12. Enna
Chapter twelve
Enna
The inside of the palace resembles the outside—white-washed floors and walls, lofty ceilings supported by large, smooth pillars of white stone. Marble statues of royal males line the hallways, each one depicting their two-legged forms. We follow Clio up a twisting white staircase, and I wonder if the Kingdom of Coral has been named incorrectly. I don’t see any color here, other than the servants who flit around quietly on bare feet, dressed in crisp white leathers.
I soak in the brilliance of the servants’ colorful skin—pinks, blues, greens, yellows, purples—some patterned with swirls and dots and stripes. Most of the mermaids have broad, fanning ears and soft, round faces. Sharp teeth, but no fangs. None of them are translucent or grotesque. None have pincers or extra legs. Their beauty is foreign compared to the mermaids of Vespyr, yet their presence is the only familiar thing I’ve found within these white-washed halls.
Reaching the top, Clio steers us down a hallway, stopping before a door. She digs in her apron for a key, which, to my horror, is delicately carved from more white marble. The latch clicks open and the door swings inward.
Odissa sighs and rushes into the room, giggling. “Oh, it’s lovely ! Thank you, dear Clio.”
Goddess, where did she learn to giggle ?
Expecting another white-washed room, I pause as the visual vomit of turquoise and coral assaults me. The room smells of sand and sun and sickly-sweet florals, and I gag a little, noting the open windows. Sheer curtains frame each one, lifting in the sea breeze.
Sunlight spills through, warming the rich pink rugs and the mammoth bed centered against the far wall. An excessive number of colored pillows perch on the mattress, the entire thing looking much too soft to sleep on. I would be afraid I’d sink into it, swallowed whole by fabrics and stuffing, never to emerge again.
I move to the window, surveying my escape routes. Odissa’s room is situated on the right side of the palace, opposite of where we entered—which was south, I suppose. Next to this window, a floral vine twists up a column of stone, the tendril ending with a three-foot jump to the next balcony down. Far below, the pebbled path meanders through the inner walls of Aquisa, leading to the gate and the sea beyond.
Odissa squeals with piercing glee. She performs a weird little dance and giggles yet again as she buries her face into the sleeve of something pink.
“Isn’t this glorious?” Odissa exclaims.
“I’m glad Your Highness is pleased with the accommodations,” Clio says.
“Yes, very much.” Odissa runs her hands along the large copper bathtub, frowning. “Where will my handmaid be staying? I do not see adjoining quarters.”
Clio shuffles on her feet. “Well, Your Highness, this is an unusual situation. Your handmaid is a siren, is she not?” She turns to look at me, shrugging apologetically. “We usually treat our magic-wielders with the utmost respect they are due, but because of her role, we thought the servant quarters would be appropriate, if her ladyship is prepared to keep them company.”
It’d be nice to have my own space, away from Odissa. In my time with her, she’s never let me sleep alone. I’m too valuable an asset , she says.
“Fetch a cot for my handmaid,” Odissa orders. “Enna will sleep in my quarters. I prefer to keep her close, you understand?”
Clio hesitates. “Your Highness, I encourage you to reconsider. It would be most improper for an attendant to share your quarters.”
“She’ll sleep here,” Odissa presses, her fists tightening around the pink fabric.
Clio tips her head, then smiles tightly. “As you wish, Your Highness. The prince has invited you to a sunset dinner on the terrace. I’ll come to retrieve you beforehand. And in the meantime, might I suggest a relaxing bath after a long journey?”
Odissa releases her grip on the fabric, smoothing out the wrinkles. “That is an excellent idea, Clio, thank you.”
Two pairs of eyes flick toward me. I stare at the tub perched on four knobby legs, unsure where to begin with the task.
With a sigh, Clio approaches the tub. She twists both handles and water gushes out, filling the basin. Her fingers trail in the stream, testing the temperature until the water begins to steam. “There,” she says, stepping back. “That should get you started.”
I flash her a smile in gratitude, and she nods curtly before retreating from the room. “Call if you need anything else, Your Highness.”
The door closes, sealing us in.
The room grows silent, save for the sound of water splashing into the tub. An assortment of vials sits beside the tub, labeled with various floral patterns. I frown. “Do you want…?” I pick one up, studying the pink label. Rose . I sniff it, then snort, offended by the smell. “Ugh.”
Odissa snatches the bottle from my hand, pouring its contents into the bathwater. When the water nears the top of the basin, I turn the knobs in the opposite direction that Clio showed me, proud of myself when the water stops.
Odissa peels off her undergarments and drops them on the floor, dipping her fingers into the water. She hums with pleasure and closes her eyes. “Everything here is so warm,” she whispers, smiling. Then she leans over the water and inhales the strong fragrance. “Goddess, can you believe my luck?”
As she slides into the water, her legs snap together, shifting into her silver, glittering tail. She sighs, leaning her head back until the water laps at her chin. After a moment, she peels open one eye to glare at me. “Sponge me.”
I look around the room, finding one in the basket next to the fragrance oils. I drop it into the water. The sponge bobs, wobbling on the ripples.
“Have you never given a bath before?” She sneers, eyeing the sponge.
