As if knowing what Jaden thought, Dialy turned toward them and gave Jaden a dark look. "Don't even think about escaping. I won't have any qualms about killing you."
Jaden didn't answer. He didn't doubt Dialy spoke the truth, but neither did he want to look more pathetic than he already did. He met Dialy's eyes, not giving the other mer the satisfaction of letting him know how much Jaden feared him.
"We get it," Chrys replied. "We're not stupid."
"You were stupid enough to come this way," Jasper laughed.
Jaden ignored him. "How's your tail?" he asked his twin in a whisper.
"Much better," Chrys answered. "The wound seems to have sealed already."
Jaden nodded, although he felt a bit put out the bandits hadn't even bothered to check. They should have ensured Chrys didn't have any bloody injuries, if not for Chrys's sake, then for the safety of them all. Even if these waters weren't infested with too many predators, an errant shark could always pop up, drawn by the scent. That would be the last thing they needed at the moment.
Thankfully, nothing like that happened. They reached the bandits' hideout without incident. Jaden noticed with a start that it was located in the proximity of the Forbidden Zone. Atlanteans usually avoided the area, purportedly haunted by a dangerous monster. Hundreds of years ago, the ruling monarch had mysteriously forbidden any access, warning the mer an intrusion would be punishable by death.
The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Isn't this too close to the Forbidden Zone?"
Jasper chuckled once again. "Don't tell me you actually believe that wives' tale. We've been here for years now without seeing anything."
"Even fish are rare," Jaden noticed.
Jasper missed the hidden meaning of Jaden's observation. Sea creatures avoided this area, and that spelled trouble for anyone who didn't.
"Well, if it comforts you, we don't actually go inside. We're close, yes, but not close enough for it to be a peril."
Jaden surmised that the bandit leader did indeed have at least a degree of apprehension regarding the mysterious monster that supposedly lurked in the murky depths. A spark of satisfaction briefly flitted through him and he almost smiled. He didn't say anything else, though, knowing he'd already pushed his luck. Besides, something told him it wouldn't be wise to dwell too much on the topic of the beast.
It soon became apparent the group of bandits was much larger than Jaden originally thought. Tens of mer emerged from the abode-like structure, greeting Jasper with loud shouts and imprecations. Men, women, and children jeered at Jaden and Chrys.
"You found yourself a boyfriend?" someone asked.
Jasper's voice sounded flat when he responded. "Hardly. Everyone, meet Jaden and Chrys, sons of Lord Malach."
The raucous chaos turned to deadly silence. Jaden felt the weight of the hostile gazes more acutely than ever.
"What did you bring upon us?" one of the mermen asked. "We have to get rid of them now."
"They can be useful," Jasper said calmly. "As long as you don't touch them, you'll be fine."
"Why should we receive them here in the first place?" another countered. "What if they do something to the children? Maybe they'll extend the curse to them."
"We'd never do anything so horrible," Jaden shot back. He wouldn't wish this fate on his worst enemy. They'd grown up with sneers and glares, powerless and rejected. The only ones who'd ever shown them kindness had been their father and Aurus.
Unfortunately, his outburst drew the crowd's attention. "Look, it speaks," a mermaid said. Her red hair seemed to be liquid flame and her eyes burned Jaden as she spoke.
"Settle down, Magma," Jasper warned. "We'll keep them around temporarily. If we have any trouble, they're dead."
The tone seemed to pacify the disgruntled bandits. And yet, as their guards forcibly pushed Jaden and Chrys inside the hideout, Jaden sensed something was not right. And it didn't have anything to do with the thieves. He had a feeling that in the dark waters beyond hid a mystery that could consume them all.
* * * *
Within the darkness, the beast slept the dreamless slumber of a creature lost in hibernation. There were no feelings, no regrets now, just instinct and the occasional desire to feed. Rarely did it wake, and once it took care of its survival urges, it went back to its lair and slept once again.
Ages passed it by, and with it, memories faded. The beast forgot who it had been, or why it had come to be here in the first place. It only recalled that this abyss belonged to it and would continue to remain so until the world died.
