Ageless Sea

by M. R. Polish

  “Don’t stop,” he whispered deeply. She was grateful because she didn’t want to stop. She wanted more.

  Karis looked into his eyes. They were hazy, filled with an essence that consumed her. He ran his hand down her side then up under her gown. Nothing ever felt as heavenly as when his skin touched hers.

  Brady lifted her nightgown over her head. She stood there naked before him and let him look. There was something sensual about letting him see her nude, just like her vision in the shower.

  He grinned. “Yes, just like when you were in the shower. I agree. Very sexy.”

  She swallowed hard. Yes, she would have to be more careful around him with her thoughts, but right now, she couldn’t think hard enough, or long enough, to concentrate on anything other than him.

  “Karis,” he whispered against her cheek. “I need you.”

  She didn’t know what to expect, but she knew that she needed him too and didn’t hesitate when he lifted her into his arms and carried her to her room.

  Karis lay on her side, curled up with her head on Brady’s shoulder. Her skin tingled as she gently traced the tattoo on his arm with her fingertip. She blushed as she replayed their lovemaking in her mind. She was sore, but he was patient with her since it was her first time.

  She snuggled closer to him and his fingertips rubbed lazy circles on her bare shoulder. His touch excited her and left a trail of heat that warmed her whole body. It was hard not to notice how her body reacted to his, and she could feel her core respond to the thought of being intimate with him again.

  It amazed her that she responded to his skilled movements so easily. The way her body naturally arched to meet his, and the height of oblivion that she reached was truly nothing short of spectacular.

  “Hey, you best control those thoughts, woman. You’ll make me weak before the sun has a chance to rise.”

  She raised her head and stared into his eyes. Desire glazed his brandy-colored irises. “I doubt anything could weaken you.”

  “You did.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’m gonna go take my shower. You can join me.” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

  “No, that’s okay, I’ll get one after you.”

  She watched as he climbed out of bed. His backside caved with a slight dimple as he walked. She loved how he moved.

  “Hey, I said stop thinking about it,” he teased. “You really are a tease.”

  He climbed back on the bed and kissed her. “One more?”

  Already her body beckoned him. Would she ever have enough? She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close. “Just one?”

  “Again!” Jarion yelled from across the room.

  Karis bit her lip to keep from crying. She was on her hands and knees, unable to get back up. Not only did the day’s training hurt more than usual, but her arm burned fiercely. She didn’t tell anyone about her pain, but it certainly caused a hindrance in her routine.

  Brady ran over to Karis, touching her arm. She winced but didn’t say anything. Jarion didn’t give up or give an inch as he sent out another shock wave. Brady held his other hand up and created a force field around them both.

  She smiled up at him. “You did it.” She didn’t realize how weak she was until she spoke. Her voice came out quiet, and she wasn’t sure she could convince Brady that she was okay.

  “I’m impressed as well.” Jarion walked over to them.

  Brady clenched his jaw. “You could’ve hurt her. She was down, her guard dropped.”

  “When the Shamike soldiers break through, do you think they will stop just because she falls down?”

  Brady’s jaw clenched and his vision blurred behind streaks of red. In his mind all he could think of was how to hurt Jarion, not keeping his anger in check. In one fast motion, Brady was on his feet and did an uppercut to Jarion’s jaw. Jarion fell to the floor. Brady was on him and continued to hit him in the face.

  A soft overwhelming feeling settled over him like a blanket to his insides. Clearly, he could hear Karis’s voice in his mind. Her melodious whisper and calming words helped him get a handle on his rage, and he pulled back. He stood up and spit on Jarion. “Should I have stopped because you were down?”

  Jarion smiled as he watched Brady help Karis up. She held her arm close to her chest. “So that’s how you did it.” Jarion wiped the back of his hand across his lips, smearing the trickle of blood to his cheek.

  Brady snapped his head and glared at him. “That’s how I did what?”

  “Aridam beings are bonding-type people. The only ones that we know of in existence.”

  Karis looked at Brady then back at Jarion. “What are you talking about?” That was something she knew nothing about.

  Jarion’s brow rose, revealing a small cut by the corner of his eye. “How long has your arm burned?”

  Brady took her arm and held it carefully. He bent down to get a better look. “Holy shit.”

  She jerked her arm back, regretting the harsh movement. “I’m fine.”

  “Karis, did you see that? My freaking tattoo is on your arm, only it’s more of a burn.”

  Jarion stepped forward and took her arm to inspect it. “Like I said, a bonding people.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” Brady’s nostrils flared.

  “After you and Karis joined together, it formed a bond. When you touched her, you were able to channel into her powers and use them. You channeled her shielding power without any effort to throw me across the room. Usually it only happens when there is a deep connection; otherwise you’d be bonded with the first person you ever, uh, you get what I’m saying.”

  Karis winced, then spoke through clenched teeth, “Like what kind of connection?”

  Brady turned and placed his hand at the small of her back. “We can talk later. Let’s go get you into bed to rest for a bit.”

  She stared at him for a moment but was too tired to argue. He was hiding something, she could feel it.

