“She is no longer in their clutches, my brother,” Mars said quietly. “She is amongst those who love and respect her. You do not have to twist yourself into knots to be all to her in the limited time you have with her. Protect her from every hurt you can manage. In another time, I will express my gratitude to you for looking after her as best you could since her birth. In the now, just know, she is loved.”

Mars watched True swallow as he allowed Mars’s words to penetrate.

He then watched his brother nod.

After that, he clapped him on the arm.

And then both of the men who loved Silence Laches the most in her life made haste to introduce her to her brother.

Queen Silence

Parapets, Sky Citadel, Sky Bay

AIREN

“They loiter,” my brother—my brother—muttered.

I looked from my view of studying his handsome profile as he leaned forward against the railings, gazing from the ramparts to the night lights of Sky Bay, to where Mars and True stood, ostensibly talking, undoubtedly listening, some five feet away.

“My husband and my cousin tend to think I must be looked after.”

“They are correct,” he stated, turning his head to me.

I lifted my chin. “I am woman, but I am not powerless or stupid.”

“Do you look after your husband?” he asked.

“Of course,” I stated tartly.

He grinned and became all the more handsome. “You do know, if you love someone, that automatically happens. You look after them.”

“Oh,” I mumbled and turned to the Bay.

“You have great beauty. My father would be proud he had a hand in creating that,” he declared.

Slowly, I closed my eyes.

I had known him but hours, and already, he told me I was beautiful.

I had known my father all my years, and he’d never said such.

“My sister,” he called gently.

I opened my eyes.

“Thank you,” I whispered. “And you are most handsome, and please know I do not say that only to return the compliment.”

“You appeared in pain a moment ago.”

I turned my head to see his silver eyes, my silver eyes, gazing at me.

“I hope you never know how it feels to have mostly nothing, and then be given everything. It’s most overwhelming.”

“My sister,” he said, his tone edged in distress.

“Let us not dwell on these things,” I suggested. “Can I ask you questions?”

He twisted his upper body toward me, leaning on an elbow on the railing, and answered, “Anything.”

“If I am a mermaid, and you a mermale, why do we both have legs?”