I grab Starlet’s hand and pull her out of the now open doors of the Alcazar Oceania.
As we glide among the coral stalks of the palace gardens I scan our surroundings, paranoid of every single speck and sliver of shadow.
After a few moments of looking around, desperately hoping to see nothing, I breathe a sigh of relief. No sign of the Psirens yet, but it’s high noon on the surface world. Perfect for mer slaughter, you need only expose them to the sunlight above for half a minute and they’ll turn to sand.
I frown, hating that glowing ball of light. We need to stick low to the ground today; I’m not taking any chances.
“Orion! Stop!” I feel Starlet grab at my wrist, but I jerk it away. She isn’t having any of it. “ORION!” She yells. I stop, turning on her, irritated.
“What?” I bark.
“Calm down,” she reminds me.
“How does that help anything?” I demand, as she narrows her eyes, crossing her arms and smiling, like she has some big secret.
“You’re forgetting, brother, that you’ve done this before, so have I. Maybe not with an army this size, maybe not with the Psirens, but we’ve done this before. We’re still standing. So breathe. You fluttering around like a pissed off butterfly isn’t going to help anyone. You need to be thinking clearly.”
“I’m wounded that you equate this with fluttering,” I say, my expression deadly serious. She cocks her head to one side, her white blonde hair falling over one shoulder and her magenta facial scales shimmering wildly in the light of the high sun. “Okay. I’m breathing,” I respond, annoyed at how right she can be. Out of everyone in our family, I’d never peg her for the smartest, but if there’s one thing Starlet is, it is reason in a sea of chaos, calm in a crisis.
“How do you do that?” I go limp slightly as I ask her this one, very important question.
“Do what?” She asks me, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it.
“Stay calm and rational when everything is falling apart?”
“I watch,” she says the sentiment simply as I feel the blood pulsing around me begin to slow. I’m looking deeply into my sister’s eyes, being lulled into what I know, letting her ground me.
“What do you mean, you mean like how you see with visions?”
“No. That’s seeing. I watch.” I frown slightly and she inhales, smiling.
“Dad, he used to know what to do in a crisis. I watched him for so long, it’s what happens when you aren’t allowed to fight, you observe. You learn,” she admits, looking like she might cry.
“He’d be proud of you Star… At least he raised a ruler in one of us.” I lean forward and kiss her cheek. She blushes slightly.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
“For what?”
“Being the man I know you are,” she winks at me and smiles, the biggest smile I’ve seen pass her lips for years. She reaches up and puts her arms around me, an uncertain gesture but one that hasn’t lost its nostalgia, even though it’s been years since we last embraced. “Come on. Let’s go, before we both turn into blubbering idiots,” she laughs, wiping underneath her eye, embarrassed.
“It’s going to be bad, isn’t it?” I whisper to her, as we begin to move out of the coral gardens, close and synchronised in our strokes.
“What makes you say that?” She tilts her head. I look out onto the horizon, watching as a black mass begins to rise into the aquamarine hue of the midday ocean.
“Because,” I say, looking deeply into her eyes, “something about that embrace you just gave me felt like a goodbye.” Her eyes widen slightly and her lips sag, unable to form words to express what’s running through her mind.
I wait, but she doesn’t answer. She doesn’t need to.
I just hope she’s wrong.
CALLIE
We sit, opposite each other, aching as the sand from whatever blasted us apart settles. I look down at myself.
I have changed.
My tailfin is aquamarine again, my hair falls in blonde around my shoulders. I stare into the now murky water, head throbbing. Vex is slumped against the opposite wall, holding up his arm to the light.
He’s examining the white flesh of his limb, which is now mapped with dark veins of black magic. I examine my own skin, nothing but pale white flesh and aquamarine scales, shimmering madly.
I look between my own form and Vex… his eyes have turned dark… almost like he’s taken on my own darkness along with his own. Wait a minute…
“You… you took my darkness!” I exclaim, not sure whether to be relieved or angry.
