Awakenings

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Note from the Publisher

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Also by Scarlet Hyacinth

  Award Winning Titles

  Awakenings

  Scarlet Hyacinth

  ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED:

  Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on your own personal computer or device. You do not have resell or distribution rights without the prior written permission of both the publisher and the copyright owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest. Such action is illegal and in violation of the South African Copyright Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online, offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not want this book anymore, you must delete it from your computer.

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated and is punishable by imprisonment and a fine."

  Cover Artist: Reese Dante

  Editor: Monti Shalosky

  Awakenings © 2011 Scarlet Hyacinth

  ISBN # 9780986981920

  Attention Readers: This book uses US English. Thank you.

  All rights reserved.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental. The Licensed Art Material is being used for illustrative purposes only; any person depicted in the Licensed Art Material, is a model.

  PUBLISHER

  http://www.silverpublishing.info

  Note from the Publisher

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for your purchase of this title. The authors and staff of Silver Publishing hope you enjoy this read and that we will have a long and happy association together.

  Please remember that the only money authors make from writing comes from the sales of their books. If you like their work, spread the word and tell others about the books, but please refrain from sharing this book in any form. Authors depend on sales and sales only to support their families.

  If you see "free shares" offered or cut-rate sales on pirate sites of this title, you can report the offending entry to copyright@silverpublishing.info

  Thank you for not pirating our titles.

  Lodewyk Deysel

  Publisher

  Silver Publishing

  http://www.silverpublishing.info

  Dedication

  For all the great people at Silver Publishing

  who made it possible for me to share this story with my wonderful readers.

  Prologue

  Chrys laughed as he rolled among the corals with Jaden. His twin gave him a disgruntled look. "Damn it, Chrys. You always cheat."

  Chrys shrugged and flipped his tail at his sibling. "Not my fault you suck at everything."

  A flash of hurt swept over Jaden's face and Chrys immediately became alarmed. His emotionally fragile twin often let random words hurt him. He hurried to wrap his arms around Jaden, trying to comfort his brother. "Hey, I'm kidding. Just kidding."

  A wicked grin appeared on Jaden's face, the only warning Chrys had before Jaden pushed him down in the sand. Jaden landed on top of Chrys and rubbed a fist of sand against his skin. "Who's the sucker now?"

  Chrys wanted to get angry, but instead he started to giggle. They both dissolved into laughter when they found each other's ticklish spots. Sand caught in their hair and rubbed against their tails as they rolled around in a merciless battle for dominance.

  The impromptu game ended when Chrys felt someone's eyes on them. He stopped teasing and looked up toward the palace columns. A tall, golden-haired boy stood there, watching them with wide eyes.

  "Hello," the boy offered. He seemed older than them, maybe by a few summers. His body had started to fill out, offering a view of what he'd soon become.

  Chrys stared at the boy, uncertain. His eyes went to the pendant hanging at the older mer's neck. He felt his brother tense, realization striking both. This wasn't just any boy, but the crown prince of Atlantis, Aurus.

  In a flash, Chrys leapt off the ground and faced Aurus in a defensive stance. Another mer approaching them, a high-ranking noble heir at that, spelled trouble with a capital "T". Chrys didn't even want to imagine what mayhem a prince could cause in their lives. They had already enough problems without Aurus involved, too.

  Neither he nor Jaden replied. Aurus just stood there, his tail moving leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world. "I'm Aurus," he said. "I didn't know anyone else knew about this place."

  Chrys understood what the prince was getting at. A few years back they'd discovered a private spot in the gardens, hidden from the sight of anyone else. They liked to come here. No one insulted them when they were all alone. They could be themselves, play, and have fun. "Well, nobody's been here in forever, so we kind of claimed it as our own." It came out more belligerent than Chrys would have liked. After all, the garden belonged to the king, and by extension, the prince. Chrys and Jaden didn't have any right to be here.

  "Oh," Aurus said. The confidence of his stance faded into hidden awkwardness.

  "We'll go," Jaden said. "Sorry for intruding."

  They grabbed the few items they'd brought and went around Aurus, prepared to leave their hiding spot behind. Chrys wanted to cry. Where would they go now? They didn't have anyone but each other here at the castle. They weren't allowed anywhere. Even servants shied away from them.

  "Wait," Aurus suddenly said. "You don't have to go."

  Chrys turned toward Aurus and gave the prince a confused look. "Are you sure?"

  Aurus shrugged. "If you want to, you can stay with me, or come here later. I don't mind." He paused then spoke again. "I've been away from Atlantis and don't really know a lot of people around here."

  Chrys gaped at Aurus. "You do know who we are?" He half wished he hadn't asked, but really, there was no point in trying to make a friend if that person later abandoned them.

  Aurus nodded. "You're the sons of Lord Malach."

  "And you don't mind?" Jaden asked.

  "Why would I?" Aurus replied. "I think the way they treat you is foolish and cruel."

