Page 26 of Unmoored

The Queen herself was beautiful, though her posture was rigid, exuding a level of confidence and intimidation that I wished to one day emulate. I’d never seen such a powerful woman before, and despite how nervous I was, I couldn’t help but admire her. Smooth emerald green skin matched her deep viridian eyes, but her hair was unlike any color I’d seen on the Talassi so far. It was a deep ruby red, almost so dark it appeared black, but I caught the hint of red under the golden hue of the lighting. Her expression was cold as we approached, and the guard beside her flashed a razor-sharp fanged smile at Draya as we neared.

His skin was almost the same coloring as Draya, just slightly more grey, and he was covered head to toe in badly-healed scars. Thick cords of muscle rippled in the golden light, and his expression was almost more intimidating than the Queen’s. This man was clearly awarrior, and betweenthe teeth, the scars, and the trident in his right hand, it was safe to say I was terrified.

I was once again involuntarily trembling, but I followed Draya’s lead and bowed my head as he did, praying to whatever entity was out there that I wasn’t about to die a painful, soaking wet death.

When I lifted my head, I schooled my face into indifference, and the Queen met my gaze with a glint in her eye as she cocked one brow.

“Hazel Emerson,” her deep, sultry voice filled the room. I kept quiet, unsure if that was a question or not. “What a lovely, unexpected surprise.”

16

DRAYA

Hazel was trembling so hard she was practically vibrating. She’d moved so close to me that I could feel her body heat through the water, and the Queen eyed her up and down before turning to me with a scowl.

“You couldn’t have let her bathe?” She asked, shaking her head. “Or given her something to wear besides a tattered, see-through nightgown?”

Hazel hung her head, and it took me a moment to realize she was likely embarrassed. I felt bad for her, as I hadn’t put much thought into her appearance or comfort until now. She’d told me she was cold in that cell, but I knew that her alleged Talassi blood would keep her from succumbing to the elements, as we were able to survive in far lower temperatures than humans. I supposed I hadn’t thought much past that. Ensuring her survival was becoming quite the chore.

“Apologies, Your Highness,” I said. “We arrived last night, and my main concern was securing this meeting.”

“Well, I would love an explanation as to why you’ve brought a filthy, malnourished human into our territory. One who’s stillbreathing, I might add.”

Commander Adri winced next to her, but I held my head and shoulders high and moved both Hazel and me forward.

“This is Hazel Emerson,” I said, garnering an eyebrow raise from the Queen. “I found her nearly three years ago floating in the depths after the ship she was traveling on sank-”

“I was thrown overboard,” she interrupted me.

“She was thrown overboard, then the ship sank,” I corrected, and I thought I saw a glint of amusement in the Queen’s eyes. “At the time, I wasn’t sure how she’d survived that long in the open ocean, but it felt wrong to leave her, so I brought her to a nearby island until she regained consciousness. Upon learning her identity, she informed me she was en route to the Akala Asylum, so I offered her safe passage there.”

“Please, Captain, you're boring me. We’ve already heard this tale,” the Queen drawled, sending a sidelong glance to Commander Adri, whose face remained impassive. “Why is she here now?”

“I believe she may have Talassi blood, Your Highness.”

“Elaborate, please,” she said, still bored. She seemed as if she wanted to make me feel like a fool, and I hated it. WhyhadI garnered such a soft spot for Hazel? The woman was turning out to be a bit of a pain in my tail.

“I’ve kept an eye on her for years, and she’s displayed evidence of surviving multiple drowning attempts. She seems to have the ability to call upon storms, and her bodyheals rapidly when she’s submerged in saltwater. All of these things point to some form of water magic, only made possible by Talassi heritage.”

“You’re telling me you believe Lord Emerson is part Talassi?” She asked, incredulous.

“No,” Hazel said, and I pinched her arm to silence her.

“No,” I echoed. “I believeHazelEmerson is part Talassi, and that she may be the leverage we need to finally gain the upper hand in our relations with him and his fleet.”

Her body tensed, and she was right for it. After all, Iwasusing her.

“Hazel, do you believe you’re part Talassi?” The Queen asked.

“I do not know, Your Majesty.”

“Are you in allyship with your father?” The Queen continued.

“Not at all,” Hazel said, her voice more confident. “He’s an awful man.”

“I’d like to request a healer to test her,” I said, speaking out of turn. “And if she is one of us, she can help us in our search for Prince Inaki.”

“Have you made her aware of the terms of our domain?” Commander Adri said, his first words since we’d entered the throne room.