Page 44 of A Sea of Fate and Starfire

I stiffened. More debt that I might owe Aegir. But I wasn’t in a position to turn his hospitality away.

“Rivean forces were on our tail until around twenty minutes ago,” Kye said. A deep cut across his temple painted half of his face lustrous red. “Are you the reason they broke off?”

“That and the twenty feet of snow over their heads.” Aegir said as though he’d just laid the world’s most prized wisdom at my feet. “The mountains provide their own means of attack.”

I pressed my teeth together. “What an intriguing concept.”

“An avalanche was Princess Maren’s idea,” Leal cut in. The whip-shaped man sidled beside Kye, a half-eaten cucumber in his hand. He chewed thoughtfully. “The Riveans were closer than we realized when they attacked.”

Aren blinked at him. “Where the Darkness did you find a cucumber?”

Leal looked at the fruit as though he hadn’t realized what it was. He paused to swallow. “Dead body.”

“We should move.” Dimas emerged from behind Nori. She frowned up at the quiet man briefly before glancing back at me for my order.

Fog streamed slowly from my nose as I offered her a nod. Make sure everyone is ready to leave within five minutes. Nori whispered to Olinne, who turned on her heel, disappearing through the dim faces behind us.

Kye slid his hand down my arm for my hand but stopped at my wrist. “What?” I heard him mutter before lifting my arm with the silver cuff still chained to me. “The fuck is this?”

Aegir studied him coolly before turning his focus to me. “Your heart rate was increased. I could taste the electricity around you. You were gearing for attack. This was precaution.”

“Take them off,” Kye snarled.

Kye, I snapped. But he stared Aegir down as though he might call lightning himself.

The Venusian Naiads shifted on their feet. All patience wore away from Aegir’s expression as he examined Kye’s hand on my wrist. He was tall enough to look down his nose at most people, though he stood nearly toe-to-toe with Kye now.

“Kye, allow me to introduce you to Aegir.” I punctuated the words, snapping each one from my mouth with intention. “Monarch of Venusia.”

“Are you expecting a fucking please?” Kye added without looking at me, his voice a sharpened dagger.

Across from me, Nori narrowed her eyes at the Venusian, thumb rolling over the knife at her side. Leal’s attention darted between Aegir and Kye.

Aegir sighed, ignoring him, aiming his words again at me. “We meant no offense. If we had, we wouldn’t have delivered you to your cordae. Keys, Sindri.”

Sindri glanced at the Naiad in a way that clearly stated, Are you sure? But he fumbled in his pocket, handing it to Aegir the reluctant way he might have offered his Videre a hammer to pound a precious jewel to dust. Aegir crossed the divide between our armies with a silver key, reaching for my hands.

“Cold,” he murmured, eyes tracking the dark red crusted over my side and hip. “Make sure you warm up soon. And sleep. Especially if you spilled blood.”

His fingertips were warm in the center of my palms. Fingers curling, Kye leaned his weight into his heel. Aegir massaged heat into the fleshy pads below my thumbs before releasing me, silver keys and cuffs jangling as he pulled them away. He made to step back, but something made him pause.

Selena.

She stood between Aren and Dimas, arms crossed against the winter chill, caution woven into the lines of her face. Aegir didn’t smile—though something in the corners of his eyes and mouth relaxed. He gave a soundless chuckle. “Didn’t bring your gnat, Selena?”

“Not this time,” she said softly. Her throat tightened, then she pulled a deep breath into her lungs. “I have something else.”

His brows raised in friendly interest. But she looked over her shoulder, sending everyone’s gaze to the Naiad standing behind her. Teal eyes peered back through the dark, sleek blue-black hair gathered over a shoulder.

Aegir’s mouth parted. He stared. Cebrinne stared back, the smallest trace of a smile on her lips. “Hello, Aegir,” she said. “It’s been a long time.”

He stepped toward her. “It’s been a lifetime.” Memories sparkled behind his eyes, and he shook his head in slow disbelief.

Cebrinne’s mouth twitched. “The beard is new.”

Aegir rubbed an open hand down his face to his chin as if just realizing it was there. “It worked,” he said in an awed whisper. “You did it.”

Are you okay, Leihani? I nearly jumped at the sound of Kye’s voice inside my head. He watched just over my shoulder, his thumb sliding across the center of my palm. You look like you just caught a whiff of week-old sewage.