Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 Galvin, Aaron (classic fiction txt) 📖

had Rupert come to me with the request.” Darius clapped him on the shoulder, squeezing. “Isn’t that right, boy?”

Rupert bowed his head, staring at the stone floor. “Aye, Your Grace,” he answered quietly.

Again, Darius clapped the young lord on the shoulder, bucking him up. “Ah, but we understand each other better now, I believe. Don’t we, my young friend? After all, we both know what it is to love someone who clearly does not share our interest.” The king glared at Sydney, then. “Just as we both know what it is to be lied too by the very person we would have done anything for.” He turned back to the Merrow lordling. “Would you agree or no, Lord Bowrider?”

Rupert looked at Sydney, all the question and hurt in him gone. Anger and sternness had swept away any former weakness or tender feeling that Sydney had previously seen in his eyes.

“Well?” the king asked him. “Would you agree or no?”

“I do, my king,” said Rupert. “It seems you had the right of it all along, as I should have guessed and believed from the start. Forgive me, Your Grace.”

The king released his hold on Rupert, patting him on the back instead. “There is nothing to forgive, my boy. Love is a dangerous game. You and I rightfully followed our hearts’ desires, as anyone would. Unfortunately, we were both swindled by the beauty and false affections of these wicked sirens.”

Sydney swam to the wall of her tank. Rupert, I didn’t swindle you! I didn’t mean—

The king slapped the glass to silence her, roaring his response too. “Quiet, girl! Or else I’ll have you thrown back into the oubliette to waste away for the whole of time.”

Sydney sank in her tank at the sight of the king enraged. Though she knew he was not her true father, in her mind she still could not reconcile his hatred of her. She had the thought to call out to Darius too, to name him father as she had all her life, if only to play to the decency she remembered within him. But, as with Rupert, she saw in the king no hint of their former relationship. Even as she questioned what to say or do, she watched her Orc guards move to stand by the lever that would drop the base of her tank and cast her back down into the oubliette’s pit of darkness. None had given Sydney any shred of doubt that they would carry out the king’s threat.

With Sydney silent, Darius again turned toward the tank. “You wish to know why we’re here, girl? I brought Lord Bowrider to this pit of despair that he might know you truly. Aye, to save him the years of wasting away in service to a love that will never be. To spare him thoughts of one who would never appreciate his efforts and sacrifices in full. I brought him that he might see your lies made plain, Sydney, as I should have welcomed someone to do for me with your mother from the start.”

I didn’t lie. Sydney thought to herself as she looked on Rupert. I just didn’t know.

“So many lies, girl,” Darius said, more to himself than her she gathered by the tone of his voice. “And to what end?”

Again, Sydney kept quiet, not understanding if he wished her to answer or no.

The king sagged outside her tank as if his body were tethered by invisible weights, his face wearied with questions. “Where is your brother, Sydney?” he asked her quietly. “Where is Jun?”

I-I don’t know, she said. He was at home—

The king pounded his palm against the glass. “Stop lying to me!” He snarled. “Where is my son, you bloody savage! What have you and your whore mother done with him? Why did she not bring him here? Why do none of those from your cursed zoo know where my son is?!”

Because we told you the truth! Sydney yelled back, unable to contain her rage. Mom left Jun at home, so that she could come after me! How many people have to tell you the same story before you believe it!

The king snorted as he backed away. “Hold to your lies all you will, then.” He shook his head. “The Blackfin assures me that his Orcs will find Prince Jun soon enough. Then, we’ll know which of us holds the truth of that story as well, won’t we?”

Everything I said is true, said Sydney. I’m not lying.

Darius shrugged. “Sadly, I have no way of knowing the truth or lie of which you speak, do I? Not until your brother is found and brought here, that is. Rest assured, Sydney - the Blackfin will find Prince Jun. Aye, just as the Blackfin and his seawolves sniffed you out among the Selkies and brought all those traitors they discovered hiding at your mother’s refuge ashore back here to stand trial.”

The seawolves found me because of a stupid mistake I made in trying to get rid of any ties to you. Sydney thought to herself of the royal seal and clothing she had cast into the sewers, the lone clue to lead the Blackfin and his Orcs into Catcher’s Corner. That doesn’t mean they will find Jun.

When Sydney gave him no reply, the king smiled in such a way that set her to shivering anew. “Still . . .” he began. “I should rather find the prince without the seawolves to locate him first. And there might be another means to learn whether you speak true or no, Sydney. Would you care to hear it?”

Sydney shook her head. I don’t need to play your games. I’ve told you the truth all along.

“Then, you shouldn’t find it difficult to do so now either,” said the king, studying her closely. “Tell me, Sydney . . . what did you and Rupert speak about today in private?”

Sydney’s fingers twitched at her side. What does he know? She wondered of the king before her gaze instinctually turned to Rupert.