Broken dismounted from Polly and walked toward the shore, the cool ocean breeze brushing past his face. At the same time, a surge of water rose from the sea, swirling upward with graceful force before revealing the figure of a woman—Queen Nerisa—followed closely by several merfolk attendants.
She emerged with her usual expression: calm, unreadable, and cold.
Queen Nerisa stood before him once more, her gaze steady. Had they really been waiting here the entire week?
"You're back right on time," she said flatly.
Damn. Why did it sound like he was afraid of her threats just by making it back on time? Maybe because she had actually threatened him if he didn't return.
He hated this. Hated how cornered he felt in this arrangement. He needed to find a way to shift the balance, to raise his standing within their agreement. But truth be told, with a force this overwhelming, it wasn't something he could rush or approach recklessly.
