Page 66 of Tangled Sails

I burst through the door of the guest room Lyri used to occupy, hope rising, anxious to see her lying peacefully on the bed.

The room was empty. Why was the room empty? What possible reason could Harlan have had to take her anywhere else?

This time I ran down the corridor. I thought maybe I’d find her in whatever chamber she now occupied in the servants’ wing, but as I continued to make inquiries, it was clear that Harlan and Lyri were no longer in the castle.

He was gone, and he’d taken Lyri with him.

Why?

There could be no good reason, no benevolent answer to that question. The cutting and blatant truth was that something was very wrong. He must have discovered her secret, but why steal her away?

“He went that way, Highness,” the guard at the gate said, pointing to the path that led down to the ocean. “Thought it was strange, but he said all the castle doctors were needed for the king, so he was taking her to the village.”

I ran again. Legs pumping, chest heaving, I scrambled down the rocky pathway to the little beach until I skidded to a stop on the dock where my skiff was meant to be. It was gone.

Harlan had taken my boat. Why, why, why, why, why?

It didn’t matter why. I retraced my steps and ran hard until I reached the main port. I shouted commands and demands at a few dock workers until I was situated in another skiff, shoving off from shore. A larger boat might have been faster, but it took longer to prep. I didn’t have time to gather a crew, and I didn’t trust anyone else with Lyri’s secret.

I had no idea where Harlan would have taken her, but I knew that Lyri’s deepest fear was that she’d be taken back to Branfrie, so I did the only thing I could think to do. I pointed my boat in the direction of the spot where I’d first pulled my little siren from the ocean.

I didn’t know the exact place where I’d found her, but if I could get to the general area quickly enough, maybe I could catch up to Harlan.

And then I could kill him.

The wind blew in my face, the sail snapped, and my hand ached where I gripped the steering oar. Was there any way I would actually find them? It seemed impossible, but impossible wasn’t an option. If I lost Lyri…

I kept sailing, fueled by fear and betrayal, my heart twisted so tightly in my chest that I felt it ripping at the seams. When the position of the sun and the shoreline told me I was close to my destination, I looked around, fiercely hoping to see another small boat bobbing close by. I turned and looked and then turned and looked again. I sailed a little farther, my breathing becoming more ragged by the second, then I stood precariously on the bench and studied the horizon, hoping for a glimpse of anything.

There was nothing.

I stepped off and sat down on the bench hard. I was afraid to go too much farther in case I overshot their position, but how could I possibly know where to go?

A splash to my right drew my attention, and when I looked to locate the source, shock rocked my whole body.

A woman’s head and shoulders showed just above the water.

What was it with women being suddenly dropping into my ocean? Had she come from Branfrie like Lyri had, or was she…

My eyes dropped from her face to look beneath the surface of the water. The water was clear and her silver tail reflected the sunlight, making it glitter in the current. My jaw flapped, useless. She was a mermaid, but not the one who had saved me months ago. Melody had distinct red hair and bright green eyes. This creature had black hair, and her eyes were a startling blue. Her hands, arms, and shoulders were bare, but I noticed that the silver scales of her fin extended up her abdomen and covered her chest, trailing off at her clavicles.

“What is your name, Prince?” she asked, the words almost a song.

“Tavric,” I choked out, blinking hard to see if the ethereal image would vanish.

“My name is Saskia. Are you looking for the girl?” she asked.

I stared wide-eyed for several moments before her question slotted into place and hope surged. “Yes,” I blurted, leaning on the edge of the boat, anxious for more information. “Did you see her?”

“A man took her. He’s looking for the portal.”

Having my worst fears confirmed sent a blast of horror through my whole body and I felt suddenly weak. “Where? Where?! You must show me!”

She backed away a little, and I realized I’d been shouting.

I tried to calm myself, but it was impossible. “Please. Will you help me?”

“Yes, but you will not be fast enough in your boat. Do you trust me?”