I walked down a dark corridor, the sound of my steps echoing around me as I heard the sea roar from behind the walls. I was alone, but did not feel alone. An invisible hand seemed to be pressed against my back and pushing me forward.

The hand pressed harder, forcing me into a run. I heard a rumble and the floor buckled beneath my feet. I tumbled forward into a back void. A white lump appeared below me then slowly began to take shape. As I fell further I was that it was a giant skull, its mouth pulled back into a gruesome grin. The wind sucked my breath away as I screamed.

Two giant bony hands lifted from the darkness and clapped its hands together with me in the middle. There was a brief flash of light and I was standing on a cliff.

Everything was gray including the sunlight that peaked out from between slate clouds. The wind flew from the sea below toward the land behind me. The force of it buffeted me and burned my skin with its heat.

“Sol,” a voice called from the sea below me.

I dropped to my knees and tried to see through my tears as my eyes fought against the drying hot blast. As I squinted I saw a figure below me in the waves, splashing and struggling to stay afloat. In the gray world only he was in color. I recognized his brown hair and blue eyes. His lips looked blue as if he was suffocating. His body bobbed in the water, his head submerging and breaking the surface.

“Sol, help me!” he yelled as he reached the surface.

“Ryaa!” I screamed.

He sank beneath the water once more and didn’t surface. A red cloud formed in the sea and spread, the color leaking through until everything was crimson. I gripped the cliff, prepared to jump in after him until I noticed the stickiness of my hands.

I looked down at them and saw blood covering them. The cliff below me morphed into Vael’s body. A large gash was across his chest and he bled out heavily despite the pressure I applied to it.

“S-s-” he choked as blood flowed from his mouth. His eyes rolled into the back of his head. A chill went through me while my heart cleaved was two by sorrow.

I screamed.

Hands were shaking me awake and I fought them off. A cup was shoved into my face and I choked on the liquid before realizing it was water. I held the cup firmly with my hands and finished the cool liquid.

“Sol, you’re burning up,” Vael said as he felt my face with his hands. “You’re sweating, are you ok?”

I trembled as I remembered the horror in my nightmare. I shook my head and that was when I realized that my hair was glowing and illuminating the room. Vael looked gray in its light and for a brief moment I thought I was still dreaming. I tossed the cup away from me and scrambled out of bed. Vael following me as I entered his bathing room and lit the candles inside.

I looked at my hands and found them clean.

Vael’s arms encircled me. “What’s wrong?” he whispered into my hair. I gripped his arms and began to cry.

“Nightmares,” I whispered. “They’re getting more vivid. I’m scared.” His grip tightened around me, but I was afraid to relax. Why were my nightmares getting worse?

“I used to have nightmares every night after Ai lost our first child,” Vael whispered solemnly. “It was after our third loss that they became vivid horrors. In my dreams the rooms would bleed and I would drown. For a time I was even afraid to swim. What if my Grace failed me and I became a Landwalker? I thought having a child would erase my pain, but it only created a new pain and a deep rift between myself and Ai.”

“Is that why you’re not pushing to have children with me?”

“I don’t want to go through the pain of loss once more, and I never want you to experience it.”

“I thought that I might be hurting you because I don’t want children of my own.”

“You have hurt me, but not because of that… You hurt me when you ran away with Ryaa, and when you continued to focus on him even after you returned. I felt like I was nothing. I felt like I was alone. Even now, when you want to leave to save our people, I feel like you’re leaving me behind.”

My eyes burned and I covered them as hot tears ran like a torrential flood down my cheeks. My chest was in such agony that I struggled to breathe. My ribs felt constricted by bands of pain. I turned in Vaels arms and gripped him so tightly that I thought I would crush his ribs.

“I-I didn’t mean to make you f-feel alone,” I stuttered. I whimpered and buried my face in his chest. “I’m so stupid and selfish. I took it for granted that you knew that I love you. I do love you!”

“I love you as well. I wish you would consult me before making your decisions.”

“I’m sorry… I’m so selfish. You should hate me after all this time…”

“I don’t hate you, Sol. I’ve chosen to forgive you because I know that it wasn’t intentional.” He placed a kiss on my forehead. I pulled his head lower and kissed his lips. “Sol,” he breathed into my mouth. “We are one. I’d rather cut off my arm than lose you.”

“I don’t want to lose any part of you,” I whispered. “Will you stand by my side when I face Lemuete?”

“Always,” he said smiling.

