by Nissa Leder
Ashleigh and their mom glanced at each other.
“I know this isn’t much, but this is your birthday present, Mom,” Scarlett said. “Now, sit and enjoy.”
It had been difficult, but she had spent the last month learning her mom’s favorite song from the Phantom of the Opera. Since she wanted to surprise her, she only practiced it whenever she had the house to herself.
Scarlett lowered her voice and said, “This song is dedicated to Scarlett and Ashleigh’s amazing mother.” She walked around and sat at the piano, resting her fingers on the keys. After a deep breath, she played the song, only messing up once.
Both her mom and Ashleigh stood and clapped. It wasn’t a lot but at that moment, things felt right.
Scarlett tried to think of another good memory, but instead, dark ones plagued her. When she thought of the moment she found her mother dead on the ground, anger rose in her stomach.
Kaelem reached over and ran his finger up and down the top of her hand, calming her. Unable to find another happy time to remember, she went back to watching TV.
When morning came and the sun peered in through the window, they decided to get up.
Both still wore the outfits Kaelem had glamoured for them, which weren’t exactly good for much more than going to a club.
“We should probably wear something more…practical,” Scarlett said to Kaelem.
He glanced at her outfit then his own. “But we look so sexy…”
“I’m doubting that will be any good if we have to jump into an ocean to find an underwater city.” Truthfully, she didn’t think her dress would even stay on underwater. There wasn’t a whole lot of fabric and water had a tendency to make everything too big. “How does glamouring clothing work?”
She’d been curious about it for a while. The jeans and shirt she’d worn when they’d entered the realm were nowhere to be found anymore, and if wanted to, she could remove the dress she wore now as if it were an actual piece of clothing.
“It basically transfigures the clothing you’re already wearing. The magic shifts an outfit into something else.” He snapped his fingers and Scarlett’s old outfit reappeared on her body. Even the heels on the floor turned back into Converse. “But underneath the magic, the same boring mortal outfit exists.”
“Hey now.” Scarlett picked up her shoes and slipped them on. “Should I just wear this again?”
Kaelem shrugged a shoulder. “If you really want to.” His outfit hadn’t changed back to the Star Wars outfit he’d worn before. “I, however, much prefer this look to the human one.”
Scarlett laced up her shoes slowly, the memory of the vision distracting her. The fact that Ankou took Rowen was alarming, but that she was even having the visions bothered her even more. If she could see flashes of him, could he see her as well?
“Earth to Scarlett,” Kaelem’s voice pulled her out of her trance.
“Yeah?” She blinked, regaining focus of the room around her.
“You want breakfast? I can order us room service.” Kaelem grinned like a seven-year-old ready for Christmas morning.
“We aren’t paying for any of this…”
“Exactly. Free food is the best food, is it not?” He lifted the hotel’s phone and pressed a button. “Yes, we’d like two of your Ultimate Breakfast platters with two mimosas.”
After he hung up, Scarlett asked, “Have you ever even used a telephone before?”
“Now I have, but I’d seen it on plenty of TV shows and movies. I knew it couldn’t be that difficult.”
When the food arrived and Scarlett sniffed its delicious scent, she admitted breakfast was a good idea. Who knew what the day would bring? They needed to eat and she’d never had room service before.
After the server left the room, Kaelem handed Scarlett a mimosa and lifted his into the air. “To defeating my backstabbing ex-friend and his idiot, traitor friends.”
Scarlett clinked her glass against his. “Cheers.”
A glint of sadness filled Kaelem’s aura at the mention of Nico, and Scarlett knew it bothered him more than he was letting on. She couldn’t imagine how she’d react if Natalie had sold her out to someone else for money. Sure, she and Natalie had moments where they’d hurt each other, but they always knew how much they cared for each other. How would Scarlett feel if Natalie betrayed her and she killed her for it?
