Total pages in book: 197
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
She winced. “Excellent point. Definitely do not do that. It’d be a violation of your marriage runes anyway.” Eadaoin pointed to one on my elbow. “It’d be enough to give another man your attention. All your attention. Trust me, when you do, our lord will be driven mad with the need to have that attention back for himself.”
I bobbed my head, considering. It wasn’t the worst idea, and besides, Eadaoin was skilled in seduction. If anyone would know how to twist a man around her finger, it would be her.
“In here,” she said, stopping short beside a small, dirt-covered door. “This is where our lord said to bring you.”
One step inside and I saw why.
“Whoa, whoa!” Foalan shouted. “Careful on that side!”
My happiness at seeing Foalan had returned to Castle Riagin in one piece was overshadowed by the spectacle that had the attention of everyone in the dungeon.
A spherical glass tank wobbled and rolled on the dirty stone floor, bouncing off a wall of magic shot by each soldier it tried to flatten. The women, and Foalan, formed a ring around it, sweating hard for the effort of keeping it in— No, of keeping her in.
My feet moved on their own power, bringing me closer to her. Brilliant, iridescent scales caught the orblight and reflected it into a million billion rainbows dancing through the water. Dark ebony hair like silk ribbons swayed with the water, forming a halo around the loveliest face I’d ever seen. Far more lovely than the one I saw in the mirror.
Shimmering, aquamarine eyes beheld me—twisting me in their pools. Dusky, desert-sand skin was smooth and unbroken—never knowing a scar, pimple, or blemish. Full, pouty lips twisted with her pert, wrinkled nose, and she looked at me like I was the source of her displeasure—or her salvation.
Emiana wasn’t the beauty of the east. This creature was. She was the beauty of this land and every other.
“But she—she’s a—a—”
“Mermaid.” Alisdair stepped out of the darkness. “Otherwise known as...”
My gaze trailed her long, dazzling fish tail.
“A siren.”
“What is she doing here?” I whispered, drawing closer. Her eyes... Such beautiful eyes...
“At the present, she’s attempting to kill you.”
The dry reply only just began to penetrate when that beautiful face morphed. Hard, ridged, scaly lines erupted on her nose and forehead, appearing as fast as the second, jagged row of teeth that descended from her jaw. A fierce, watery screech turned to bubbles in the water as she came straight for me—teeth heading for my throat.
Screaming, I lurched back and she struck the glass head-on—turning purple in her foiled rage.
“Careful, Princess.” A firm grip on my elbow guided me back. “Just because her voice doesn’t work on women, doesn’t mean she’s any less lethal to them. Too long staring into her eyes and it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”
“I—I don’t understand,” I cried. “A mermaid? A real mermaid? How can she be here? Mermaids went extinct centuries ago. Long before dragons did. She can’t be here!”
“And yet, she is.” Alisdair encircled her—his smile terrible to behold. “I told you, my queen. We found the vanishing island. A land where many an impossible thing exists,” he said. “It took some effort, and a few lives, but our soldiers brought her here—for us.”
“Us?” I repeated. “What are you talking about?”
Alisdair paused, pressing his hand to the glass. “She is all we need to win the war. Once I figure out how to harness her voice and use it at will—without killing myself—we will unleash it on the armies of Elva.
“They say a siren’s song is so beautiful. So enchanting. Its majesty consumes you.” He shook his head. “The second it ends, you realize you’ll never again hear anything so wondrous in your life, and that’s not a life worth living. A single verse of her song, little bird, and the men will turn their swords on themselves—wiping themselves up without a single drop of spilled blood on our side. My queen,” he breathed. “Our victory is assured.”
My eyes bugged, horror leadening my bones. “Stop saying our! That’s horrible, Alisdair. Worse than horrible! How can you even think such a thing!”
He turned a cool gaze on me. “How can I think to end the war quickly without sacrificing our people? What a ridiculous question. I could think of nothing else.” I blinked and he was in front of me—towering over me. “This is mercy, little bird. It’s what you once wanted of me.”
“This isn’t mercy, it’s insanity!” I shoved him back. He didn’t move an inch. “You can’t wipe out every man in Elva! Do you have any idea what that’ll do to the kingdoms?”
“Yes,” he said, smirking. “They’ll become matriarchies once again.”
“You—” I choked. “Wait, what?”
“Every vile person that fights to keep your women stunted and oppressed will find themselves on the other side of the veil, facing Meya’s judgment. Once they are, the kingdoms can start over. The forced magic bindings will stop, and the young, adolescent boys will be raised properly—without their fathers’ hatred and prejudices teaching them to look down on their own mothers and sisters.