Descending (The Rising Series)

by Kelly, Holly

  “It’s rude to close the door in someone’s face while they are standing on your doorstep.”

  Kyros shook his head. “I’m not here to play nice with the humans. I’m here to keep you safe.”

  Sara glared at him. “You need to play nice with this human. She’s my best friend.

  Sara opened the door, and her face immediately lit up. “Gretchen!” She squealed like a child as the human rushed in and wrapped her arms around her in a quick hug. “What a surprise. What are you doing here? I thought you had an internship.”

  “I did.” She stepped back. “It’s a long story. I’ll tell you…” Her eyes drifted down at her blanket and widened. “You look different! Your legs… they look strange. What’s going on?”

  “Um, my dad…”

  “You found your dad?”

  Sara nodded.

  “You’re kidding me. Who is he? Where does he live? And what does he have to do with your legs?”

  “My dad’s name is Ty. Oddly enough, he lives near where Xanthus is from.”

  “Your dad is Greek?”

  “Most definitely.”

  “Wow, what are the odds? So what about your legs…?”

  This human was tenacious. Kyros sized Gretchen up as he followed them down the hall. She was as small as a Dagonian child—about five feet. But her shape… absolutely not childlike, with curves in just the right places.

  “My dad found a brilliant surgeon. He says he can fix my legs.”

  “You’re kidding! Really?”

  Sara’s face turned bright red as she nodded. Kyros frowned at her. She was a terrible liar.

  “That is so amazing!” Gretchen squealed. “I knew you shouldn’t give up. Do you think you’ll be able to learn to walk?”

  “The doctors seem optimistic.”

  “Wow, I’m so happy for you.” Gretchen leaned forward to give Sara another hug.

  Sara sighed as Gretchen stood back up. “I’ve missed you.”

  “Me too,” Gretchen answered.

  Gretchen smiled, but there seemed to be a hint of sadness in her eyes. She glanced back to Kyros, and her eyes lightened. “And is this…”

  “Xanthus’s best friend, Kyros,” Sara answered.

  Gretchen raised an eyebrow. “I guess tall men like to stick together.” As if to illustrate her point, Stanton, Drakōn, and Pallas were standing in the living room as they stepped through the door.

  Gretchen’s eyebrows rose. “Looks like I’m more right than I thought.” A wide smile spread across her face. Her dimples were a bit distracting and made the human look even more adorable. She was nothing like he had imagined a human would be.

  “Hello, boys,” she said cheerfully.

  The three Dagonians gaped at her; Kyros was shocked himself. Did she just call these Dagonian warriors boys? Was this not an insult? Her demeanor was friendly, even if her words were offensive.

  “The hu… girl just said hello. Are you not going to greet her in return?” Kyros asked, his gaze as hard as granite. He didn’t know why he stood up for the human, but he knew she’d meant no offense.

  They gave a quick nod and grumbling hellos.

  “Wow, I could use a sweater after that warm welcome,” Gretchen said. Kyros caught the sarcasm in her statement and nearly smiled.

  “Okay, out! All of you,” Sara said, pointing to the door. “We have some catching up to do.” Kyros pressed his lips together. They filed out obediently, making their way to the back door. The house Xanthus had bought had the most amazing view of the ocean. The scent of the sea breezed over the waves. Kyros decided not to join the others. Instead, he made his way to the library.

  The book he wanted sat prominently on the desk: The Mer—A Complete History. He sank into a chair, opened the cover, and leafed through the pages. The first chapter was all about Triton. The next chapter was about Triton’s children—when they were born, what each of their gifts and abilities were… Gifts? Abilities?

  The first Mer listed in the book was Phiobe—born five thousand years ago. She spent much of her time among the reefs, playing with the sharks. She had the gift of speech. She could speak all the languages of sea—shark, dolphin, whale, even crab and bony fish. She loved her sea friends so much that she refused to eat them. Instead, she ate seaweed and kelp.

  Kyros frowned. That mermaid was unlike any he’d heard of before.

