Drothiker

24.

Faolin's heart was drubbing, any heat from earlier had dwindled from her as she raced down the stairs.

A siren—in this very fortress.

Aquakin—those who lived in the world beneath the sea, Blueneath—were renowned for feeding on those on land. Were feared. Their hunger matched no other, their savagery almost equaled to that of baeselk, at least when they were beneath water. The fact that this one was here at all ... a shifter. Dread oiled Faolin's gut at the awareness. It had been lodging here, in this fortress, among these soldiers.

For how long? Had it fed on anyone—

How had it survived so long without water, only otsatyas could tell. Or how it had remained hidden so long?

There were strict laws in Blueneath for aquakin to remain in water, their queen did not claim those who set foot on land. That was how the peace had continued existing amongst aquakin and soilkin—those who lived on land. One didn't cross the other's territory.

Aazem unsheathed his sword, and offered Faolin two daggers as they entered the backyard. There was no movement in water, no sound from beneath.

"How deep is the water?" Faolin whispered.

Aazem muttered with equal quiet as he advanced towards the pool, "Twenty feet."

Faolin flinched.

As if sensing it, he looked over his shoulder, a smile playing at those lips—Faolin waved off her thoughts. Aazem shrugged. "We're trained swimmers." She didn't fail to notice his quick glance towards her own tousled hair, another towards her neck, before he turned his attention back to the pool.

Her whole body prickled—and she shoved that away too.

Aazem paused a few steps from the pool. "I should sound an alarm."

"No." Faolin stepped beside him and peered up at his face. "They would kill it the instant they catch another glimpse."

He lifted a brow. "And why shouldn't they?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, at loss of words and reasons. "I feel merciful, today," was all she said and stepped towards the pool, gripping the dagger—

Aazem clutched her arm and tugged her. "It could kill you."

"No," she breathed, her gaze jammed on the pool—waiting for any movement. "You're forgetting it can't breathe outside water for much long—not in that form." She looked over her shoulder at him, then. "It could be just a mermaid, if we're lucky." Never minding that Destiny had always deceived her, she'd said as much earlier to him. Mer were harmless, adversaries of sirens; despite bearing same bods. Where sirens were predators, mer bore mejest, were peaceful with soilkin.

That did not stop soilkin from slaughtering them when spotted.

"Those are just gossips," Aazem countered, his grip firm on Faolin's arm. "Mer could be just as perilous for all we know."

"You worry too much." She made to yank out her arm—

Faolin's slippers skidded on the soaked stones. She tilted, her heart stealing to her throat—

Aazem's tight grip yanked her before she could dive in twenty-feet-deep water and offer dinner to the aquakin scouting beneath. "Careful," he snarled as she came face-first to his brutal chest.

She stepped back hurriedly, wincing at the pain in her nose. "Bastard!"

A hissing snarl sounded.