by S. E. Smith
There were some serious advantages to living under the water, she thought as he bent his head to kiss her.
Chapter Nineteen
Jenny watched Orion and Kapian slowly emerge out of the crystal clear waters of the lagoon. Sea Fire’s dark red body glistened in the bright sunlight. Kapian’s black sea dragon shook its head nervously and pranced to the side several feet, splashing water up around it. On the beach stood a dozen waiting soldiers.
A tall young man stepped forward and stood unsmiling before Orion and Kapian before speaking. He turned his attention to Orion and bowed his head. They spoke for several minutes before the man turned and motioned with his hand.
Jenny was surprised when the guards parted and an elegant older woman stepped forward. The woman waved her hand and the sand shifted, becoming a solid surface. Jenny started when Sea Star tossed her head and began moving toward the beach. She tried to pull back on the reins, but the reins disappeared.
“What the…?” she exclaimed.
Jenny gripped the front of the saddle when Sea Star waded out of the water and stopped next to Orion. She had to hand it to Orion, he didn’t turn in her direction or even appear to blink at what had happened. Jenny swallowed when the soldiers fanned out behind the woman. Each of them was wearing full armor, some holding swords, some holding spears, and some holding bows.
“Sea King,” the woman said.
“Greetings Queen Magika,” Orion replied with a bow of his head.
The woman’s gaze turned to Jenny. They studied each other; the older woman’s eyes were filled with curiosity while Jenny was pretty sure hers were filled with a ‘what-the-fuck’ expression. A hint of a smile curved the corners of the woman’s lips.
“It is times like this that I wish the Goddess would have gifted us her mirror instead of her magic,” Magika said, looking back at Orion.
“I’m sure Nali has often wished she had been given the gift of your magic instead of a mirror and an isle full of monsters,” Orion dryly replied.
Magika studied Orion for several seconds before she nodded and smiled. “Yes, I imagine you are correct. Please, sit with me,” the Queen replied with a wave of her hand.
Jenny drew in a hissing breath when three chairs, a table, and refreshments appeared under a large open-air tent. Orion dismounted from Sea Fire and turned to help Jenny down from her mount. She was surprised when Kapian pulled his stag back and led the other stags a short distance away before he dismounted and stood near them.
Jenny swore she could see the tension in the air between the young warrior and Kapian as their respective rulers walked away. She instinctively reached for Orion’s hand before thinking maybe this isn’t what royalty should do. Biting her lip, she started to pull her hand away but Orion wouldn’t release it. Instead, he squeezed it in reassurance.
“If you don’t mind, I would like to ask if the King will be joining us,” Orion inquired.
“The King is… unwell at the moment,” the Queen hesitantly replied.
“My sincere apologies. I hope the King feels better soon,” Orion replied.
The Queen looked at Orion. Her expression was serious—and very cautious. She studied his face for several seconds before she waved her hand to the chairs facing her. She sat down and patiently waited for Jenny and Orion to do the same before she spoke again.
“Tell me of the magic your cousin uses,” Magika asked.
Jenny listened as Orion and the Queen talked. Her eyes, though, followed the enchanted dishes. The tea pot lifted in the air and floated over to the cups. After filling them, it returned to the silver tray. A cup with four tiny feet and with what looked like sugar cubes in it walked over to the Queen’s cup and added two cubes before moving to Jenny’s cup. The handle picked up a cube and held it up. Jenny shook her head and smiled.
“No, thank you,” she said.
The handle replaced the cube and moved to Orion’s cup. He waved his hand at the cup in dismissal. The cup scurried back to the tray and hid behind the teapot. Jenny couldn’t help but wonder if some of the famous writers of fairy tales might have come to this world during their lifetimes.
“It would certainly explain a lot,” she mused out loud.
“Explain what?” the Queen asked.
Jenny bent forward and picked up her cup. She studied it for a few seconds before looking back at the Queen. A wry smile curved her lips. She hadn’t realized that she had spoken aloud.
