The Ever Queen (The Ever Seas Book 2)

The study window overlooked the royal city. Red rooftops, winding cobbled paths, and stone arcades around the marketplace bustled with life now that the Ever Crew had returned. Families were reunited, and life simply went on.

The blood crown rested on the mantle in the study, following us wherever Alistair knew us to be during the day. Violent waves thrashed, shaping the points of the crown. I narrowed my eyes, despising Erik’s father a little more. Thorvald had known there was another boy with his blood, he’d never said a word, never prepared his son or kingdom.

Then again, Thorvald had ordered his tiny child to kill his own mother. Foolish to think the man was capable of any affection.

“I’m assuming these were not done by Bloodsinger’s hand.” My father materialized at my side. He traced the corners of the windows where glossy, painted vines coated the corners of the glass.

“Alistair was—still is—a rather harsh critic. I was determined to paint the whole of the palace to earn a bit of praise from the man.”

Daj let his hand fall away. For a moment, he studied the vines, a furrow to his brow, like he might be trying to decipher a hidden meaning beneath the leaves. “You will never know what a relief it is to learn my fears of what you were enduring were not true.”

“Daj, I know we have not had much time to speak, but you must know the attack at the fort, it was not the first time I’d spoken with Erik. It wasn’t exactly random, him taking me. After the war ended and he was captured—”

“You would go to his cell.”

My words stuttered. “Did he tell you?”

“No. I already knew.” My father sat on the windowsill, dark eyes alive with a touch of mischief. “When I went to speak to the boy king after the war, to try to convince him we were not enemies, I noticed a bit of parchment he tried to hide. There were swirls on some of the lettering.”

“Gods, I thought I’d been so clever, slipping a note through the bars. I wanted to introduce myself before I spoke to him for the first time.”

“Your mother and I watched one night and caught you.”

I tilted my head. “Why did you not say anything?”

“Why do you think I urged Bloodsinger to stay?” My father rose and placed his hands on my shoulders. “I knew that young king would break my heart, even then.”

“I don’t understand.”

“It has been my desire to see my children experience a love like I have with your mother. But it does not mean I wanted the day to ever come. I knew my heart would break when another man took yours. I felt that ache when I looked at the boy my daughter had been befriending.”

I blinked, a little stunned. All this time, both my mother and father had known I’d read tales to Erik, that we had an unexpected connection.

“Feeling that, did you not worry he would return?”

My father sighed. “As time went on, I didn’t. I believed the barriers against the sea fae would hold. Reckless of me, since I’ve dealt with my fair share of fate. I should’ve known better.” He took my hand, squeezing my fingers like he’d done since I was a small girl. “I knew how to recognize when the games of the Norns were at play, and both your mother and I sensed something about the Ever King and our girl.”

“You truly asked Erik to stay because of me?”

“I would do anything for your happiness. In truth, Liv, there was a common feeling amongst all of us that Bloodsinger had stepped into our world for a greater purpose. Stieg was close to the boy, then he saved your Uncle Tor.” My father paused, a bit of reluctance written on his face. “I think I was merely being too obstinate to admit it was for you.”

I gave him a half smile. “I could pretend that Erik regrets what he did, but we both know that isn’t true. Still, Daj, I hope you know I was never harmed by him. It’s strange, perhaps some might see it as mad, to fall in love with a man who lied and took you from your life—”

“Not so strange.” My father studied his rough palms. “You know of curses that plagued me once, but I’m not certain I’ve ever told you the schemes I leveled against your mother to break them.”

“You met because you were negotiating her vows to a mortal, I thought. You fell in love instead.”

“And what, Liv? You think that was allowed? Your mother’s uncle was a tyrannical king who despised fae folk and anyone stepping outside his plans.”

That startled a laugh out of me. “Daj, did you take Maj away to vow with her against the order of a king?”

“Vow with her? You think too highly of me, daughter.” His expression grew almost wistful. “I took her to use her, or so I thought. It wasn’t exactly the same as Bloodsinger, but I tricked your mother, made her trust me, only to reveal she’d put her faith in an enemy who wanted to destroy her world. I should’ve known after I first met her that she would, instead, unravel mine.”

It was strange, hearing secrets of a love I’d admired from my earliest memories. I knew there’d been tensions between mortal and fae long before I was born, but nothing of my father tricking and lying to my mother. Nothing about him despising her folk.

The door to the study cracked against the wall. My heart swelled as Erik, lost in conversation with Sander, strode in with Gavyn and Aleksi in their wake.

“All I’m saying is I might understand how we got here more than you think.” My father winked—bleeding winked—and turned away. “It looks like we’re gathering.”

Satin sofas, the edge of the polished desk, and a few narrow-legged chairs were occupied. Tavish and his father, a man Erik called Maelstrom, were in attendance. Erik’s suspicions about their relationship with Lady Narza was curious. Like my father’s confession, when this was all at an end, when Larsson’s blood stained the sands of the Ever, I had a great many questions to unravel.

Erik lifted his gaze, a sullen smirk played with the scar on his lip, and while Sander was still speaking, the king abruptly quit his side and came to mine.

The point of his first finger traced the edges of the bones around my neck. “Wear only this tonight. Nothing else.”

“Serpent, may I remind you that my father is in this room.”

“Songbird,” Erik whispered in my ear. “Do you think he has not put it together that we share a bed?”

He grunted when my elbow jammed into his ribs. “You are a fiend, Erik Bloodsinger.”

“I’m offended you’ve only just noticed, love.”

We took a place on the sofa while Sander flipped the pages of a what seemed to be a storybook of fables for littles.

“What is that for?” I asked.

“There are a few myths that involve elven folk.”

