Page 69 of Seas the Reckoning

“You know nothing about it,” Dennis says, reaching behind him for the door handle instead of getting any closer to Starla.

“I know more than you think,” she counters. “Certainly more than you.”

She struts by him, nose in the air, and he just can’t seem to help himself.

“This was always the eventual outcome. The councilman has had eyes on you for your entire life, long before things escalated in Carolina Beach this past year. He’s never approved of your behavior, but you outdid yourself. Cavorting with shifters and gargoyles and that ridiculous hyena hanging all over the naiad. Your little friend is lucky the councilman still felt she was worth his time after all that. Then, to top it off, you nearly get yourself killed. That messed things up good and proper, but he’s got you under control again. You should be grateful he’s found you somewhere you can be kept in check.”

Starla doesn’t even spare him a glance.

“Thank goodness for my loving father. That will be all, Dennis. I’ll see you at the ceremony. Or will I? Did you warrant an invitation? Going to be tossing flower petals in front of me as I walk down the aisle?”

I follow her into the room, hardly daring to breathe.

As soon as the door slams behind us, Starla turns to me, expression steady but eyes a flickering riot of blue that glows and dims.

She sucks in a breath but doesn't dare speak anything out loud.

The look is enough, because we must surely both be thinking the same thing.

He knows. Councilman Taylor knows much more than he let on. About the relationship with Jackal, and perhaps Starla’s with Exos. About the witch almost getting killed by Leon.

It’s also confirmation that he was well aware of Leon’s activities. No wonder he was so pushy getting Starla here now. He wanted her out of that situation and married off.

Maybe to save her, but more likely to prevent losing an asset. And he got me in for the bargain. By monitoring us he probably learned the extent of my powers and decided they were worth the trouble of bringing me in, along with his daughter.

I’ll bet Grammy Pearl never told him a darned thing, and like a fool, I went along with things thinking she had. I’m tempted to be annoyed at the seer for her vagueness before our departure, but we’re no fools. We should have listened to what she did say, and trusted our instincts when they told us Councilman Taylor was suspicious.

No doubt, he intends to use me. Or Claude does. Now that they’re aligned, I suppose it amounts to the same thing.

I will never be a weapon for you or anyone else, I vow.

My actions call me a liar as I allow the maids to help me into an ivory wedding dress. Starla dons one as well. Hers is a ballgown style. A witch is brought in to touch-up the tattoo covering and ensure the blue in her hair is gone as well. Her cheeks are brushed with pink blush and her eyes with natural eyeshadow.

She looks like a fairy princess. I imagine she hates it. They even add more extensions to her hair so that blonde waves trail several inches below her shoulders in a half-up hairdo.

I’m zipped into a column dress that is undeniably beautiful, my hair put in an updo. They bronze some areas around my face to accentuate my cheeks.

“Done,” a maid announces as they finish clearing out boxes from the new clothes and shimmering heels we’re wearing.

“Get us something to eat,” Starla commands the women. They look at one another uncertainly.

“We’re supposed to stay here,” one says.

“In case you need anything,” says another.

To monitor us.

Starla rolls her eyes.

“What I need is food. And also to power up my magic. Please fetch me at least a few dozen clams or oysters still in the shell.”

“I’m not sure if we hav⁠—”

“It wasn’t a request. Find them.”

A few of the ladies get up to leave, but two maids try to stay.

“We’ll wait here in case–”