  Medon was next; he was a merman who had the ability to freeze water. Not only that, but he could form deadly weapons, freezing seawater in the form of a trident, sword, spear, and shield… With the raise of his hand or the flick of his wrist, he could send a blade straight at you, seemingly from nowhere. He didn’t do much killing with his gift, however. Instead, he traveled to the far north, where he created a grand ice castle. Some say it was still standing, abandoned.

  Delia’s gift was one of healing. She could suffer horrific injuries and heal quickly from them. Boasting of her ability, she had her brother, Alexon, cut off her finger. After one short day, she’d grown another in its place. Claiming the new finger was better than her old one, she had Alexon cut off all her other fingers. When each of them regrew, they were far superior to her old ones. Painful though it was, she didn't stop there. Next, she had her brother cut off one arm, then the other, and lastly her tail. The amputated parts regrew—lovelier and more perfect. Enamored by the beauty of her new body, she thought if only she could get a more beautiful face, with luminous hair. Then, she’d be the most beautiful of all Triton’s daughters. Emboldened by her previous successes, she had her brother cut off her head. Sadly, this was the end of Delia.

  Kyros shook his head and cracked a smile.

  Aella… Kyros scowled at the name. This mermaid he’d heard of.

  She was the most powerful of all the Mer. Born four thousand years ago—with fair skin and dark hair—her beauty was admired throughout the sea. Kyros skimmed over the section.

  Aella’s voice was unmatched in its power. She could wield it with the utmost control—no one could resist. Not only that, but she could transform into a human easily—without the help of her father. Sara could have used that power to better mix with the humans. But Aella didn’t mix with the humans—she terrorized them. Kyros turned back to reread one paragraph again; the horror of it was hard to fathom.

  “When Aella tired of tormenting humans from afar, she rose from the depths to walk among them. She chose the Mycenaens as the first humans to visit. After she’d smiled and greeted them, she opened her mouth and unleashed a song filled with violence and warfare. Fathers killed sons, husband slaughtered wives, and mothers murdered their children. Every last man, woman, and child along the southern coast of Greece lay dead in her wake. Her laughter pealed across the mountains when she looked over what she’d done.”

  Kyros couldn’t fathom such evil. This was brutal, heartless treatment—even for vile humans. Aella was ultimately punished for her actions. Her father, Triton, banished her. She would live alone, forever without the company of her sisters and brothers—a hard punishment for a Mer.

  This story, though it sickened him, did not surprise Kyros. He’d heard tales similar to this one. Aella was not the only Mer to wreak terror. The Mer had tormented Dagonians in much the same way as Aella did the humans. When Poseidon ordered the Dagonians to destroy the Mer, the Dagonians were understandably eager to carry out his command.

  Kyros read on. He was surprised to discover each Mer had a unique gift and personality. There were no two alike. And although some were brutal and cruel, others were caring and compassionate. He considered the possibility Sara might not be as bad as he’d thought. He also wondered if she had a gift, and if she did, what it might be.

  He continued to read on, filing away little facts in his brain. Triton fathered a total of seventy-two children. At the time of their destruction, he’d also had over a hundred grandchildren and a dozen great-grandchildren.

  “Doing a little light reading?”

  Kyros looked up. The human was
smirking at him. He looked down at the book and tried to ignore her. Gretchen sauntered over and leaned against the desk—too close to ignore.

  “Where’s Sara?” Kyros shifted in his chair.

  “Oh, she’s talking to Xanthus. He called just a minute ago.”

  She furrowed her brows and narrowed her eyes. “What language is that?”

  “Greek.”

  “No, it’s not. I know Greek, and that’s not Greek.”

  “It’s ancient Greek.”

  She looked startled and leaned in for a better look. Kyros responded by closing the book and placing it in a drawer.

  She sat back and eyed him curiously. “What’s a guy like you doing reading ancient Greek?”

  “A guy like me?”

  “Tall, dark, with an attitude that says, piss me off and die.’”

  Kyros almost smiled at that one. This human was not far off. She shrugged away from the desk and stepped toward him, each step deliberate, seductive. He could feel the warmth of her body radiating from her. The attraction he felt toward her hit him—immediate and powerful. He wanted nothing more than to drag her against him and take a taste of those full lips. The harsh reality of his desire for a human was a slap in the face.

