Chapter 164
Wake and I make our way back, the sound of water dripping echoing softly around us. The air feels cooler now, less charged, though my body is still buzzing from the intensity of everything that’s happened.
My hand brushes against Wake’s as we walk, and though he doesn’t say anything, his fingers curl briefly around mine before letting go. The silence between us is heavy, but not uncomfortable. I glance over at him, the faint lines of tension still etched into his face, and wonder how much of this weight he’s carrying for my sake.
The path back to the main cavern is longer than I remember, or maybe it just feels that way because of the questions swirling in my head. What will we do if Tama can’t be saved? What does it mean for Hale, for Nereid, for us? I bite my lip, trying to push the thoughts aside, but they cling stubbornly, refusing to be ignored.
When we finally step into the main cavern, the glow of the fractured obsidian walls casts an almost serene light over the space. Cora and Khale are sitting close together, their heads bowed as they speak in low tones.
Their hands are intertwined, a small, intimate gesture that seems almost out of place here. It’s rare to see Cora like this, her sharp edges softened, her focus entirely on someone else. I stop for a moment, not wanting to interrupt, but when my boot scuffs against a loose shard of obsidian, Cora’s head snaps up.
“Phoebe, your leg!” she exclaims, jumping to her feet. Her sharp eyes sweep over me, taking in the lack of a splint, the absence of a limp. Then she looks to Wake, her expression softening. “Thank you.”
Wake’s jaw tightens. “I won’t be thanked for caring for my mate,” he says gruffly, his voice edged with something I can’t quite place—pride, maybe, or frustration.
Cora gives me a knowing look, the kind that makes me feel both seen and slightly embarrassed. “Even so. It’s good that she’s back to full health. I suspect we’ll need everyone at their sharpest when we go to speak with Leader Tama.”
Wake’s expression darkens as he turns his gaze to Khale. “You didn’t tell her.”
Khale’s lips twitch into something between a smirk and a grimace. “Did you find the time to tell Phoebe? Or were you otherwise preoccupied?”
Cora’s voice cuts through their tension like a blade. “Stop it, the both of you. What happened?”
Khale’s smirk fades as he straightens, his expression turning grim. “Leader Tama was injured in the quake. Not even the sacred spring was able to wake her. Many believe it’s only a matter of time.”
Cora curses under her breath, her hand tightening around Khale’s. Her usually composed demeanor cracks just slightly, enough to show the depth of her concern. “This is terrible,” I say, my voice quiet. “But why do you both look so… concerned? Isn’t she just… one leader?”
Cora shakes her head, her expression heavy. “Leader Tama was our main point of access to Hale. Without her, we might not be so welcome.”
Wake’s brows draw together. “I thought they were allies.”
Khale exhales sharply, the sound carrying a note of bitterness. “They are… to a point. Not every Euclidean knows about Leviathan’s threat, and of those in leadership, even fewer believe it’s a valid concern.”
“They see Nereid as a nuisance,” Cora adds, her tone bitter. “A minor annoyance at best, and at worst, a liability.”
Wake’s frown deepens. “Then why agree to terms at all?”
“Because Leader Tama, bitch that she may be, understands the threat,” Khale says flatly. “And what she decrees is final.”
“But it wasn’t a popular decision,” Cora mutters, her face twisting into a grimace.
“Who’s leading in her stead?” Wake asks, his voice is hard.
Khale’s jaw tightens. “Most likely her second-in-command, Emil. A bastard isolationist who hates humans.”
“If he and Tama disagree so much, why is he her second?” I ask, my confusion obvious.
Khale gives Cora a pointed look. She sighs, the weight of the explanation already tiring her. “Emil was elected into the position, just as Tama technically was.”
“Technically?” Wake asks, his brow furrowing.
Cora folds her arms, her movements stiff and deliberate. “When Nereid discovered the Euclideans, they were in the midst of a civil war—of sorts. There was a divide between those who lived on the island portion of Hale and those who lived exclusively in the sea.”
“What were they fighting about?” I ask.
Khale snorts, the sound harsh and humorless. “Resources, territory, pretty much anything you could name. Tama and Emil’s factions went to war over it. We’d been at it for years, and both sides were bleeding out and getting nowhere. That is until I introduced Cora to Tama, who’d been raised on tales of the Sea Serpent.”
“She was willing to take a chance on us,” Cora explains. “Together, we brokered privileges throughout this territory so we could conduct our research in peace. In exchange, I offered to try and do the same for them. It took some doing, but eventually, we were able to come to an agreement with Emil: the factions would become one, under the condition that their leader be chosen via bloodsport.”
“Bloodsport?” I repeat, my nose wrinkling. “What the hell is that?”
“Ritualistic trial by combat,” Cora says, her tone matter-of-fact. Her eyes flick briefly to Wake as if seeking his opinion.
“Nice,” I mutter sarcastically.
Wake shrugs. “Bloodsport is common among the Clans. Some take it more seriously than others.”
Khale snorts. “And you thought we abandoned all of our ways when we left the Clans.”
Wake’s expression doesn’t change. “Of all the traditions to keep, it’s not the worst.”
I stare at both of them, incredulous. “Right. Because nothing says civilized like beating each other senseless.”
Cora’s lips twitch into a faint smile, but it quickly fades. “The point is, Emil’s been against Nereid since he lost to Tama. She offered him a place at her side as a sign of respect to his faction, but he’s used the position to be a damn menace. He feels that we emasculated him and incited a coup, so he’s used every opportunity to thwart our plans. We’d be lucky if he didn’t already…” She trails off, her voice strained, her hands clenching into fists at her sides.
“What is it?” I ask, my stomach sinking. “What are you afraid he’s going to do?”
Khale’s voice is grim as he answers. “If our friends were in the village when Tama died… Emil may well have had all of Nereid executed.”
The words hang in the air, heavy and suffocating. I feel the blood drain from my face as the implications settle over me. Wake’s hand brushes against mine again, grounding me, but even his presence can’t shake the cold dread spreading through my chest. The stakes have just risen, and I’m not sure any of us are ready for what comes next.
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