Scarlett took a sip to make the cheers official then dug into her breakfast platter, pushing away any depressing thoughts of her best friend dying. Halfway through, she was too full for another bite. Kaelem finished not only his, but the half of hers she couldn’t eat.
“I have to say how pleasantly surprised I’ve been by mortal food,” he said after swallowing the last bite. “I mean, it’s awful in comparison to fae food, but far less awful than I expected.”
That was one of the weirdest compliments Scarlett had heard, but in a weird way, it was a compliment. After living his entire life in the Unseelie Palace with brownies cooking his every meal, the fact that he ate not only all his food but hers as well, was praise.
After they’d finished breakfast, someone knocked on the door.
Scarlett reached her mind out. Nothing. Whoever it was had his mental shields raised so high, it was as if he wasn’t there. Which meant it could be Maeron or another fae or Sidhe with strong mental abilities. She doubted the latter would knock if he was here for her.
She peeked through the hole in the door and saw Maeron standing there perfectly still and looking right at her. Creepy. She opened the door and let him in.
After the door was shut, he sprinkled powder on the floor in front of it. “No need for anyone to overhear.”
With fae living with the mortals, they could be anywhere. A mortal would be unlikely to hear from far away, but a fae could hear a few rooms over if they were trying to.
“My friend let me in to get what I needed and I was able to find another friend for some more information. Like me, she was one of Dana’s protectors in the mortal realm. She has a family and is unable to help, but she told me where you should go if you want to find a way to the Underwater City.”
“Thank you,” Scarlett said. “For helping us.”
A flicker of guilt shined in his aura. “I wasn’t sure I was going to before I met you. I always thought Dana was crazy for sacrificing herself as she did. But when you showed up, it felt right somehow, despite how different you are from her,” Maeron said. “Now, we better get going. The sooner you can be on your way, the better.”
“What do I need to do?” Scarlett clasped her hands and squeezed them together. What if they couldn’t find a way to where they needed to go? What if they got there and couldn’t find the weapon?
Maeron pulled out a small bag from his pocket. “Open your hands.” She did and he poured the contents into her palms. “This is sand from the beach. Dana had asked my friend to find out information on the dagger before she left the Otherworld. She’d seen a vision where her heir was searching for it and wanted her protectors to be prepared to help you. But she never spoke to us all at once. We never knew each had been given a task.”
Scarlett kept her hands together as tightly as she could so none of the sand would fall out. “What now?”
Maeron smirked. “Dana was always so patient. I see that you are not.”
Scarlett’s cheeks flamed. “Sorry.”
“This is the incantation that should open a portal.”
He spoke in the Sidhe language, but Scarlett translated it into English in her head.
Air, fire, wind, and sea
Elements which spread through me
Day brings night, as night brings day
Carry me with no delay
He continued, “Once you’ve said it, a portal will open but it will be black on the inside and lead to somewhere unknown. Throw the sand inside before you enter, and it should take you to the beach where you need to go.”
“Should?” Kaelem, who’d been hovering behind Scarlett, stepped forwar
d.
“Dana told me the incantation and that the person speaking it would need something from where they wanted to go. That’s all I know.”
“We will hope for the best.” Scarlett looked at Kaelem. “Ready?”
With a slight frown, he nodded.
“Thank you, Maeron. I hope I can live up to Dana’s expectations of me.” Scarlett meant it. Her long lost ancestor had put so much faith into someone she’d never met. Scarlett wanted to be what she’d hoped for.
Maeron bowed. “I will find as many of the protectors as I can. There were six of us but I only know the whereabouts of two others. I imagine Dana entrusted each of us with something.”
“How will I find you again?” Scarlett asked.
He handed her a folded piece of paper. “My phone number.”
Scarlett laughed. Of course. If she really needed him, she could come back to the mortal realm and call.
Kaelem walked around Scarlett, in between her and Maeron. They all faced the other side of the room. Scarlett took a deep breath then repeated the poem in the Sidhe language.
