opened the doors to let in the cool night air, pulling up a blanket before he settled in to reread the books he practically knew by heart.
Always he searched for something he had missed—some clue he had overlooked that was the key to accomplishing his goal without having to give his life. But he never found it, and he knew he never would no matter what he hoped. What had been stolen by blood must be returned by blood. Otherwise the mermaids would continue to increase in numbers and hate, Vessels would continue to die in Pozhar until eventually, there would be no saving the world, and no world left to save.
The dragons had begun the carnage, and that meant Kundou must be the first to repair it. He paged through the old volume gingerly until he reached the last chapter, where practically the only words still legible were a small part of a prophesy that was either foretold by the unknown author or simply recorded by him:
To defeat … and restore … will take a Child of Chaos .
He just wished—
The sound of the main door opening and closing drew Kyo's attention, and he hastily hid his book beneath his blankets then stretched out indolently, gazing out over the black sky and sea, the fat moon hanging heavy and shining over the water.
Taka walked in a moment later and immediately scowled, planting his hands on his hips. "I see you at last deigned to sign the paperwork I put in front of you this morning. Your father is irate you slipped away so quickly after supper. Apparently he wanted to have a word with you."
Kyo sighed. "I do not suppose he has ceased wanting to have a word with me?" When Taka shook his head, he stood up and discarded his robe, then moved to his wardrobe to dress. He stifled another sigh and pulled out a black robe embroidered with white and silver stars as well as the pale gold under robe that went with it. Taka helped him put it all on, folding down the collar, and tying off the thin strips of raw silk that would hold it in place while Taka pulled out the gold sash that went with it. "Go to bed, Taka; there's no reason for you to wait up for me. I do not suppose that we have received any updates?"
"No," Taka said, "but the weather has been fair for days. Hopefully that holds true further out to sea. You know I will tell you the moment we hear anything. I'll wait until you come back from your meeting."
"Go to bed."
"I was planning to stay up and catch up on a few things, anyway," Taka replied.
Kyo rolled his eyes. "I do not suppose you have an inkling as to what he wants to discuss?"
Taka shrugged. "Maybe, I'm not really sure. He was speaking at length with Captain Midori when he looked for you, however, and they were still together when they waylaid me later and his Majesty demanded to know where you were. I told him you were conversing with Lord Krasny and went to bid your farewells to Prince Culebra."
"Thank you," Kyo said, wincing at what would happen should his father ever find out about his naked ventures into the shark pool and out to the ocean proper. "Go to bed," he repeated and left before Taka could voice the scathing retort on his lips.
He walked quickly to his father's private chambers, a heavy knot in his stomach because there was only one reason his father would want to speak to him that involved Captain Midori. He stopped in front of the guards before the doors to his father's room. "Please inform my father I have come to speak with him as requested."
"Highness, he bid you go right in," the left guard replied, bowing low before opening the door.
Kyo braced himself and went through, seeing his father immediately where he stood before a fireplace, sharing wine with Captain Midori. It was actually Lord Midori, but he had favored joining the royal navy, and being captain of the royal fleet superseded his earldom. "Father, Captain, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I wanted to be certain I bid farewell to Prince Culebra and Lord Krasny before they departed."
"Forget it,"
Always he searched for something he had missed—some clue he had overlooked that was the key to accomplishing his goal without having to give his life. But he never found it, and he knew he never would no matter what he hoped. What had been stolen by blood must be returned by blood. Otherwise the mermaids would continue to increase in numbers and hate, Vessels would continue to die in Pozhar until eventually, there would be no saving the world, and no world left to save.
The dragons had begun the carnage, and that meant Kundou must be the first to repair it. He paged through the old volume gingerly until he reached the last chapter, where practically the only words still legible were a small part of a prophesy that was either foretold by the unknown author or simply recorded by him:
To defeat … and restore … will take a Child of Chaos .
He just wished—
The sound of the main door opening and closing drew Kyo's attention, and he hastily hid his book beneath his blankets then stretched out indolently, gazing out over the black sky and sea, the fat moon hanging heavy and shining over the water.
Taka walked in a moment later and immediately scowled, planting his hands on his hips. "I see you at last deigned to sign the paperwork I put in front of you this morning. Your father is irate you slipped away so quickly after supper. Apparently he wanted to have a word with you."
Kyo sighed. "I do not suppose he has ceased wanting to have a word with me?" When Taka shook his head, he stood up and discarded his robe, then moved to his wardrobe to dress. He stifled another sigh and pulled out a black robe embroidered with white and silver stars as well as the pale gold under robe that went with it. Taka helped him put it all on, folding down the collar, and tying off the thin strips of raw silk that would hold it in place while Taka pulled out the gold sash that went with it. "Go to bed, Taka; there's no reason for you to wait up for me. I do not suppose that we have received any updates?"
"No," Taka said, "but the weather has been fair for days. Hopefully that holds true further out to sea. You know I will tell you the moment we hear anything. I'll wait until you come back from your meeting."
"Go to bed."
"I was planning to stay up and catch up on a few things, anyway," Taka replied.
Kyo rolled his eyes. "I do not suppose you have an inkling as to what he wants to discuss?"
Taka shrugged. "Maybe, I'm not really sure. He was speaking at length with Captain Midori when he looked for you, however, and they were still together when they waylaid me later and his Majesty demanded to know where you were. I told him you were conversing with Lord Krasny and went to bid your farewells to Prince Culebra."
"Thank you," Kyo said, wincing at what would happen should his father ever find out about his naked ventures into the shark pool and out to the ocean proper. "Go to bed," he repeated and left before Taka could voice the scathing retort on his lips.
He walked quickly to his father's private chambers, a heavy knot in his stomach because there was only one reason his father would want to speak to him that involved Captain Midori. He stopped in front of the guards before the doors to his father's room. "Please inform my father I have come to speak with him as requested."
"Highness, he bid you go right in," the left guard replied, bowing low before opening the door.
Kyo braced himself and went through, seeing his father immediately where he stood before a fireplace, sharing wine with Captain Midori. It was actually Lord Midori, but he had favored joining the royal navy, and being captain of the royal fleet superseded his earldom. "Father, Captain, I apologize for keeping you waiting. I wanted to be certain I bid farewell to Prince Culebra and Lord Krasny before they departed."
"Forget it,"
Similar Books