“I was just wondering if Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, Charles Perrault, or The Brothers Grimm had ever visited your world,” Jenny said.
The Queen’s expression grew thoughtful before she shook her head. “I have never heard of anyone by those names,” the Queen finally replied.
“What about a woman named Carly?” Jenny impulsively asked.
Once again the Queen’s expression grew thoughtful. She frowned and looked to the young warrior who stood off to the side. Within seconds, he was standing next to her.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” the man said.
“Isha, have you heard of a woman named Carly?” Magika asked.
Isha frowned. He glanced at Jenny before returning his gaze to the Queen. He shook his head.
“Nay, Your Majesty, but I have heard it said that Drago has taken a mate. It is said the woman came from a distant realm,” he continued.
“Drago?” Jenny asked, turning to look at Orion.
“The Dragon King,” Orion replied.
Orion opened the flap of the tent he and Jenny had been given. The Queen had been adamant that it would be best if they remained on the beach. Suspicious, he had instructed Kapian to send two scouts out to patrol the waters.
“She is hiding something,” Kapian insisted.
“I agree,” Orion replied.
“Why would she insist that you come all this way just to have tea and chat about Magna’s magic?” Kapian asked, puzzled.
Orion shrugged. “If anyone should be asking about Magna’s magic, it is I who should be. My cousin’s mother was from this kingdom while her father was from the sea. Magika must be aware of that,” he reflected.
“Your Majesty, a guard approaches,” one of Orion’s guards warned.
Kapian raised his eyebrow at Orion before he walked over and pulled aside the flap of the tent. Orion stood and watched from the entrance as Isha strode toward them. The young warrior slowed to a stop when he saw Orion watching him.
“With your permission, Sea King, I would like a moment to have a word with you,” Isha said in a stiff voice.
Kapian glanced at Orion, who nodded. “Come in,” Kapian ordered.
Isha shot Kapian a cold look before stepping through the entrance to the tent. The warrior turned and waited for Kapian to close the tent flap before he returned his attention to Orion. The slight hesitation or the fact that he did not speak until the flap had sealed did not go unnoticed by Orion.
“What is it?” Orion demanded, folding his arms across his chest.
“The tents have been spelled so that what is said outside can be heard, but what is said inside cannot as a precaution,” Isha explained.
“That still doesn’t tell us what is going on,” Kapian bluntly stated.
Isha’s mouth tightened at Kapian’s tone. Orion had to give the young warrior credit for not reacting otherwise. Kapian was skilled at baiting his adversaries into revealing information in a moment of anger.
“The Queen wished to meet with you assess whether or not you sent Magna to steal the Sword of the Goddess,” Isha replied.
“All the rulers know of the devastation that stealing another realm’s gift could bring, and Magna’s betrayal is no secret. Why would anyone allow her an audience, much less anywhere near their kingdoms?” Orion asked.
Isha pursed his lips and shook his head. “I will share the facts I know, Your Majesty. We know that Magna instigated the wars between the isles, and we know that she is responsible for what happened to the dragons,” Isha began.
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��Can you tell us something we don’t already know?” Kapian asked with a sardonic twist to his lips.
Isha shot Kapian a heated glare. “All magic is unique. It has its own fingerprint, specific to each individual. Each of our magic skills are also different. Some individuals make excellent warriors, while others may be healers or farmers. The magic defines who we are and that does not alter,” he explained.
“That is all fine and good, but what does that have to do with Magna?” Orion asked.
Isha turned to look at Orion. “Her magic has changed. What it is now is unlike anything the Queen has ever seen before. Nearly a fortnight ago, the Queen entered the royal study to speak with the King. His Majesty was standing near the window holding a black box. When the Queen asked about it, the King reacted—harshly,” Isha said.
“What was in the box, and where did he get it?” Orion asked, still unsure where this was leading.
