I immediately vomit saltwater.

Someone turns me on my side as I puke, and I stare at delicate feet with a sparkling bracelet around one ankle. A woman’s feet. When I roll onto my back again, I see there are multiple people standing over me with looks of concern on their faces. They all have the head sails like Ranan, four strong arms, and the same greenish cast to their skin.

That’s how I meet Ranan’s family—upon my back, covered in vomit, half drowned and naked.

Lord Vor has taught me so much humility this day.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

RANAN

The healer’s home is a crowded one.

Daidu’s tent is usually full of jars with cork stoppers—each containing fermented brews made from seaweed, various fish guts, and Vor knows what else—all for use with his healing. There is a small padded bed tucked amidst the jars, and a second padded bed for those that require healing. That alone is enough to fill his domain, but on this day, my tall mother hovers over the healer, frowning down upon him as he works on my leg.

And at my side, Vali is fast asleep, her hand clutching tightly to mine even unconscious.

After we were rescued from the water by my uncle Dorran and his mate Balo, I insisted that the healer examine my Valessa first. My wound is old, and she took in a lot of water in her valiant attempt to swim at my side. Now that she has been deemed well enough, she remains with me, but she is so fatigued that she has passed out.

My poor wife. I reach over and brush a lock of still-wet hair from her brow. Ever since I have been injured, she has not gotten a moment’s rest. Vali just burrows closer to my side, her breathing steady.

“What bit you?” Daidu asks, leaning in close to get a good look at my leg. “Doesn’t seem like a shark. The bite is too deep.”

“Sea dragon. One has settled near my grotto.”

Daidu clucks his tongue, reaching behind him to get fresh towels while examining my wound. “Bad luck, there.”

“Aye. I’ll set up elsewhere. Akara is still too wild to return to the flotilla.” And I am not sure what Vali would think of being here permanently. She loved the grotto and didn’t seem to mind that it was isolated, but she hasn’t seemed particularly excited about meeting the rest of my people. Perhaps she’s shy.

My mother paces while Daidu pokes and prods my leg. She finally loses her patience and leans over both of us, getting in my face.

“What is the meaning of all this, my son?” My mother keeps her tone low and even so she does not wake my slumbering wife. Her expression is full of emotion, though. Her mouth is pulled down into an angry frown and her eyes are full of concern as she watches Daidu poke and prod at my wounded leg.

The healer pushes my mother aside. “You’re in my light, Ajinai.”

Mother steps over my legs to move to my other side. This puts her closer to the sleeping Vali and her expression changes to one of distaste. “You know this is inappropriate. What will the other flotillas think?”

As if I care? “They’re not here.”

“But they will be in a month! You know the Laena flotilla’s chieftain has that lovely daughter about your age. She’ll be looking for a mate and our flotilla could use new blood.” She crosses her arms over her chest, giving me the same stern, motherly look she has all her life.

“Vali is my wife,” I state again. I have said this twenty times since arriving, and it seems I must continue to say it.

“But…why?” My mother leans forward again and then draws back when the healer shoots her another irked look. “Why, my son? Why a human?”

“Does it matter if she is human or not? I have chosen her.”

“I am not questioning your affection for her,” my mother says. Her expression is genuinely puzzled, as if I am speaking in a strange language. “But a marriage should be about strengthening the flotilla and the bloodlines there. It is about strategic alliances amongst others for the stormy season. It is about strong children, my son. It is one thing for your uncle to have a human mate, but another for you.”

“I do not see why.” I’m trying to keep the impatience out of my voice. I continue to stroke Vali’s hair back from her face, feeling the need to touch her softness, to reassure myself that she’s here and she’s fine. My heart nearly leapt from my chest each time she went under the waves. She tried so very hard even though she knew she didn’t have the skills to keep up with me, but she did not complain. Not once. “My uncle could have contributed to the flotilla’s bloodlines as easily as I could have, but he was allowed to mate who he chose. No one is more giving or thoughtful than Vali.”

My mother lifts a hand and plays with one of her dangling earrings, a sure sign that she’s agitated. “That might be, but keep her on the side and marry a nice woman of the seakind instead.”

I bite back my impatience, because my mother has always been like this. It is no surprise that she refuses to accept my marriage to Vali. I knew she would be difficult about it. “I told her I would marry her, and I do not lie.”

Mother sighs heavily, just as Daidu yanks out a stitch, making me grimace silently with pain. The healer glances up at me, two of his hands pinching at my wound while the other two move to pull the next stitch. “These are crooked and clumsily done.”

“My wife stitched me up after I was injured. She has not done it before.”

“It shows.” Daidu wipes away a bit of welling blood. “But it was smart of her to attempt it anyhow. I imagine you’ll keep the leg, thanks to her.”

I want to squeeze my wife against my side for her quick thinking. “She saved my life in more ways than one,” I tell them. “I owe it to her to marry her.”

“Well, that’s it, then.” My mother seems displeased. “I will let your father know, and he will tell the chieftain.”

I doubt either of them will care nearly as much as my mother, but I just nod as she leaves the tent, wincing as Daidu yanks out yet another stitch and then another. He tuts at the jagged line of my scabbed wound, now bleeding from his ministrations.

“Can you give me anything to help with the healing?” I ask him.

“You’re lucky it’s healing as well as it is.” He pulls dripping seaweed from a jar nearby and places it on the angry wound. “But yes, I have something to help. Essence of seaworm and the ground heart of a scaly eel, left to ferment for a hundred days.” Daidu pauses. “It won’t taste good.”

“It never does.” Daidu’s potions are effective, though.

“I’ll prepare it for you.” He pulls another stitch and then straightens. “Ignore your mother. She dreams of grandchildren with taller head sails than her own. It clouds her vision.”

I nod. Vali and I might still have children—halflings are not unheard of—but it is not a particular concern of mine. I care more that she is safe and happy. Strange how I am focused on her needs now, when a month ago all I could think about was how much she would slow me down. How quickly minds change.

How besotted am I that the thought of not waking up with Vali tucked against my side makes the future seem incredibly bleak? Every time I tell myself that I should find a nice safe human settlement to send her to I…just can’t bring myself to do so. It’s selfish, but I want her with me, wherever we end up.

“I need fresh water,” Daidu says, unfolding his legs and getting to his feet. He puts two hands at the small of his back as he stands, bones creaking. “Be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

Our healer loves his own jokes. I bite back a sigh. “Funny.”

Then I’m alone with Vali. All is quiet for a time, with nothing but the sound of sea birds calling to one another and the gentle lap of waves against the shells of the flotilla’s turtles. There are distant murmuring voices of others, likely the chieftain’s family and my mother. Akara’s thoughts brush against mine now and then, calm and distant. She does not mind waiting, and will sun herself and enjoy the waters here. She will grow restless if I stay here long-term, and our bond will weaken without close connection, but for now all I need to do is heal up and tend to Vali.