The Unkindest Tide (October Daye #13) - Seanan McGuire Page 0,46
necessary to what we’re going to do, or even relevant. When the time comes, you and I will stand alone.”
I didn’t like the sound of that. Neither, from the expression on her face, did Marcia. “Count Lorden and I are here to act as go-betweens for the Kingdom of Leucothea and the Kingdom in the Mists, to be represented by Duchess Dianda Lorden and Prince Nolan Windermere. We’re not useless.”
“Yes, you are,” said the Luidaeg, almost kindly. “This is between a Firstborn, me, and her descendant race, the Selkies. The laws of land and sea have no sway here. If I wanted to slaughter them all, you’d stand back and let me do it, because you’re smart enough to know not to get between me and something I intend to do. It wouldn’t end well for you.”
Marcia’s cheeks burned red. “I don’t think we’d just stand by and watch you commit murder,” she said.
“You would,” said the Luidaeg. She shrugged. “I don’t judge you for it. I’d think twice before I tangled with one of my siblings, and I’m strong enough to survive it. Which is, by the way, why we’re here, and not on neutral ground. By calling the Selkies to a place under Pete’s protection, I told them I wasn’t planning to slaughter them wholesale.” She turned to me. “And with that in mind, it’s time for us to go.”
I blinked. “Go? We’re in the middle of the ocean.” I knew what she meant. I knew I was stalling. I just couldn’t seem to help myself.
“I know. Isn’t it splendid? But yes, go. We need to speak to the Selkies, and let them know the Convocation is officially begun.”
I blinked again, harder this time, like I could somehow force the situation to change. Into what, I wasn’t sure. Everything about this moment had been inevitable since before I’d even been born. If I was going to choose Faerie over the mortal world, then I was going to be the one standing here, waiting to bring the hammer down on an entire breed of fae.
“Tybalt—” I began.
The Luidaeg cut me off. “He’s a big boy, and he knew the deal when he decided to accompany you here. He can take care of himself for a little while. Now come on. The hour is late, and I’d like to have this part of things done before dawn. Marcia, if you’d excuse us?”
Her tone was primly, perfectly polite. Marcia nodded, still looking unsure.
“I’ll let Tybalt know where you’ve gone,” she said. “In case he wants to follow.”
“Tell him it wouldn’t be a good idea,” said the Luidaeg, before taking me by the shoulders and bodily turning me so she could look me frankly up and down. “Hmm. I know you hate it when other people change your clothing, but you have to realize that you can’t wear that.”
I frowned, glancing downward at my jeans, sneakers, and as-yet-unstained gray tank top. I didn’t look like I was going to visit kings or queens, but I didn’t look like a slob, either. I was suddenly, fiercely glad I’d left my leather jacket in my temporary quarters, where I wouldn’t need to worry about getting it covered in saltwater. “Why not? This is the sort of thing I wore last time we went to see Liz.”
“Yes, but that was just this side of a social visit, not a formal Convocation. Tonight, we observe the forms and formalities. Tonight, we make sure no one can say we cut corners or bent rules. Understand?”
I didn’t. As the Luidaeg had so carefully pointed out, there was no one left, except for maybe Amphitrite, who could say a single word about what we were going to do. We were sailing into uncharted waters, far from the safe harbor of Faerie’s traditions and laws. Still, I nodded and said, “If you need me to be wearing something different, do it.”
Her smile was a flash of sharp, gleaming teeth. “Remember,” she said, “you gave me permission.”
She snapped her fingers, and my clothes writhed like a veil of live eels, active and intrusive and horrifyingly vital. I stood frozen, resisting the urge to start shoving the clothes away from my body. For one thing, it probably wouldn’t work. For another, I was reasonably sure that interfering with the Luidaeg’s spell would result in my getting bitten by what had previously been one of my favorite pairs of jeans.
The eels stopped their writhing, settling back into frozen fabric. Like everything else about