Its power cast aside all living things until nothing survived around it but the familiar feel of protective rock. Enclosed in its cave, the beast remained asleep until, finally, something awoke him.
The Atlanteans had become more and more daring. A group had settled close to its lair, probably thinking they could outsmart the beast, or something just as ridiculous. For a few moments—which must've lasted at least a few years in the pathetic timeframe of the Atlanteans—the beast considered going out there to kill them. But it would be an effort, and the creature was weary of eliminating intruders.
Time continued to fly by, the Atlanteans showed no sign of wanting to leave, and the creature grew angry. It would no longer wait. The mer would die for their foolishness.
And then, something happened the beast did not expect. A light seemed to shine from the direction of the Atlanteans and, for the first time in ages, the creature felt drawn to something that was not food. In its mind, it could almost see them now. Two young mer joining the ranks of the foolish intruders.
Both were powerful, but the beast felt the pull of one in particular, a soul in pain and need, vulnerable and ripe for the picking. As much as it regretted not having both mer, the creature focused its efforts on that one, sending dreams of darkness and calling the mer to him. It was only a matter of time until his prey succumbed.
* * * *
A few weeks later
Chrys slipped into a dark alley, his heart thundering in panic. Behind him, a group of soldiers swept over the main street. Of course, they couldn't possibly know his location, but if they found him, he was dead.
His hand clutched the small poster he'd managed to retrieve. He still couldn't believe it. The annual masquerade ball held at the palace was just two weeks away. Officially, it celebrated the king's rule but, in fact, it represented an opening for all mermen who'd come of age to find their tutors. Chrys and Jaden had never been allowed to go to one. Perhaps this could be their chance.
A thousand sea horses fluttered in his belly when he swam out of the alley and headed toward their hideout. If nothing else, he could see Aurus. Gods, how many years had passed since he'd last seen his impossible love?
They'd shared one kiss, just one passionate moment the day Jaden and Chrys had been banished from the royal court. Chrys could still remember it, Aurus's taste on his lips, his tongue taking possession of Chrys's mouth, his golden scales rubbing against Chrys's tail. It had been the most amazing thing in Chrys's life. But the same day, mere hours later, they'd left the capital. Chrys had lost all contact with Aurus, Jaden's presence the only thing that kept him sane. He'd heard at some point that Aurus had been sent to the Atlantean University, supposedly to learn the ways of their neighboring races. The Sea Mother only knew how that experience had changed him.
Maybe it wasn't too late. After all, it would be a masquerade ball. Young men and women often asked honored soldiers to initiate them. Aurus had been attracted to Chrys once. If Chrys could get to him, maybe he could convince the other mer to teach him, to show him how to shift. His face flushed at the thought of having Aurus touch him intimately once again, and he covered himself better with the cloak. It wouldn't do to draw attention to himself by being aroused in the middle of the market.
A stream of people blocked his path, slowing him down. By the time he returned to their hiding spot, his enthusiasm started to melt into uncertainty. There were so many ifs to
his idea, so many variables and things that could go wrong. How would Jaden react?
It didn't help that their choice of a haven wasn't very conducive to optimism. He swam outside the dome that protected the capital city of the mer. Once he got out of sight of the capital, he veered off the main current road and made his way down toward a hidden ravine. Sea creatures passed him by, shoals of fish scattering as he swam onward. Thankfully, there were no predators around here, and the few dangerous animals ignored him.
Finally, he reached his destination. The structure lay hidden beneath a rocky outcropping and it served as shelter to criminals and outlaws, the same bandits Chrys and Jaden had accidentally run into a few weeks back.
Jasper had agreed to let them stay as long as they paid the price. A price in coins—which Jaden and Chrys had to steal, since the money from their father had long ago vanished into the thief's coffers.
It was a lesson in humility that not even criminals wanted to touch them. At least, they were no longer prisoners and could move in and out of the safe house pretty much as they pleased. The one condition was that when one of them left unsupervised, the other needed to stay behind. Obviously, Jasper didn't trust them not to attempt an escape.
