“You will forgive her, and we will look after her, Silence. All will be well.”

I nodded, my cheek brushing against his chest as I did.

“And I understand your struggle,” he murmured. “Is it a folly, to point out weaknesses to the weak who are thus, because the effort is futile as they’ll never understand? Especially if doing such does harm to ourselves? Or does one persevere in hopes that perhaps they’ll one day understand?”

He understood completely.

“Do you know the answer to that?” I asked.

“No. Except you must act on instinct. Which you did. That situation would never be right for her as well as for you. It could be you making it right for her, at the sacrifice of it doing any good for you. You decided not to sacrifice. And that, mia bellezza, I believe firmly was the right thing to do.”

Of course he would believe that.

He carried on.

“And now my instincts are telling me that my queen must rest, and as such, we will eat abed tonight, this after you nap.”

I tipped my head back to look up at him. “Mars—”

He shook his head, knowing what I would say. “She can have a meal with whatever others join her without you providing interference for her to make it easier, or she can call for a tray for herself. Tonight, I’m seeing to my wife in our chambers.”

As far as I could tell, his instincts were always right.

And now was no different.

“Thank you, my husband.”

“You are welcome, my wife.”

I sent him a shaky grin.

He replied by touching his lips to mine.

He guided me to bed.

I flipped off my slippers and entered it.

Mars threw a warm rug over me.

I curled up under it.

And it was my king who went to the cord, called a servant, had my mother seen to, and ordered a tray for later.

As for me.

I was exhausted.

Thus, I fell asleep.

145

The Dragons

Melisse

Riverburn Castle, Seat of Lord Felix Edgar, Gairn Plain

AIREN

The twisting stopped and their feet were on the ground.

She instantly felt that the bitter winter winds that swept up from the sea and whistled through Sky Bay were gone, and the cold here was merely chill.

Melisse looked up to Jorie, who was pulling his trident out of the dirt.

He then glanced about at the four other mermales who were doing the same.

When they all had their staffs in hand, and had jerked their chins up to their king, his eyes came to her.

“We will return,” he stated, turned, let fly his javelin, and he disappeared in a whirl about it.

She looked to Lena.

Lena, who another of the mermales had carried from the Bay on two magical throws of their tridents, also looked to her.