Page 94 of Fae Tithe

“It’s so beautiful!” she exclaimed.

From where the waves kissed the shore all the way to the horizon, the sea glowed with the softest of blues. Even the full moon, larger than Helena had ever seen, shone with a hint of the same hue.

“I have lived by the sea for half of my life, and I have never seen this before. It’s—"

She could feel his eyes on her.

“Breath-taking,” he sighed softly.

“What is it?” she asked excitedly, tearing her eyes from the view to meet her Merman’s face.

Lance looked down at her. His black eyes caught the reflection of the glow and stars. His gaze held the night sky and Helena knew she could easily get lost staring into them.

He gave her a tender smile.

“They are the tiniest of animals, and they usually live deep in ocean. They come to the surface rarely. I have not seen so many in one place since I was crowned, and that was twenty years ago,” he reminisced. “When they come to the surface, they glow like this.”

Helena noticed that Lance’s own bioluminescence was back. Shimmering iridescent pores dusted his nose and cheeks, just like freckles. She reached up to cup his face, her scaled thumb tracing across his nose and cheek. The Merman pressed into her hand, closing his eyes, and gave a contented exhale through his broad nose.

“I haven’t seen these for a while,” Helena remarked.

“I am feeling better,” Lance admitted, opening his eyes. “More content. My full power is coming back after being in the sea again.”

“So handsome,” she complimented, before dropping her hand and turning back to the breathtaking view. “Thank you for showing me this, it’s stunning.”

The High Prince grinned at the compliment. He took two steps down the stone stairs, turned back up to Helena, and extended his hand up to her.

“Do you think you can manage the steps? I have more of a surprise for you down at beach. If not, I will carry you.”

Helena managed halfway down before her joints burnt more furiously. Sometimes, she wondered if that was where the curse of death from the Seelie King had settled, after Atlas had forced it into submission within her body.

“Lance?” she asked, a step behind him, gritting her teeth at the spike of pain in her knees and ankles. “I need—”

In a blink, he turned, sweeping her up into the shelter of his arms. He held Helena to his chest and pressed kisses to the top of her head as he descended the steep, limestone steps to the beach.

Once Lance toed the shore with his bare feet, he lowered Helena to hers, her sandals slipping loose as she went. She felt the Merman practically buzzing with excitement as he threw an arm around her shoulder and pointed out to the sea.

“Look!” Lance exclaimed.

Helena’s Dragon eye could see clearly in the soft, blue glow. She gasped as two large dorsal fins peeked from the mirror-like water. One of the animals breeched, nose first, from the sea and landed smoothly back in with barely a splash. Helena squinted at the dorsal fins as they emerged again. They were a dusky pink. She had seen dolphins in the past at her beach, but never ones like this.

“Dolphins!” she squealed, craning her neck at the sight. “They are beautiful… and different. I’ve never seen ones like this before!” Helena could not tear her eyes away from them as they frolicked in the glowing water.

“They’re our personal guard,” Lance explained.

She snapped her head up to the Merman, eyes narrowed.

“But—”

“Len, just wait. Let me explain, please. I negotiated with my court down to two guards when I told them about you. They wanted to send me with a dozen. This is Fraser and Peale. Fraser is the one with a nick in his dorsal fin. They are a Bound pair of Encantados, Seafolk, but they prefer to stay in their dolphin forms. I have known these two since I was a pup. They are good men. I have asked them to stay here full time, even when I am away. Then, if you decide to leave Seelieland and come to one of the islands, they will help. Packing, moving, whatever you need.”

“So… they will stay down here? At least, until I need their help?” Helena asked slowly, processing all Lance has just told her.

“Yes.” He nodded. “You will still have your privacy while you recover, have your home to yourself, but they will be close by when you need them. We can discuss it with Fraser and Peale, whatever we all decide, and plan from there.”

Helena ground her teeth irritably at the thought of being guarded. She took a deep breath before continuing.

“This is really important to you, isn’t it?”