  “I’m fine, I promise.” Karis tried to convince the entourage of people in her room that came to check on her. Brady was the hardest to convince. He stayed with her, only leaving to talk with Jarion once.

  Coron nodded his head at Karis with his arms folded across his bare chest. “I should have guessed you weren’t a couple when you first arrived. But, I’m glad you finally came to your senses. A man needs a good woman by his side.” He glanced away.

  Karis blushed. She wasn’t comfortable talking about her “behind closed doors” relationship with Brady with anyone, especially Coron. “Alright. I think we have established that Brady and I are together. We need to focus on what King Tharious is doing to break through the portals.”

  Brady leaned against the wall closest to the window and stared out toward the gateway. “So we’ve been training, learning defense and powers, but I haven’t asked why he hasn’t been able to get through yet. I mean it’s a portal, what do you mean he has to break through?”

  “A portal can only be used if you know the energy code. Think of it as a security system.” Coron rested his hand on the hilt of his sword.

  Karis stared off in thought. “When I was younger, when my dad was still alive, he’d take me to desolate places to train.”

  Brady cocked his head. “And you’re telling us this, why?”

  She stood up. Her dress touched the ground, flowing out from the wide belt that buckled around her tiny waist.

  “I never achieved what he pushed for. I guess I thought I’d have forever with him to learn.” She strolled over to the window next to Brady. “He wanted me to build a portal.”

  “No,” Coron gasped. “It isn’t possible. Portal shifters are extremely rare. There hasn’t been any heard of in years.”

  “Apparently they have been kept a secret in my bloodline.”

  Brady tensed up. “Isn’t the King of Shamike in your bloodline?”

  She shivered despite the warm, salty air. “He is my cousin by birth.”

  Coron briskly strode to
Karis and took her by the wrists, making her wince. “But you never accomplished such a feat?”

  She shook her head. “I came close once, but then…” She looked away. The horrible memory filled her with sadness and her eyes filled with tears that she didn’t want anyone notice.

  “He was killed,” Coron finished for her and dropped her hands.

  “Who killed him, Karis?” Brady asked, his full attention on her.

  She gazed intently into his eyes. “I believe it was Tharious.”

  Brady folded his arms and frowned. “Well that can’t be good.”

  “This news will change things.” Coron paced the room and let out a deep breath.

  “So they might show up where we don’t expect.” Brady cursed under his breath.

  “I might be able to know where.” Karis placed a hand on Brady’s arm. She hated seeing him so worked up.

  Coron stopped pacing and snapped his head in her direction. “What do you mean?”

  “When I trained with my father, he could make portals. I had an even more unusual ability where I could sense, or feel, where the portal would show up.”

  “Can you do it now?”

  She swallowed and looked outside the window. “I can try, but I’ll need to travel around Perditus, I don’t know the land well enough to understand what I feel.”

  “I’ll have Jarion ready a guard and we will leave immediately.” Coron turned and left the room.

  Brady leaned into Karis and rested his head against hers. “Everything will be okay. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “Why do you care so much? Your life has been flipped upside down, and everything that you knew is no longer the truth.”

  He pulled back. “How can you ask that? After everything we’ve been through, my life on Earth seems like a dream that I dreamt a million years ago. All the things I’ve learned here, these powers that have awakened in me, they all seem natural. It’s like this is how I’ve been since birth. These people are like family, you are like family. I’ve never backed down from a fight. I won’t start now. This war is my destiny too. I fight with you. I fight for you.”

  The entire universe disappeared at that moment for Karis. The only thing that mattered was Brady. Her heart thumped wildly inside her chest. She knew that life wouldn’t be the same anymore without him.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He took her arm and traced the intricate design on her skin. It no longer looked burned. Dark coloring was close to the surface of the skin, showing the brilliance of the bluish black that was becoming her fated tattoo.

  “I can’t believe it looks like mine.” He looked into her eyes. “I’m tough enough for this, for you. I won’t give up. We’re meant to be together; whether it’s here, Earth, or Shamike, we will be together. We’ll get through this.”

  She stared back at him. He was so sure of what he said, but she was still so uncertain about the future. “How can you be sure?”

  He held in a deep breath. “You remember that night right after we arrived? I was upset, but I came to dinner and you asked why I was so happy.”

  She nodded.

  “I told you that it was because of you. That’s not entirely true. I saw something. While I was in the shower, I saw what I now know was a vision of the future.”

  She tipped her head. “What do you mean that now you know?”

  He cleared his throat and shifted his weight. “Remember the other night when you were in the shower? I saw part of that.”

  She raised a brow. “What part?”

  “Does it seriously matter? I saw that, it happened, it must mean I can see into certain parts of the future. I think it’s one of my powers.”

  “Okay, but how does that make you certain?”

  “I’ve had a couple dreams that didn’t feel like dreams. I think they’re the same thing. If they are, then I’ve seen a few things that tell me the end of all this trouble ends in our favor.”

  “But you see nothing between now and the end?” She folded her arms across her chest and moved her weight to one leg.

  “No, just a piece of the end, but it’s enough to give me faith.”

