Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2)(66)

But the spider didn’t.

Instead, she spoke.

Hail, Lucia, daughter of the blood, rightful heiressssss to the throne of Miromara….

Serafina’s head snapped up. “What?” she said.

She watched in disbelief as the creature scuttled to the royal enclosure, took Merrow’s crown from its dais, and placed it on Lucia’s head—the very same crown that she, Serafina, had worn.

This isn’t happening, she thought. It can’t be happening. Alítheia was made by the gods themselves. She’s infallible.

Vallerio swam to Lucia. He took her by the arms and kissed her forehead.

Then he turned to the crowd and, smiling triumphantly, said, “Good people of Miromara! I give you your new regina…Lucia Volnero…my daughter.”





SERAFINA WAS REELING. It all made sickening sense now. How could she not have seen it? Lucia, with her jet-black hair, deep blue eyes, and silver scales, looked exactly like Vallerio. Like Isabella too, for that matter. She looked more like a true Merrovingian than Serafina did.

No wonder Vallerio had never married, and no wonder Portia had. She’d married a man who looked like Vallerio only weeks after Regina Artemesia, Sera’s grandmother, had forbade their marriage. Because she was carrying Vallerio’s child. That man—Sejanus Adaro—had died soon after Lucia’s birth. Had Portia and Vallerio continued their affair in secret all these years?

The Kobold had once again bullied the crowd into cheering, and Vallerio once again held up his hands to quiet them.

“Yes, it’s true, good people. Lucia Volnero is my daughter, conceived with her mother, the duchessa, nineteen years ago. She is a Merrovingian, as Alítheia has confirmed. Lucia wished to keep the truth of her parentage a secret and to spend her life in quiet service to the realm. But since we have lost our regina and our principessa, and since only a mermaid of Merrovingian blood may sit upon the Miromaran throne, she has bravely and selflessly decided to offer herself as your ruler.”

Exultant beside her father, Lucia smiled her barracuda smile.

Vallerio held up his hands for quiet again. “In accordance with Merrow’s decrees, Lucia will now continue to the casting, the second part of her Dokimí, by performing the required songspell.”

Lucia swam forward and began to songcast. Serafina expected her to stumble, to make mistakes. The casting was torturously difficult. She herself had spent the better part of a year practicing it. But Lucia didn’t stumble. Not once. Her mastery of magic was excellent. Her singing was flawless. Her beautiful voice was beguiling.

How can that be? Serafina wondered. How can she sing Merrow’s songspell so perfectly when she’s never even practiced it? With a chill, she realized the answer: Lucia had practiced. She’d prepared for this moment for a very long time.

When Lucia finished the songspell, the amphitheater erupted. The cheers were deafening; the applause was long. As before, the most enthusiastic responses came from the Kobold and the death riders.

“Thank you! Thank you, good people!” Vallerio shouted, as the noise subsided. “To ensure the stability of the realm and the continuity of Merrow’s line, Lucia will now undertake her betrothal, during which she will recite vows with her intended and promise to give this realm a daughter.”

Vallerio turned to the royal enclosure and looked at Mahdi. “Your Grace, if you would join us…”





MAHDI ROSE FROM HIS THRONE.

“You can’t do this,” Serafina whispered. She rose from her seat too.

“Sera, don’t!” Coco said, pulling her back down.

“Coco, I have to. I—”

…don’t move…please…in danger…

That was Mahdi. He was inside her head again.

Mahdi, you can’t do this…she said to him.

SERA, YOU SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW!

The voice was so loud, Serafina thought it would shatter her eardrums.

Neela? she said weakly, when the pain subsided.

You heard me? Oh, thank gods! I didn’t know if my convoca would work.

Heard you? You nearly blew my head apart! Where are you?

Here in the Kolisseo. Stay where you are, Sera. Do. Not. Move.

But I have to tell my uncle—

Nothing. You tell him nothing. You do nothing.

But it’s all a huge mistake! My uncle’s doing this for the sake of the realm. He brokered a truce with the death riders. He only put Lucia on the throne because he thinks I’m dead. Now he’s going to betroth her to Mahdi. If I just go to him, if I tell him—

If you move out of your seat, you die.

That was a new voice, but Serafina recognized it.

Yazeed? she said. What are you talking about? Why do I have to—

Stay put until this is over. Then meet us outside the Kolisseo.

I can’t watch this, Yaz. I can’t.

You dont have a choice. Portia…back from…death riders…and then…

Yazeed was breaking up.

Please, Sera…do not move.

That was Neela. Then the convoca faded and she heard no more.

Serafina did as they asked, though it nearly killed her. She sat in her seat, stared straight ahead, and watched the merman she loved declare his love for another.

Mahdi took Lucia’s hand. He looked into her eyes. He smiled at her. Said his vows. And tore out Serafina’s heart.