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I released my friend and moved to Skadi. The elven queen was not as lively as her husband, but she embraced me with the same desperation.

“We were worried, so worried.” Skadi’s brilliant blue eyes sparkled with tears. She’d not always trusted our people, but I was glad to call her a dear friend now.

“Heartwalker.” Jonas clasped forearms with Tait. “Good to see you alive. Thought for just a moment you’d gone and stolen another crown from our realms. We conjured up a few tales since there was no possibility you’d fall off course. Not with your skill on a ship.”

“Which is why I want to know what happened,” Erik snapped. The Ever King sat at the head of the table, patting his leg for Livia to sit on his lap.

The queen pressed a kiss to his brow and obliged. Jonas and Skadi took places beside Gavyn and Sander. The rest of the crew greeted the Ever King, then joined us around the platters of food.

Tait hesitated for a breath, then reached for my hand.

One half of my lip curved. I took his palm in mine and sat in one of the remaining two seats. Livia tilted her head, eyeing me with a wide expression. A sort of silent communication we’d always done since we were young girls.

I wiggled my brows and nestled closer to Tait’s side. Livia’s cheeks flushed, and I knew there would be a private conversation with the Ever Queen soon enough.

“Cousin.” Erik studied Tait. Beneath the slice of constant anger in the king’s eyes was something almost like relief. “You seem to have fulfilled your duty by keeping the earth fae princess intact.”

Livia rolled her eyes.

I shook my head. “Bloodsinger, I do hope you know none of us will think less of you should you tell your cousin you are glad he still breathes.”

“Vicious,” Tait muttered under his breath.

I wasn’t deterred. “He was more than honorable. More than a warrior. He saved the lot of us, and the shipwreck was not his fault in the least.”

“Aye, My King.” Swordeater knocked his knuckles on the table. “The lass speaks true. Nothing could be done for the ship. Heartwalker chose right by savin’ the princess.”

Erik shifted in his chair, his glower only deepening when he looked back at Tait. “Good. Glad to hear it.”

“Gods.” I scoffed. One of these days, these two men were going to embrace and make up for lost time.

“Let’s get on with it,” said Erik. “Start from the beginning.”

We did. Tait spoke the most, explaining the nautical side to the king, who understood his reasoning for abandoning the ship. The crewmen interjected bits and pieces about their experience being saved from the seas by the strange clan. Then I reported on our experiences on the distant isle and our escape.

Tait told Erik about Boneseer washing ashore. The king visibly stiffened, one fist curled over the table. “I sensed Legbinder and Steelcarver first. They kept coming, the losses to the crew.”

“It’s how we knew you were missing,” Jonas said. “Bloodsinger sent word to Ari and Saga, asking about you. They responded that you’d set sail. That’s when we knew something had gone wrong. Some of us thought we might find out we lost all of you.”

“Sometimes it felt like we would not return,” I admitted.

“Tell me of this Far Seas clan,” Erik said.

We let the crewmen retell their horrifying time on Eilifur. Tait interjected only to explain our capture by the folk.

“They want fae blood?” Livia looked horrified.

“They need it for something,” I said, voice low.

Skadi cleared her throat. “There were dangers in the Far Seas. My grandfather spoke of creatures who’d devour an elven without remorse. I did not truly understand what he meant, but it seems you might have found some of those creatures.”

Skadi had acclimated to the alver clan with such ease, at times I forgot she lived on a fading isle deep in the Far Seas the whole of her life.

“And beasts they are, elven,” said Swordeater.

“You said this mortal king is vowed to a sea witch?” Bloodsinger asked.

“Aye.” Tait nodded. “Not as skilled as Lady Narza, but she serves a purpose there.”