“Wait… what?” Vex rises slightly, looking at me from across the length of the corridor. He looks just as confused as I am and his voice sounds husky, like he needs to cough. I move back from him slightly, scared as to what such an influx of power will do.
“How did you do that?” I ask him, my eyebrows raised. He shrugs, shoulder rising with an angry suddenness.
“How the bloody hell should I know! You’re the one with the bloody ‘kiss me, kiss me’ eyes!” He flutters his stumpy fingers around his eyes, batting his eyelids.
It would be comical if he weren’t so terrifying. His face is covered in black veins and his eyes are completely black too, rage filled. He looks like Titus from here, just with tentacles.
It’s with this recognition that I remember staring at my reflection in the shattered mirror of the hotel room. I know that’s exactly what I had looked like.
“You kissed me!” I exclaim, disgusted at his insinuation that I had been the one to initiate.
“Don’t give me that bollocks!” He sweeps a hand around himself, as though he’s pushing my retaliation away.
“What bollocks? There’s no bollocks here! You came back to rescue me, remember? You’re the one who started all this! You should have just let me rot!”
“Well…maybe I should have! Don’t worry, Love, I’ll be letting you next time! You’re a bloody lousy kisser anyway!” His argument is weakening as the hysterical nature of what’s going on seems to infect his thought process. I’m slowly lulling him back from the edge with banter. I continue.
“Me?! At least I don’t taste like an ash tray!” I spit, pretending to expel his taste from my mouth.
“Better than the taste of Nancy boy…” he quips. This comment suddenly reminds me of why I was trying to escape in the first place.
“Orion! The city! We have to go, stop them from leaving!”
“Bit late for that, Love. They’re gone,” Vex looks at me, his eyes slowly returning to their usual lilac. His skin is still mapped with veins, but he is beginning to look more like himself again.
“What do you mean?” I ask him, immediately rising off the floor and straightening my spine, tense.
“I mean they’re on their way, Love. The revolution has already begun.”
ORION
“Saturnus!!” I am hammering on the door with my fist, Starlet at my back. The door doesn’t open. “Back up,” I order Starlet. She does with one quick movement of her tailfin as I expel a blast of air from my palms, knocking the door back, swinging on its hinges.
I enter quickly, looking up at the high tower where Saturnus keeps his extensive collection of books stacked tightly into the curving shelves of the cylindrical tallness of the study. He’s there.
“May I beg an explanation of this rudeness?” He barks, sinking through the water, unmoving, as though he’s a God. His golden scales are shimmering, the jewels encrusted into the scales sparkling with blinding intensity.
“The Psiren army is coming!” I exclaim and his eyebrows rise slightly, not missing a beat.
“Ahhh,” he doesn’t look worried, merely stern.
“Aren’t you concerned?” I ask him, slightly confused as to why he’s not panicking.
“Not at all. We have all we need here to beat them back. Let’s just stay calm and prepare. I still hold the power to protect this city. Worry not, Orion. All will be well,” he places a hand on my shoulder.
“What should we do?” I ask him, desperately needing his guidance.
“You’re asking me? You’re crowned ruler,” he smirks and I feel irritated. This isn’t the time for grudges.
“Yes, but you’ve guided the crown for longer than anyone,” I remind him. He smiles, his pale skin radiant against the bloody mess of his mane of hair.
“Very well. If you wish me to guide you I will,” he nods and I smile.
“Thank you,” I exhale slightly, feeling relief wash over me.
“Starlet is with you?” He queries.
I nod as she moves around the doorway.
“Very well. Starlet, I’m going to lock you in my office. You shouldn’t be out in the city.” Starlet looks at me with alarm on her features. I place a hand on her shoulder, bending my head.
