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With slightly narrowed eyes, I watch her squirm before answering, "I don't see how this has anything to do with me."
"One of your landwalkers took them," she shrieks the accusation. "That's the only explanation."
I bark out a laugh. "Impossible. Many have tried to capture your kind before, but they've never succeeded. Perhaps they swam away, or perhaps they chose to go. A misguided Syren falling for a human is more likely than one of them being abducted."
Her lip trembles, and while I'm inclined to believe she's being dramatic, something tells me this is deeper than she's letting on.
"Who's missing?" I ask, guessing her being so distraught can only mean one thing.
"They took Vanya," she sputters, whisking her falling tears into the ocean. "They took my baby."
Her baby is nearing 100 years old, but still. Somewhere inside me, a hot, slimy feeling fills my chest, seeing how devastated she is at the possible loss of her child. Vanya is the most self-centered, vapid, horrifically cruel creature I've had the displeasure of meeting, and yet her mother faces the danger of being this close to land alone for even the slightest chance at saving her.
"Who else?" I change the subject, unwilling to examine this unfamiliar feeling.
"A handful of her generals." She sniffles. "You have to help me, Kairon."
"Why not search for her yourself?" I ask. "You can walk on land."
The water around her becomes more violent, her agitation making it volatile. "And where would I start to look?"
I know the answer, of course. But giving away the only information I have would only send her on a suicide mission and ruin any chance of me leveraging this in my favor.
"It has to be you. You can have eyes everywhere."
I pretend to consider her, letting her think I might deny this request. "What do I gain from this?"
"Anything," she cries. "Please. I'll give you whatever you want."
"I want you to come to the treaty talks." I smile at her. "Come show that you are my ally and that your continued alliance is with Oksangui only."
She scoffs, "You want me to come spend days on land without my daughter here to help rule in my absence?"
I blow out a breath, feigning exasperation and giving her the compromise I've been working towards since she first told me of the missing Syrens. "I only need you for one meeting. One hour of your time, showing unwavering support for Oksangui, and I will send my right hand with a team to track down your missing merfolk."
"And how will I get to this meeting?" She sniffs.
"Through the front door." I start backing away, heading back the way I came. "In three days' time, when the sun is at its peak, I expect you to be walking into the palace. Someone will show you the way."
"And then you'll find Vanya?" She nods as if she could answer the question herself.
"And then I'll make best efforts to find Vanya."
Before she can argue, I'm gone.
As I travel back home, I plan my next moves. Valta will meet with us, flash her sharp teeth, and make a show of strength beside me, and I'll do exactly what I had already planned.
Find out how they have fucking merfolk on land.
The only Syren who can walk on land is the one who wears the crown. But it's not as if they could be wheeling their prisoners around in tanks of water, could they?
While our meeting did give me a few answers, I'm left with even more questions. Who would dare to stand against me and the kingdom of Havrik?
Two days ago, I would have said there's no way that the people of Rhyma are suicidal enough for such a thing, but now that I've seen what Elva is capable of, I'm not so sure.
Elva.
How does she play into all this? A well-placed distraction by her people or a very convincing actress?
