Prince's Tide by M.L. Eaden

Author:M.L. Eaden [M.L. Eaden]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: M.L. Eaden
Published: 2023-05-12T00:00:00+00:00

Woven Reeds & Words

Troller

I felt like a stunned fish. To leave Royce like that tore something inside of me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back. I only hoped he’d forgive me and that he and the crew were safe.

The pod surrounded me the moment I hit the water. I expected them to murder me while I shifted, but they only watched. Once my skin cast-off floated away, they looped woven reeds around my neck and wrists. I pulled, but the ropes held tight as the reeds abraded my gills.

“Is this how you treat a member of the council?” I was pretty sure I didn’t have much sway anymore, but I had to try. I saw doubt in the protectors’ eyes until Elder Councilor Halic joined them.

Halic projected strength as he moved among us. His blonde-white hair was elaborately woven with many trinkets to denote his status among the pods. He had pale yellow stripes along his sides that matched the color of his upper body, though the rest of his scales were a faint green.

“This is how we treat traitors and those that expose us to the surface dwellers. You will be taken back to the pod and judged for your actions. You no longer have a voice here,” said Halic.

Halic swam close to me and clicked in my ear, “You barely look like any of us; you are so tainted from being with the air breathers. Look at you. You disgust me.” I knew what he meant. I had more sun. My hair was bright from Royce’s potions, and my skin had a healthy glow to it because I had renewed it every so often. It made me wonder how Halic hid his trips to the surface. The protectors that surrounded us had muted colors and dull scales as well. I had never noticed how unhealthy we appeared from our lack of time above the water.

“I frighten you, Halic. There is fear in your eyes, as plain as moss on stone.” I didn’t keep my sounds quiet as I challenged him. My people needed to know. If I were to face what I’d done and sway those around me, then I would give them the truth.

As I opened my mouth to speak, Halic motioned with his hand and spelled my voice away. I strained to make a noise, but nothing came from my throat. “That will be enough from you, traitor,” Halic clicked.

He gave instructions and forced me to keep up. He must have known I would speak about how he had lied and learned magic from the surface. It was the only reason to keep me silent, though I didn’t understand why he kept me alive.

In all the time I was with Royce, none of my research mentioned that anyone had seen waterfolk on land or in the water in a long time. There were several pods in the Gulf, but what about other parts of the world? Had all my kind across the seas vanished, or

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