Page 11 of Welcome to Seaman’s Cove: Part Two

A sharp click pulls me back to the present, and I realize I’ve stopped moving entirely. Nami lets out a loud click again, reminding me we can't dally. I nod, and we begin swimming in earnest toward the main wing of the castle.

Cutting a sharp right, we dive lower to enter the receiving room. My mother is already there, perched upon her throne that sits on the dais. The rare gems embedded in the coral seat seem to wink at me almost playfully as they reflect the glowing light from the bioluminescent anemones on the walls. My mother’s expression, however, is anything but joyous.

A few members of the nobility cluster around the room, while the head elder floats on her left, a little behind the throne. My eldest brother, heir to Tythas, rests on the steps that lead up to the dais. It’s the first time I’ve seen him since my return, but his expression is as unyielding as our mother’s.

“So nice of you to join us, Caspian.” She speaks in our native language but says the human name my mate gave with derision. I don’t react.

Narrowing her eyes at my silence, she scowls. “The royals of Sirena are en route and should arrive in two days for the traditional pre-wedding festivities. You and Princess Farrasea will be wed within the fortnight, perhaps sooner, if we can hash out all the treaty negotiations quickly.”

“Mother—”

The slamming of her trident onto the dais cuts me off, reminding me I’m to speak to her formally while in public.

“Your Majesty,” I try again, “please. We can’t go through with this union. You know I’m bon⁠—”

“Silence,” my mother sneers. She pointedly looks from me to the rest of the people in the room. It’s a small crowd, but it suddenly dawns on me that she hasn’t told them about my bonding. It’s likely they’re as in the dark about humans as I was before seeing one for myself. My mother had only her most trusted guards with her when she came for me, and she never brought Madi within sight of the city, taking her immediately to her prison. Does my brother even know?

The queen straightens from her seated position. Her demeanor flips completely, furious one moment and caring the next. I know it’s all a facade, though.

“Take a turn with me, son.” She only ever calls me son when she wants something from me. Which means, I have a small bit of power in this situation. I could reveal a secret she, and perhaps others, have kept hidden for too long.

I hold my chin a little higher. For now, I’ll fall in line. I swim forward and offer her my arm, as etiquette demands. She hooks hers around mine, but digs her nails into my skin as we swim a lap around the room.

There are a million questions I want to ask, like how she knew where to find me, when she learned about humans, and why she’s kept it a secret, but I stay quiet, not wanting to provoke her ire. I doubt she’d answer my questions anyway, and sometimes silence is the best way to lure someone into giving information.

“You will marry Princess Farrasea,” the queen says through a fake smile as soon as we’re a good distance away from the nobility, “or your little human pet will suffer.”

I bite back the need to defend my mate. “Princess Farrasea would never accept her.” I deliberately leave out mention of the rest of my pack.

The queen gives a wry laugh. “You should have considered that before you went gallivanting off to follow the foolish musings of your grandfather in search of a mythical city.”

“But it’s not a myth.” My tone reveals more emotion than I’d like, although I keep my voice low. This secret is the only leverage I have right now.

She’s silent for a moment. “Hmm, no. I suppose it isn’t.”

“You knew.” How else would she have found me? Known the human tongue?

“Of course I knew Ocearus was real, that life on land was not relegated to primitive beasts as we’re taught. I’m the queen. I need to be aware of all possible threats. Your father was small minded, just like the other royals, never traveling far and only ever thinking of the immediate threats from our closest neighbors. I won’t make that same mistake. These waters are mine, and I will do everything in my power to keep them safe from every enemy!” Her voice rises enough to draw attention from the nearest nobles. She offers them a placating smile.

“Humans aren’t a threat,” I hiss. “This could be an opportunity for our people. Don’t you understand what it could mean that I found my scent⁠—”

“Humans are barely better than animals,” she dismisses me.

Clearly, she won’t listen to that line of reasoning, so I switch tactics. “Why?” I ask. “Why would you keep this from me? From us? You ostracized grandfather and discredited his stories as fiction.”

“It’s not simple, nor does it concern you.” She lets out a low alpha growl to punctuate her point. “You’ve been betrothed to Princess Farrasea since birth, and you will do your duty to this kingdom.”

“Farrasea will think you betrayed her when she finds out I’m already bonded,” I retort, playing the only card I can think of.

“Then she better not find out.”

“That’s impossible, once we’re wed and bonded, she’ll feel⁠—”

“Nothing.” The cold look in her eyes chills me to the bones. There’s only one way Farrasea wouldn’t feel the bond. My mother offers me a cruel smile. “I’ll let you keep your hideous pet so bonding sickness doesn’t ruin my plans. For now.”

I’m so shocked I stop swimming, dropping my arm away from hers. My mother has always been vicious, but I’ve never known her to be so cold blooded as to threaten something like this.

When she looks back at me with a calm smile, her expression is entirely impassive. As she swims away, her words ring like a death knell in my mind.