Page 42 of Tale of the Heart Queen

I plunge into the next one, splashing in the shallow water, hunting, searching in the sand and rocks. “Where is it?!”

“Where is what?” Bain asks. “If you don’t stop this, I’ll call the guards.”

That gets my attention.

“No, you can’t,” I say, grabbing him by the shoulders with my dripping hands. “Just give me another minute. Coral wanted me to do this.”

It’s not a lie. She did tell me where the ark was hiding.

“Did she?”

“Yes,” I say, running for the next pool, scattering crabs when my feet hit the sand. They nibble on my bare toes, and I hope they’re not toxic or something. My fingers bleed, and I wince at the sting of salt water while red clouds billow under the surface. Thunder booms overhead, setting my already stretched nerves on edge. When I was speaking to Coral, the entire world melted away, and I completely forgot about the storm.

Where is it?

Still nothing. With only a few pools left to search, I’m growing desperate. What if Coral was wrong? What if Cyan moved it? What if she was lying to me?

When I reach the next pool, my memory clicks, sure I recognize that pile with a long oval-shaped rock balancing on top. With a cry, I drop down to shift the stones, and then there it is. The ark lies half-buried in the sand, sparkling in the dimness.

“I found it!” I cry.

“Found what?” Bain asks, bending over with his hands pressed to his knees.

“This is what Coral wanted.”

Bain squints at it. “What is it?”

“It’s . . .” I’m not sure how to answer, and a lie fails to materialize. “It’s nothing.”

I jump up, trying to wipe the wet sand off its surface.

“Thank you for your help. I have to go now.”

I leap out of the pool, and without another word, I run for the door, hoping I won’t be spotted on my way to an exit.

But then a body steps into the doorway and I slide to a stop, my wet feet squeaking against the smooth tiles. Cyan, the Alluvion King, stands before me, his arms folded and his head cocked, a sliver of moonlight illuminating his dark blue hair and a pale cheekbone.

“Going somewhere, Lor?”

CHAPTER 15

Istumble over my feet, catching myself before I face-plant into the floor.

Cyan watches me with a dispassionate expression, his feet spread wide like a wall, harboring no intention of allowing me through. The corner of his mouth curls up, and he looks like he’s caught a cat with a canary in its jaws. And I’m the stupid cat. Or the stupid canary? Either way, I’m fucked.

“How long have you been waiting there?” I ask, gasping for breath. My heart gallops in my chest, my ribcage compressing into my lungs.

“Long enough to know you’ve stolen my ark and were planning to abscond with it. After all the hospitality I’ve shown you?”

“I . . . uh . . .”

I have absolutely no position of defense or explanation other than that’s exactly what I intended to do. My gaze slides past him, and I wonder how far I can get before he stops me. He catches the direction of my stare and lunges, his hand circling my arm, squeezing tight.

“What are you doing with it?” he asks. All his previous feigned affability and cool demeanor are gone, his blue eyes flashing in the slice of moonlight that falls across his face. “How dare you come into my home and steal one of my most precious objects while desecrating my sacred tide pools?”

“I need it,” I hiss. “More than you can possibly understand.”

“You think that makes it right? To steal from me?” He squeezes my arm tighter, and I wince at the pressure against my bones.