Jorie studied him a moment before he muttered, “I approve of this.”

Mars didn’t much care.

“Would you like to meet Silence?” he asked.

“Why in the seas did they name her Silence?” Jorie queried in return.

“I do not know and care even less. But there is great calm and beauty in Silence, both the absence of noise and the uniqueness of my wife.”

Jorie’s eyes narrowed on him before he noted, “It is my understanding your marriage was arranged.”

“Yes, it was, thank the gods,” Mars muttered.

“You are keen on her,” Jorie observed.

“No, I love her.”

Jorie smiled largely. “This brings me great gladness.”

“That’s all well and good, now would you like to meet her?” Mars demanded.

Jorie’s body locked for a brief moment before he turned to Aramus and asked, “Why am I suddenly filled with unease?”

“Because her husband is maniacally protective?” Aramus asked in return.

“Tell me you would not do the same for Ha-Lah,” Mars clipped.

Aramus grinned at him before he looked to Jorie.

“You feel unease, my man, because she is your sister and you wish her to like you.” Aramus clapped him on the shoulder. “She is reserved of character, but warm of heart. And when you have a place in hers, as my wife has attested to you, her affection knows no limits.” He squeezed Jorie’s shoulder and dropped his voice. “Now, go. Meet your sister.”

Jorie nodded to Aramus, to Mars, looked to the room and turned to the door.

As Mars moved to follow him, True stopped him.

“I would be there, True,” Mars said impatiently.

“Silence is a mermaid,” True whispered, fear bleak at the backs of his eyes.

With all that just occurred, Mars had not fully taken that in.

He did now.

By muttering, “Fuck.”

“The Mer are…they have not been treated at all well, as you know, Mars,” True went on. “And Silence…” He shook his head “I’m protective, yes. But this is a great deal for her to take in.”

“No one will harm her.”

“If known, she will be a curiosity.”

“No one. Will. Harm her.”

True nodded but said, “I believe you, but I urge you to ask her brother not to share all and control the flow of information. In other words, slow it.”

“Gods, you’re an overbearing brother,” Mars muttered.

True reared back in affront. “Pardon?”

“My queen rained fire on traitors but days ago, True. She has a soul of silver. A heart of gold. A candied mouth. A cunning mind. And a spine of steel. I know you don’t underestimate her. What you must come to understand is, she is now a woman, a wife, a queen, and will, when things calm, be a mother. Allow her to grow up.”

“I have,” True clipped. “Of course I have.”