Beyond The Blue

that scares the world, but the

___

n with

drew the sea into tossing tides, and made doors creak without a whisper of wind. Virelle,

noisy gulls, was strangely still. And then, out of the misted horizon, came dark sails spear-shaped and scimitar-curved. Six s

ld men prayed sea prayers they had not prayed in years. Children hid b

st as cold, scourged the shore like a judgment. A thick scar slashed from the corner of his mouth to his collarbone, distorting what

executioner

Her instincts had been screaming at her for days-storms that carried no rain, dreams of silver-eyed be

hadn't said a word in minutes. Not since he

ast, voice low. "I ha

"You anticipa

e only one who could. And

between them, like a tau

the village?" s

oldiers. They're kin hunters. Once they are set on a trail,

ch? You parted ways. Let h

t's not me. It's what I carry. What

d, caught in the gra

art, then?

If we hide, they'll make this town their battlef

one armor and kelp-leather, their movements too fluid, too deliberate-bestial. Their limbs were fash

but their presence

d Edrik with a trembling voice. "We are peaceful fo

e track a traitor and an accursed bloodline. Neither has a

ir: turn them over to us, and

-

obal and Merbel huddled in the hollowed core of a rocky hillock-one of Merbel'

yone to get hurt

replied, "Edrik believes blood p

he despi

r. When I found the prophecy scroll... when I knew what could be if the two realms were united.

said softly. "That's not

tily. "Say that to

ed, a figure slipped

shrieke

That's not a bird.

tone. He unfolded it with hands that trembled sligh

r the tid

ut the handwriting

ond line, more eleg

danger to both. Let her die in pea

from

-

he could speak. The tightening

you with an ult

nod

nking of t

f what will hap

er bare feet sunk i

lost too many people to the sea already. My fa

n this village to the ground. They'll call up the Leviath blood

s blazing. "I am not some helpless

more than that. You're prophecy made flesh. You're the bond be

d, suddenly

coba

en kissed her f

touch you. Even

beyond the cliffs

re

a halo of raven-dark mist. Her eyes were clos

the girl in m

seen the

old powers would wake. And no thr

a whisper, was caught

ose. Or the tide wi

___