Chrys entered the shelter and the thieves glared at him, muttering under their breaths. Chrys kept his head down, pushing back his anger. It wasn't his or Jaden's fault for not having magic. They'd tried everything, but no one wanted to help. How could they fight against something they had no knowledge of?
He slipped into the small room he shared with his brother.
"Where have you been?" Jaden growled at him the second he opened the door. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?"
Chrys wrapped his arms around his twin. "Sorry, Jaden." He retrieved the poster and showed it to his brother. "Look what I found."
Jaden took the paper and scanned its contents. His body tensed and he broke away from Chrys. "Are you mad?" he said, glowering. "We'll be caught!"
"No, we won't, not if we're careful," Chrys replied, keeping his voice low and soothing. "This is our chance, Jaden. You have to see that."
Jaden pushed away from him and swam to the other side of the room. His scales turned dark green in agitation, like they did when he was angry. "Our chance? Our chance to do what? Die?"
Fury flared inside Chrys. "What do you want to do then? Stay here forever? Not even these men will touch us, not that I want them to. Or maybe you'd prefer to go back home and ask Father to do it." Jaden winced and Chrys immediately felt guilty for snapping at his twin. "Sorry, Jaden. I shouldn't have said that."
Jaden shook his head and didn't reply. Awkward silence stretched between them for a few moments, until Jaden spoke again. "It's because of him, isn't it? Because of Aurus."
Chrys looked away from Jaden's knowing eyes. "It's because we don't have any choice."
Jaden sighed. "Very well, brother. We'll go. We'll need help to sneak inside, though."
Chrys nodded, conflicting emotions of guilt and satisfaction swirling inside him. He retrieved the purse of gold from his coat and threw it to his brother. "I lifted it off a merchant today. It should be enough to convince Jasper to help us out."
Jaden weighed the purse in his hand and hummed thoughtfully. "I do hope you're right, Chrys, because if we're making a mistake…"
Chrys hugged his twin once more. "It'll be all right, Jaden. You'll see. We'll be just fine. We'll finally get to see Aurus once again."
There was something in Jaden's eyes when Chrys said that, something that unsettled Chrys deeply. All of a sudden, Chrys didn't think this entire plan had been such a good idea after all. If he went off with Aurus, what would Jaden do?
"You'll find a tutor as well," he offered lamely. "You'll see."
Jaden didn't answer, but Chrys knew his sibling well and felt his twin's pain and discomfort. It was something he'd experienced more than once in the past. Jaden always waved it off, and under normal circumstances, Chrys didn't insist.
This time, though, something didn't feel right. With a jolt, he realized that even as children, he'd always been closest to Jaden. When Aurus showed up, they'd just included him in the group. But slowly, Jaden had somehow been pushed aside. If Chrys gave himself to Aurus, the separation process would be complete. Jaden would be left all alone.
He also realized he didn't want Jaden to be taught how to shift by any filthy old soldier. Jaden deserved better. He deserved to be loved, just like Chrys loved him.
Understanding it didn't help him at all, though. He wanted to be with Aurus, but he cared for his twin as well. He couldn't see any solution out of the predicament.
In the end, it all amounted to a big "if". He'd deal with things as they came. At this point, he couldn't turn back or wait any longer.
* * * *
That night, Jaden lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling in silence. His twin lay cuddled by his side, so close Jaden could feel Chrys's hot breath on his skin. Their quarters were small and cramped, unsurprisingly the worst of the entire hideout. They'd only received their own room because everyone else felt reluctant to share any sort of living space or be in close proximity with them. In consequence, they only had one bed, and that led to very tortuous nights for Jaden.
While Chrys slept on obliviously, Jaden couldn't help but feel tormented by his twin's heat. As always, Chrys was so close, and yet, so far away. In moments such as these, though, restraint translated into agony. Touching Chrys would be so easy. His twin might not even know it, or if he did realize, Jaden could blame it on a random motion while twisting in bed. The temptation was so strong, Jaden couldn't put it out of his mind. He slept poorly, and when he did, he always dreamed the same things: Chrys, over and over, glaring at him angrily, turning his back on him with disgust.
