Free Everlost by Brenda Pandos

place, the panic Tatiana had managed to cage spread menacingly across her face. He could imagine her thoughts, especially since her separation from Azor would be for an unknown length of time. Fear swirled an ugly finger around them and Jacob grimaced. He wanted to help her, comfort her. But mostly distract her.
    “I’m going to my room,” she said quickly, lifting her chin. “Goodnight.”
    He cringed, knowing night was hours away, but she swam away before he could respond. He redirected his anger to the mermaid in the kitchen. Before he paid a visit to the barracks, Shanleigh was going to wish she’d checked her attitude at the door.
     

8
    : : :
    Examination
    A sweet, gentle voice woke Tatiana from her slumber. She expected to see her mom, but instead looked up into Queen Desiree’s light-blue eyes framed in white-blonde hair. Her body shuddered awake.
    “My Queen.” Tatiana sat up with a gasp, wondering if she should bow or what was the proper way to address her.
    “Oh, don’t be alarmed, my sweet,” the Queen said with crimson lips. “It’s just me.”
    Tatiana’s heart sped to full throttle, alerting her tail to move. Like a bird, she perched on a nearby chair and quizzically looked around the room. Next to the queen, the lithe blond healer who’d drugged Tatiana the morning of the ceremony hovered in the current. Her not-so-innocent gaze studied her and Tatiana wondered what her mother-in-mer was up to.
    “Azor mentioned you haven’t been feeling well,” the Queen said.
    Tatiana furrowed her brow. “I feel fine, my Queen.”
    She smiled weakly, embarrassed they’d found her here instead of in Azor’s bed. She actually wished the healer could mend what was ailing Azor—his inability to bond with her officially.
    “Well, that’s good to know, because your sisters have missed seeing you at the palace and are asking why you haven’t come around to visit.”
    “They’re not mad?”
    “Mad? Oh…” Her words trailed off as she swam to the window, glaring at the sharks in the distance. “This entire situation has become most unfortunate because of the accident. The King is healing slowly and hopefully he’ll feel strong enough to resume taking audience soon and put all the accusations to rest. In the meantime, I’ve asked Azor to remove the sharks so they don’t escape again. I see they’re still here.” Ice laced her voice.
    “Is that what he’s doing? Getting rid of the sharks?” Tatiana asked, her voice growing shrill. She absentmindedly rubbed her aching left ear. With her strained relationship with Xirene, she hadn’t had time to ask for another dose.
    “No,” she said coldly.
    Tatiana kept her eyes downcast, warring with herself about whether to apologize on her father’s behalf or not. Would that only put him in the crosshairs again? No one had outright accused him of blowing up the gate, but the timing was suspicious.
    “I have something else to discuss with you,” the Queen continued quickly.
    Tatiana kept her head low, her heart pounding, prepared for the worst. The Queen’s surprise visit hadn’t been to check up on her after all. Her worst fears were coming true. Imprisonment for her parents’ sins, perfect timing since Azor wasn’t there.
    “My son and I have vastly differing approaches to this problem, and I want to test a theory.”
    Tatiana gulped again. Test a theory? What did that mean?
    “I believe your presence at the palace will show a united front after everything. Because I trust you, so should everyone else. A show of support that I’ve forgiven and forgotten, you see. That your union has been blessed and so has your future.” She nodded to her young servant, who swam over with a smile.
    “I’m going to check you over,” the girl said in a lilting voice.
    “Check me for what?”
    “I heard you were hurt from the blast—your ear,” the Queen interrupted.
    “Oh,” Tatiana reached up and touched her ear, “yes, it’s still sore.”
    The