Ageless Sea

by M. R. Polish

  He lifted her head to meet his gaze with his hand under her chin. “I need you to look at me.” His jaw flexed as he swallowed deep. “I’ve been with women, but none like you. There’s something about you that I can’t get out of my head. I want to protect you, and that’s something I’ve never felt before either. If something happens tomorrow I want you to know that I truly love you.”

  Fresh tears warmed her cheeks. “I know you do. I love you too,” she whispered.

  He leaned in to kiss her passionately, and held her even closer. Both of them needed each other, not knowing what the future held for them and wanting to take what they could.

  A loud rumble filled the air. Both Brady and Karis bolted straight up and jumped from their bed. Brady darted to the small window and peeked outside, then dropped the curtain back down. “He’s coming.”

  Karis slipped on her sandals and pulled her hair back in a tie. She was grateful she stopped wearing dresses. The silky pants she wore would be much easier to fight in than a long skirt.

  Brady was ready with his lightweight cotton pants and sandals. He looked every bit the part of a fierce Aridam warrior with the early morning sunlight streaming down on him through the crack in the wall.

  Someone pounded on the door just as Brady went to open it. Magnus was there breathing heavily. “He’s coming. The wind has picked up in the east, over by the mountain base, and the clouds…” he trailed off as he fought to catch his breath.

  “We know, we’re on our way.” Brady grabbed his uncle by the shoulder. “You must stay here and keep the town safe. Don’t argue with me, Alexis needs you.”

  Another rumble sounded and made the ground tremble. Karis walked past Brady. “We need to go.” She darted out toward the tents.

  Brady ran after her. Everyone was up and dashing around to grab whatever weapons they could. Karis pushed through the mayhem and found Azul leading the front of the gathering. Once he saw her, Azul strode over to meet her. He took her by the forearms and looked into her eyes. “This is it.”

  She gave him a slight nod. “It is. We can do it.”

  Brady shielded his eyes from the bright sunlight that now was fully over the mountain ridge. “Looks like maybe ten more minutes, if we’re lucky.”

  Azul let go of Karis. “Yeah, that’s what I assumed also.”

  Karis felt her stomach twist, and she fought the urge to throw up. She needed to be strong for her people. She turned around and spotted a small dagger on the table beside them. She picked it up and flipped it over in her hand. It was silver with teal gems embedded in the handle and an intricate swirl engraved throughout the blade.

  “I’m taking this.” She left no room for argument, nor did she care if it was someone else’s. She would be going up against Coron, not his warriors. She slipped it in the band of her pants and began walking toward the now-forming whirlwind by the mountain base.

  She took one glance over her shoulder and saw the entire group following her. They all held their heads high. Brady was on one side of her and Azul was on the other side. This was it.

  They made it fifty feet away from the new portal when it touched down and men spilled forth from the base, running toward them. Each had a weapon of their own directed right at them.

  Anger inside Karis fueled her power. She held her hand out and sent a wall of energy, knocking them all over as they ran into her invisible barrier. She kept walking and never hesitated as more ran toward her. She continued to send out walls as she strode closer to the portal. All she could think of was killing Coron.

  Clouds overhead thickened as they filled with the power emanating out from Karis, almost like when she churned the sea in Perditus. The closer they got, the heavier the wind picked up. She could see him standing there, inside the middle of his portal. Just like a coward, she thought, to hide away while his men did the work.

  His red hair was quite the contrast against the darkening sky. Coron smiled when he saw her. She wanted to wipe the smug look right off his faced. She could see a few of her people sparring with those who had gotten back up from the initial blast. She didn’t have time to watch it all unfold, and darted her gaze back to Coron.

  He never moved. It was almost as if he taunted her, daring her to come and get him. Another group departed from the portal as they neared it. They all lashed out at Brady and Azul but left Karis alone.

  Brady swung in every direction, and Karis watched as men fell. He grabbed one around the neck and twisted. Apparently, she didn’t need to worry about him, he had it covered and could hold his own.