“At first, the King was very protective of the box—caressing it and muttering under his breath. In time, he revealed it had been a gift from Magna. The King told Her Majesty that Magna had briefly appeared before him in the study to ask forgiveness for what she had done. She offered him the box as a token of her sincerity,” Isha shared with a troubled expression. “The Queen knew the feel of Magna’s magic, and she was concerned. The magic she had felt in the study was tainted somehow and unlike the magic’s signature she remembered. Her Majesty said that while there was a faint residue of Magna in it, there was very little of the magic she knew from Magna’s visits to the palace with her parents when she was younger. When the Queen asked to hold the box to examine it, the King again became extremely agitated. Out of concern, Her Majesty insisted that the King share the box according to the Law of Balance. The magic that binds them prevented the King from refusing the Queen’s request. When the King went to retrieve the box, it was gone. The Queen found him after he collapsed on the floor of the study.”
“Do your healers know what happened to him?” Kapian asked.
Isha shook his head. “He is recovering, but it has taken time and the Queen is afraid to be away from his side for long. Her Majesty believes that whatever magic Magna has will only grow more powerful if she is not stopped. Magna was able to use her magic on the dragons because she took them by surprise. No one expected magic on this scale. The Queen has sworn to do everything she can to learn the source of Magna’s magic, but she needs your help in capturing the Sea Witch,” he quietly stated.
“What of Magna’s parents? They live on the Isle of Magic. Has she contacted them?” he asked.
“No, I have two of my best trackers monitoring their home,” Isha grimly replied.
Orion nodded. “Give Queen Magika my pledge to do all I can to find Magna and stop her. We will be leaving at first light,” he said.
Isha sharply bowed his head and turned. Kapian opened the flap of the tent. Orion continued to watch as the warrior strode through the line of tents before disappearing on the other side of the small encampment.
Mindful of what Isha had told them about being overheard and closing the flap of the tent before speaking. “What do you think?” Kapian asked,
“That Magna is far more dangerous than I realized,” Orion replied in a voice filled with resignation.
Jenny twisted onto her back and spread her arms, slowly sinking to the sandy bottom of the deep lagoon. All around her, colorful fish swam among the equally vivid coral reef where they lived. She drew in deep, calming breaths and watched the sunlight dance through the water.
She lay on the sand, running her fingers through the coarse granules while she thought of the conversation earlier. Drago, the Dragon King, had taken an unusual mate. Someone from another realm—like maybe Earth? Jenny wondered. Could that someone be Carly? If anyone could find a dragon and capture its heart, it would be Carly.
Jenny smiled at the idea. She could just imagine Carly falling off a cliff and into a dragon’s lair. She knew Carly would bypass all the treasure and cuddle up with the dragon.
It’s kind-of hard to burn something to a crisp if they have a death grip around your neck and are cooing all kinds of crazy things in your ear, Jenny thought.
And that was exactly what Carly would do. Jenny closed her eyes and imagined her best friend’s reaction. She couldn’t help but giggle at all the possibilities. Warmth flooded her, and deep down she knew that Carly was still alive. More than ever, Jenny was certain Carly had somehow found a magic portal and traveled through it. Now the question was: how could she get Orion to take her to the Isle of the Dragon to find out?
Jenny was running through possible ways of approaching Orion when she felt a movement in the water that was different from before. She stiffened and spread her fingers, focusing the way Orion taught her. She turned her head in the direction she thought the change was coming from, opened her eyes, and sat up.
She floated upward and waited as the shadowy figure of a man swam toward her. A frown creased her brow when she saw him pause several yards from her. Jenny didn’t recognize the old man. He looked back at her with an expression of indecision, resignation, and hope.
Jenny’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw an older woman behind him in what appeared to be a large, clear bubble. Glancing around, she realized that she had swum to the outer limits of the lagoon. Returning her focus to the man and woman, she noticed that they did not come any closer, but hovered on the edge where the reef dropped off.
“Who are you?” Jenny asked.
“I am Kell and this is my wife, Seline,” the man introduced.
