He swam in earnest then, pressing his arms and legs flush with his body and rocketing away from the island like an arrow sailing through the air. Fish scattered, and the world around us became an indecipherable swirl. Sand kicked up behind his tail, but as the minutes stretched by and we raced farther and farther away from the threatening forces, the tightness in my chest lessened. Finally, the boats’ shadows disappeared altogether, and we were left with nothing but filtered sunlight streaming through clear water.
I gave his antler a gentle pat and reclined back. “We’re okay now. You can take it easy.”
He let out a whalelike guttural groan followed by a whistle as he slowed, allowing his webbed claws to leisurely drag beneath his body.
With a blazing grin stretching from ear to ear, Calem leaped to his feet. “That was incredible. Can we do that again?”
“Maybe later,” I called.
“Whoa. Look at that.” Oz’s awe-filled words pulled my attention to the surrounding ocean, and my mouth went slack. We were swimming above a coral reef teeming with life. Colonies of brightly colored fish darted between flowerlike coral structures, and vibrant blue starfish and ruby-red crabs crawled over stones in search of food. Tangerine-colored anemone with white tentacles snared small fish in the passing current. Jellyfish floated through it all, not a care in the world as they tumbled over one another on some hidden path. Every inch of the seafloor was covered in flowering plants, and I itched to touch them all. Shoals of herring swam beside Magnus, and he lazily snapped at a few, enjoying a quick snack without breaking his stroke.
Noc looked over Magnus’s antler with me and smiled. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“It’s incredible. No wonder Queen Jessamine loved the sea so much.”
He trailed a light finger down my arm. “Is this the farthest you’ve ever ventured from Hireath?”
“Yes.”
A shelf had formed below, the coral reef coming to an abrupt halt and an endless, deep-blue void stretching farther than my eye could see. A pod of beasts I didn’t recognize hung around the ledge. At first glance, I’d mistaken them for manta rays, but they had extra flippers and long necks that extended outward as they snatched nearby fish.
My hand went to my bestiary, and I pictured all the beasts I’d encountered. The ones I’d tamed and the ones I hadn’t. There were so many more out there. Beasts we’d never even imagined. Before becoming Crown of the Council, it’d been my dream to travel the world. To discover every creature. Now… My gaze slanted to Noc. My dream had evolved into something more. One that involved him, and Oz, Kost, and Calem. Everyone back at Hireath and Cruor. I still wanted to see the world, to travel and expand upon my beast knowledge, but I wanted a life with him—with my family—too.
Noc studied my face for a long time. “You know, being queen means establishing relationships with foreign countries.” He placed his hand over mine, right on top of my pendant. “I’m sure we could extend those trips from time to time and go on some beast hunts.”
Warmth radiated outward from his touch, and a lightness invaded my chest. I knew all along he never expected me to stop charming beasts, but hearing it made me smile just the same. Snuggling closer to him, I inhaled deeply and savored his signature honeyed scent. “I’d like that.”
“Me too.”
And even though we were hundreds of feet under water and swimming toward enemy shores, I’d never felt more secure about my future.
Nineteen
Noc
Traveling beneath the ocean waves was surreal. Leena had given me so many firsts in my life, and this was no exception. We’d breached a few times during our journey to Rhyne, allowing Magnus to recharge and store oxygen in his hide. He’d then channel it into our protective dome so we could continue to move undetected underwater. He was fast, too. His nimble body cut through the water and shaved days off our travel time, though we still had to sleep beneath the stars in the middle of the ocean twice. At first, it had unnerved me. But Leena assured me no creature would dare disturb a predator like Magnus, and after the first night proved uneventful, I was able to relax. At one point, Leena summoned Blitz—her wolflike Canepine pup—to purify the ocean water for us to drink. We fished for food. Swam in the cool sea to bathe and relieve ourselves. Not entirely ideal, but a great deal safer than any ship I could’ve chartered.
Still, my body ached for a real bed and the comfort of a fire. So when we encountered the characteristic kelp forest marking the shores of Rhyne, I couldn’t help but sigh. Even if Queen Elianna wanted me dead in the name of justice, we’d at least get a night of reprieve at a local inn before I had to face the crown. And I wasn’t the only one who needed it.
Leena had done well to hide her fatigue from Calem and Ozias—which was fairly easy, given we were mostly separated by the tall height of Magnus’s antlers—but she couldn’t hide her exhaustion from me. Sweat had long since dampened the collar of her blouse. She was gaunt, cheeks hollow and eyes heavy. She was still nursing the injury on her thigh, and of course, there was the issue of Magnus. Never before had she kept a beast in our world for as long as she had with him. She assured me that it was easier with him than any of her other creatures because of his own well of massive power. But still, his connection to this world was tethered to her. And she’d used up every last ounce of energy keeping us all afloat for the past several days.
The moment we could stand in the waters, she sent him home. And then collapsed in my arms. Incoherent and slightly feverish, she curled up against my chest and immediately fell asleep. For a moment, I was thrust back to the first time I’d carried her after she’d depleted all her power taming a beast for Kost. She’d always push her limits when it came to us.
“Is she okay?” Ozias asked as he rushed over, water splashing against his thighs.
“She overexerted herself,” I said, trudging toward the shore.
Calem blanched and picked up his stride to walk beside me. “She never sent Magnus back to the realm.”
Worry ate away at my insides. “Not once.”
“Shit.” Ozias wrung his hands together and then picked up the pace. “Do we even know where the Polished Goblet is?”
“No.” My fingers pressed tightly against Leena’s slumbering frame. “We’ll use the shadows and stay out of sight while we look.”
My feet hit the black sandy beach as we exited the ocean. Night had fallen a few hours ago, and the shores were deserted. Warm, buttery lights blurred against the dark backdrop in the distance, marking the edge of Rhyne’s capital—Veles. The hairs on the back of my neck raised. I was across the ocean, hundreds of miles away from my brethren, and practically knocking on our enemy’s door. Too much could go wrong.
Together, we slipped into the world of shadows. Smoky dark tendrils enveloped us as we strode across the beach in the direction of Veles. Ozias and Calem stayed close to my side, and Leena never stirred. The dirt roads were quiet, but not empty. Locals sat outside their modest houses on wooden rocking chairs with blankets draped across their laps and mugs in their hands. Steam curled upward from their drinks and framed their smiling faces. Low, friendly words passed between them. They were the perfect picture of rest and relaxation, and longing stirred in my chest. Since I’d met Leena, we’d been constantly running. Fighting. Doingsomethingto protect ourselves and our family. When this was all over, I’d find a way to get us the break we deserved.
