Bryce shot him a wry glance that seemed to say, You’re a big fucking liar, but I love you.
The Ocean Queen still surveyed Bryce with a face as cold as the northern reaches of the Haldren Sea. “That remains to be seen.” She pointed to Tharion, her fingernail made of pure nacre. “Tharion Ketos, you are confined to this ship until I decide otherwise.”
Tharion bowed his head, but remained still and silent.
The Ocean Queen lowered her finger and shot a sharp glance at Bryce. It was instinct for Hunt’s knees to bend, to prepare to leap between them, to shield his mate. But there was no amount of lightning, no gun, no weapon that could save Bryce, should the Ocean Queen bring the full wrath of the sea down upon them. This deep, they’d have no chance of reaching the surface in time. That is, if their bodies didn’t explode first from the pressure.
But the near-divine being declared, a shade haughtily, “Queen or no queen, you are all now guests on my ship—and will leave only when I bid you to.”
Hunt refrained from saying that her checkout policy wasn’t very guest friendly. Especially as the Ocean Queen asked Bryce, dark eyes narrowing, “Does your father the Autumn King still draw breath?”
Bryce smiled slowly. “For the time being.”
The Ocean Queen weighed the words—then answered Bryce’s smile with her own, revealing all those hooked shark’s teeth. “I don’t recall inviting you onto this ship.”
Bryce checked her nails—it was such a thoroughly Bryce movement that Hunt’s chest tightened. “Well, someone sent me an e-vite.”
Hunt lowered his head to keep the grin from his face. He’d forgotten how fun it was—to see Bryce in her element. Leading these shitheads along by the nose. It lightened some of that weight in his chest, some of that primal terror—just a fraction.
The Ocean Queen said flatly, “I do not know of any such thing.”
Amusement glimmered in Bryce’s whiskey-colored eyes, but her tone was dead serious as she explained, “I teleported here. I needed to find my mate.”
“You and your mate are dismissed,” the Ocean Queen said, waving that nacre-tipped hand. A hermit crab skittered through her dark locks and then vanished again. “I have important matters to discuss with Captain Ketos.”
Tharion looked up, grimacing. Maybe his death sentence hadn’t been delayed after all.
But again, Bryce didn’t miss a beat. “Yeah, see, my matters are a bit more pressing.”
“I find that highly unlikely.”
Two queens facing off. And there was no doubt in Hunt’s mind that Bryce was a queen now. The poise, the strength radiating from her … She didn’t need a crown to rule this room.
Bryce sucked in a breath, the only sign of nerves. And said to the ruler of the seas, “You’re wrong.”
* * *
It was only through sheer will that Bryce didn’t throw her arms around Hunt immediately and kiss him silly. Only through sheer will that she didn’t start raging and crying at the halo inked anew on his brow, the brand stamped on his wrist.
She’d kill the Asteri for this.
She’d already planned to, of course, but after what they’d done to Hunt while she’d been gone … she’d make sure they died slowly.
That is, once she figured out how to kill them.
And as soon as she held Hunt, she wasn’t letting go. Ever. But they had so much shit to do right now that giving in wasn’t an option, holding him and loving him weren’t options.
She didn’t dare ask where Ruhn was, not with the Ocean Queen present. Baxian was with Hunt, so maybe her brother was nearby, too. The Autumn King had said they were all rescued. Ruhn had to be here. Somewhere.
But she couldn’t wait for her brother. He’d have to be filled in later.
“I journeyed to the original world of the Fae,” she began, “through a Gate in the Eternal Palace. I possess Luna’s Horn, which helped clear the pathway between worlds.”
Stunned, breathless silence filled the room. Hunt practically thrummed with lightning and curiosity, but Bryce kept her eyes on the Ocean Queen as the female said neutrally, “I’m assuming you learned something.”
Bryce gave a shallow nod. “I knew already that the Asteri are intergalactic parasites. But I learned that the Asteri infected Midgard’s waters upon invading this world.”
“Infected,” the Ocean Queen mused.
Bryce nodded again. “The Asteri put an actual parasite in the water—or something like a parasite. I don’t really know what it is, specifically. Whatever it is, it makes everyone on Midgard have to offer up firstlight via the Drop. Or else we’ll lose our powers—we’ll wither and die.”