  He stood up, pushed her back, and snarled, “Keep your distance.”

  Gretchen stumbled back, nearly falling—catching herself against the doorframe.

  He’d definitely caught her off guard. Her expression was a strange mixture of surprise, hurt, and anger. The surprise and hurt melted away, leaving the anger.

  “Listen, jerk, I don’t know what planet you come from, but you can’t just push people when they get too close for comfort. I could have you arrested for assault.”

  Kyros continued to glare at her.

  “But since you’re Xanthus’s best friend, I won’t. Just don’t ever touch me again, or I’ll have you on the floor, screaming for mercy before you have time to pee your pants.”

  Hades, she was beautiful and had a sharp tongue. He cursed himself for noticing.

  He stepped toward her, towering above her, and hissed, “Try it.”

  She slapped her hands against his chest, attempting to push him back. Her effort was pathetic. She had no strength to back up her threat. He might have been impressed with her courage if he wasn’t so busy being ticked off at her.

  “Kyros!” The sharpness of Sara’s voice cut through the charged energy in the room. “Xanthus wants to talk to you.”

  He turned toward the mermaid. She thrust her cell phone at him. Oh yeah, here was another ticked-off female. She had nothing on him right now. Neither of them could possibly be as angry as he was.

  He stepped out the door, putting the phone to his ear. “I sure hope you’re on your way back home.”

  Xanthus chuckled. “Having a little problem on the island? Are the locals giving you trouble?”

  “The newest local human is.”

  “Yeah, Sara said Gretchen showed up.”

  Kyros grunted.

  “What do you think of her?”

  “What do you think?” Kyros snapped.

  “Hey, I was just asking.”

  “I think she’s as appealing as a harpoon in my backside.”

  “Really…?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. Hades, you’re touchy.”

  Kyros didn’t say anything. He was tired of being baited.

  “Listen,” Xanthus said, “I invited Gretchen to stay a while.”

  “Wonderful,” Kyros growled, glowering.

  “I’m glad you think so. I want you to keep a close eye on her.”

  “On the human? Why under Olympus would this human need to be watched?”

  “I have my reasons.”

  “You’re getting dangerously close to overextending your favor. You only saved my life.”

  Xanthus chuckled. “Watching a human is worse than dying?”

  “I said close.”

  The wind whipped through Gretchen’s hair as she pushed Sara in her wheelchair along the brightly colored shops in Hamilton. Gretchen smiled, thinking about her friend. She sure was funny about shopping. Sara now had enough money to buy anything and everything she wanted, but she still gravitated toward the sales and bargains. Even then, it was nearly impossible to convince her to actually buy anything. Once a cheapskate, always…

  A sigh from behind interrupted her personal musing. Kyros obviously wasn’t enjoying his shopping trip with two women. Well, he didn’t need to come at all. Gretchen had no idea why he insisted. Every time she smiled, laughed, or made a joke, she could feel him glowering at her from behind her back, spoiling her good mood. If she could have just two minutes, she’d tell him exactly what she thought of him.

  “Whoa, do you smell that?” Sara asked.

  A tempting aroma wafted from a quaint restaurant with small, outdoor tables.

  “Please tell me they have fresh sushi,” Kyros said.

  Gretchen turned, surprised. Kyros spoke a coherent sentence? This entire trip the closest he’d gotten to speaking to them were his grunts, frowns, and low mumblings.

  “I don’t think so,” Sara answered. “Let’s look for a sushi house.”

  Gretchen frowned. She had no idea why Sara catered to the ornery gorilla. As if she could read her thoughts, Sara whispered to her, “Kyros has a sensitive stomach. Sushi seems to be the only thing he can keep down.”

  Gretchen looked back at him. He did seem a bit pale. Maybe even green. She caught herself before she asked him if he felt sick. The way he scowled at her, he wouldn’t appreciate her concern. She didn’t know why she was worried about him anyway. He obviously didn’t care about her.

  They made their way onto Front Street and found a sushi restaurant. The sophisticated elegance of the place screamed expensive. But Sara must have figured it was worth spending the money to feed Kyros. His rumbling stomach was beginning to drown out his sighs.

