Chapter4

The banquet was held in the Coral Hall.

Over a hundred nobles sat along both sides.

Servers wove between them carrying sea-grape wine.

I sat at a small table just behind Kaelan.

Head down, trying to curl myself into a ball.

The comments scrolled fast.

[A maid sitting that close to him? He's really spoiling her, huh?]

[Relax, she's basically his pet. Don't read into it.]

[Just wait till the princess shows up. She's gonna get it.]

I bit my lip, my hands under the table, shielding my stomach.

"Your Highness, Princess Nerissa has arrived."

The doors swung open.

A silver-white figure swam in.

I looked up.

Nerissa glided into the hall like she owned it.

In the center of the room, she dipped into a small curtsy toward Kaelan.

"Kaelan, I'm home."

Kaelan nodded.

"Have a seat."

Nerissa took the place at Kaelan's left hand.

The seat for the future princess consort.

I dropped my eyes. I couldn't watch.

Nerissa's gaze swept over me and caught for half a second.

"And who's this?"

"My maid, Coral."

Nerissa looked at me and said nothing.

The banquet began.

The nobles raised their glasses and chatted.

One after another, they congratulated the princess on her return.

I speared a piece of kelp roll and put it in my mouth.

Two bites in, my stomach lurched.

No. I couldn't throw up. Not here.

I pressed a hand over my mouth and forced the nausea down.

Around me, the nobles were already talking.

"The princess looks wonderful. More beautiful than ever."

"Doesn't she? She and the prince were made for each other."

"Oh, and when's the wedding, by the way?"

I tightened my grip on my fork.

Nerissa smiled and glanced at Kaelan.

"You'll have to ask Kaelan."

Kaelan raised his glass and changed the subject.

"Everyone, a toast. Welcome home, Nerissa."

It got a little awkward.

An old count jumped in to smooth it over.

"His Highness has been swamped with state business. I'm sure once things settle down, they'll set a date."

"Of course, of course. The king arranged it. It's only a matter of time."

The comments again.

[You hearing this? She's the fiancée the whole kingdom approved. You're just an accident.]

[She doesn't seriously think she's gonna be queen someday, does she?]

[Wait till the princess finds out about that night. She's done.]

My nose stung and my eyes burned.

All I could do was keep my head down and pretend to eat.

But the nausea kept getting worse.

"Coral?"

Kaelan took my hand.

I looked up and met his eyes.

"What's wrong? You look awful."

I forced a smile.

"I'm fine, Your Highness."

Nerissa glanced at me and said lightly:

"Kaelan, your maid is awfully delicate."

The comments went nuts.

[Ooh, the princess is jealous!]

[Of course the fiancée hates her rival. Classic.]

[Is there gonna be a fight? I've got my popcorn ready!]

Kaelan looked at Nerissa, his tone neither warm nor cold.

"She's not well, and her magic's unstable. A little delicate is to be expected."

Nerissa gave a short laugh.

"You certainly spoil her."

"She's mine. Of course I spoil her."

As he said it, he reached over and ruffled my hair.

I went rigid.

My heart did something stupid when he said that word. Mine.

Nerissa's eyes turned cold.

The comments exploded.

[OMG he's protecting her!]

[Uh oh, the princess is actually mad now. Coral's in trouble.]

[This is getting SO good!]

I ducked away from Kaelan's hand and stood up.

"Your Highness, I'm not feeling well. May I be excused?"

I turned and swam away before he could answer.

I swam out of the Coral Hall.

And dove deep into the anemones.

I sank onto the sand, and I couldn't hold it in anymore.

I threw up.

Until there was nothing left.

Until my stomach was completely empty.

The comments drifted by.

[Watching her throw up like that hurts my heart.]

[Wait... who actually started it that night? Something doesn't add up...]

[Bottom line, this whole mess started because HE lost control.]

[Stop fighting, I just want to know what the babies will look like.]

When it was finally over.

I slumped on the sand, too weak to move.

At some point, I'd started crying.

The tears were salty. I couldn't tell them apart from the sea.

I wiped my eyes.

Took a deep breath, and pushed myself upright against the coral.

I turned around.

And found myself staring into a pair of ice-cold eyes.

Nerissa had appeared behind me without a sound.

My tail went weak. I nearly collapsed.

"P-Princess..."

She looked me up and down.

Her eyes landed on my stomach.

I covered it on instinct.

"What are you doing hiding out here?"

"I... I wasn't feeling well. I needed some air."

Nerissa swam closer.

I backed up.

She came closer still.

I backed up again.

My back hit the reef.

Nowhere left to go.

Nerissa reached out and grabbed my wrist.

Her other hand pressed flat against my stomach.

I froze.

Her magic slid into me from her fingertips.

It circled once through my body.

Then she laughed, cold and sharp.

"So that's it."

She let go of my wrist and stared down at me.

"You're the one who crawled into Kaelan's bed that night."

My eyes went wide.

"No, it wasn't, I didn't..."

"The timing of your pregnancy matches that night exactly, and you're still going to deny it?"

I was shaking all over.

"No, Princess, it's not His Highness's, I went up to the shore and I..."

"Up to the shore?"

Nerissa sneered.

"A maid who hasn't left the palace in five years went up to the shore? You were right next to him during the Blood Tide."

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

The comments were going crazy.

[It's over, she's totally busted!]

[The princess figured it out in two seconds. Dang.]

[Coral's actually done for this time.]

Nerissa looked down at me, her eyes full of disgust.

"Half-blood trash. No shame at all!"

The tears spilled over.

"You crawled into his bed while he was out of his mind, and you still think you deserve to be his maid?"

"I..."

"People like you don't belong anywhere near Kaelan."

She grabbed my chin.

And forced me to look up at her.

"But don't worry. I'm not going to kill you."

"If I kill you, Kaelan will investigate. So I'll just make you disappear on your own."

I shook my head frantically.

"Princess, it was an accident. It was His Highness who..."

"An accident?"

"Do you know who I am? The king chose me to be his wife. What are you supposed to be?"

She released my chin and drew back.

"I waited three whole years in the north so I could come back and marry him."

"And you? A worthless half-blood maid, crawling into his bed while he was out of his mind, and now you're carrying his child!"

I was crying too hard to speak.

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

"And what good is sorry?"

Nerissa looked at me coldly.

"That bastard in your belly is an insult to me."

She turned to leave.

My whole body gave out, and I slid down onto the sand.

I looked up.

And saw, not far away.

Kaelan, standing beneath the pillars of the coral colonnade.