“What do we do until then?” Josh asked.
“We’ll need supplies,” Callum said. “Tools we can use. Knives, ropes.”
“Food,” I added, making a face. “Something other than fish.”
“We don’t have our waterproof bags anymore,” Josh reminded me. “We’ll have to be careful about what we can take in the water.”
Callum nodded as he stood from the chair. “We should go back into town before the merchants close their wagons.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Do you think you should go? I mean, after what happened last time...”
Callum’s expression turned grim and he frowned. “You’re right. I would only cause trouble. We don’t need the extra scrutiny right now. The more we remain invisible, the better. You two go, I’ll stay here.”
He looked as if it pained him to stay behind, but it was for the best. We didn’t want word to get back to Domnall that we were planning to leave, and Callum’s presence in the village would only cause problems.
“We’ll be back soon,” I told him.
We slipped out of the palace, keeping a close watch for Domnall or his men. I expected Josh to ask the question I knew was burning on his tongue. But he walked silently beside me, his hands buried in the pockets of his hoodie, which he still refused to get rid of though it reeked of sweat and salt.
“Well?” I snapped finally.
“Well what?”
“Are you going to ask what’s going on between Callum and me?”
Josh shrugged. “I can see what’s going on with my own eyes.”
“It’s not...I don’t...” I sighed. “It’s complicated.”
“How so?” Josh asked.
I kicked at a small stone in the path. “I like Callum, but...”
“But then there’s Dylan waiting for you back home,” Josh said.
I rolled my eyes. “He’s not waiting for me. He probably doesn’t even care if I never come back. We haven’t pledged ourselves to each other or anything.”
“But you and Dylan have a history together,” Josh said. “And he might not be happy when you come home with a new finfolk.”
I rubbed my temples. “Can we not talk about this right now?”
“You’re the one who brought it up,” Josh said. He paused and pointed toward the beach to our left. “There’s Artair.”
I made a face as I looked at the finfolk sentry, who stood along the edge of the water just where the surf washed up on the sand. The beach was empty except for him. He faced the water, his eyes shielded from the late afternoon sun. He lifted a hand and waved, and I scanned the water to see what had his attention.
Two heads bobbed not far from shore, one much smaller than the other. The woman in the water lifted her hand and waved to Artair, then she lifted the child at her side out of the water as a larger wave washed over them. The woman disappeared, but she held the child above the wave’s surface as the little girl kicked her legs and splashed. Her laugh drifted across the beach toward us.
Once the woman had resurfaced, Artair turned away from the scene. His eyes caught mine, and his expression darkened into a deep scowl.
“Let’s try to avoid him,” I muttered to Josh.
Despite how late it was getting, there were still people walking around the village square when we arrived. Most of the vendor wagons sat in their usual spots, though the food wagons had only a few things left. Josh and I decided to split up so we could blend into the crowd a little easier on our own rather than together. Josh went in search of tools that could help us while I shopped for food.
We had brought a few things from the palace to trade, dishes and forks mostly. I managed to trade two forks for a bag to hold my purchases and then set about finding fruits and vegetables I thought could survive extended time underwater.
I was finishing up my shopping trip when a familiar figure stepped in front of me at the last wagon. I scowled up at Artair, who kept his usual neutral expression.
“Do you mind?”
“Why are you here?” he asked.
I waved my bag of fruit at him. “Shopping.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Why were you spying on my family?”
I rolled my eyes. “We weren’t spying on anyone, especially not you. I don’t care what you do with your family. Frankly, I’m shocked you even have one.”
I pushed past him and examined a display of strange yellow fruit I had never seen before. I felt his presence over my shoulder, though I refused to look at him.
“You should not have freed Callum,” Artair told me. “He is a criminal. He committed crimes that are the worst a finfolk can do to his own kind.”
“Callum told me everything. An accident doesn’t make him a murderer.”
“He planned to reveal our people to the humans,” Artair said. “The actions of which resulted in another finfolk’s death. He might as well have killed her with his own hand.”
Now I turned to face him. “You people have a sick sense of justice. His sister dies by accident, and you think that justifies cutting off his leg and taking away his ability to be finfolk? What is wrong with you?”
But my words didn’t seem to have any effect on Artair. “Callum gave up his right to be finfolk and swim as we do when he turned his back on his people.”
“He was trying to help all of you,” I said.
“He failed in his duties as protector of our people,” Artair said. “He deserved to be stripped of everything—his ability to swim, his heritage, his title.”
I blinked. “What are you talking about? What title?”
One corner of Artair’s mouth quirked. “So he did not tell you everything. Callum was meant to sit on the throne that Domnall now occupies.”
I took a step back. “What?” I asked, trying to make sense of this.
“Callum was meant to be king of the finfolk in Hether Blether.”
I shook my head. “I don’t believe you.”
