The Mermaids Madness

making their way from the cabin. Snow was trying to shove a sheathed shortsword into Talia’s hands.
    “He’ll be offended if you don’t wear it,” Snow said, laughing. “If you didn’t want the sword, you shouldn’t have accepted it.”
    “Why not?” Talia sprang onto the ladder, pulling herself onto the forecastle. “It’s a beautiful weapon. Light, well-balanced, and matched with one of those magical bracelets. Do you remember how Varisto summoned his ax back in the chapel? I could use a weapon that came when called. I thought this was his way of thanking me.”
    “You didn’t see the coiled snakes on the pommel?” Snow asked as she followed. “Or the garnet chips worked into the scabbard?”
    “What’s wrong?” Danielle asked.
    “The snakes and jewels mark this as a hakris sword,” Snow explained. “Varisto gave it to Talia before he left Lorindar last week. She must have impressed him. The hakris weapon is a token of a suitor’s intentions. It’s not an engagement, but the next best thing.”
    Talia snatched the sword from Snow’s hands. “You were there. You knew!”
    “If you’d spend more time reading and less time learning new ways to kill a man with your bootlace, you’d have known too!”
    Danielle reached out to take the sword, squeezing between them before Talia tossed Snow overboard. She was used to their teasing, but over the past few days, there had been an edge to Snow’s joking. Whatever had happened between them, Danielle hoped it would pass soon. “I’ll explain to Varisto that Talia is oath-bound to serve Beatrice and thus unable to accept other commitments.”
    “Are you sure, Talia?” Snow pressed. “You don’t have to marry him, but the wooing could be fun. He’s strong, attractive . . . you both seem to like pummeling people. I thought maybe you might—”
    “I count six warships,” Talia interrupted, squinting at the approaching Hiladi vessels. “You’d almost think they didn’t trust the undine anymore.”
    Danielle glanced at their own escort. Four ships sailed alongside the Phillipa , each one carrying large nets, extra guns, and twice as much powder as necessary. Danielle just prayed fear and hatred didn’t lead one of the humans to fire on the undine. The undine attacks had stopped soon after Morveren’s death, but Danielle suspected it would take years for humans to once again feel safe at sea.
    Danielle shivered when she spotted the undine approaching, their bodies cutting through the waves. How long would it be before she felt safe again?
    “There they are,” said King Theodore, climbing up to stand beside his wife. His skin appeared faintly green, but it was an improvement over the previous day. Snow’s tea had helped the king as much as it had Danielle.
    Theodore’s advisers had warned him against coming, citing dangers ranging from vengeful undine to the angry ghosts of Morveren’s victims. The king’s response had been succinct and had left at least three nobles red-faced and coughing.
    Danielle had no doubt Armand would have been here as well, if not for his leg. She looked forward to returning home to him and Jakob soon.
    There were no displays of undine strength or skill this time as Lannadae’s tribe approached the gathered ships. Nor would there be any gifts. Only a formal end to hostilities.
    The undine swam in a series of inverted Vs, with Lannadae in the lead. Her escort was armed, weapons pointed not so subtly at the human ships, but Lannadae herself hardly appeared to notice. Her chest heaved, and she appeared to be breathing harder than her companions. She was still out of shape from her long hibernation and exile. But her skin had lost its blue tinge, and she was smiling. She wore the oyster necklace Danielle remembered seeing on Lirea.
    There were fewer undine than Danielle remembered. Lannadae was too young, her scent still weak, and many of the undine had left her tribe.
    The Hiladi ships dropped anchor a short distance behind and to the right of the undine. Some of Lannadae’s warriors shifted, clearly uncomfortable at the number of humans and cannons. Lannadae merely swam closer to the Phillipa .
    “Greetings, Queen Beatrice!” Lannadae waved. “And to Princess Danielle and her two companions.”
    Danielle had asked Lannadae not to share the truth about Snow and Talia. From the delighted smile on Lannadae’s face, she took great joy in keeping that secret.
    “Hello, Lannadae,” said Bea. “I’m glad to