  She licked her lips and thought for a minute. “I guess I don’t have any reason not to believe you.” Something pulled at her stomach and twisted it in a knot. He didn’t say how the end was, only that it was good—but for who? She prayed that she wouldn’t lose him in this war. She didn’t want to reign as Queen if he wasn’t there beside her.

  He touched her upper arms and kissed her forehead. “We’d better get going. Coron’s probably pacing the hall waiting.”

  They walked on the sea-stoned roads that weaved through the city of Perditus. Turquoise and burnt sienna-colored houses lined each street. Their rough clay appearance made them look fragile, and something Karis didn’t expect to find hidden under an ocean.

  Brady stopped at the edge of town where a wall of water stood without support. He looked up and down the shimmering blue and marveled in the magic of it all. He reached out and let his fingers slice through the cold water. “Amazing,” he said to himself, but Karis heard him and smiled.

  “It is.” She also pushed her hand through the wall and the coolness of the sea rushed through her fingers.

  She turned to Coron and shrugged. “I didn’t feel anything walking around, I’m sorry.”

  “Maybe not here, but what about the outlying areas? Perditus is an extremely large world. This is just the city. There are many homes and small clans out there.” He pointed into the water.

  Brady looked wide-eyed. “In there? Well, we aren’t, ah, what did that guy say?”

  “Syrenae,” Karis said quietly.

  “Yeah, that. We aren’t mermaids or mermen, whatever.” He looked back and forth between Jarion and Coron’s impassive faces. “We can’t swim in the ocean, not like that.”

  Coron raised a brow and gave a half smile. “I have the power to bestow partial Syrenae on who I declare worthy of such a gift.”

  “What?” both Brady and Karis cried out.

  “You could never be full Syrenae. You will only have so long in the water before needing to find dry land. It will be my gift to you.”

  Karis shook her head. “I don’t think I can accept such a gift.”

  “Oh come on, Karis. He’s talking about a tail, a real freaking tail.” Brady stepped forward and clasped hands with Coron. “Thank you.”

  She hesitated, but then stepped up to stand next to Brady. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this,” she whispered. She plastered a fake grin on her face for Coron and hoped he couldn’t see through it. “It will be an honor.”

  Coron gave her a knowing look. “It will not be like other Syrenae. You’ll need to call on the power to use it. So you don’t have to become like us unwillingly every time you enter the sea, and your skin won’t change. That is why you will only have so long in the water before you must leave. The salt could poison you if it soaks into your blood for too long.”

  Coron’s last words made her feel a little better. She didn’t want to be stuck with a scaly appendage in the water and was the most relieved that her skin would stay the same. Soft and supple. She let out a long breath. “Okay.”

  Coron took each of their wrists and held them in his grip. A greenish blue mist emanated from his hands then immersed into their skin. Karis watched as wisps of glittery blues and pinks intricately swirled up her arms.

  The same thing happened to Brady with blues and greens. They stood there shimmering like tribal statues, and then the designs and colors faded away. She reached up to trace her finger along one remaining swirl that never faded, but ran down Brady’s neck and onto his chest. It matched the tattoo on his arm but glistened with a hint of green. It made him look fierce yet amazingly handsome.

  He reached out and traced her marking that trailed down behind the neckline of her dress. He knew instinctively that it ran down her chest and over her breast, just like his own.

  She l
ooked down and admired her new markings. It looked a lot like his, except hers had a shimmering pink in place of the green and a more delicate swirl.

  “Beautiful,” Brady whispered to her.

  “In our world,” Coron said. “Markings are a sign of a gift or talent. Some are visible, and others are hidden, but we all have them. You now carry the mark of a Syrenae.”

  “It’s exquisite.” Karis turned to Coron. “Thank you.”

  Coron looked at her wistfully before turning to the others. “Maybe now we can visit the outlining areas as a pearl?”

  “What’s a pearl?” Karis looked intrigued.

  “A pearl is what we call a group of Syrenae with at least three or more.”

  “Makes sense, a pearl comes from the ocean.” Brady nodded in approval and pointed toward the water. “Do we just walk in?”

  Coron gave a quick nod at Jarion. Jarion and three of the guards walked through the wall of water. Brady and Karis watched as each of their legs entwined together and created one appendage with scales. Jarion’s long tail was a brilliant teal color, nearly luminescent, giving him an intimidating aura as he swished it back and forth. He took his belt and buckled it around his chest and shoulder, with his sword on his back.

  “That’s incredible.” Brady stared at Jarion and the other three in the water.

  “Well, let’s go. Don’t forget to call on the power of the Syrenae, so you don’t drown.” Coron slipped past the wall and into the water, leaving Brady and Karis alone.

  She took his hand. “I can’t believe we are doing this.”

  He tightened his grip. “It’s one adventure we’ll remember forever,” he said excitedly.

  Karis held her breath and took a step in the water. Her whole body ached at the extreme cold of the sea, and she moved her arms back and forth to keep herself moving in the water. She twirled around and watched Brady walk through the liquid wall.

  He winced as his body became submerged. She guessed it was probably the initial shock of the temperature change. Her lungs began to burn. She needed to get out of the water. Someone tapped on her shoulder and she swirled around to take in Coron in his full glory. He was magnificent with his blue tail.