Riptide (The Dark Waters series Book 1) by Aleera Anaya Ceres

Author:Aleera Anaya Ceres [Ceres, Aleera Anaya]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-24T16:00:00+00:00

Matthias

“Lord Matthias is here to see you,” Zenara announced at breakfast the next morning.

Coral sat at the beautiful table made entirely from sea glass and stone. On chipped vintage china, salvaged from a shipwreck, there was a breakfast feast of smoked sea slugs, hard boiled fish eggs, sea cucumbers, pickled fruits, walrus milk and cheese, and a light frothy tea that looked like sea foam. It was all surprisingly delicious. Coral was rubbing seaberry jam onto a piece of scone made from deep fried catfish skin, or so Zenara had told her when Coral had asked.

Caspian was at the table with her, on the opposite side, of course, digging into his own meal when Zenara had announced Matthias’ presence. The merman in question swam through the entry behind Zenara, who floated with her head bowed obediently, and Coral tensed at the sight of him.

He wore his Personal Guard uniform like a badge of honor, and he swam in like he owned the place. His brown hair curled over his forehead and even that seemed arrogant in manner. The black ink rose out of the collar of his jacket, twining around the cords of his neck and over the shaved sides of his head. It was the merman who had branded her, the merman who had fought her. Matthias. The fake name Caspian had given himself when they’d met.

Coral clutched the butter knife tightly in her hand when he swam past her.

“So you allow anthropos scum to break their fast at your table, Caspian? How about calling all the servants in for tea? I saw a stray salamander in the streets, maybe he would like to dine with us as well.” There was a malicious smile on his face as he kicked out a chair with his tailfin and sat in it.

“I’m not an anthropos, you know.” Coral found the words out of her mouth before she could stop them. Caspian froze, teacup halfway to his mouth. Matthias turned to look at her, smiling as if nothing she could say would faze him or make him frown. He just looked like he was demanding an explanation. “I have a tail. I can breathe underwater and swim like you. I’m not an anthropos anymore.”

Matthias’ smile widened into a full toothed grin. “I reckon you are still as useless as one, though.” Then he turned his attention to Zenara, who still waited by the entryway. “I do not know what you are waiting for, half-breed,” he said viciously, manic grin still firmly in place. “Bring me food.”

Zenara dipped a curtsey and left the room. Coral glared at Matthias for his rude behavior. What a bastard! He’d taken great joy in permanently marking her flesh and beating her around in the training room the night before. She would take joy in sticking a knife through his eye.

“Why are you here, Matthias?” Caspian asked, calmly digging into his food.

Zenara came back and placed a tray of foodstuffs in front of Matthias and then backed away, ignoring the way he flashed his teeth in a mockery of thanks.

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