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A pained look covered Tor’s face, and I sensed that he wanted to argue that I should have let it reach the village, perhaps after I’d run away and found safety.
The sand crunched as Shay Mac Eoin approached, though I did not look away from Tor’s face. I hated that I had worried him when I hadn’t given it a thought before that moment. Being the subject of someone’s concern was an entirely alien concept to me. Ever since I had lost my mother, I had come and gone as I pleased. It would take some getting used to—to realize that I had two mates who cared very much if I ran off and did something stupid.
“You reached her heart,” Shay said by way of a greeting as he reached Tor and me. “Do you have my knife?”
I looked down at my hands, though I knew they were empty. “It’s in the lake,” I told him, wincing.
Shay chuckled. “Good thing I can breathe under the waves.”
I glanced over to Rainn, still hovering on the beach's edge. I hadn’t given much thought to Cormac Illfinn being part of the welcome ceremony, but Rainn obviously didn’t trust the Mer-King, determined to stay by his side.
Cormac didn’t seem to be much of a threat; if anything, he looked a little shell-shocked.
“Did I miss the meal?” I wondered as my stomach gave an audible growl.
Tor chuffed a laugh. “I’ll say. We waited all night for you to wash ashore.”
“I didn’t mean to make you worry,” I murmured, feeling my cheeks grow hot.
Tor leaned forward and placed a kiss on my lips. Just a second before pulling back. “It’s my duty and honor to worry about you.”
Vidalia came and got Shay Mac Eoin, ushering the nymph away from the beach.
In my absence, the village had been decorated with hundreds of brightly colored streamers fluttering in the wind. The tents glowed with torches positioned every few steps. A group of young males were busy building the bonfire ready for the evening—throwing bundles of straw and dried wood onto the stack, making the pile bigger than I’d ever seen.
Everyone in the village was put to work. The smell of rare spices and chatter filled the air.
Not a soul knew how close they’d come to death the night before.
Waking up on the beach had distracted me, but I soon remembered that it was Shay Mac Eoin’s wedding day. All triumph I felt about Charybdis dissolved into a foul taste at the back of my throat.
I watched Vidalia and the other elders pounce on Shay, hurrying him to his tent. My nose wrinkled as I thought about Ilaria and her wide-eyed innocence. Did his bride even know that her family had manipulated the match?
I rubbed my chest, feeling the skin prickle. No doubt some ill effect from being in the water with the loose ichor and monster blood in the lake. No other reason.
Rainn stepped away from Cormac, and I didn’t have the energy to fight with the Mer. I clutched Rainn’s coat tightly to my chest, covering my nudity, before allowing my two mates to lead me back to our tent in the guest village.
The second we were alone, I told them about the necklace.
Both Tor and Rainn exchanged a silent glance. I had no idea what the look had meant.
“Ilaria doesn’t know of her family’s deception?” Tor surmised, sitting on the chair in the corner of our tent, knitting his fingers together.
“I mean…” I grimaced. “She must have some idea. Surely. Her family passed on the necklace, and Vidalia said it made her seem more powerful. Ilaria was chosen, rather than Ilra or any other nymphs, because she had the most water magic.”
“There are many artifacts in the Aos Sí that can make a fae more powerful,” Tor said darkly. “Though they are rarely without a price. A bargain made with the gods, perhaps?”
“He can’t marry Ilaria.” I protested. “He doesn’t love her.”
Tor squinted, looking me over as if he was trying to solve a complex problem. “He told you that?”
“Yes.” My arms flailed with exasperation.
Rainn lifted his hand. “I’m more interested in hearing about the beast that rose from the deep to lay siege to the nymph village.”
“Charybdis.” I supplied helpfully. “I stabbed her heart.”
“According to Shay, you jumped into her mouth like a tasty snack, Princess.” Rainn pointed out.
