"Should we have invited Aukai to come with us?" I ask, glancing over my shoulder toward the study.
"Stop your worrying," he chuckles. "Zale and Zan won't hurt him. He's a member of our clan now and a mate of our mate. To hurt him would be to hurt you and none of us would ever do such a thing."
"Half-brother, too," I remind him.
His shoulders tense beneath me, but his voice doesn't hold any of it as he replies, "That's a title he'll have to earn, and it doesn't come easily. Lucky him, he's got one fin already in the tide considering he and his magic helped bring you home."
The word ‘title’ reminds me. "Merrick called him a prince, and he technically is a blood relative. Does that mean he has royal status?"
"Meh, it depends," he says. "Normally, if a bastard child is born from the king or queen, they have no status, even if there's no heir. Aukai's situation is different, however. At our return to the kingdom, you will be crowned queen, giving any of your mates the title of king."
"What if there was one king and he had multiple mates?" I ask.
He nods, making his hair tickle my chest. "Same thing. The kingdom would be under the rule of its king and queens."
"Now, just because I tell you he will be accepted as a member of the royal family, that doesn't mean he's going to be trusted right away. We hold the right to keep all outsiders at arms length. Especially ones born and raised in another kingdom," he admits.
"That's a wise decision," I genuinely reply. My gut tells me that we can trust Aukai, but I'm new to this whole mate thing and everything it entails. Maybe years from now when things have settled down into normalcy without threats of war and curses breathing down our necks it'll be different. Hopefully, Aukai will have earned my Zs trust, and he won't be ostracized.
"Here ye be, me lady," Zephyr says with a full-on pirate accent as he sets my feet to the floor.
Moving until I'm standing in front of him, I rise up on my toes and kiss his cheek before murmuring in his ear, "Thank you, good sir. Care to join me?"
Pulling away slightly with an amused expression of raised eyebrows and narrow eyes, a grin lights his lips as he says, "Zan said to rest."
"Yes, he did," I agree. "But he didn't say I couldn't love on one of my mates beforehand now did he?"
Linking our hands, I drag his willing body inside my room.
A few days later, the tension around the Keep is thicker than molasses. I witness Zale and Zanthus bickering for the first time. Difference in opinions on how to approach and return to the kingdom have practically succeeded where the curse failed in driving them all into insanity. One wants to blindly rush in headfirst. Another thinks we should sit back and plan a center of attack. I'm used to my mates getting along without issues, so this new development is stressing me out.
Leaving them in the study with Merrick and Zephyr, I go off in search of Aukai. Over the past couple days, we've seen each other but are never left alone in the same room. It's sweet of my other mates to be so protective, but it's also annoying. If I can face down a monster with rows upon rows of jagged teeth ready to rip me apart, I think I can handle myself with one dark-haired mer. Especially when he's pretty much already professed his undying loyalty to both me and the crown.
Stopping in the middle of the hallway, I close my eyes and reach for those tethers to my mates. Three stretch behind me, leaving a lonely red to lead down the stairs toward the small kitchen. Taking advantage of the spare moments I have to myself, I race down the stairs to go find him. When I do, I draw up short. Aukai is relaxing at the table with a full plate of food at his arm and a book in front of his face. He looks so content it'd be a shame to interrupt him.
Just as I've decided to leave, his voice stops me. "Change your mind?"
"About what?" I can't help but reply.
"Whatever reason you sought me out."
Hiding my smile behind brushing a strand of hair off my cheek, I answer his original question with another one. "Should I have a reason to search for you?"
His book gets laid to the table as his gaze finds mine. "Perhaps we should be asking ourselves what happened to your entourage. They haven't left you by yourself long enough to strike up a conversation. Makes me wonder improper thoughts about whether they do indeed follow you everywhere."
Blood rushes to my cheeks at his insinuation that they'd be with me on the toilet too. My pride might take a hit if it weren't for the easy smile that graces his lips, making me all too aware of the fact that he's teasing and just how attractive he is.