No, he couldn't take advantage of Chrys's vulnerability. He'd have to satisfy himself with merely watching his twin. In his sleep, Chrys looked so beautiful and peaceful, and for once not troubled by their disastrous circumstances. Jaden couldn't steal that away.
In a sense, he envied his twin's restful slumber. Lately, an unsettling gloom encroached upon his nights, and Jaden didn't know what to think of it. The nearness of the Forbidden Zone made him nervous, yes, but he hated the idea he'd turned into a coward. He loathed jumping at shadows and having nightmares about things that would, most likely, never come to pass.
Chrys's new plan, though, made Jaden wonder if he'd be able to get any sleep for the next few weeks. He could already see them trapped in the dungeons, slain at the hands of the king's guards, or worse. But he had to do this for Chrys, and for Aurus, too.
Sighing, Jaden tried to force himself to rest. Just when he thought he'd succeed, a small moan tore through his consciousness. He tensed and his eyes shot to his twin. Like before, Chrys clung to Jaden, but the peaceful expression had vanished, replaced with something that looked like pain. Concerned, Jaden pressed his hand to Chrys's shoulder, intent on shaking his twin out of the nightmare.
But then the worst possible thing happened. A gasp escaped Chrys's lips, and he actually leaned into Jaden's touch. His tail rubbed against Jaden's and when their scales made contact, Jaden bit his lip to suppress a groan. Pleasure shot through him and he answered the intoxicating motion, thrusting back against his twin.
Chrys's moans turned louder, incomprehensible mutters, out of which Jaden could only catch a few random words. The occasional "yes" spurred Jaden on, his mind melting at the sensations that shot through him. There was no awkwardness, no fumbling. They simply fit together. How could they not? They'd been born that way.
He thought he even heard his brother call out his name, and realized in glee he'd been worried for naught. Chrys wanted him, just like he wanted Chrys. They'd be all right.
And then, among all the yeses and mores, Jaden understood one other word. Aurus. His brain instantly cleared, the haze of pleasure disappeared, his irrational hopes dashed. Of course. Of course his twin wouldn't have a dream about hi
m. It had all been an illusion.
For the first time in his life, Jaden couldn't look at Chrys. If he stayed in this room, he'd die of heartache.
Carefully slipping out of the small bed, Jaden headed toward the door. After a final glance in his twin's direction, he went out. By now, he knew Chrys could take care of himself and the bandits would not bother him. At this point, they'd been separated many times because of their individual expeditions into the Atlantean capital. But where to go? Where could he possibly find refuge when nothing went as he wanted it to? His heart hurt, and he couldn't figure out any solution out of this inescapable situation.
The call from the distance returned and Jaden threw an angry glare toward the Forbidden Zone. Someone or something wanted him to go there. Very well. He'd go, and if the beast ate him, so be it.
Not allowing himself to change his mind, Jaden swam toward the dangerous abyss. He idly noted that the closer he got, the more barren the entire area seemed. In the end, there were no fish or vegetation left, only rock and sand. The darkness, though, seemed to have a life of its own, and Jaden shuddered, already regretting his decision.
He looked back, hesitating. Now that he'd left the bandits' lair, he could think with a clear head and realized he'd been very foolish. If something happened to him, Chrys would be very sad. Worse, the bandits might accept them now, but they could very easily change their minds. Chrys could be hurt if Jaden left him on his own, and Jaden wanted to avoid that at all cost.
And yet, even full of doubt, Jaden found himself swimming farther, closing in on the proverbial area of no-return. He stopped when the rock beneath him broke off and a deep chasm cut in the very bowels of the ocean floor.
His mad courage deserted him and Jaden didn't dare to go exploring farther. He probably wouldn't be able to, anyway. The pressure would get more powerful as he descended and, even for mermen, that could be deadly.
Awakenings Page 3
