.

Nevis craned his neck, trying to hear their conversation, but he could catch only a word here and there. Maeve. More whispers. Brody. The queen’s reaction to Brody’s name was surprising. She gasped and reached out a trembling hand to steady herself against the stone wall.

They were in the queen’s privy chamber in the castle, which overlooked the port town of Luna. Nevis was still amazed that he was even here. What a huge difference it had made when he’d entered the Great Hall with Princess Elinor. The guards who had barred him from going any farther the last few days now stepped back and bowed.

And what a shock to realize he’d met the princess. He was still cringing inside at the way he had addressed her and talked about her mother. Hey, you? Old biddy? Damn, he was lucky he was here in the queen’s privy chamber and not wasting away in a dungeon.

He glanced around the room. The study may have belonged to the late King Rudgar at one time, but it was clearly a woman’s room now. The windows were open and white curtains billowed in the breeze that swept up from the harbor. Bookcases lined the bottom portion of the stone walls, but above them, beautiful tapestries and paintings filled the room with color. Most of the paintings were seascapes. Nevis edged closer to one to peer at the name in the corner.

Elinor. Damn, but she was talented. The painting looked so real he could almost hear the waves crashing on the sand. He glanced at her. She was beautiful, too. Smart. Decisive. After hearing the news about Maeve, she’d taken immediate action. And she wasn’t pretentious in any way. Her blue linen gown was simple and functional. Her lovely black hair was pulled back in a braid without any ornamentation. As someone who had grown up in the army, he found himself admiring her decisive and practical nature.

And from the great number of paintings on the wall, she was obviously a hard worker. Not at all what he had expected. So beautiful. So perfect.

What the hell? He put a screeching halt to his thoughts. She’s a princess, you idiot. Completely beyond your reach. Besides, she probably thought he was a rude oaf. With good reason. He’d tried to apologize several times while they were walking to the castle, but she’d ignored his attempts. No doubt she had no personal interest in him whatsoever.

But it was odd how much she and her mother were interested in Brody. Nevis studied the two women. Both had long black hair, although the queen had some gray in hers. They both had brilliant blue eyes. Much like Brody.

By the Light, were they related? He recalled Brody telling him once that he had a mother and sister.

No. Nevis shook his head. This couldn’t be right. Mother Ginessa had been clear that the queen had lost her husband and both sons at sea.

The queen walked back to her desk and, gripping the back of