  They stepped up to the door, and a man in a crisp suit greeted them. “Welcome to Orchid. Do you have a reservation?”

  “No, we don’t,” Gretchen said.

  “I’m sorry; we can’t seat you without one.”

  Kyros stepped forward and looked around. “There seems to be a lot of tables available.”

  “Yes sir, but it’s our policy. We only serve those with reservations.”

  Kyros narrowed his eyes. “What’s a reservation?”

  “What? You don’t know…”

  Sara whispered to him. “It’s when you call ahead and reserve a table.”

  “Couldn’t I just make a reservation now?” he asked the host.

  The host cleared his throat. “Now?”

  “Yes, I would like to make it now, for now.”

  “You want a reservation for now?”

  “I am speaking English. Do you not understand?”

  “I understand. How many in your party?”

  Kyros looked back to Gretchen and Sara. “Obviously, there are three of us.”

  “Three it is. And what name should I list this under?”

  “Dionysius.”

  “Okay, I have a reservation for Dionysius party of three at...” he glanced at his watch, “four fifty-five pm.”

  “Would you like to be seated now?”

  “What an amazing idea,” Kyros said dryly.

  Gretchen bit back a laugh.

  They were seated and served a few minutes later.

  Gretchen didn’t even touch her food for a full fifteen minutes after it was set in front of her. She just couldn’t take her eyes off Kyros. He had the strangest eating habits. He asked for only raw fish—dismissing the suggestion he might like his sushi with rice and seaweed. He demanded and got thick slices of assorted, raw fish fillets, which he practically inhaled. Where the heck did he put twenty pounds of fish?

  “What ever happened with Hal?” Sara asked.

  Gretchen sighed. “He turned out to be no different than any other man I’ve dated
.”

  “Really? I thought he was different. You know… sensitive, caring, a good listener.”

  “Yeah, well, apparently I wasn’t the only one he was sensitive and caring toward.”

  “How did you find out?”

  “I came home early from work.”

  “And they were…” Sara let that statement fall away. “In your apartment?”

  “Oh yeah, in my bed.”

  Gretchen could feel Kyros’s eyes on her. She shifted in her seat.

  “I’m so sorry,” Sara said.

  “Yeah, well. I’m just glad I found out what kind of man he was before I made any commitments to him.” Gretchen pushed herself away from the table. “I don’t know about you, but I’m stuffed.”

  “Me too,” Sara said.

  Kyros didn’t say anything, but he had to be full. Didn’t he?

  The breeze blew through Gretchen’s hair as they left the restaurant, and it had a chill that cut through her—raising goose bumps on her skin. She moved several feet behind Kyros, letting his bulk block the wind. Perhaps he was useful for something on the shopping trip.

  The sun hung low in the sky, and the orange and purple clouds dripped color over the waves. The scent of the sea filled her nose. It was interesting how the salty ocean breeze could smell different, unique from the Hawaiian scent she was used to. Yet the familiarity of it tugged at her consciousness and twisted her insides. She narrowed her eyes and peered out to the harbor. Boats nestled among the waves, preparing to rest for the night. Everything seemed calm.

  Sara stretched her arms, as if working out stiffness from too much exercise.

  “Are your arms sore?” Gretchen asked.

  “Oh, um yeah. I haven’t wheeled around so much in a long time.”

  “Do you—?” Sara’s gasp interrupted her. Her friend bolted out of her wheelchair and raced toward Gretchen. Sara slammed into her, sending her flying back. Gretchen wasn’t sure what surprised her most, seeing her best friend running on legs, or Sara pushing her hard into a wall. A loud crack pierced Gretchen’s ear as her head hit the wooden slats. Gretchen staggered away from the wall. Pain pounded against her skull as the image of the restaurant and sidewalk swam in her vision. When everything finally settled into place, she honed in on Sara’s face—a mixture of shock and pain darkened her blue eyes. Crimson red bloomed like a flower under her right breast, soaking Sara’s white blouse. Then her legs—the legs Gretchen had never seen before—collapsed under her. Kyros caught Sara before she hit the pavement.