Crossing through the threshold, I make my way over to the table where I promptly lean a hip against the side and defend my mates. "With the fate of their kingdom up in the air mixed with the daunting task of not knowing what to expect, they're allowed to be more protective than usual. Plus, you're a stranger to them. It'll take some getting used to for a while."
"I'm a stranger to you, too," he states the obvious, tilting his head back so as not to drop our locked stares. "I don't want to be, though. You can't imagine growing up in my birth kingdom. Bruinen ruled with his temper and an even harsher hand. They'd always tell me I was born from hate and for nothing other than to spread that hate. But, oh, how I'd held out hope for something like this. Never thought I'd be a prince, but I'd hoped I'd find you."
"And now that you have?" I question.
He shrugs slightly. "That's entirely up to you. If you'd rather not be tied to a lower-ranked and despised citizen such as myself, then I'm sure we can make arrangements to stay out of each other's way instead of risking our lives in the ritual to be unmated."
"I was raised in the human realm," I blurt, taking him by surprise. "It wasn't until my mates saved my life after I fell into open water off a cruise ship that I even stepped foot into this one. Then I find out that not only am I the last hope for the entire population of mer, but the cruelest of them all is my birth father."
His jaw drops until there's an inch or so between his lips, and I take advantage, adding, "That's right. Think your dad was bad? Mine just so happens to be the biggest villain this realm has ever seen. Oh, and then find a way to balance being mated to three, now four, princes, which isn't particularly the custom in the human realm by the way. And if that wasn't enough...as soon as we make it back to the kingdom, I get a crash course on being a damn queen. Without that title, though, who am I? The daughter everyone would love to use against the one they hate most. Or just kill me. Maybe both."
Aukai's utterance is quiet and filled with venom. "Never."
Ignoring him, I ask, "So, tell me, who is the lower-class, most hated citizen now?"
As he stands, the movement is so fluid that I've barely registered that he's moved until our chests are pressed against each other. Palming my cheeks, he doesn't ask for permission before slamming our lips together. From the aggressive action, I don't expect his kiss to be soft, which is an unexpected shock that I find I like. Taking the time to enjoy the moment, he doesn't push. Simply leaves our lips pressed together. After a few seconds of it, my impatience wears thin, and I take charge, wrapping my arms around his waist and melding our bodies even more. When my mouth opens, it's all the invitation he needs to let his tongue reach out for mine. At my first taste, I would swear I feel myself melting into a puddle at his feet.
A tiny bit of guilt tries to worm its way into my heart at kissing a man my mates aren’t one hundred percent sold on. Shoving that feeling down deep with confidence, I can say without a doubt they trust me. Within that, the olive branch reaches out to Aukai, too. Were we not there for each other when facing down the monster, neither of us would’ve lived. I barely know the mer, but I’m going to listen to my instincts when they say he’s just as safe and trustworthy as my other mates.
It's amazing how heavy the weight of uncertainty is, but even more so how quickly it all seems to fall away the moment I’m connected to any of them.
Aukai is assertive yet still seems to be holding back as our tongues barely brush against each other. The tea
se feels as good as if he were to take control with more force. His hands clenching in the back of my dress are the only sign of his restraint.
“Knew I’d find you here,” a voice calls from the door behind me. Humor laces Zephyr’s voice, bringing a smile to my lips that are still molded against Aukai’s.
He tries to pull away in what I assume is a small panic to not be caught by the Zs while touching me. Refusing to let him go, I grasp my wrists at his back. A grimace flashes across his face, but I don’t take offense to it. Retribution and punishment were likely doled out in swift waves where he’s from. When one lives that kind of life long enough, it’s expected for life to always be that cruel.
“What do you expect when you three have been hovering like mother hens lately?” I tease the playful mer without taking my eyes from Aukai. He must sense the humor in my words because his gaze drops from Zephyr down to my face, and the smile there has him relaxing instantly. It’s a physical change that I can feel beneath my fingers as his muscles untense.
