Page 73 of In Violent Waves

Lyra ground her teeth to keep from reacting as she wanted to. Had she retained her sharp claws, she would have raked them across his neck. She locked her knees into place to keep the wrath from vibrating her legs.

Typical elfish arrogance to think anything the merfolk did was unnatural.

“The tithe balances our magic and increases the fertility of my people.”

Lyra hadn’t felt Wilder approaching, but when he brushed beside her, she took a breath. She had stepped forward without realizing it.

King Oberon stared at where Wilder’s tunic brushed against her bare arm.

“It doesn’t allow for anything of the sort.”

Lyra’s vision was clouded red. Her fury pulsed inside of her, right next to her beating heart.

A roaring filled her ears, and it was only Wilder’s voice that broke through.

“Breathe,” Wilder whispered, and brushed a cool breeze against her face as she inhaled.

“The tithe was a deal struck between the merfolk and the humans,” Oberon explained. “It had nothing to do with fertility or keeping your magic balanced. In fact, the very bargain of only taking twelve human lives for the life of one mermaid had strengthened your magic beyond its normal bounds for a time.”

His words were a blow to her heart.

A bargain?The merfolk had made a bargain with the humans and exchanged one of their own for a sacrifice?

Lyra shook her head. This could not be true. Females, although not in any position of power, were coveted because of their breeding potential.

“That’s not true.”

King Oberon smiled at her then, a gleeful, wicked smile. “Is it true that births have decreased throughout your population even though there is still a tithe every year?”

“Yes, but?—”

“And is it true that one mermaid never makes it back from the tithe?”

“Again, yes. But?—”

“But what? Everything I have said is true,” Oberon said as if that put an end to things.

“Well, if you would allow me to speak, you would have known what my answer was,” Lyra seethed.

Her chest heaved, and her nails carved little crescent moons into her palms.

Oberon’s smile fell away, and his brow rose. “Do you speak to your father in such a manner?”

“Always.” Lyra smiled then, showing a bit of the monster under her skin.

Wilder swallowed then, and she could feel him shift towards her. She was prodding this king of kings and didn’t care about the consequences.

They had kidnapped her and were now coercing her into a bargain.

“I’m not sure what else you would have expected from me. You ordered your son to kidnap me, hindering me from completing the tithe and returning home. I was raced across the realm in abhorrent conditions,” Lyra glared at Wilder before swinging her gaze back to the king, “ambushed by wulvers, bitten by a spider, and now you’re telling me my entire life hasbeen a lie? Did you expect me to rejoice in these circumstances and willingly accept your offer?”

The king opened his mouth to speak, but Lyra cut him off.

“I’m only in this predicament because you males think you can just take whatever you want and damn the consequences. I will not be a part of this.So kill me now or set me free.”

Wilder couldn’t believe what was happening. She had lost her mind, not only to speak to the High King this way, but to have cut him off when he was speaking.

Any moment now, his father would cut the very air off from her lungs, and she would die.