  She sought out Azul, needing to know he was okay. He was using his power to create force fields around certain individuals, making them immobile then using his sword on them.

  Everywhere she looked, there was a battle – everywhere but between her and Coron. She twisted back to face him, but he still stood inside the portal. She didn’t want to go inside, fearing it was a trap, but she had no choice. She needed to end this.

  She marched to the entrance of the portal and could feel its strength as it swirled wildly out of control. She looked around. Although she couldn’t see who created it, Karis knew it was Tharious. Only royals in her bloodline possessed that ability. Except, he was nowhere to be seen.

  “Sweet Princess, you should have stayed on Earth, but this is a much easier way to get to you.”

  She tipped her head slightly, not sure what his angle was.

  He moved closer to the edge of the portal and she could hear him better over the roar of the wind. “Do you know what it took to send you off to Earth? To curse an entire island so you couldn’t find him? And yet, you do anyway. You would’ve lived there forever if he hadn’t shown up and ruined everything.”

  He was behind her banishment? She searched her memories, but couldn’t see how that was possible.

  “You see, when you were born I knew that I wanted you for my own. I wanted to combine the kingdoms, but your father declined. After avoiding me, he claimed that you were bound to another man from Aridam. I refused to take no for an answer, so I made a journey to Aridam to kill him. By the time I arrived, the boy’s parents had already fled, but to where I wasn’t sure.

  “I was there when the news of the disappearance of the young man reached your father. I was certain he would accept my offer for your hand when you grew of age, but he still turned me down. I had to listen as he betrothed you to Azul for appearances, saying he would be the best suitor for you. Azul didn’t even know he was used as a ploy to keep me away.

  “I watched as you grew into a beautiful young woman and everything inside of me wanted you even more. You’re like a drug to me, calling out to me. I needed you, but with your father alive, I knew there was no way you’d ever be allowed to marry me. I didn’t know at the time that the bond you have with lover boy over there was real, nor did I know how strong it was. It wasn’t until your father was on the ground bleeding to death that I found out about what happened.” Coron grimaced and clenched his fists.

  Karis backed up slightly. Her heart beat so fast she thought it would explode.

  “He told me that when you were born, he had a charmer mix your blood. It’s something that has very rarely been done and is supposed to be irreversible. I knew I would never have you after that. Your heart would never truly love anyone else as long as your blood was mixed. I hated your father, just like I hate you for not loving me.”

  “It was you who killed my father?” Grief filled her with an extreme anger that she had a hard time controlling. She kept a cold hard stare in his direction. “All because I couldn’t love you. I have news for you. I would never love someone like you, mixed blood or not. I don’t know what you’re talking about with charms, but I know it wasn’t worth my father’s death.”

  “You tell me, Karis. Would you kill for love? Would you kill for Brady?”

  Her heart plummeted. “That’s not the same.”

  “Trust me, it’s the same. I thought maybe the charmer would break the spell and I
would have a chance if your father was dead.”

  “You’re sick,” she spat.

  “No, but I am tired of living and hoping things will change. If you’re dead then I might be able to rest.”

  Coron lunged for her, but she slipped past him and sent out a shield of energy protecting herself. He let out an evil laugh and pulled out a long-bladed sword. She knew she could only hold her force field up for so long without Brady’s energy behind her.

  Karis danced around in a small circle with Coron just like she trained all week. She chanced a quick glance at Brady. He was still engaged with three Syrenae warriors. She’d have to do this herself.

  She concentrated on Coron’s energy and pulled, needing to weaken him as much as possible. It wasn’t easy without Brady, but at least she managed to deplete some of his power before he realized it.

  “Now I will have your kingdom, and I will have your friend Corina, who turned so easily against you. It seems that I’m not the only one who hated being second best.” He wanted to bait her, to make her lose her control, and she knew it.

  “You can’t have it. Shamike will never be yours.” Karis grabbed her dagger and lunged for him.