There’s a slight breeze at my back alerting me to Zeph’s presence right before he hops up on the table at our side, avoiding Aukai’s things still sitting there as he retorts, “Well, my brothers aren’t convinced about the truth of your new mate’s revelations.”
“And you?” Aukai asks, tightening his hold around me.
Zeph shrugs with a smirk. “I trust my mate’s judgement. I’ve lived a long time, and instincts have saved my tail more than a few times. If hers are telling her that you’re to be trusted, then I’m on her side.”
His words transform my smile into a grin. Even after breaking the curse and mating them all, I wasn’t aware any of them put that much faith into me past that point.
“Besides,” Zephyr adds, “I believe the truths you speak about the shared blood. You remind me a lot of our mother.”
Knowing how painful it must be for him to have this reminder slapping him in the face, I reach out for Zephyr too while keeping my hold on Aukai. His fingers link through mine before he brings my hand to his lips. The sadness doesn’t leave his eyes, but I can tell our connection helps. I’d do anything to get rid of the emotion he’s trying so hard to hide. An idea hits me like a sack of bricks to the side of the head.
“Why don’t we try to open the portal to the kingdom?” I ask, glancing back up to Aukai and drawing his gaze back to me.
He winces slightly before he replies, “We could try, but there’s no guarantee that it would work. Neither of us have ever been to their land-”
“Our,” Zephyr interrupts him. “Our land. Our kingdom.”
Aukai gives him a slight nod, continuing, “Our. It’s possible that we could end up anywhere in the realm.”
“What about in the between?” Aukai asks. “Is it too far-fetched to think your magic working together could get us stuck there?”
His words take me back. I didn’t know such a thing could be an outcome. “When you say ‘between,’ are we talking about-”
Zeph interrupts my question with a ready answer. “Yes. It’s a space void of life between one place and another.”
“A place where no mer has ever returned from,” Aukai informs me with a worried drop to his brows. Turning his attention to Zephyr, he adds, “Never once have I ever missed a location or had my portals lead to the between.”
“But you’ve never tried opening one to somewhere you’ve never been before either,” Zeph tells him.
The circles they’re talking in are starting an ache behind my forehead. It’s been days, and no one has a clear plan of approach. What’s life without a little bit of risk, anyway? Especially if it’ll bring us all home. When I ask as much, the two of them glance at each other, and I know I've won them over.
My lips have barely parted to push us into motion when Zanthus’ voice makes me almost jump out of my skin.
“We’re not going that route,” he announces, stalking into the room with Zale on his heels. “And you should know better than to encourage this, brother.”
Zephyr doesn’t look sheepish in the least at being caught. Shrugging, he admits, “I was tired of waiting on the two of you to stop bickering long enough to make a decision. If they tried and it worked, then at least we had an option.”
Zale sighs. “I’m not going to comment on all of the things wrong with what you just said.”
Zanthus cuts off further replies. “We’re leaving tomorrow. It’ll take us at least two-day journey without surprise guests and delays. I suggest everyone get as much rest as possible. We’re all going to need our strength.”
In all of the years I’ve been alive, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as magnificent as the sight of my mate swimming between my brothers. Our pace isn’t as brutal as it should be considering we’re finally heading home after the forced abandonment of our kingdom. No one has complained that we aren’t speeding away from our prison. They’re all aware how new Rubi is with not just her magic, but her shifted form as well.
We’re all supposed to be keeping our eyes open for danger, but I can’t seem to stop watching the flick of a sexy purple tail in front of me. She had the Keep craft a top for her before we left. It covers her breasts fully but doesn’t stop them from slightly spilling over the top as she swims. She’s beautiful yet just as deadly with the trident gripped in her hand as well as the magic I know simmers through her veins.
Head in the game, she teases, her voice flowing into my mind humorously.
