Blood of the Sea, Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter 29: Exsanguinate

Vance

“What is your name, water caller?” the red queen asks, leaning back in the throne, fingertips tapping against her mouth.

“They call me Vance, of Montoro.”

From behind him, one of the mages by the main door heralds, “Vance of Montoro, you currently are in the presence of Veyda, the blood Queen and ruler of Seyune.”

Curiosity blossoms in Vance’s chest, “Blood Queen?”

Veyda smiles, “Yes, dear. It’s a strange power, is it not?”

“Unheard of in the Magellani Isles,” Vance agrees. “How did you come by your magic?”

“I was born with it, as are all mages here.” Veyda dismisses the question, “You are not born with yours, then?”

“We can be, however, it is more often drawn out of us at the right age by our Goddess. We learn its ability and use when we are able to comprehend the scope and shape and meaning of our magic.”

A soft frown plays with Veyda’s expression. “Is a child not fit to experiment with the gift they have every right to?”

“Are there not accidents involving magical children?” Vance asks in turn. “Say you have a fire-born child. Are they not prone to burning down a house in a tantrum?”

“We have protections against it.”

“But that’s not to say it does not happen?”

Veyda’s brows furrow. “Insult us if you wish, but you will find there isn’t a mage among us who as a result doesn’t fully understand what they are capable of. Your people, on the other hand, may have overly lofty ideals of what magic means to them. For us, it is a tool.”

“A tool that places you above the populace without magic.”

Veyda pauses and Vance hears the two mages behind him step forward. Veyda holds up her hand, “No, he has a point to make.” She extends her hand when the footsteps stop and gestures for Vance to rise from where he remains kneeling. “Show us your magic.”

Vance stands, glancing around the room to see if there is water present that he missed when he first took in the space. There doesn’t appear to be any channel or bowl of water. He shakes his head, “There isn’t water for me to use my magic.”

Veyda’s brows arch with mild surprise. “There isn’t?”

Vance shakes his head again. “If you had a bowl of water, perhaps…”

“Your water callers must be so privileged, living on islands surrounded by that which makes you powerful,” Veyda purrs, her voice loud in the otherwise quiet space even as her tone lowers. Her gaze flicks to the back of the room and she gestures with her head to the door to Vance’s right. “See if we don’t have a prisoner awaiting trial.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Footsteps retreat, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing.

Vance folds his hands in front of him, “I can leave…”

“Oh no, you’ll stay here,” Veyda smiles at him. “You should learn more about the world you’ve stumbled into anyway.” She stands and descends from the dias, approaching Vance. The door behind him to the right opens again and more footsteps file into the room, as well as something being dragged and soft whimpers. He turns to look, seeing the mage who left the room accompanied by two others who are in the process of dragging someone bound at the wrists between them. The group proceeds around Vance, ignoring him, and setting the prisoner on their knees before the queen as she continues her approach. “Thank you for your expediency.”

“Of course, your Majesty.” They bow and back away quickly, falling in a line along the wall to Vance’s right.

Vance frowns, “Shouldn’t they stay with the prisoner, if they’re dangerous enough to be chained?”

“Oh, you’re right,” Veyda smiles indulgently at him, “how silly of me.” She calls for the guards again, “Release her.”

The prisoner stiffens and drops to her hands as well as being on her knees, “Please, no. I beg of you. I didn’t ask for this…”

“No, you broke the rules. There are consequences to breaking our rules.” Veyda says calmly. The guard steps lightly across the room, undoes the manacles, and steps away again quickly. Veyda’s blood red eyes alight on Vance. “Now. Is there enough water in the room for you?”

“I… don’t understand.”

“You said it was an issue with not having water present, no?”

“They… you didn’t have them bring in water.”

“Oh, didn’t I?”

“You brought in a prisoner,” Vance’s voice grows quiet, confusion clamoring in his mind. “This would be simpler with the river running outside…”

“A river, then.” Veyda curls her fingers into a fist which she holds over the now sobbing prisoner’s head. Squeezing, her knuckles whiten and the sobbing slows, turning into a gasp and the woman at their feet heaving, her back arching. She coughs, sagging toward the floor as the energy in her limbs seems to slowly subside. Vance drops to his knees, pulling at the prisoner’s shoulder with mounting concern. “What did I tell you about water, wave caller?”

Turning the prisoner to face him, her skin has gone ashen white, her eyes wide, as blood pours out of her mouth with each convulsion of her body, even as the jerky movements grow weaker. Blood coats the front of her clothing and the floor beneath her. Vance grows green around the gills, clasping a hand over his mouth as the prisoner falls back to the floor, blood seeping out of her open mouth. The coppery scent of blood hangs heavy in the air; even behind his hand, he smells it. Tastes it.

“What did she do? What did you do that for?”

Veyda’s hand relaxes, dropping back to her side and she crouches next to Vance and the body. Grabbing his hand, she presses his palm down toward the blood. He resists, but his churning stomach stops him from fighting too much. The warm liquid meets his palm, sticky and tangible as she holds his hand there. She leans in, whispering in his ear. “Water. Blood carries water. So, you see, you are never without it. Your magic should never be without.”

Under his palm, the whisper of magic itches and pulses at him. It’s not a strong pull like with the ocean, nor does it feel as easy as with moving a river, but it’s undeniably there.

She turns his chin, making him look away from the body and instead to the people lined up along the wall. No one is looking at them. No one has said anything.

“Blood carries water.” Her fingernails dig into his chin. “Do you understand now?”

Quietly, Vance whispers, “I understand.”