Faded drawings of a mystical battle of golden clouds and dark shadows. Warriors with blades as long as their bodies were painted on opposing sides of a field.

“My mother read me this one as a boy.” Gavyn pointed to a page with a collision of night and daylight. “A tale of a princess of the sun who fled with an enemy of the night, so they could be together. Battles ensued, but eventually her people agreed to the match. It’s one of the few happy endings in the lore.”

“All sagas and myths are shaped from some truth. This fable, I think, is a tale of how the elven clans were formed. Light and shadow. It fits.”

Celine frowned. “Larsson’s a light elf?”

I shrugged. “That’s what he said.”

“He wants the Ever’s crown.” My daj leaned over his knees, taking in the room. “But Liv said his elven kin want battle against us much the same.”

“I think it’s a custom,” I said. “Arion, the elven prince, he hinted that victory in a battle is needed to earn his birthright.”

“Why so protective of the shadow woman then?” Sander asked. “Right? You said she seemed to be trapped as well.”

“The secrets surrounding Skadi are vast,” I admitted. “Larsson had less interest in her but had a bit of power over her through his elven cousin.” My pulse grew to a frantic rhythm. “There is something about that isle that keeps Skadi compliant and Arion invested in Larsson’s victory. Before she was commanded to aid in the removal of the heartbond, she told Arion he broke some kind of agreement.”

“You don’t have a guess as to what it could be?” Erik asked.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. “No. But Skadi was furious with him and Larsson. She protested the removal, tried to get them to stop when she saw how he . . . carved into me.”

Erik took hold of my hand, but I could not help but notice how his other palm rubbed his chest.

I squeezed my eyes, a phantom ache in my heart. “Skadi was frightened about stealing the bond through pain.”

“She must be powerful if she can take a bond from the blood,” Sander said, his voice hurried with excitement.

“I think it is more that she can take matter. That’s how she put it, at least. She said magic, mystical as it is, still has a physicality to it. A remnant she can find and take.”

“Interesting. You said she was somewhat kind to you?”

“She was kind, but something changed. It was like she was lost inside herself, colder, aloof. I didn’t learn much more since Gavyn found me after that.”

I shot to my feet, pacing.

“Liv,” Mira reached an arm out, a gentle smile on her face. “What has you uneasy?”

“Skadi is important to both Larsson and Arion. Perhaps she is not a vital piece in this battle for the Ever, but they have need of her magic. It’s dark, almost like your daj.” I looked to Jonas and Sander. Their father was made of shadows when he stepped deeply into his power.

Melancholy quiet descended over the room. I sat back beside the king. Erik gripped my hand, and every few moments he’d trace his thumb over my knuckles and back again, as though the motion soothed his own discontent.

“We need to understand what Larsson has at his disposal, whether it is with this woman, the elven prince, or even the sea witch,” Aleksi said.

Tavish had been silent for most of the conversation, but he cleared his throat. His fingers tapped against his thighs. “What if you could parlay with the bastard?”

Erik narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know what the hells you’re talking about, Tavish. I will not speak peacefully with Bonekeeper. The next time we meet, it will be with my blade down his throat.”

“Might help to get a glimpse at his plans. Ruffle him a bit, bite at his pride, so he comes against you, and we finish this damn fight.”

“Larsson wants Erik dead,” I snapped. “He won’t meet peacefully.”

“Ah, but there are ways to connect two minds, My Queen. He would meet him without the ability to be harmed.”

“By the gods.” Gavyn’s eyes widened. “You’re talking about Mindtaker.”

“Shit.” Erik cursed and rose to his feet. “Avaline.”

“What is it?” I tugged on his wrist. “Who is Avaline?”

Erik’s eyes burned—embers against gold. “Joron’s daughter.”

“And why are we needing this child, girl, woman?” Jonas asked.

“Woman.” Erik scrubbed his hands down his face. “She has a rare sea voice.”

“She’s a damn frightening sea witch,” Tavish said bitterly. “Joron always takes pride in the voices of his house being tide workers, not witches. Yet he refuses to allow her to grow in the House of Mists. He keeps her for himself and rarely lets her see the daylight.”

“Mindtaker.” I mulled the word over my tongue. “So, does she have an ability like Tait where he reads the heart?”

“Almost,” Tavish said. “Her spells allow one to overtake another’s mind. Rather frightening when you think of it.”

“I’ve no doubt if Joron has used his girl to slip through a mind or two,” Erik said. “He is notorious for believing everyone wishes to assassinate him.”

“He’s kept his girl trapped in her own household,” Tavish said. “But she could connect Erik and Bonekeeper. They share blood; the connection would be much simpler with shared blood. Otherwise, we’d need a bit of hair, some skin, an eyeball, something from the one we wanted to overtake.”

Bleeding gods.

“It comes at a price,” Erik said. “Her voice can connect two minds, but it isn’t always simple to pull them back.”

“No.” I held up a hand. “No, we’re not risking you getting stuck in Larsson’s mind.”

“We’ll need an anchor,” Tavish said. “But I’m confident we could do it.”

I spun on Erik when he went quiet, his fingers running over his chin. “You can’t honestly be willing to risk this.”

“If we want to know what we’re facing with Larsson, yes.”

“I just got you back,” I whispered.

“And you won’t lose me again,” he said.

Battle was always a risk. I despised it, wanted to thrash and shout and refuse. I closed my eyes and pressed my brow to Erik’s. “I’ll kill you if you don’t keep that promise, Serpent.”

“Understood, love.” He kissed the top of my knuckles.

“Well, there’s still the problem regarding Joron never allowing us to get close to Avaline,” Tait muttered.

“Agreed,” Erik said, voice harsh. “So, I think it is long overdue for Lord Joron to accept a visit from his king.”