Page 68 of Ballad of Sea and Sky

Caspian looked thoughtfully out at the horizon. “Only a few sirens alive today were alive back then,” he said eventually. The hut had come into view, a thin stream of smoke rising from the chimney. “But they tell stories of wind weaving and thwarting tempests. Of flying so high you could barely breathe. Of crossing the sea on a single wingbeat.”

“That sounds incredible,” I said honestly. I hadn’t told Caspian of my secret obsession with siren culture, though I had told him my wish to fly. Maybe I could experience it just once more before returning to my life of duty.

The wind was blowing fiercely as we returned to our cliff, and I almost worried I might fly away, despite the lack of wings.

Caspian had clearly been busy while I trained. The smell of roasted fish came from the hut, and several old barrels had been patched and filled with what I presumed to be freshwater. There were faint markings in the sand down on the beach, but I couldn’t make out what they said.

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to the markings as Caspian propelled me into the warmth of the hut.

“A signal for help,” Caspian replied, catching my eye and opening the door for me. “Made from shells and driftwood. If my people are looking for us, it will be from the sky. They may see it and come for us.”

“And take us back to your home,” I said, gut clenching as I sat on the bed.

“Only if you want,” he replied quietly, taking the stool before the small table. I widened my eyes at the implication of his words. “If you wish to return home, Marina, one of my people will take you. I’ll take you myself, if my wings are healed. But…” he swallowed, clearly having thought this through earlier. “But if you want, you could come with me. Help me come up with a way to save both of our peoples.”

“My people don’t need saving,” I pointed out, feeling the lie turn to ash in my mouth. I knew my people were not blameless, and the more I understood about Caspian and his people, the more I feared that the entire war between our peoples was our fault.

“From their own ignorance and prejudice?” Caspian scoffed. “I think they do. They want you to mate a male you don’t love, Marina. They’re willing to let siren children starve for a feud they don’t even fully understand.”

“My father willneveraccept a truce, Cas,“ I said, trying to make him understand what he was truly up against. “He would rather have a full-out war than give up any part of our islands. I thought you wanted tostopthe war?”

“They areourislands—all of us,“ Caspian corrected, his temper flaring a bit. “I thought after everything…” he trailed off, shaking his head.

“What?” I pushed, my own anger rising as his refusal to see sense. “What did you thinkkidnappingme would achieve, Cas?”

“You and I are beyond that now, Marina, and you damn well know it,” Caspian replied, temper flaring. “This is bigger than a ransom. This could meansalvationfor both our people.”

“How?” I asked, truly baffled by where this conversation was going. “How in all the seas could my going with you to your home and meeting your people against my father’s wishes prevent a war?”

“An alliance,” Caspian said tightly, as if it pained him to spell it out for me. “Marriage, Marina.”

Oh. Seas below. “I can’t marry you, Caspian,” I argued, trying to sound reasonable. It broke my heart a little to say it, but one of us had to be realistic. “I’m already betrothed to bemated.”

“To a male you have no interest in. One who will blindly serve your father’s agenda. One who willconstantlytell you what to do,“ he snapped. He was breathing heavily, and I realized I was too.

Caspian looked up, taking a deep breath as if begging the stars for patience. He stood, coming to join me on the bed, and he was both too close and too far away, my heart thumping heavily from our argument and his proximity.

“I want you toseemy people. To learn their plight and hearourside,” he said, taking my hands in his. “And then I want you to chooseforyourself, Marina, which side of the war to be on. To choose peace with me.”

“It doesn’t sound like you want me to choose anything other thanyourside,“ I pointed out, heart hammering so loudly it was hard to think.

“I swear, Marina,” he said, putting a hand over his golden chest. “If youchooseto go back to your home and your betrothed and your life in your stone prison, I will take you there myself.”

“It’s not a prison,” I snapped.

“They locked you up and kept you there,” Caspian growled. “To keep you safe, yes, but at what cost? How many lies did your people tell to keep you safe?”

“You’re asking me to turn my back on my family,” I said, my heart fracturing at the idea that I was going to loose either my parents or Caspian, no matter what I chose. Yes, they had lied and coddled and controlled me, but they were still my family. And Caspian…Caspian was more.

The flickering fire in the stone hearth cast Caspian’s face in shades of burnt orange. He cupped my face in his hands, and for a second, I thought he might kiss me. “I’m asking you to wait. To decide only when you know everything. Until I can show you what I’m fighting for.”

“Cas—”

“And if you choose to give me a chance,” he murmured, stroking my face so tenderly it broke my heart, “and youstilldecide to return home, I won’t stop you.”

“But you’ll continue to wage a war,” I whispered, feeling tears pick my eyes. “Until you get yourself killed.”

“I’ll do what I must for my people,” he agreed. “And I’m fairly hard to kill, if you hadn’t noticed.”