“Don’t worry, I’ll come back for you as soon as I can. We need to trust Saturnus. It’ll be alright now, you’ll see,” I comfort her but she still looks unimpressed. “I can’t risk anything happening to you. I won’t lose any more family to these creatures.” She pulls a face but heads over to the red velvet sofa, picking up one of Saturnus’ books and flipping through it, looking bored. Something catches her eye in the corner and I watch her gaze fall to a mirror in the corner of the study. She frowns slightly, her eyebrows knitting together.
“Is that my mirror, Saturnus?” She asks him and he nods.
“Yes… I recall you asking me to move it out of your room for you. A safety measure, remember?” Saturnus looks at her and her eyes search his face. He pulls a leather satchel from a nearby table, throwing it across his body so it hangs at a diagonal.
“Yes, but why is it here?” She asks him and he shrugs.
“Why, because I can’t find anywhere to store it of course,” he laughs slightly. She nods slowly, like she’s unsure of something, but sits back into the hold of the chair, returning to the book she was previously reading.
“Come, Orion. We have work to do,” Saturnus commands. He moves from the room and I follow him out. Looking back over my shoulder at Starlet.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” I wink at her and she raises her eyebrows, her expression deadly serious.
“See you later then,” she replies. I nod and close the door behind me. Saturnus removes a cord from around his neck with the key to his study. Placing it in the lock, he gives it a quick twist before returning it safely around his neck.
“Better safe than sorry eh?” He smiles and I nod. Unamused.
“Let’s go,” I urge him on.
We sink through the tower and immediately, with Starlet’s safety ensured thanks to the quick thinking of Saturnus, my thoughts move onto battle strategy.
“So, I need to position the Knight’s around the city, I was thinking a strong hold at the place where the Psiren’s entered last time, what do you think?”
“I think you don’t want to risk it, set them in a ring around the city,” Saturnus sounds so sure. He must know something I don’t. I knew I was going to screw this Crowned Ruler thing up.
“But then the line will only be one man thick. The border around the city is large,” I remind him, but he shakes his head.
“I’m telling you, Orion, you’re better spreading them out and having better coverage. There’s no way they can take out the entire glimmer. If they do manage to get through, say they’ve found a spell, or an object that can damage my magic, then it’ll be concentrated in one spot. What we don’t know is which spot. We need to cover every possible side.”
“Very well. If that’s what you think is best,” I relinquish, still unsure, but knowing my judgement has done nothing but falter since I’ve been crowned. I can’t risk screwing this up.
“It is. I wouldn’t be telling you this if I thought otherwise now, would I?” He asks me the question as we move out into the street, the bottles embedded in the paths are glistening. I assume it rhetorical and keep my silence.
Cole and Ghazi approach from the centre square in front of the Alcazar and I turn to face them immediately.
“You’re to spread the Knights of Atargatis, shoulder to shoulder in a ring around the city,” I order them. Cole looks at me, confused.
“But sir, we don’t have enough Knights to put shoulder to shoulder without the ring only being a single layer thick,” he questions me.
“I am well aware, Cole. Isn’t it slightly above your position to be questioning my decisions?” I ask him, feeling the venom leave me unexpectedly. I have never spoken down to him before.
I immediately feel bad. His expression hardens and Ghazi looks shocked.
“Sir, yes sir.” His eyes are glazed over, I can tell I’ve hurt him, but I don’t have time to make amends now.
“Do it,” I command, stern, and they both turn from me without a words parting.
“Good. Nice to see you finally taking your role seriously,” Saturnus nods, placing a cold hand on my shoulder and squeezing hard.
“What now?” I ask him and he smiles, like my asking him for advice is how things should be. Like it’s right.
“Now, we rise above the city and watch. You want the best vantage point possible,” he reminds me and I nod. Something inside of my falters suddenly, I narrow my eyes and turn to him.
“Don’t I need a weapon?” I ask him, feeling fear clutch at my heart.
“You are enough of a weapon already Orion. You have your ability over air, a gift from our Goddess. That’s better than any spear.” I smile a little, his confidence in my abilities making me feel sure of myself.