In the morning Captain Lucius and his crew joined us for breakfast. Neara sat beside me and watched the men in wide-eyed fascination as they ate our food and spoke loudly. “Who knew mermaids ate like kings?” one man called out to the room.

I saw Vael smile and hid my surprise. I reached across the table and held his hand. He rubbed my knuckles with the pad of his thumb and turned his smile toward me. “You were right,” Vael said to me.

“Right about what?”

“Our people are the same. If it wasn’t for you we wouldn’t be sitting here now, as equals. I have never thought to see this day. Thank you, My Love.”

I felt my heart soar and showed my elation with a wider smile.

“Eminence Sol, Lord Cadfael!” Captain Lucius said. “Thank you for having us as guests, but I’m afraid we must depart. Our cargo is long overdue and the Laughing Dog has probably reached port by now in Prudence.”

“You and your crew are more than welcome in our waters. Bran!” Vael said standing up. Bran went to the captain and handed him a large wooden icon made of two circles, one inlayed in the other. The outer ring was black while the inner circle was white like a pearl. “Captain Lucius, you may use this token of my house for safe passage in North Hold. Hang this from the bow of your ship so all know that you are our friends.” Vael picked up a box that had sat beside him on the table all morning. He stood up and went to the captain. “Inside this box are individual tokens for each of your crew. May North Hold become a second home.”

“Thank you so much. Your hospitality has lifted all our spirits. We shall spread the word of your kindness.”

“Thank you, friend,” Vael said.

I left the table and hugged the captain. “Stay safe, I don’t want to have to rescue from any pirates.”

“Ha, ha, don’t worry little mermaid, we promise to stay out of trouble.”

I watched the Merry Dog sail away, sails at full mast. I felt sorry to see them go, but I knew it would be too dangerous for them to remain in our turbulent waters. I wondered if I would ever see them again or would war keep us apart.

I left the roof and entered the mansion. Lin followed closely behind me in silence. I missed Neoma and wondered how she was faring protecting my father. Where Neoma was cheerful and joking, Lin was stoic and literal. She played her role well as my guard which was probably why Vael had chosen her as my second.

Being back in North Hold, Vael had released Alvern from his duty of protecting me. I wondered if he was relieved. I noticed that the servants still avoided eye contact with me as I passed through the halls and remembered that I needed to speak with my cousin.

I went to the lower levels of the mansion then crossed into the east wing where the servant and guard quarters were located. The laundry room was connected to this wing as the servants here washed everything from the finest robes to the lowest sheets.

I found my cousin with her arms elbow deep in a copper vat. The air was pungent with the sharp smell of lye and perfumes as the launderers scrubbed and rinsed their linen loads. They hardly noticed me as I entered the room with Lin, so intent on their work as I approached my cousin.

“Oriana!” I called. She looked up from her vat, stray hairs plastered to her cheeks and forehead from the steamy water. I could see the dark crescent scar under her right eye, a casualty of when we were children playing on the rocks in Sanctuary. I had fallen into her and her head had collided with a sharp rock.

My cousin looked at me silently and wiped her face off with her forearm. “Bella, I’m going to go talk with my cousin,” Oriana said to the woman behind. After a shared nod my cousin greeted me at the door. “Fancy seeing my cousin here looking like death herself,” she said circling me. “Who would have that that the warrior would become some soft noble. Did you have your wedding yet?”

I felt my cheeks heat in embarrassment. “Yes. I’m sorry you couldn’t attend.”

“Well if that bitch hadn’t interfered with your wedding I’m sure you would have invited me, right cousin?”

“Yes.”

“Huh… married before me, who would have thought. No kids, right?”

“No, Lord Aur will be the only one.”

She smiled and hugged me. “I missed you. I’ve been worrying about you from down here. I heard about you getting captured by the Landwalkers and that incident with Cia. Tempest and waves, Ollin annoyed me with his gossip about you.” She shook her head. “It wasn’t fair to tell you Cia was pregnant, even though it was false.”

“Yeah,” I said as I looked at the floor.

“Anyway, I’m rambling. Why are you here?”

“I came to talk to you. I’ve been rather neglectful of our relationship.”

“I agree.”

I laughed and hugged her again.

“I just want us to be closer. I don’t have many people on my side at the moment.”

“You have a god on your side, what does anyone else matter?”

“Blood matters, at least to me.”

“You’re so sentimental,” my cousin said as she shook me gently. “And I love you for it. If you have time tonight, let’s catch up over cards?”

