AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I smiled. “You know me far too well.”
Rhys coughed and gave a sour frown. He always had that frown around Renaldo.
“I’m going to head out,” Rhys muttered.
“You okay?” Renaldo asked. “Already worn out from your play date? Did you ingest too many stories again?”
Rhys shrugged, not laughing at Renaldo’s joke. “I have a lot of work to catch up on. See ya.”
He flew off before I could say anything. Renaldo just waved after him, then turned to me, smiling.
“I have something for you,” he said, reaching into his robe.
He pulled out a small silver ring, decorated with tiny diamonds. He took my hand in his and put it on my hand,the silver shining in the pale sunlight. I couldn’t hold back a blushing smile.
“I knew you’d like it,” Renaldo said.
“I feel like I’m in one of those human ceremonies where they exchange rings. What’s it called?”
“A wedding, you mean?”
“Yeah, that. Why don’t we have ceremonies like that?”
“Sirens don’t get married, Astraea,” Renaldo said, laughing. “We’re far too busy for that.”
I pouted.
“Why would King Melchior let the humans get married and not us? It’s not like they deserve something so special. They’re not loyal at all.”
He shrugged. “Maybe that’s why he lets them marry. It’s the only way they can learn.”
“Honestly, I think he favors the humans more.”
Renaldo laughed. “I’ve never seen the king favor anyone. Don’t be silly.”
“Have you seen the way he treats the Guardians? He has the sirens bring them food and clothes, he invites them to our parties, he counsels them—”
“They guard the Eros.”
“They’re just humans. I don’t see what makes them so special from the other humans.”
Renaldo put his warm hands on my arms, smiling down at me. It soothed my angry nerves instantly.
“Don’t worry about the humans,” he said. “Just bring them to the king for judgment. That’s all you have to do. Speaking of which, the Judges should come next month. So be on your best behavior, eh?”
I nodded but couldn’t keep my eyes off the tiny, dirty ships in the sunset.
***
The Judges came. Renaldo was sentenced.
There had to have been a mistake. Renaldo was the most courageous of all of us. There wasn’t a dark vein in his body. He was pure. I knew he was. He did so much for the king, and the king was just going to let him slip into a human body? A disgusting, wretched human body?
Renaldo didn’t deserve that. No one did.
“You cannot see the king without a summons,” Hugo said, monotone as always.
“I’ve requested to see him for three weeks!” I yelled back. “He hasn’t even answered. Why is he refusing to answer me?”