Jenny gazed at the old man. It was obvious that the he was from the Isle of the Sea Serpent. His short, white hair and vivid green eyes, and the fact that he was breathing underwater, made that plain to see. The woman reminded Jenny of someone. Her long black hair had touches of gray running through it, and her expression was tired and sad.
“My name is Jenny,” she replied, tilting her head. “Have we met before?”
“No,” the woman replied in a soft voice.
“That’s funny. I feel like I know you from somewhere,” Jenny murmured.
“Queen Jenny, we’ve come to ask for your help,” Kell said.
“My help? What can I do?” Jenny asked in confusion.
“For our daughter, Magna,” the woman explained.
“Magna!” Jenny exclaimed, jerking back in shock.
Tears filled the woman’s eyes at her reaction. Kell turned and placed his hand on the clear bubble protecting the woman. Seline bowed her head and a soft sob escaped her. Kell murmured to her, and she shook her head.
“I told you that no one would understand,” Seline whispered.
Jenny felt like a total heel. True, Magna might be horrible, but that didn’t mean her parents were. Neither looked like they were a threat to her, and they had asked for help. It wasn’t in Jenny to turn away someone in need, especially if there was anything that she could to do help them.
“Understand what?” Jenny asked, swimming closer.
Kell turned to look at Jenny with tired eyes. “When I saw the Sea King pass through our waters, I felt hope that he might be able to help us,” he began.
“He will want to kill Magna just as everyone else wishes to,” Seline bitterly said.
“Well, I can kind-of understand why. Magna has done some pretty bad things,” Jenny ruefully responded. “I mean, you have to consider everything and not hold it against the people she is trying to destroy.”
“It isn’t her,” Seline defended.
Jenny’s skeptical expression must have been pretty clear. Seline became withdrawn, and defensively wrapped her arms around her waist before closing her eyes and whispering a series of words. Jenny blinked when the bubble dissolved, and both it and Seline disappeared.
“Where did she go?” Jenny asked in surprise.
“She returned to our home. What has happened has taken a heavy toll on her,” Kell replied.
Jenny turned to the older man and placed he
r hand on his arm when he started to turn away in defeat. He still hadn’t told her how she could help. That there was a common connection between what everyone was saying kept nagging at Jenny—this wasn’t like the Magna they knew. Yes, it happened that people changed, but there were also clues, as if Magna was fighting whatever possessed her. Juno told her that Magna had helped him. That sounded more like the Magna from the stories that Orion and Kelia told about her.
“What can I do to help you?” she quietly asked.
Kell looked back at Jenny in surprise. His expression softened, and hope glimmered in his eyes. Deep down, Jenny knew she was making the right decision.
“Listen, keep an open mind, and try to believe what I am about to tell you,” Kell said.
“I can do that,” Jenny promised.
Kell drew in a deep breath and began telling Jenny a fantastic story that would have sounded more like a fairy tale than reality if she hadn’t known that fairy tales do exist. It was a story of a happy young girl who chased after adventure and discovered something in the dark depths that would change her forever. The young woman was trapped inside her own body fighting to escape while being commanded and manipulated like a puppet, and she was desperate to right the wrongs that were done, knowing that ultimately the only way to do so was to die.
“Please, I know there is a way to save our daughter, Queen Jenny. Seline was able to talk to Magna briefly several months ago. She could see that Magna was reaching out for help. As a father, I beg you, ask the Sea King to find it in his heart to help us,” Kell pleaded.
Jenny’s heart broke. If she and Carly’s parents had cared half as much about them as Kell and Seline cared about Magna, there was no telling what they could have accomplished. The paradox of that thought struck Jenny. If what happened to Carly was what she had hoped, then they both had exceeded anything that their parents could have ever dreamed.
“I will share with Orion what you’ve told me. I can’t do more than that,” she promised.
“Thank you. I must go. Someone approaches. Thank you again, Lady Jenny,” Kell said.