“I’d still feel better with a spear or sword. I’ll head to the armoury.”
“You’re out of time!” Saturnus says, looking out to the horizon and pointing. His eyes wide.
The sun is high overhead still, and now I can see the Psiren army for what it is: huge. They’ve grown.
Saturnus and I rise high above the city, watching the Knights assemble around its borders, diligent to my command and unthinking in their loyalty.
“Quite a sight to see, isn’t it?” Saturnus asks me, his bloody tangle of red hair wavering around his head. His gold scales and jewel encrusted flesh glistens under the midday sun.
“Of course,” I mutter, uninterested in platitudes.
The streets below are packed, the people of my city having noticed the encroaching dark cloud, like smoke, I can only hope it’s easier to capture and destroy. The mermaids below are stirring, I watch them from this great height like insects, scurrying and forming tiny clusters, no doubt gossiping and spreading fear amongst themselves.
“You need not worry, Orion. All will be well,” Saturnus comforts me and I turn to him.
“Thank you. I’m not doing a great job at this leader thing. I know that. You would have been the better choice,” I admit this, trying to show my true feelings about the position, hoping he will understand that this isn’t a responsibility I ever wanted and that I in no way feel superior to him or anyone else.
“Oh I know,” he smiles, his mouth spreading into a joyous chasm. My heart begins to drop slightly at the look in his eyes.
I ignore it, turning away from him as a slight sickness churns in my stomach. Is it just nerves? Probably. I dismiss it and turn, facing my fear and watching the black mass of Psirens fall upon us.
They reach the outskirts of the city limits and the effect is staggering. They dwarf our army entirely, especially now that the army is spread, shoulder-to-shoulder in a single band around the city limits. They look like a piece of string, flimsy and weak compared to the fist of an army they face. I swallow hard, blood pounding around my body.
“So what now?” I rotate in the water. The armies are facing one another, floating and waiting, innocuous.
“Now… I think it’s time that I impart a lesson that your father learned the hard way. He would have wanted me to impart it and seeing as I might not get another chance, it should be now,” he looks deeply into my eyes, his voice lulling me into a familiar security.
“Come closer…” he gestures for me to move toward him, the heat of his breath touching my face as I slip through the water. He moves in too, sliding his mouth in beside my ear.
“Trust…no one,” he whispers the words and I feel myself frown, confused. Something is thrust into my flesh and with a sharp convulsion I scream out. I look down; he’s stabbed me in the gut with a dagger.
I watch as he shifts, magic falling from him like a curtain, unveiling the performance of a lifetime. His body is deathly white, his eyes black, with yellow feline pupils. His hair changes from bloody red to black as night and his tail morphs from one of a Goddess’ love to that with characteristics of a white dragon king crown betta. The body of his tail is white, pale and leeched of all colour but its edges fray and morph outward in crisscrossing blades of onyx flesh.
This is all I manage to take in before a sick smile spreads across his lips and he pushes me away from his true form, wrenching the dagger from my insides as I gasp in surprise. I fall backwards through the water steadily and in slow motion as I reach out to grab at Saturnus. My body is in shock, damaged and unable to respond as I crash downward. The glimmer surrounding the city falls as Saturnus commands it, ripping our only chance of survival away as though it were no more than tissue paper.
The last thing I remember before the unconsciousness takes me are falling, flaming stars and a swarm descending on everything I love.
SOLUSTUS
The glimmer falls and there it is: the promised land, all gleam and shine in the sunlight which burns my eyes. The Occulta Mirum, the Kingdom I had longed to possess as my own for so long, to watch the mer kneel before me as I slit their throats. I smile to myself seeing my brother, a speck at the height of the city, a figure falling from him, leaving a trail of scarlet behind it in intermittent plumes.
The Kiss That Saved Me (The Tidal Kiss Trilogy Book 2) Page 27
