Page 49 of Stolen Magic of the Deep

“I would like it finished in two sea days,” I add.

She blinks, meeting my gaze without looking away this time. Whatever hesitation lingered there before has begun to loosen its grip.

“I guess I'll start this right away,” she says, looking down at the book in her hands before adding more softly, “Thank you, by the way, for showing me this place.”

“You're welcome,” I say, dipping my head. “You're dismissed for today. Get some rest.”

She rises from my mother’s chaise, the tome clutched close to her chest, and turns to leave the archive. When she reaches the threshold, I add with a grin, “Don't forget to shift to human form before entering your chambers. Unless you want your scales to dry out and repeat last night’s session with me.”

Her head snaps in my direction, freezes for a beat as the color drains from her face, and I swear she is contemplating throwing the tome at me, but she rolls her eyes and swims off without a word.

The last thing I see is the tip of her tail vanishing around the corner as I settle back into the carved seat behind me, already replaying yesterday’s events in my mind.

As a prince, my life granted me options others didn't have. Those options weren't as grand as some thought they were. Having to be awake before everyone else to ensure the kingdom was running smoothly. Delegating orders to the warriors to establish proper security throughout the kingdom. And receiving lessons from someone who was my father by blood, yet never showed me what a father’s love should've been. He was a king, through and through. Weakness was something he never showed.

Now, with this unknown threat in my kingdom, I can only think of the king who raised me. The one who taught me unseen enemies are the most dangerous thing to happen to a kingdom. They reveal weaknesses too easily.

My current issue is becoming harder to manage. This omen has derailed everything I have put into place for the last two years. Efforts to contain this lurking shadow have provided no triumphs. I've ordered extra guards to the borders, extra security detail throughout every village, including the palace, and created a curfew until the traitor is captured. Yet none of these efforts have yielded results.

Nyxalene has assisted where she can. Mainly by giving battle lessons on Current One to Sarah, allowing me to hold military meetings with Lord Zevrin over the past several weeks. While he is excellent with battle strategies, asking him for assistance in locating a threat within the kingdom reminds me why my father made Nyxalene my general and not Zevrin.

I requested her to join us this morning before she makes her way to the sparring room for battle lessons later today with Sarah, hoping she would be able to give some insight on what we could do. Having Nyx around has never made me feel inferior to her. We work well together and I can always trust she has the kingdom’s best interest when it comes to these things. Not to mention, she would refuse to rise to the crown if I died. Then again, if that happens, she doesn't have a choice. She's next in line.

We've been huddled around this damn forsaken stone table in the council room for hours, strategizing on what remaining tactics would work to locate this shadow. My patience has thinned. I have kingdom lessons with Sarah soon and I'm no closer to finding a solution to this problem. How can I continue Sarah's lessons in magic, battle, and kingdom history, when I cannot even protect my own subjects?

“What other options do we have, general?” Zevrin’s voice is thick with tension, slicing his words right at her.

“Watch your tone, Tidewarden. We're all facing the same problem. I suggest you take a breather before you lose your head. Literally.” Nyx’s warning flashes in Zevrin’s eyes. Though very tiny, Nyxalene has proven herself ten fold. Lord Zevrin might be the top of our military, but he knows not to push her. She knows no bounds.

“Look, either way, we need to do something.” I say, diminishing the rising tension. “How are the outskirts of Virellius Deep?”

“The attack was small. Only a few homes were ruined. As if something came in and dismantled the entire thing, but looks as if Mother Ocean came in and desecrated it over several hundred years,” he says.

“That's impossible. Unless . . .” My thoughts derail for a moment. “What if they possess magic?”

“That's a possible development, your majesty, but that information continues to be unknown to us until we locate them.”

I turn my head to Nyxalene. A single idea pokes at my mind and Nyx returns my look with quiet understanding.

“Since this shadow refuses to dissipate, then we go to the one person who may be able to give us some insight as to what to try next.” I direct my words at Zevrin. “Report to Velmira. Find out if she has had any recent visions about the recent attack in Virellius Deep. Return to me with everything she says.”

Zevrin nods his head with a slight bow and exits the room. It's not much, but it will give Zevrin something to do until I can come up with more ideas. And the only one brimming to my mind now is searching the archives for any remaining books that could be helpful.

Hopefully I can tame the anger steaming from within before kingdom lessons with Sarah or they might get cut short today.

twenty-one

Sarah

The ocean stretches endlessly beyond the lower levels of the kingdom, dim and weightless. After what happened the first time I shifted, I won’t enter this room in serpent form again unless I’m practicing. The feeling of waking up somewhere unfamiliar still lingers. It's unsettling.

Each time I practice shapeshifting, it takes me back to that first time in Orion’s room. How exhausting it was. Though, at least now, I have some control. I’ve learned to command the scales to appear and disappear whenever and wherever I want. I’ve even figured out how to shift just my tail while keeping the rest of my body human, leaving my chest bare to test the limits.

It works, but the soreness hasn’t stopped.

Nyxalene has had me cycling through the same weapon drills and combat exercises for several weeks now. Every night I collapse into bed more sore than I thought a body could be. At first, I blamed the pain on my serpent form. These muscles are new, foreign, and constantly being pushed to their limits.

The real shock came after the first day I trained with Nyxalene, when I shifted back into a human; that pain was worse. My body felt like it was locking up from the inside out. Between the cramps, the heat, and everything seizing. Shifting back was nearly impossible that night. In the mornings, it commences once again.