  Faster than his eye could follow, she dashed past him—but not before the tip of her blade sliced across his upper arm.

  He took a couple steps back and grinned, continuing to walk backwards into the portal. She watched with wide eyes. She couldn’t let him get away.

  Karis darted after him. Once she was inside the portal it closed up and she felt herself being lifted. She shrieked and reached out for anything. She didn’t know where Coron was taking her. The foolishness of following him struck her right then, even though she knew she couldn’t let him leave.

  Seconds later she felt the splash of cold water, and took in a lungful of air before the portal closed and she found herself in the sea. Coron was before her, his red hair floating out around his body and his azure tail. He held out his sword, and it began to glow with a bright blue. She remembered this sword. He trained her with the same one. Maybe it only worked in Perditus, which must be where he transported her.

  She let her own tail take over the change and so she could let go of the breath she’d held in. Small air bubbles floated to the surface many feet above them. She held on to her dagger and watched as Coron gave her a slight smile.

  “Something I admire about you, you never give up.”

  She tensed up as he swam closer to her, his sword still glowing blue. “Coron, just end it here, right now.”

  “I can’t. I’ve gotten myself in too deep.”

  “What do you mean?” She almost thought he was going to concede, but instead he gripped his sword tighter and raised it slightly.

  “It doesn’t end with me. I had to ask Marin for help. Tarine was the only other one who knew of you and Brady. I needed him to be gone so I could send you to Earth and see if you could get so lonely that you’d give anything to be with me. Tarine threatened to send for Brady. I couldn’t let that happen, but I needed him, so I couldn’t kill him. Marin has a certain amount of control in Baratrum, but I essentially sold my soul to make it happen.”

  She swam in small circles with Coron, not trusting him at all. “I don’t understand. Why is Tarine so worthy of being alive, yet you’ll kill everyone else?”

  “Tarine is the charmer. He is the only one I know of who can try to reverse the blood bond.”

  Karis swore her heart stopped beating. Everything was finally making sense, but at the same time, it all became a bigger mess.

  “I will never love you.”

  “I know that now, that’s why I’m going to kill you. As for Tarine, he’ll also die soon because I won’t have a reason to keep him alive any longer. But I still have an agreement with Marin that I must live up to.”

  She kept circling him, never letting her eyes stray from him. “How is he supposed to break the bond?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve heard through legends that it has something to do with an arrow. Tarine never told me what it would entail.”

  “And what about your agreement with Marin?”

  He gave a sinister grin. “That’s something I can’t tell you.” He swam to her quicker than she could move. His hand clasping around her wrist, he pulled her along with him. She fought against his strong hold, unable to break free. She raised her dagger, but the speed threw off her aim and she sliced her arm instead of his hand. In her mind she cried out in pain. He never looked back and so she tried again, this time hitting her mark.

  Coron stopped swimming and spun around, raising his sword. A streak of blue energy shot out and hit Karis in the abdomen. A bolt of electricity shocked her body and she grunted with pain.

  He went for her again, but she was faster and swiped him with her blade across the forearm. Red blood drifted up in the water from his new wound. She raised her hand and brought a field up around her before he could grab her again, grateful her power worked underwater.

  Karis glared at him. Around them, the water began to churn and pulled them closer together. He sneered at her as he collided with her shield and she noticed his sword still emanated with a bright blue. He must’ve been the one who made the whirlpool that sucked them down.

  She focused on Coron’s sword and drew out its power. It wasn’t as easy as taking from a living being, but the more she concentrated, the dimmer it became and the water slowed. Coron looked around them, then back at her.

  He sneered at her. “What are you doing?”

  “What I should have done a long time ago.”

  The sword lost all coloring and the churning stopped. He looked down at it with wide eyes. “What have you done?” he screamed in her head. “You will pay for this, you’ll pay for everything.”

  His eyes darted past her into the open water, and then he grinned. “I believe Tharious has come through for me.”