“Yes, I’d like that.” I grinned widely. I was glad I didn’t need to worry about her hating me.

After dinner I prepared to sneak away to play cards when Vael cornered me at the door. “Where are you going at this hour?” he asked.

“To see my cousin, Oriana. We’re catching up.”

Vael cupped my chin and kissed me. “Play nice. I’ll keep the bed warm for you.”

I smacked his shoulder. “Stop tempting me!” He kissed me again and I reluctantly pulled away. “I’ll see you later tonight. I love you.”

“I love you.”

I left my room with Lin and headed towards the servant quarters. As we walked down a flight of stairs the floor trembled beneath my bare feet. I heard a sound like thunder and the wall just over our heads came tumbling down in a cloud of dust. Lin tackled me and we rolled a few steps down the stairs as the rubble bounced passed us.

I inhaled a cloud of dust and coughed before covering my nose. “Quickly, we must get to a lower level!” Lin shouted at me as the sound of thunder came once more.

“What about Vael?”

“No time, my main priority is you right now Eminence! One of his other guards will protect him. Let’s get to the lower levels now.”

I gnashed my teeth. I was loathe to leave my husband behind, but I had promised him that I would stay safe. With difficulty I turned my back on the destruction behind me and continued down the stairs. The building shook around us and I could hear people screaming and running ahead of us.

“What’s going on?” Lin asked the nearest warrior.

“Some ship has pulled alongside the north of the hold and begun firing at us with cannons,” she said.

“Ship? What’s its name?” I asked quickly.

“The Gray Maiden. Captain Ireta has ordered us to go out and sink it.”

“I’m going with you,” I said.

“No, Eminence, I cannot keep you safe out there, not with cannons,” Lin said.

“I can end this quickly…” I said before pausing. I felt sick to my stomach. “Where’s Neara?”

“Who?” asked the warrior.

“Neara, the little girl who came back with us. Where is she?”

“I don’t know. I’m sorry, Eminence.”

“Hounds!” I cursed. I could only imagine that she was scared out of her mind. “Lin, we need to find Neara!”

“Yes, Eminence!” Lin replied.

We headed toward the inner stairwell of the building, passing by fleeing men and women. The hold continued to shake around us and a few times clouds of dust slowed our progress forward. “Neara!” I shouted, placing inhuman volume in my voice that startled Lin.

“Sol!” replied an equally unnerving voice. I followed the voice to the third floor of the mansion and to its north side. The first thing I noticed were the holes perforating the walls that let in moon and starlight. All the lamps had been extinguished by the blasts leaving the whole floor dark in this section. I picked my way carefully through the mess when I saw a silver light through a hole leading into one of the guest rooms.

“Neara, it’s me, Sol!”

“I’m here!”

I climbed through the hole in the wall and saw Neara facing a large black vessel. Her hair was glowing as she stood on the edge of the collapsed floor. I shuffled forward and was hindered by a hand on my arm.

“No, let me do it,” Lin said and pushed me back toward the inner wall. “Sweetie come here.”

“So many are dead, do you hear them?” Neara said.

“Hear who?” I asked.

“The dead,” the girl said and looked at me. She shook her head. “You’re blocking them out, but I can’t.”

“Stay still, I’m almost there,” Lin said as she picked her way around the fallen lumber and bricks. The floor groaned and shifted toward the large hole that had torn down the wall and part of the floor in its collapse. “Almost there.” She took another step forward and the wood screeched in protest. She reached Neara and took her by the hand. “Walk carefully. The floor is very weak.”

“Ok,” the girl said weakly. She kept her head down as they shuffled back to me. I took a step forward and the floor fell away beneath my feet and slammed into the floor below it. I rolled down the slope it created and through the space that the outer wall had been. I saw an outcropping of rock below me and landed heavily on my side.

I cried out as pain bloomed down my right side. My vision blurred from my tears. I tried to put pressure on my right hand and my arm buckled beneath me.

“Eminence!” Lin shouted.

“Don’t worry, she’s still alive,” Neara said.

“How do you know that?”

“They told me. Hold on, I’ll get her.” I heard a light thump and saw that the girl had jumped down beside me. Her hair was still glowing as she reached down and touched my shoulder. “You need to stop fighting against your gift,” she said to me.

“W-what do you mean? What g-gift?” I stuttered.

The girl cupped my chin with her hands and placed her forehead against mine. “It’s okay. It won’t hurt,” she said.