Page 61 of In Rising Tides

She ground her teeth. This was foolish.

She had no way of knowing if this would make it to him, or how he would ever respond.

Or if he would even care.

Unless … she could command it?

What would she even say?

Let him speak to me?

That seemed rudimentary, with a wide berth for error.

Lyra still didn’t know enough about her magic to try something like that.

Her reflection stared back at her from the sea glass.

Lyra touched her cheek just below her eyes. Eyes that were wide and full of anguish.

Eyes that would have been full of tears had she been on land.

“If you can see me, I—I miss you all.”

As her eyes closed, she imagined Wilder, his face and the warmth in his eyes, and how it felt when he held her.

A burst of rage surged through her, and she could see the throne room at the Wilds.

Her door was thrown open, and Angler and Fang launched through it, spears at the ready.

“What the fuck are you doing?” she snapped, rubbing the sides of her head.

“We heard voices,” Angler said by way of explanation.

Voices? She paused.

Had they actually heard her?

Lyra cleared her throat.

“Yes—I was asking you to bring me Marina.”

She floundered for any excuse, but that had actually been a good idea.

Maybe Marina could help her, or at the very least explain to her what has been happening around here.

Fang and Angler shared a look.

“Did Drystan not order you to bring me whatever I wanted?”

Fang grumbled something that sounded like spoiled, but Angler reluctantly nodded.

“Then fetch her for me at once!”

Lyra turned her back on them and began pulling the pins out of her hair. “Now.”

The door clicked to a close, and Lyra pulled the rest of her hair down. When she placed the last pin on the vanity, she rubbed her tender scalp.

Hopefully, Marina wasn’t as disgusted with her in the way the council was. But there’d be no way of knowing that until she spoke to her.