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“What if we could do as the Sirens did?” I whispered, brushing my thumb against my bottom lip. “Instead of the migration, what if we could go to the dark sea and find a way to get our magic the same way they do?”
Moira’s eyes widened. “You want to take on the Kraken?”
I shook my head. “No.If I never see that beast again, it will be too soon.” I wouldn’t mention the bargain I had struck with the Kraken. “What if it killed us?”
“But you think it could work?” Moira eyed me as if I was insane.
“It’s an option,” I admitted reluctantly.
“It is,” she agreed.
The following day, when Arden arrived to greet us in the cradle, he brought a special guest—a Selkie who seemed all too happy to sit on one of the rocks and watch our training with interest.
I soon realized I would be seeing a lot more of Rainn.
The Siren Queen had extended asylum to the Selkie.
I had no idea what Rainn told her about his position in the Selkie court or his friendship with the Mer-king, but he seemed to be staying.
Much to my consternation.
Hunched over a bowl of oats and seeds, I shoveled food in my mouth as fast as possible, ready to return to training.
I hadn’t expected my reaction to Rainn, and I hadn’t expected him to kiss me.
It would have been so easy to fall into his arms with the belief that he could protect me if I let him, but I knew that Cormac would do everything in his power to make sure I paid for his mother's death and abandoning him at the altar.
I had been too eager to forget that I had enemies that weren’t as willing to forget about my existence as I was theirs.
Colm approached our table, carrying a tray of food with Rainn on his heels. The Selkie was joyous as he flashed a grin to every Fae who made eye contact, no matter how scathing. Colm sat opposite Moira and me, and Rainn took the seat next to him.
“I’m to train with the recruits,” Rainn grinned. “Yesterday, I just got to watch, but today I get to do some exercises.”
Colm grimaced. “I can’t believe you’re excited about that. You’re being babysat while the Queen decides what to do with you.”
Rainn leaned over and smushed Colm’s cheeks together. “You’re too young to be so cynical.”
Colm rolled his eyes and knocked Rainn’s hand away.
Rainn turned his attention to Moira. “We haven’t been introduced. I’m Rainn Shallows of the Skala Isles.”
I felt a twinge of jealousy I had no right to feel.
Moira blushed. “Moira Fen,” she murmured, leaving out her full Undine title, Moira-Cora Fen of the Esteemed Undine Court.
“You’re Undine.” Rainn’s eyes sparkled with interest before flicking to mine. “How did you throw your lot in with the Sirens?”
“She’s my best friend.” My bones creaked around my spoon as I gripped it so tightly that it hurt. “She escaped from the frosted sands.”
Rainn’s face went blank. He still wore the same benign and harmless smile, but the light behind it had gone. “I see.”
Moira cleared her throat, ever the peacemaker. “It's water under the bridge.”
My jaw tightened, and I tasted metal at the back of my throat. I disagreed, and I didn’t trust myself not to say something untoward, so I scooped up more porridge and stuffed it into my mouth.
“Well,” Rainn sat back, finally picking up a utensil and focusing on his food. “The Siren Queen has agreed to offer sanctuary as long as I don’t do anything untoward.”
“Define untoward?” I said nastily.
