Page 101 of In Violent Waves

“I hope—I hope you have a wonderful day.”

Daisy blushed and then nodded. “You as well, Your Highness.”

Maelys was wearing the same training attire as Lyra, but her blouse was burgundy, which looked lovely against her golden brown hair. It was pulled up into a high ponytail, but the ends were braided. Ivy and heather woven into each plait made her resemble a forest nymph. She belonged here, in this place, and was crafted and molded by it.

“I’ll be your trainer—for the foreseeable future,” Maelys said as Lyra walked through the door.

“Where is Wilder?”

As if her words conjured him up, he stumbled down the hall.

His black hair was disheveled, sticking up in places over his briar crown. The jacket he had been wearing last night was draped over one shoulder, and the undershirt had been ripped open, exposing red and purple marks on his chest.

He had glassy eyes and a smirk on his lips. But, my gods, the smell. Elixir and something sweet.

Wilder slammed face-first into his door, and Lyra gasped. Maelys rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

“Are you just getting in?”

Wilder slid his face across the door to peer at them. His hand was still grappling for the doorknob he couldn’t seem to find.

“What time is it?” he asked, slurring his words.

Lyra had never seen someone so inebriated before.

“It’s nine in the morning,” Maelys replied. “Were you at the Venus?”

Wilder grinned broadly, his hand finding the doorknob at last. He opened it underneath himself and stumbled into the room before kicking it closed.

Lyra turned her head to look at Maelys, who was shaking her head and laughing as they set off down the hall with two guards trailing them.

“What’s the Venus?” It must be some kind of tavern if the stench of liquor hinted at anything.

“It’s a pleasure hall in the Lower District.”

The answer had Lyra blushing bright scarlet. She had heard whispers of such things from the mermen who had wanted to become scouts—it was a huge motivation for life in the mortal realm.

The humans were much freer with their sexuality than the mermaids, but not nearly as free as the elves.

But Maelys’ unabashed answer to her question had sparked an idea in her mind.

“What does ‘velvet-wrapped steel’ mean?”

Maelys bit down on her lip. “Why?”

Lyra sighed. “I read it in a book last night, and Wilder ripped it out of my hands and refused to answer.”

Maelys shook her head with a chuckle and her braided ponytail swung side to side. “It’s a euphemism for cock.”

The golden thread in Lyra glowed at the emotion that coursed through her. She had to cover her mouth with both hands to keep the laugh from bursting out.

A choking coughing sound from behind had them both turning to look at the guards following them. It was Blondie from earlier, but the mouthy one had been replaced.

Which was a good thing.

Lyra needed to take this embarrassment out on someone, and after her conversation with Daisy, she would be more than happy to fight with him. But Blondie made eye contact with Lyra and lingered.

She turned back around and pressed her lips into a thin line. He wasn’t unattractive by any means, but he was an elf, and she was still a mermaid.