Sea Spell (Waterfire Saga #4)(62)

“You’re angry, just like they are. And scared. And trapped. And you want your freedom, just like those souls do,” Sera said. “Set us free, Alítheia, and I swear by Neria that I’ll set you free.”

The spider said nothing. She continued to advance on Sera, her eyes glittering hungrily. She raised a curved bronze claw and extended it toward Sera. One swipe of that fearsome hook, and Sera was dead.

Fossegrim called to the spider, begging her to stop, to not hurt Sera, but Alítheia seemed to not even hear him.

She’s going to kill me. Please make it quick, Sera prayed.

But instead of thrusting the lethal claw into her, Alítheia pressed it to the side of Sera’s face. Sera bit back a cry of pain as the cold, sharp metal bit into her skin. An instant later, her blood swirled through the water like crimson smoke.

The spider nosed at the blood, then tasted it. “You ssspeak the truth, mermaid. The blood of Merrow runsss through your veinsss.”

“Help me get out of here, Alítheia,” Sera said, encouraged. “Help me fight for the realm you’ve faithfully protected. If I win my battle, that realm will finally protect you. Merrow kept you in the dark. She kept all of us in the dark. She shouldn’t have. Help me, and I’ll get you out of this den and give you a place in the light, right by my side.”

The spider drew herself up. She raised her claw once more, then sliced it down through the water. Sera had no idea, in that instant, if she would live or die.

The claw caught the filaments of the cocoon that held Sera and ripped through them. They fell away and sank to the bottom of the cave.

“Thank you, Alítheia,” she said, weak with relief. There was a smooth spot on the spider’s face, right above her fangs. Sera swam to her and kissed her there. The anarachna touched a claw to the spot wonderingly, and blinked her many eyes.

“Pardon me, but if you wouldn’t mind…”

That was Fossegrim. Alítheia cut him loose, too. The two mer were free, but they still had iron collars around their necks that prevented them from songcasting. Alítheia quickly solved that problem. She spat a bit of venom onto the cave’s floor, dripped a claw in it, then touched it to the hasp of the lock on Sera’s collar. It ate into the iron. The hasp broke apart, and the lock fell away. Sera pulled the collar off, grateful to be rid of it.

When Fossegrim had also shed his collar, Sera said, “Now all we have to do is—”

Her words were cut off by the sound of music. She could tell that Alítheia and Fossegrim heard it, too. It was carrying out of Neria’s temple, drifting over the kolisseo, and down into Alítheia’s den. The music was faint, but Sera could still make out some of the lyrics.

…come together now…To witness two souls make their vows…

Terror seized her. “No,” she whispered. “Great, Neria, no!”

“What is it, Serafina?” Fossegrim asked.

“The wedding ceremony…it’s happening!” she cried. “Mahdi and Lucia, they’re getting married. He’s dead.”

Sera was a thousand times more frightened for Mahdi than she’d been for herself. Lucia thought Alítheia was a monster, but she was the real monster, and Mahdi was in her clutches.

“Dead, child? Why? He wanted this. He betrayed his own realm for it,” Fossegrim said.

“No, he was only pretending,” Sera said frantically. “He’s been working for our side all along. And he Promised himself to me. Lucia thinks I’m dead, but I’m not. She probably told Mahdi that I was. When he sings his vows, they’ll fall flat and—”

“Everyone in the temple will know the truth,” Fossegrim finished. “That is not good. Not good at all.”

“We’ve got to help him,” Sera said, desperation in her voice. She turned back to the spider. “Alítheia, is there a way out of here?”

“For you, yesss. Follow me,” the anarachna said.





MAHDI FLOATED, smiling serenely as the songcasters chanted. Anyone looking at him would have seen a merman dazed by love, gazing at his bride. But all the while, Mahdi’s brain was working feverishly, calculating how long he had before the ceremony ended, before his new father-in-law swam up to congratulate him. Before it was over. For Vallerio and Traho. For him.

The chorus of songcasters, their voices soaring now, chanted of Miromara’s proud history, and of the solemn vows about to be taken. They reminded Lucia of her duty to produce a daughter for the realm, and then they were silent. Their part in the ceremony was over.

It was Mahdi’s and Lucia’s turn.

“Your Graces, if you please,” the priestess said, leading them in their vows.


Deeply beloved, tonight we sing,

Of this couple’s final promising

For life, these vows will bind you both,

Think hard, before you plight your troth.




For the goddess Neria demands nothing less

That one or both will now confess,

If vows to another were made in the past,

For if so, new vows cannot be cast.



Mahdi took a deep breath. Lucia, smiling radiantly, did the same. Looking at each other, they began to sing the vows that would unite them forever.


Freely I declare my love,