Artair inclined his head toward me. “Then I suggest you speak to Domnall and find out the truth about Callum for yourself.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Artair led me directly from the market to Domnall’s suite in the palace. I was aware of the stares as I followed Artair past the merchant wagons. With his spear clasped in his hands, it looked like I was being taken away as a prisoner. I hoped Josh wouldn’t hear about it and try to come rescue me.
I didn’t want to talk to Domnall, but I needed to hear him tell me why he sat on the throne if Callum was supposed to be the finfolk leader. Mostly, I needed to know why Callum hadn’t told me this himself.
My stomach twisted as I waited in the silent hall. Would Domnall even agree to see me after what had happened at the peninsula?
After a moment, Artair returned and gestured for me to follow.
Domnall waited in the den of his suite. The shutters over the windows were open to allow the ocean breeze into the room and the crystal prisms made rainbows dance on the walls.
“This is a surprise,” Domnall said, standing as I stepped toward him. “To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting?”
“Why isn’t Callum king?” There was no need to make small talk. I only wanted to hear what he had to say and then I would return to my suite to prepare for our leaving.
Domnall raised his eyebrows. “Ah. Did Callum finally confess everything to you?”
I glared at his back as he turned toward the pitcher of water and cups on their usual table. “Callum told me what happened to his sister,” I said. “And why he was banished. But I had to hear about this from Artair.”
Domnall glanced at Artair, who still stood in the doorway. The guard bowed his head slightly and Domnall waved a hand at him. Artair stepped out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him.
“Artair may have overstepped his position a bit,” Domnall said. “He should not concern himself with this.”
“So then you tell me,” I said. “Why are you here and not Callum?”
Domnall pou
red a cup of water and then offered it to me. When I shook my head no, he took a sip and then returned to his chair. “Please sit.”
“I’d rather stand,” I told him.
“Callum was stripped of his birthright because of his actions five years ago,” Domnall said. “In actuality, the person who was meant to sit on the finfolk throne was his sister, Pearl. As the oldest child of their parents, she became queen after their deaths. Callum was her heir only until she gave birth to her first child, which unfortunately, did not happen. She was still only a young woman when she died.”
“And how do you fit into this story?”
“When Pearl died, the throne transferred to Callum automatically,” Domnall said. “Callum was meant to be our king. But when he told us what had happened, how his actions had killed his sister...To take the life of another finfolk is the greatest sin we can commit. The person responsible must be stripped of all rights, even the right to be called finfolk. Callum lost his birthright. There were no other siblings the title could transfer to. No cousins close enough to his father’s royal blood to have a legitimate claim. But there was me.”
He took a sip of his water, then set the cup down. “Pearl was my wife.”
My mouth dropped open. “You were married to Callum’s sister?”
“Aye. I had been captain of the finfolk guard for many years. Pearl was under my care, and I watched over her as a faithful servant. We fell in love, and married only a year before...” Domnall cleared his throat. “Before she died. When Callum was stripped of his birthright, I was named king by request of the finfolk people.”
“And then you cut off Callum’s leg,” I finished, crossing my arms. “Your own family.”
Domnall frowned. “I gave the order for the punishment, aye. It is our custom. It is what we must do to protect ourselves.”
“And going after my home, is that to protect yourselves?” I asked.
“To save my people, it is what I must do.”
“What about the humans who live there? What do you plan to do to them?”
Domnall shrugged. “Humans are not my concern. They have done nothing for us except take our land. We lost the other islands long ago, and we’re losing Hether Blether now. If the only way to fight back is to take the land that humans walk, then that is what I must do. I will rally the finfolk I find in the human world. They will see my side once they know the damage humans do to us. Once we unite all finfolk together again, we will be able to push the humans out of their land and rebuild the finfolk kingdom, stronger than it ever has been before.”
I shook my head. “You don’t know the humans. They’ll fight back, and not all finfolk will be on your side.”
He gave me a placating smile. “And you, wee one, being raised so far outside of our world, do not know the power of the finfolk. Have you never heard the stories about us? About how we could convince human men and women to leave their homes, their families, for the chance to live a life with us? The finfolk song is more powerful than you know. We show the humans what they want most, and their will is easily bent.”
I swallowed and gripped the edge of the chair in front of me to help steady myself. I didn’t want to believe Domnall’s words, but he sounded convincing even now. “You can’t do that. The people of Swans Landing haven’t done anything to you.”
Domnall’s eyes flashed. “But humans have. They are an infection on this world and I intend to put an end to their taint.”
“Why?” I asked. “Why not bring back the finfolk who want to leave and then live here away from them?”
He narrowed his eyes as he studied me. “Why do you concern yourself so much with the humans? Why do you care what happens to them?”
“I don’t. I care about my home.” I turned to leave. “Thank you for speaking with me. Callum and Josh will be waiting for my return.”
As I reached the door, a low hum started behind me. The air around the edges of my vision sparkled with gold light. I stopped, my hand frozen in midair above the doorknob. The humming grew louder, the sound vibrating through me and tickling the hairs all along my arms.