Kind of difficult with such an amazing view, I reply instantly, drawing a small laugh from her.
Zanthus shoots an exasperated look over his shoulder at our distracting telepathic conversation. His warning is enough to pull my focus back to where it needs to be. In my peripheral I see even Aukai fighting a smile. At least the majority of us are in good hopes right now. There's no telling the state we're going to find our kingdom in, so the higher spirits will likely be needed the closer we get to it. We've still got another day’s journey ahead of us, too. Buckling down my attention, I don't let it wander so far again as we keep traveling.
More hours than what's worth by counting, we've finally swam close enough to start recognizing some of the underwater kingdom of old. Rubi's wonder drifts through her thoughts to us unconsciously. Attempting to see it through her eyes for the first time, I can imagine how glorious it must seem. The kingdom on the surface was built to mirror this one almost exactly. Four towering spikes jut toward the sky. Huge castle walls stretch between them, creating barriers that separate it from the open water. In our current kingdom on the surface, one of those towers is where prisoners are held. As though our ancestors were telling everyone whoever was contained inside wasn't worthy of being so close to the sacred water. These days, after years of little use and no upkeep, the underwater kingdom seems to have sprouted a life of its own. Coral has started to grow on some of the stone outcroppings, but it doesn't look like it should.
As we come nearer it's obvious something is way off from what it should be. Where I remember there being light, there's nothing but shadows. That darkness seems to wash over my skin and attempts to pull me down tail first into the abyss of the sea floor that is no longer visible.
Swimming closer with a flick or two of his tail, Aukai reaches out for Rubi right before a monster I've never seen before surges up from the depths beneath her and my brothers. Easton and Caelen, who've been protectively flanking them on our journey, jump into action, flinging themselves toward the monster.
Shrouded in shadows, the being is barely distinguishable from that of a kraken. Without being marred by darkness, that's likely what the creature used to be yet is no more. Two tentacled legs reach for our two guards who dodge them just in the nick of time. Doing a quick roll, they're able to bring their weapons up and slice through the monster. It appears to cut right through skin, but at closer inspection it's obvious there's nothing physically there. It's like watching wisps of black smoke divide then reconvene around their trident and sword.
Za
nthus' bark is loud within my mind.
MOVE NOW!
Zephyr wraps an arm around Rubi's waist and begins to tow her in the direction of the surface as Aukai takes off after them. Staying by my brother's side, I let my magic flow freely; currents tug at the monster, threatening to drag him further out to sea.
All eight legs unfurl and wrap themselves around the palace as the monster seems to swell, doubling in size. As his size grows, small shadows separate themselves from him, turning into vicious mini creatures that immediately rush forward.
It's all I can do to use the current against the giant kraken now reaching out for us again. There's no way I can cover all of its spawn as well. Thankfully, our people stand as solid at our sides now as they have for the plethora of years we were locked under the barrier at the Keep. Using both weapons and their magic, they jump into action against the threat.
I lose track of which one goes where as I try to keep a tight-lock down on my magic. Zanthus long since joined the fray with Caelen and Easton where they're trying to find a weakness within the shadow creature.
A sharp hiss of pain and short curse from Zephyr in my mind have my attention jolting up to check on him and Rubi. They never made it to the surface and are battling their own dark creature above. That one moment of distraction costs me as a tentacle clamps around my torso before squeezing hard enough to make my bones creak in protest. Were I not caught beneath the suction cups that feel like they're starting to tear into my flesh, I might take a moment to investigate the creature fully. How does one defeat a monster of shadow when it only has flesh at will?
As though she's heard the riddle inside my head, Rubi comments, You don't.
You send them somewhere they'll never be found until you defeat their master, Aukai adds right before a bright flash of light beams through the water.
I'm turned loose as the creature screeches in response. Evidently, stunning it seems to make it even angrier. Or it's possible the light hurts it. Either way, we don't get to find out as it makes another lunge, only this time with its entire body.
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