Mermaid Tear (The Fated #2)

01 | Numb

Reality felt like cracked porcelain.

Bits and pieces of the world crumbled to the earth beneath his knees. Crumbling chips of moments that should have registered in his mind, but felt too fractured to truly stick.

The gods muttering amongst themselves as knights and soldiers watched from beyond the glimmering, golden barrier. The strings falling from their fingers, slipping back into invisibility as the gods seemed to finish whatever they were doing to remake the bond.

Callias between them--his face as pale and still as death.

Isidor at the merman's side, ignoring any suggestion that he should move elsewhere as he checked his pulse.

Rhode staring at them, expression as blank as a sheet of parchment, yet somehow as tremulous as a raging sea.

Mara kneeling next to Kain, murmuring words he couldn't comprehend. It was as if the moment the world had pitched back into motion his ability to follow it had vanished. All he could do was tighten his arms around the figure crumpled against him, as if that could stop her warmth from drifting towards the inevitable chill. One of his hands reached for her eyelids, closing them to block the emptiness that laid beyond.

Seconds shuttered into minutes. Natia whined, pressing her flank against his back. It hurt--her solid body irritating his still lingering wound--and somehow, that helped reassemble his shattered mind into something almost functional.

An arm dragged him to his feet, heaving him up as his own grip tightened around her. Voices washed over his ears.

"We need to move. It's dangerous to stay here, Your Highness."

The barrier was gone, dissipated in a disconnected second. The knowledge of its disappearance clicked the moment he realized the voice at his side was the knight who had scolded Eleni. Kain wanted to laugh.

Just a short time ago, the man had threatened their entire party. What a difference a few gods and an assassination made.

"The assassin could still be nearby. My men are searching for them, but an attack like this speaks of skill. There's every chance they could slip our guard twice."

"Did you see their face?"

Mara's question dragged Kain's mind from the muck miring his thoughts. His eyes fell to Melitta's blood-caked throat, zeroing in on the weapon he hadn't removed. The blue tinged metal settled in his gut like a brick. 'The face...'

"No," the knight replied. "Everything happened so quickly. And, given...well, the attack must have come from behind your party."

"Natia," Kain muttered.

The buzzing conversation around him paused as Natia whined. His gaze shifted to the wolf. Hesitation settled along his numbed thoughts. Was he making the right choice? What if his request got her killed?

What if they missed something because he was too worried to use her?

"Can you sense other nightmares?" he asked.

Her ears folded back as she bared her teeth in a growl. Agreement?

"What about metal made with their venom? Does it feel the same?"

If witches couldn't heal past a nightmare's ability, didn't that mean it was something more than a simple venom? It had to be their own form of magic. Which meant it would have an aura.

Understanding seemed to shine in Natia's eyes. She yipped and pressed her flank to his legs. Kain drew in a deep breath.

"Rhode."