I heard a voice next to me, a whisper in my ear. “Child, don’t make me come after you.” Grandma. Her voice so clear in my head. A shape began to form and I could smell her salty scent. My legs trembled, my knees almost giving away.
I clenched my teeth and forced myself not to look. I couldn’t let Domnall see that his song had any effect on me. He would know I was part human.
But it was hard to resist. The two parts of me battled inside my body. The finfolk side told me to run and pretend not to notice. But the human side begged for a glimpse of Grandma, who I knew I would see standing next to me.
Sweat trickled down my back between my shoulder blades. I bit my tongue so hard I tasted blood. I still carried the bag of fruit and I clenched my fist around the fabric, squeezing as hard as I could until the muscles in my arm burned.
Slowly, my other hand reached the doorknob. With painful movements, my eyes locked on the wall in front of me, I pulled the door open and then walked out, leaving Domnall still singing and the vision of Grandma caught in the air behind me.
* * *
Callum looked up from the knife he was sharpening on a rock when I burst into our suite. He leaped from his seat when he saw me, grimacing when he put weight on his wooden prosthetic. I had run across the palace once I’d left Domnall’s suite and I was out of breath. My mind was swirling inside my head like a hurricane, thoughts bumping into each other as I tried to make sense of them.
“Are you all right?” Callum asked, standing quickly. “Did something—”
“Why didn’t you tell me you’re supposed to be king?”
Callum froze, his face paling so the freckles on his cheeks stood out. “Who told you about that?”
“I spoke with Domnall.” I swallowed, trying to settle churning sensation in my stomach. “He told me everything. Your sister was queen. And Domnall is your brother-in-law.”
Callum’s eyes darkened. “Was my brother-in-law. The man he is now is not the same one who married my sister.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. “You told me your sister died and that you were banished for it, but you never told me she was the finfolk queen! You never mentioned you are supposed to be king.”
“I’m not!” Callum shouted. He bent over the table, pressing his fists into the wood. “I’m not king. I was never supposed to be king. Pearl was queen. Her children should have succeeded her, not me. But never she had a chance to give birth to an heir.” His body slumped, his shoulders shaking. “Because of me.”
“So the title transferred to you,” I pointed out. “You’re royal blood, Callum. You don’t think that at least deserved a small mention, somewhere in between kissing me and telling me about your childhood here?”
Callum shook his head. “I have no title. Not anymore. I lost my right to every claim when my actions killed my sister. I am not finfolk, but I’m not human either. I am nothing, which is exactly what I deserve to be.”
I crossed my arms. “You should have told me.”
His green eyes shone with the sheen of tears. “And what difference would it have made if I had?”
“You kept this secret from me,” I told him, my voice shaking a little. “How can I be sure you’re not keeping other things from me too? How do I know you’re the one I should trust and not Domnall? How can I be sure of anything now?”
He straightened, his body tense. The muscles in his neck twitched and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. “I told you all along you should be careful who you trust. Maybe that includes me too.”
“Callum—”
But he walked past me, his wooden leg thumping on the hard wooden floor. He pushed open the heavy door and stomped out, letting it slam shut behind him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
I tossed and turned all night, but sleep never came. I was already up, curled in one of the chairs next to the window, when Josh w
oke the next morning.
“Did Callum come back?” he asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t think so.” I hadn’t heard him return, though I had listened for the sound of his wooden leg thumping across the floor all night long.
Josh had returned to the suite after Callum had left. He’d been angry that I had left the square without him, but he forgot about that when I told him what had happened with Callum.
“I don’t want to hear that I was too hard on him,” I said, shooting a glare at Josh.
He raised his hands in surrender. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”
He had said enough the night before. He didn’t seem to understand why I felt so betrayed by Callum not telling me about his heritage. But how else was I supposed to feel? I thought I had known who Callum was, but now I realized how little I knew about him.
And yet, I still held my breath, listening for the sound of his footsteps outside the door.
But there was nothing except the rhythmic whoosh of the water under the suite.
“We should go find him,” Josh said, as if he could read my thoughts.
“Can we trust him?” I asked. “Maybe we shouldn’t trust anyone except each other. These people aren’t like us.”
“He’s our friend,” Josh pointed out. “He helped us get here and kept us safe.”
A knock on the door startled me and I leaped from my chair, heart pounding against my ribs.
But when the door opened, it was Domnall and not Callum. My shoulders sagged as I tried to steady my pulse.
“I came to invite you to have breakfast with me,” Domnall said with a pleasant smile.
I narrowed my eyes. “Why?” Domnall had not invited us to breakfast with him during our entire stay. As Artair had mentioned, Domnall usually ate his meals alone in his suite and had only eaten dinner with us once.
“I will be leaving Hether Blether tomorrow,” Domnall told us. “I am looking forward to the journey to your land. I thought it would be nice to have one last breakfast together, a toast to good fortune on the trip.”
Submerging (Swans Landing) Page 16