Page 11 of In Rising Tides

Otto muttered just loud enough for their group to hear him. “Odette will die if she returns to the sea. The Queen worries that the sea kingdom will rise up and claim her as well. They won’t jeopardize their daughter’s safety.”

Maelys shifted on her feet, but her eyes were bright with anger. “But they’ll let it happen to Lyra?”

Ridge appeared solemn, but his proximity to Maelys grew even closer as he shifted towards her.

Otto shook his head with a grimace. “They’ll work with the Wilds, but will not attack on their own.”

Wilder had to do something.

They had to help him save her.

“You should know,” Wilder said, interrupting the sounds of disagreement that had erupted between Titania and Baelwyn.

Wilder took a step forward, leaving a trail of sand in his wake. “Lyra, she … she saved me. I am honor-bound to repay that debt.” He squared his shoulders under the weight of the crowd’s attention falling on him.

Announcing such a thing to this many witnesses was as good as staking his entire life on the claim.

If he did not repay his debt to her, his entire reputation would be befuddled, and it would forever be a mark upon his honor.

“I will return to the Wilds and ask the High King to formally declare war on Atlantis.”

Otto cleared his throat and took a step towards the dais as if he had been summoned. “I have seen that Oberon will not agree to wage war upon Atlantis.”

Titania frowned and shifted forward in her seat. “That’s not surprising. I don’t believe that in our entire history a war has been waged against the sea.”

Her nails clacked in staccato against the marble.

Baelwyn appeared to share Wilder’s sentiment. Blood crept up his neck and pooled in his cheeks as his jaw turned as stiff as stone.

His lips parted as if he were about to speak, but Titania raised her hand, demanding silence.

“And what would your plan be then, Prince Wilder? Do you plan on putting your duty to the crown before your duty to honor?”

The pieces clicked into place. Queen Titania was testing his resolve and his allegiances. The queen wanted to know just how far Wilder would go for Lyra.

Wilder slowly raised his chin, meeting the queen’s assessing glare. “I will challenge the High King for the throne and declare war on Atlantis myself.”

Otto shifted on his feet, and Wilder glanced sidelong just long enough to see a flash of confusion cross Otto’s face.

Queen Titania cleared her throat, and Wilder’s attention returned to her. She gave him an appreciative nod and sighed deeply as she turned to Baelwyn.

“This war would be costly—not just to our people, but to the realm.” Baelwyn met her stare head-on without so much as a flicker of emotion.

Opinions from those gathered shattered his focus on the dais. The sentiment seemed split. Expressions of anger andfear dotted the abyss of stoicism. He couldn’t tell where their allegiance lay.

“I will not lose another of ours to the water.”

There was a surprising amount of agreement in the crowd. Wilder felt a fraction of tension leave his body as his lower back loosened.

Titania pursed her lips for a mere moment before her shoulders relaxed. “Fine. Do everything within your power to give aid to Wilder’s plight. If the High King will not listen to his own son, maybe he will listen to you.”

Baelwyn grunted his agreement and rose from the chair beside his wife. His silver robe pooled at his feet like liquid moonlight.

Wilder knew his father wouldn’t listen to anyone, but when he looked to Otto for confirmation, his friend’s face was unreadable.

“Will it change anything?” Wilder asked under his breath.

Otto’s eyes swirled like fog on the water. Wilder held his breath and prayed to whichever god might be listening.