“Have you ever had a bath before?” I snap.
I could slap the look off her face. If we were in Vespyr, I might do it. Instead, I slap the water, sloshing it over the edge. “Look, princess ,” I hiss. “Nobody’s watching. Do not fuck with me.”
Odissa lifts her lip, revealing smooth, round teeth where sharp points used to be.
“I’m here to Voice for you, to fulfill my oath. Not to scrub your ass with a sponge.”
“You agreed to help me, whatever the request,” she says, nudging the sponge closer to me and closing her eyes. “Or don’t you remember our bargain? Now, scrub.” When I still don’t move, she says, “What if Clio comes back to find me scrubbing myself? I’m sure she’d find that rather inappropriate .”
Annoyed, I snatch the sponge, yank her arm up, and begin scrubbing at her skin in harsh circles. She doesn’t even flinch. My master smiles and leans her head on the back of the tub, settling in while I attempt to rip her skin off scale by scale.
“Good girl,” she says. “Now, tell me about my prince. Since you obviously met him first.”
“I didn’t know he was your prince.”
I wring the sponge with too much force as the prince’s face flashes in my mind, bright and handsome, his mouth curved into that flirty smile. Warmth spreads over my face. I duck to hide my reaction from the death-dealer, scrubbing at her tail.
“Tell me about him.”
“He’s tall,” I start, wracking my brain for positive adjectives to describe the male. “Broad shouldered. Handsome? By most standards.” Also pushy. Cocky. Doesn’t know when to leave a girl alone.
Kind eyes. My breath hitches.
“Yes, I can see all that for myself. But what was he like ? Was he aggressive? Will he be difficult to seduce?”
I shrug. “Not aggressive, not really. He yelped like a pup when my spines brushed him.”
Odissa frowns. “So he’s a soft male playing future king.”
“Seems so. That should make this easier.” I consider his rock-solid abdomen pressing against me, his strong arm wrapping possessively around my waist, pulling me close, and my stomach flips over. The prince was anything but soft .
I shove the thought deep, locking it away.
“Excellent,” she says, sighing. “I can work with this.”
Finished cleaning her tail, I let the sponge float in the water. “Done,” I say, wiping my hands on a towel, noting the distinct pinkness that’s crept over my skin. I poke the back of my hand. It’s warm to the touch.
She rises from the bath, swinging her tail over the edge to dry. After a few moments, her bones shift and her tail splits down the middle, leaving a naked Odissa standing in a puddle.
There’s a knock at the door, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
“It’s Clio,” the housekeeper announces. “I’ve found Your Ladyship some clothing.”
Odissa gasps, covering the puckered scar on her ribs with her hand. I shove a towel in her direction, and she wraps it around herself as the door creaks open.
Clio enters carrying a pile of white fabric, which she sets on the dressing table before addressing me, “I hope you find the skirts comfortable. Most of my staff prefer them. There’s a pouch in the waist belt where you can fold and store them for easier transition.”
I wrinkle my nose, holding up the fabric and gaping at the sheer amount of it. Why I should need more than the loincloth between my legs, I’ll never know. The skirt ties around my waist, overlapping in the front. I strap a knife to my calf, each thigh, then adjust the fabric to cover them, skipping the undergarments. The hem of the skirt brushes the tops of my bare feet.
“Certainly, you don’t need all those weapons to perform your duties. Corals are peaceful people, my lady, and there are plenty of guards stationed around the palace to ensure the safety of Her Highness.”
I turn to the mermaid, sizing her up. She’s soft and stocky, her face plump with the nourishment of a royal servant. The longer I stare, the more her ears quiver.
“Apologies, my lady,” Clio stammers. “One more thing.” She fishes out a pair of white leather gloves from her apron. “Put these on,” she says. “You’ll need them at dinner.”
“At dinner?”
I tug the gloves over my hands, securing them up to my elbows and grimacing at the tight fit against my claws.
“Yes, my lady. To keep those Abyssal spines of yours under control. You will accompany the princess to dinner tonight, no?”
Odissa coughs, barely covering her snicker.
“You look great,” Clio says with a note of warmth, nodding toward the full-length mirror.
Softness greets me, my sharp edges drowning in white fabric. My deep purple eyes are tired, skin sunken, and cheekbones hollow. Both my face and arms are a vivid pink. When I touch my cheek, it’s feverishly warm. My short black hair, uneven from the last cut of my blade, sticks out in the dry air. I smooth it against my head, but it perks back up.
Sighing, I lift the skirt to study my slender, weak legs, still wobbly. I’m fast and agile in water, but on land I’m ineffective. Clumsy. I drop the skirt, so I don’t have to look at them.
Clio stifles a chuckle. “You look lovely, my lady,” she says, and I can’t tell whether she’s lying or not. “Your Highness, please choose whatever you wish from your wardrobe. We’ve selected our best pieces for you, and I hope you find our fashion to your liking.”
Odissa thanks Clio and rifles through the wardrobe’s garish offerings while she clutches the towel tightly around her.
“I’ll be back when it’s time for dinner,” the housekeeper says. But then she eyes the tub full of water. With pursed lips, she crosses the room, reaches into it, and pulls the plug.