Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 by Galvin, Aaron (top 5 books to read TXT) 📗

keep you at his side during these trials. Left to his passion and foolish whims, you would have been thrown inside the cage alongside your mother and the others loyal to her. No doubt he would have showcased your Nomad tail too before all the people of New Pearlaya for the bitter grief your mother has caused him.”

Sydney grimaced. Why did you save me from that, then? If that’s what you’re implying.

“Not implying. Truth, child,” said Malik. “And it were not my only demand of the quivering king either. Believe me when I tell you that your hand in marriage was not among my desires then, but your safety and your hand is now of chief import to me and my plans for this once great city.”

Sydney fought down the bile rising in her throat. I would never marry you.

“Not even if it I commanded my seawolves to spare your brother’s life when they find him?”

The ease in which he threw out the offer stunned Sydney into silence.

Malik Blackfin was happy to fill the void. “Whatever your decisions there, I find it fortunate for me, at least, that you’ve not been offered the choice of our marriage to come. Your father is to announce our engagement not long after the trials have ended and your mother executed.”

No . . . said Sydney. No, that can’t be.

“Aye, it is true,” said Malik. “Though I hold little doubt the king believes in his other, not-so-secretive plans to have young Bowrider and his Merrows dispatch me and my Orcs once I’ve saved his city from these outside forces soon to fall upon our city. Until then, our sweet king has great need of me and my seawolves. In truth, King Darius keeps you alive now at my request and on the misguided belief that your life will draw out your true father. Assuming that savage screamer, No Boundaries, still lives, that is. Between us, however, I think the truer reason is that Darius cannot bring himself to part with you. Not for all the memories you bring of fonder days that he once spent with the queen too. He will hold to that image to his demise, poor fool that he is. Again, I find it little wonder why your mother sought a stronger hand at her side.”

You’re lying, said Sydney. You’re lying about everything.

“Resist the truth all you will, then,” said Malik. “Reality remains, Princess. When all this is done, you will be my wife . . . and your brother’s life hanging on the choice of your decisions to be a good and loyal silent wife or no. Again, no matter your decision there, there will soon be a royal uniting between Merrows and Orcs to put all this other nonsense to rest. And if anything should happen to the king shortly thereafter, well . . .”

Sydney’s gaze flickered at the hunger she saw in his eyes. If you’re going to kill Darius, why would you tell me?

“Murder the king? Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it,” said Malik, his wicked grin ever-present. “And even if I did, you have the right of it. Why should I tell anyone, especially my blushing bride to be?” He winked. “No, I would never murder our sweet Darius. But an accident? Well, that could happen to anyone. A king? A lost prince? No doubt a foolish princess too, for that matter.”

She glanced at him with more questions in her eyes. Why are you telling me all this? If you really mean to kill Darius, why let me know?

Malik laughed. “Perhaps because you wish the king dead as much as I?” he asked. “Or that even if you tried to warn him, the king would never hear and believe you. And, if he did, it would drive him mad with still more questions of where my true loyalty lies. Choose an answer, girl, for all our valid options here. The true joy of holding a reputation such as I have is that one never knows what is to be believed and which are falsehoods. For there is the true power of chaos, child – one either stirs the pot, or else they are caught in the stirrings of someone else.” He tapped one of his fingers upon her tank. “Which do you judge yourself to be?”

A better person than you, said Sydney.

“A weaker one, rather,” said Malik. “Your continued belief in your own goodness is what landed you in this tank to begin with. Aye, just as your dead guardian and so many other corpses before her believed also. Had your friend, Yvla, kept her silence that day, I might have allowed her to live.”

No, you wouldn’t have, said Sydney. And Yvla didn’t just believe she was a better person. She was always better than you.

“For all the good it did her and you,” said Malik. “She, at least, had some fight in her. Even unto the end. Meanwhile, your supposed virtue continues to make you harmless.” He stepped away from the tank. “And, all the while, I offer to lend and teach you strength, girl.”

How? Sydney asked. How would you think to teach me anything but hate?

Malik chuckled. “I heard tale of your disdain for the horse-lord, Rupert, after you learned that he was to be your original betrothed. Now that you know my intent, I would rather grant you the choice to begin our royal partnership to come with truth rather than lies.”

The truth is that no matter what you say, I won’t believe you, said Sydney.

“And what if I might offer you some assurances of my honesty?” Malik asked. “Call it an early wedding gift to my betrothed from her future husband. A sign of all that lay in store for our partnership to come.”

You really think that I would trust anything you offer as proof you were honest with me?

“Ask it of me,” said Malik. “And we will see.”

Sydney thought to ask for her freedom, then. She wilted, however, when thinking of