Page 161 of In Rising Tides

This felt like a different kind of threat than what Aegir posed.

Drystan sighed. “Ah, I see.”

When it was apparent that everyone knew something she did not, Lyra cleared her throat. “Care to explain?”

Drystan inhaled. “There have been reports of missing merfolk on the outskirts of territories. We’re unsure of the cause.”

Lyra felt a shiver slither down her spine. Drystan placed a hand on her lower back and gestured with his head to follow Adamaris.

She took up position behind him and squinted when the light caught the sword now strapped to his waist. He shifted, and the light stopped blinding her long enough to see him don a helmet that covered most of his face.

A guard handed a helmet to Drystan, and he tucked it beneath his arm as they continued on.

Drystan didn’t have any weapons strapped to his waist as far as she could tell, and he hadn’t brought the trident with them either.

“You stay right beside me,” he ordered her.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “I can handle myself.”

His eyebrows shot up incredulously. “Oh? Another murderous rampage is on the horizon?”

His question took the wind out of her sails, and when she didn’t readily respond, he grinned.

“We have plenty of guards. We’ll be fine.”

Lyra waited until his eyes met hers again, just to see his reaction. “Give me a sword.”

Drystan let out a barking laugh. “Whatever for?”

She held her hand up and waited for him to follow her order. “The elves trained me in combat. I know how to use one.”

Drystan appeared horrified—for a split second—until he mastered his face and began laughing.

“They’re much more stupid than I originally thought. Who in their right mind would think that females would stand a chance in combat?”

Her anger got the best of her, and she reacted before thinking it through. A perfectly placed elbow right between his ribs had him growling and wrapping a fist around her arm.

“If you wanted to touch me,” he whispered through gritted teeth.“You could have just asked.”

“You constantly underestimate me,” she seethed.

He dragged her through the door and back to the courtyard where several large manatees bobbed in the current, mounted by the rest of the princes. Caspian, Hadrian, Rigel, Lir, and Caius.

“You will ride by my side and follow my orders this time. If I tell you to return here—you do so immediately.”

Lyra rolled her eyes but did not argue as she took in the gentle creatures. She’d always had a soft spot for manatees, and any opportunity to be around them was a joy.

“We have a full guard ready for escort, sire,” Adamaris said while trying to conceal a smirk.

Drystan mounted his own manatee while waiting for the guard to assemble.

“There’s been the most activity right around the temple—so be careful.”

The land around the temple was still. A bated breath.

The manatees slowed their pace, tails rising and falling in a leisurely rhythm. Lyra’s grip on her reins tightened, her knuckles turning white. Drystan slowed his pace to match hers so that they were side-by-side.

“Are you well?” he asked, barely above a whisper.