Conviction's King | Damian Book 1

Chapter 38

She looks at me for a moment and suppresses a smile. 'No, if I grew a tail, I think you'd feel self-conscious.'

Is... she joking around with me? Squinting, I pull in close. 'Why do you say that?'

'Because I bet I'd be faster than you.'

I bust out a laugh. 'Seriously? That's the first thing you think about when I tell you to grow a tail?'

She keeps trying to hide her smile, but I can see it in her eyes. I don't think she's ever joked with me like this. I've seen it with Tamir, but... things were too serious and dark between the two of us to really joke around. Sometimes her words were harsh, cutting into me because of things I've done, but never were they really like this. Light. Genuinely joking.

She shrugs. 'Growing up, I was always the fastest. I just wouldn't race anybody because I didn't want them to feel bad.'

I can't help my laughter as I watch her, amazed by this fact. 'You've got to be kidding.'

She shakes her head. 'The other kids would play around and every time I'd race them, I'd win. They didn't like me because I never lost, so I decided to stop racing and stop playing with them.'

I make a face. 'That got depressing quick.'

She nods, but it's not at all because talking about the memory hurts her. 'Yup. So let's go home, now, please. I told you I don't like breaking the rules.'

She figits nervously, her eyes darting around. Ah, there it is, the fear of hte unknown. She doesn't like getting in trouble. I was wondering why she seemed so relaxed at first, so laid back. She's disguising her fear with ease.

I smirk. 'You don't want to explore?'

She hesitates. 'Nope.'

'I can disguise you.'

'Still a no.'

I grin, pulling out my ace.

'I can take you to meet your father.'

She stills at that, the wheels in her head stuttering.

'And your brothers.'

I feel cruel, twisting her wants so I can get mine, but this is a good thing, showing her her past, right? Her father hates her, but that can be fixed, right?

I recall the first time she met her father, King Kaerius of the Merlan Clan, the number-one city under the water, he threatened to kill her. On the other side of the coin, he also saved her life.

Maybe this wasn't really the best idea.

She watches me carefully, weighing her options.

'My father?' She finally asks, to which I nod.

'He's the King of the Murlan Clan, the biggest city underwater,' I explain, sand kicked up all around us because of me. 'If you don't grow a tail, visibility will be low.'

She doesn't seem to care as she asks, 'What about my mother?'

I make a face. So she doesn't know about her mom. Exhaling, I settle on the ground, bringing my tail to my chest and urging her to sit as well—which she doesn't.

'Is she... dead?' Cressa-la asks, her voice cracking in the water.

I nod. 'She died giving birth to you.' Then, a memory hits me like a tidal wave. 'Actuallly,' I say, getting right back up and looking around. 'Actually, she isn't.'

'What?' Cressa-la asks, her brow furrowed. 'I don't understand.'

'I know,' I say, letting my tail twist into legs once more. I drop to the ocean floor in front of her, a new feeling rushing through me. 'I know.'

She watches me, absolutely confused now.

'I can bring you to her,' I say, excitement in my voice. I remember Cressa-la telling me about what happened between her mom and Morgiana. Her mom made two deals with the witch, one of which hasn't played out yet. Her mother would still be breathing.

'To... my mother?' Cressa-la asks. I can't tell if teh look on her face is from fear or joy. Perhaps both.

I nod, excited for some reason. Maybe because I'm defying Morgiana. Maybe because I get to show Cressa-la I have a good side. Maybe it's because of reasons I can't quite figure out. Either way, I am giddy.

'Would you want that?'

'I'm not sure,' she says, her voice trailing off. 'I've always... wondered...'

I smirk. 'That's enough for me.'

Wrapping my arms around her, I picture the island, the island Morgiana had trapped Dametria and me on for four years to fend for ourselves, unable to escape the villagers and unable to leave the island. She head removed her thrall over me and Amawa-na fell off the deep end, wanting me dead, but it festered for a good while until she finally snapped.

That island is not a pleasant one.

But Cressa-la and I can hold our own.

Green surrounds us.