In front of them, a hole in reality appeared. Like what had happened in the stone wall in the Otherworld dungeon area when she’d created a portal to the Darkland, a path to another place opened up in front of them. Before, she could see the cavern of the Darkland. But as Maeron had predicted, darkness waited for them on the other side.
“Goodbye, my queen.” Maeron bowed.
Kaelem rested his hand on Scarlett’s back. “Shall we?
Scarlett tossed the sand into the portal then stepped forward. With Kaelem by her side, they stepped into the darkness.
For a few steps, it felt as if they were walking in a pitch black room. She could feel ground beneath her feet, but blackness engulfed her. Then a new world faded in around them. Scarlett heard the sound of crashing waves first, then smelled the damp scent of the sea. Finally, she could see it all.
The white sand sank with each step she took. An endless ocean roared in front of them. Behind them was sand which, far away, met grass.
A few birds hovered in the sky above them but no people were to be seen.
“Now what?” Kaelem asked.
Scarlett wasn’t really sure how she was supposed to find someone to escort them to the Underwater City, but she imagined her best chance to find someone capable would be to approach the water. She bent down and rolled up her pants then slipped off her shoes and socks. When she started toward the shore, she realized she was alone. “Are you coming or what?”
Kaelem groaned. “Sand in my toes has never been on my wish list.”
“How do you expect to get to a city that’s underwater if you don’t literally get your feet wet?”
Kaelem huffed but removed his shoes and socks and followed Scarlett.
She continued until the water came up past her ankles, but Kaelem hesitated.
“I’ll wait here for now.”
She had planned to keep her clothes dry for now, but realized it was pointless so she continued in until the water reached her thighs. She’d expected the water to be icy, but it was lukewarm. An energy flowed through it.
She closed her eyes and spoke in Sidhe language. “I need help.” She opened her eyes again and waited, but nothing happened. Did anyone hear her? If so, how far away were they? She added, “Please.”
A minute passed and still, no one appeared. What would they do now? She didn’t know what other options she had. She wasn’t sure, but she thought she might be able to evanesce them back to the Otherworld Castle, then what? Come back and try again tomorrow? Now that she’d been here, she could bring them back, but with the Fates aware of the weapon, they didn’t have long.
“Hello,” a female voice said in Sidhe.
Scarlett glanced up to see a female face peering out of the water ahead of her.
“Why have you called me?” the woman asked.
“We need passage to the Underwater City. I need to speak with its king.” Scarlett wasn’t sure if there was some formal protocol but she didn’t have time to figure it out even if there was.
“Land creatures don’t ask to visit our world often. What is it you seek?” The woman leaned back and a magenta fin splashed in front of her. The sun reflected off of the different pink shades of its scales, creating a shimmer effect.
She was a mermaid. Scarlett should have assumed as much, but actually seeing a one in real life still had her awestruck. She regained her composure and said, “Our world up here is headed for war. I believe your king may have something I need to defeat my enemy.”
“Ahh, but are you worthy of such a prize?” She swam closer to Scarlett. Up close, her magenta eyes sparkled in the sunlight and the ends of her dark hair floated in the water.
“I want peace for my land. Not war. But I will fight Ankou to save my people.” She didn’t know what would convince the woman to take her where she needed to go, but this was the truth. She hated the idea of war. Death and destruction depressed her, but she’d killed. Had it been just? She wasn’t sure who she was to decide. But she’d have to kill again to defeat Ankou and so she would. The dagger could bring an end to the violence.
“I’m not who you must convince. My king will decide.”
“So, you’ll take us?” Scarlett glanced to Kaelem who wore an expression of confusion mixed with boredom. He didn’t speak Sidhe and would have no idea what they were saying.
“Only you,” the woman said.
Scarlett jerked her focus back to the mermaid. “But my friend won’t want me to go alone.”
The mermaid’s expression remained unchanged. “It’s you or neither. The choice is yours.”
