Page 69 of The Hunted

“They’re expecting storms tonight.”

“I heard that,” Vane replied. “Have you seen the princess at all today?”

“For a few moments this morning. Then she went to visit with her mother and the baby.”

“Have they named the young, yet?”

Mav frowned. “Not that I am aware.”

Which was why the child had not yet been formally placed in line to the throne. He had to wonder if that was by the hand of the king as well. He didn’t trust that merman. How could one trust someone who didn’t even protect his own people?

“Well—”

The advisor didn’t get the chance to finish his statement. The rush of royal guards filling the courtyard had the dancing women coming to a stop, their colorful fabrics falling to the seafloor in spiraling rainbows while the music silenced all at once. The guards avoided Mav and his man well enough, but the harsh whispers and severe expressions of the mermen with their chest plates and sharpened spears had the prince drawing in a quick breath.

Caught. She’s caught.

The princess was caught in a hunt.

They were quiet, of course.

Clearly heading for the king so that he could learn the news first.

It didn’t matter.

Their voices traveled.

Mav heard it all.

“If that’s true …” Vane started to say.

The prince shook his head. “It can’t be.”

“If it is, it gets you out of the agreement.”

“I never said I wanted out.”

And he didn’t.

He simply didn’t want his princess to stay in this sea.

She was a much better fit for his.

Mav would make sure she saw it, too. Even if that meant staying here until Arelle was returned. For now, though …

“Let’s find the king,” he told his advisor.

FIFTEEN

Eryx

MATTUE KEPT his expression a blank mask when Eryx was the first man off the ship after it docked at the wharf. He wished he was surprised to see the advisor waiting, but he really couldn’t be, considering how often Mattue liked to randomly make appearances lately.

“Well?” Mattue asked.

Eryx pulled the hood of his cloak down, taking his time to peer back over his shoulder at the ship still rocking against the waves while the men worked up on the deck. Overhead, the sun had dipped lower in the sky. Streaks of purple and burnt orange colored the sky, promising nightfall would come soon enough.

It was the wind that carried through the air, sending ropes spilling from the hands of the shipmates and causing Eryx’s cloak to billow wide around his legs that told the truth. A storm was on the way. They would need to work fast to empty the ship of its very precious cargo, get it moved, and make sure the vessel was well-tied down. Otherwise, they would find themselves caught up in the next bad storm when the skies quickly turned black.