  She spun around and watched as the water whirled into a funnel. A portal. She tucked her dagger in her shirt and swam toward it. Without Brady she’d never be able to create one and get back to him. This might be her only chance.

  Coron swam passed her and entered the portal. “I never said you would get to leave.” He leered at her as the water enveloped him.

  She pushed through the fast current, feeling herself lift with the tail end of the funnel. She hoped it would take her, and within seconds, she hit dry ground. Her tail disappeared as her legs formed with the dry air. She gasped for breath, thankful she was no longer in the water.

  “Karis!” Brady’s voice made her look up.

  She was back in Aridam. Her heart soared with that knowledge. The sand was just settling from Coron’s arrival with the portal. He stood tall and spun around at the mention of her name and then rushed toward her, furious that she made it back with him. He couldn’t win the fight with her there, and she realized then that he simply wanted to lure her away from Brady and her people so he could abandon her in the sea and claim victory for himself.

  Brady met her first and helped her up. He blocked Coron’s attempted strike and hit him in the jaw, knocking him back. “Go, Karis,” Brady said as he swung again.

  She took off, running into the closest tent and rummaged around until she found a pair of pants. She slipped them on and found a strand of leather to fashion a belt, tying it around her tightly.

  Karis felt for her dagger and pulled it out of her shirt lining. Brady needed her help. She ran outside and looked around. Most of the fighting slowed down. Those who were still alive joined in to help others close to them. From what she could see, her people fared far better than Coron’s had.

  Azul was fighting off a group of three Syrenae who all had the same red hair as Coron. She scanned the horizon and spotted Brady still battling with Coron. She headed his direction. Without his sword’s power, he wasn’t as dangerous, but Brady didn’t know she had taken it. He threw one hit after another.

  “Coron!” Karis stopped about ten feet from where they fought. “You want me,
then come fight me.”

  He looked over at her. Blood trickled down from the corner of his eyebrow. “I don’t know how you managed to enter the portal. I thought it was closed. You ruin everything! All my life’s plans are ruined because of you. And because of him.” He marched her way.

  She never felt as nervous as she did then. She shot Brady a quick look. He wasn’t happy with her plans to fight him. That much was clear in his expression. “I have an idea. As soon as I can get him to drop his sword, you grab it. I took away its power, but I can give them back. Once you have it, I’ll withdraw my hold on the energy, and you can use it against him.” She hoped he got all of that in his mind. He nodded and hope flared in her chest.

  Brady moved in closer to her and watched as she sidestepped Coron’s mad rush, pulling out her dagger as he staggered and spun around to face her. He threw himself at her, swinging his blade at the same time. She twisted and jumped back out of the way, then lunged with her own weapon. Her blade cut him right up the forearm and he dropped his sword, just as she hoped he would.

  Brady was quickly on top of it and held it firmly with both hands. Karis released the sword’s powers, and it began to glow with green instead of blue. She didn’t have time to register why the color changed.

  Coron swiped out with his good arm, knocking Karis down. He stood over her and kicked her as she rolled over, and she responded by bringing her leg up and thrusting it into his knee, bringing him down to the ground. She got up as quickly as she could and darted out of the way as Coron got to his feet too.

  Karis squatted down with one leg stretched out and spun around, knocking Coron back down. He rose up on his hands and knees, and she kicked him as hard as she could in his stomach. Coron let out a loud grunt but was able to stand up.

  Karis could see Brady in the corner of her eye, the sword held waist high and with the new chartreuse color still flowing steadily from the veins engraved in the blade. Coron charged at her again, clipping the side of her face with his elbow.

  Pain exploded in Karis’s head and she blinked rapidly to try and see past the blurred vision. There was no way to block out the excruciating throb so she tried to focus on clearing her sight. Everything became sharper and the blurriness faded just as Coron came at her again, but this time she was faster and leaned back far enough that he completely missed her. She spun around after he passed and felt her power shield build until she couldn’t hold it in any longer. With a smug smile she released her growing energy.