  Aurus sounded so serious and decided, it warmed Chrys's heart. For the first time in many years, Chrys smiled at someone other than his brother. "Okay," he replied. "We'll stay."

  Chapter One

  A few years later

  Aurus snuck through the palace, rapidly swimming toward the garden. Impatience swelled inside of him at the knowledge of who waited for him. He needed to get to his sweet love as quickly as possible.

  Being inconspicuous wasn't easy when one had a gold tail, but he managed to do it. Some of the soldiers turned a blind eye when young men made their escape for a night of debauchery, but going to see Chrys was a different thing entirely.

  Anger and shame filled Aurus and he berated himself for his cowardi
ce. He shouldn't have to hide his friendship with Chrys. They weren't doing anything wrong. He hadn't even touched Chrys sexually. Then again, if the king had a say in things, Aurus would never even get the chance. All because of some illusionary curse. How could anyone think someone as pure and perfect as Chrys could bring the wrath of the gods upon them?

  One would think that his people would have more enlightened views. Atlantis had once been the academic center for the entire world, its libraries famous for the wealth of knowledge within. In many ways, it still was, as the Atlantean University received students from all over their world. How could his people be so wise, yet so arrogant at the same time?

  Even Lord Malach, Jaden and Chrys's father, seemed to believe the same awful thing about his two sons. It made seeing Chrys very difficult, but thankfully, Jaden helped out, distracting his father.

  Since the fateful day they'd met, the three of them had become inseparable. Aurus had been taken with the two young mer, and they'd instantly become friends. Jaden, the quiet, reserved twin, and Chrys, the impulsive brother with a temper that could scare a shark away. Aurus loved both deeply, but somewhere along the way, his affection for them had changed.

  He still looked upon Jaden as his little brother, but he wanted Chrys as a lover.

  Jaden had seen through his feelings. He'd agreed to help him and give him some alone time with Chrys. It wasn't a great arrangement, and Aurus missed seeing more of Jaden, but at least he got some privacy with Chrys.

  When he reached the garden, a slender figure swam toward him. "Aurus? Is that you?"

  Aurus's heart clenched at the sight of Chrys. Gods, Chrys was beautiful. His long, azure tresses seemed to flow like the very waves of the sea. Deep turquoise eyes reminded Aurus of the starlit sky on the surface. And that tail… hundreds of nuances of blue-green glittered on those beautiful scales and Aurus ached to touch them, to see if they felt as smooth and soft as they looked.

  Aurus pushed back his arousal and swam toward Chrys. His friend was too young for things like that. He needed to wait a bit longer. "Hi, Chrys."

  Chrys's beautiful lips twisted into a wide smile. He pounced on Aurus and wrapped slender arms around Aurus's torso. "I was worried you wouldn't be able to come," he mumbled against Aurus's skin.

  Aurus swallowed at the feel of Chrys's skin making contact with his own. "I had some trouble, yes," he replied, breaking away from Chrys. Even if Chrys kept their tails apart, the position conjured too many ideas in Aurus's mind.

  At least he hadn't lied to Chrys. 'Trouble' didn't even cut it. Aurus needed to stop thinking about licking every inch of Chrys's skin and find a solution to get them out of there. Any idea he'd come up with had been sabotaged by either Lord Malach or the king. The men seemed to have a sixth sense and, with the increase in guards in the palace premises, Aurus had been unable to secure them a way out.

  Unfortunately, Chrys interpreted Aurus's tense stance in the wrong way. He gave Aurus a hurt look, his blue eyes begging for an explanation. "What is it? Why are you shying away from me? Is it… is it the curse?"

  Aurus reached out to his friend and winced when Chrys quickly swam off. "It's not like that. Chrys, come back here."

  Chrys shook his head and, before Aurus knew it, he disappeared behind a large purple coral. Aurus cursed under his breath and followed. As he ventured into the labyrinthine garden, he saw a flash of blue tail to his right. A red sea whip blocked his vision and Aurus lost sight of Chrys again. He called out, knowing their time together was limited. He couldn't bear the thought of hurting Chrys.

  To his surprise, he found Chrys waiting just a few feet farther, gently caressing the flowery tubes of a sun coral.

  "There you are."

  "Do you hate me?" Chrys asked.

  "Of course not," Aurus replied. He joined Chrys by the coral, hesitating slightly. The gods only knew how much he wanted to touch Chrys. But Chrys was so young, damn it, just seventeen summers. The very idea of pushing Chrys into something he wasn't ready for made Aurus's stomach turn.

  "You do," Chrys whispered. "Otherwise you wouldn't be acting like this. I can tell."

  The defeat in Chrys's voice made Aurus's decision for him. His body moved, as if of its own accord, and his arms went around Chrys. "You have it all wrong."

  This time, he didn't even try to control himself. His tail touched Chrys's, as gently as possible so as not to scare the younger mer. Chrys tensed but didn't move away. "A-Aurus? What are you doing?"