“What’s she saying?” Kaelem asked.
“She’ll take me to her king. But only me.” Scarlett looked at him again.
“No,” he said, suddenly attentive.
Last time she’d gone somewhere alone she’d ended up a prisoner. But that was different. That was into Ankou’s territory, a known enemy. She had no idea who this king was. Which could be a bad thing if he was evil. But what choice did she have? Without help, neither of them could reach the Underwater City. And if they couldn’t get there, she’d never get the dagger. Truthfully, with or without Kaelem, they’d be in an unknown land. A land that was underneath water. They wouldn’t be able to escape on their own anyway.
“I have to,” Scarlett said. “This is our chance. It’s a risk I have to take for my people.”
Kaelem didn’t respond right away. He stared then walked to her, his feet splashing with each step. She wasn’t sure what he was doing until he wrapped his arms around her and pushed his lips into hers as he held her close.
Her body instinctively pressed into his chest as she lost herself in his kiss.
When he pulled back, he said, “You better come back.”
She nodded. “I will.”
When she looked at the mermaid, she swore she saw a slight smile on her mouth.
“Ready?” the woman asked.
Scarlett didn’t respond but stepped further into the water.
Chapter Fourteen
Raith sat at the dining table and moved his food around with his fork. He’d grown impatient. How long would everyone be gone?
He sighed and internally rolled his eyes at himself. Not too long ago, he’d loved the solitude his tree brought him. He would purposefully isolate himself from everyone, but that was when he didn’t much care for the people in his life. His relationship with his brother had deteriorated, his father was sick, and he liked about anyone more than he liked Kassandra.
But then he’d met Scarlett and Sage and, eventually, his mother. He’d even started to like his brother again until he went and aligned himself with the Fates, which honestly surprised him. He would have expected as much from Kassandra. Maybe her nails were still stuck in his little brother’s decisions.
Scarlett had gone with Kaelem which, as much as he tried not to care, bothered Raith. He shouldn’t have expected anything d
ifferent. The Unseelie King might be a conceited bastard, but his fondness for Scarlett was blatant. As was hers for him. Raith dropped his fork onto his plate, no longer hungry.
When he stood to leave, Vida entered the room.
Concern filled her eyes. Something had happened.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Your mother didn’t show up for patrol.”
He’d seen her yesterday when she’d come to visit him. She mentioned an herb up in the forest.
Outside the castle grounds.
No. She wouldn’t have gone alone?
Except, he knew she would have.
“She must have gone to find an herb to treat my wounds,” Raith said. “She mentioned it yesterday. I didn’t think she’d leave without telling anyone.”
Vida nodded. “I’ll send out a patrol to look for her.”
Raith headed to the door. “I’ll come too.” He resisted the urge to wince at the pain of his wound.
“Wait here, please,” Vida said. “I know you feel helpless now, but war is coming, and soon, every person skilled in combat will be needed. Rest up so you can help us then.”
Raith stopped. He didn’t want to sit there and do nothing while his mother was missing. A sharp pain shot up his back to his shoulder and he buckled over.
“Fine,” he said, defeated. “Find her. Please.”
“We’ll do everything we can.” Vida turned and left the room.
Raith used his magic to send his half-eaten plate of food flying across the room and into a wall where it shattered. He was sick of being incapable. People were risking their lives and there he was, stuck inside the castle walls, useless.
Once he healed from this wound, he would use all of his pent-up anger to kill as many of the Darkland creatures as he could.
Scarlett took a deep breath then dipped her head below the surface. Surprisingly, when she opened her eyes, she could see clearly.
The mermaid swam in front of her. Now, Scarlett could see her entire body. As she’d expected, a long fin replaced her feet and her torso was just like Scarlett’s or that of any other land creature, though the woman didn’t wear a shirt. Her long hair flowed through the water, displaying her small, perky chest. Scarlett pulled her attention to her face, feeling creepy for staring too long.
