Page 31 of The Hunted

Not that he understood why.

Before he could properly consider the snap decision that floated through his mind, he said, “I would like to join some of the final hunts this season.”

That had Mattue finally forgetting the scroll in his hands so that he could join the conversation. “Prince, I don’t believe that to be a wise decision. It would mean going out on the ships when we’re close to the season and storms arrive without warning. Should the king find out—”

“You’ll make sure he doesn’t.”

“Eryx.”

Ah, his name this time.

He gave Mattue a look. “I’ll join the hunts.”

Mattue didn’t reply.

That was that.

SEVEN

Arelle

“FATHER—”

“Poe, I have discussed this far more than I wanted to. You know my opinion on the matter, and it will not change simply because it is your mate. Your mate is not any more or less important than anyone else in this colony.”

Her father and sister’s exchange had the rest of the merpeople in the throne room quieting instantly. The change in the air was palpable, and Arelle could sense it without even needing to look at the two. Still, she peeked up from the infant in her arms, if only to see if she might need to step in to calm the situation down.

Although, could she really?

Likely not.

Poe stood in the middle of the room. Exactly where their father had demanded she stand while addressing him. Except now, her sister’s body leaned forward a bit while she did little to nothing to hide the contempt and pain coloring her features.

On her father’s side, King Zale sat unbothered on his throne. With a face made of what seemed like stone, he was unmoved by his child’s plight. Perhaps Poe’s place as his favorite made her sister forget that at the end of the day, their father only really ever cared about one thing. He made it seem like that thing was his people, when really it was only himself.

Arelle had learned that already.

It was a shame her sister learned this way.

“But—”

Zale held up a hand, silencing Poe instantly. “I have made my decision.”

“He is my mate! The father of my child!”

At the rising voice, the baby in Arelle’s arms perked. The tiny girl’s eyes fluttered open, still so new in her life under the sea that she had a hard time focusing her sights on any one thing in particular unless it was close to her. So, when her pretty violet eyes landed on Arelle, a comforting sight to her, as she was used to her kin, the girl settled. Her tail had wrapped around Arelle’s arm the same way it did for her mother whenever they swam or traveled. It was a baby’s way of staying attached to its mother until it came time to learn to swim. And even then, their young never went too far.

“And his error in judgment is something he will have to suffer for,” the king finally replied to her sister. “Because the rest of us will not also suffer for the results of his stupidity, Poe. I won’t do what you want. That’s the end of it. It’s settled.”

Arelle let out a sigh.

Not a happy one, though.

This couldn’t be happy.

The soft clearing of a throat drew Arelle’s attention to the woman perched at the floor near Zale’s tail fin. It was strange to see their mother outside of her private chambers within the palace, considering how rare it seemed to be for that to happen. Their father liked to keep her locked away where no one could touch her, and she had no opinions to share.

Both things that terrified him.