  Aurus buried his face in Chrys's hair, rejoicing in its scent. Chrys smelled like the sea at night, like life and a warm breeze on sandy beaches. "You really don't realize how beautiful you are, do you?" he whispered in Chrys's ear.

  Chrys didn't reply. Instead, he shifted in Aurus's embrace and turned to face him. Their eyes met and Aurus's heart did a little flip at the sight of the green flecks in those beautiful blue orbs. His reluctance vanished and he wrapped his tail around Chrys's. Chrys gasped when their scales rubbed against each other. The delicate sound aroused Aurus even more and he pressed his lips to Chrys's, taking possession of the other mer's mouth.

  He didn't know how long they stood there, kissing deeply, their tails entwined. All too soon, a familiar voice interrupted the moment, "Chrys. Chrys!"

  Aurus broke away from the other mer and turned to see Jaden appear from behind a giant anemone. Jaden was Chrys's twin, but even if they looked a lot alike, they weren't identical. Unlike Chrys, Jaden's hair and eyes were green and his tail shone in gentle tones of emerald. And yet, Aurus didn't feel attracted to Jaden at all. Or at least, he didn't think so.

  "What is it, Jaden?" Chrys asked, panting. Jaden looked away from them, his face flushed. He remained silent, looking embarrassed. "Jaden?" Chrys insisted.

  "It's Father," Jaden said, taking a deep breath. "He's looking for us. He seems angry."

  Chrys nodded and Aurus's heart fell. Chrys turned to him and their lips met in a brief peck. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

  A dark premonition suddenly swept over Aurus. He gripped Chrys's arm, stopping him. "Don't go," Aurus said. "Something's wrong."

  Chrys gave him an apologetic look and freed himself from Aurus's hold. "I can't not go. I'll see you later, all right?"

  Aurus wanted to say something else, to stop Chrys, but nothing came out. Chrys blew him another kiss, then he and Jaden disappeared beyond the corals. For a few seconds, Aurus stared at the spot Chrys had vacated. He wanted to go after them, but what could he do? Going against Lord Malach would make things worse when he didn't yet have an actual solution.

  That night, the rumor reached his ears. Chrys and Jaden had been banished from the court. They would not be allowed back into Atlantis until the curse was broken. Aurus had lost them both.

  * * * *

  Five years later

  "They're a disgrace to our people. You have to push them into turning, or I will."

  "But, my King… they're young, still. It's just a slight delay."

  "You've told me that a million times, Malach. A slight delay is one, two summers. They're already twenty-two and they're still nulls."

  Hidden behind the large doors of his father's office, Chrys winced at the anger in the king's voice. It was unprecedented for a member of the royal family to visit a minor noble. And yet, the king had come. That spoke volumes of the seriousness of the situation.

  Chrys and Jaden had just recently celebrated their birthday. They were at an age where they should be engaged in courtship and training to join their army. Instead, they remained hidden at their father's estate, away from the eyes of their world, a disgrace, like the king said, and all because their powers simply refused to manifest.

  The strange thing was that their mother had foretold them having magic. Childbearing parents could sense the power of their unborn babies, and she'd said that one of her precious twins would have power over jade and the other over chrysocolla. But she'd died while giving birth to them. In his dark moments, Chrys felt almost thankful for the fa
ct that she hadn't lived to see her sons end up with this curse upon them.

  Jaden gave him a frightened look. "What are we going to do, brother?" he whispered, his tail twitching nervously.

  "I don't know," Chrys replied. "If Father doesn't manage to convince His Majesty…"

  "Even if he does, it's only a matter of time until a summons comes once more," Jaden said. "We've run out of time, Chrys."

  Chrys sighed and nodded. "This is such a disaster. Why us, Jaden? Why us?"

  Mermen came into their powers in their early years. Their names, chosen at birth according to the element they would later control, depended on what the childbearing parent said. But Jaden and Chrys had reached twenty-two summers with no sign of their magic manifesting.

  Their father, Malach, chose to call it a delay. Others, like the king, thought it brought shame on the entire Atlantean nation. Most of the mer called it a curse, and refused to have any contact whatsoever with Jaden and Chrys.

  In general, mer folk didn't like twins much. It wasn't entirely unusual for them to be born, but they were never identical. The fact that Jaden and Chrys couldn't use their powers only cemented their belief that something was very wrong with the two brothers.

  It was absurd. Chrys knew if they'd just be given a chance, they'd manage to awaken their elements. One method to nudge them into attaining their powers lay in the lessons soldiers took to control their shifting abilities. 'Lessons' was a bit of a euphemism, though. Mer could only learn to change their tails into legs through sexual tutoring. Unfortunately, that was off limits for both Chrys and his brother as no one wanted to touch a cursed twin.

  "Your Highness," their father said, "courtship is difficult in this situation. I need more time."