by S. M. Welles
Amphitrite stepped ashore and crossed to Jacobi. Even though he was a mountain of bronzed muscle, he looked like a bulky child next to her. Ed and Ted shied away as Jacobi bravely held his ground. She said, “Your decision to bring this one is questionable.”
Dyne said, “He insisted on coming. I wasn’t gonna argue. Besides, you like the feisty type.” He grunted again and doubled over as the goddess’s frown deepened.
“Captain!” Ed and Ted exclaimed, then clamped their hands over their mouths. They went wide-eyed and backed away as they gave the goddess pleading looks.
She only smiled at them, but frowned when she faced Jacobi again. “You have a lot of gall showing up here, Jacobi Momoa. I will give you a chance to redeem yourself later.” She headed to the table with sensual grace and stopped behind the largest chair, facing them.
Dyne slowly straightened up, taking a few deep, rejuvenating breaths, then turned around. “Jacobi, what the hell did you do to piss her off?” Jacobi shrugged. The captain gave him a hard look, conveying that he didn’t believe him, then waved for all of them to follow. He marched across the water without hesitation, the water holding him up as if it was solid. When he realized no one was following, he turned back around. “You’re not gonna sink. Now hurry up.”
Jessie and the others approached the shore, she with a death grip on Mido’s hand. They tentatively touched the water with their toes. It felt like a stone floor, yet the water rippled as if a raindrop had touched its surface. The six of them headed for the table, slowly at first, then built up to a normal walk as confidence in the terrain grew. Jessie’s fears eased until she noticed the sea creatures teeming below them.
There had to be hundreds circling the depths like a school of sharks. They swam like lizards and frogs, and many rose close to the surface to investigate her. She clung to Mido’s arm, wanting to jump onto his back so her feet wouldn’t be touching the water. “Go away,” she whispered. The ones nearest her left, only to be replaced by a dozen more. “You, too.” The second wave left, only to be replaced by even more. Her eyes stung with tears.
“Don’t fear them, child,” Amphitrite said in a soothing voice. “They’re harmless.”
Jessie waited for the goddess to add “for now” but the words never came. She didn’t like this one bit. She could clearly commune with them but her powers felt useless in the face of so many monsters. If their hostess decided to lift whatever spell making it possible to walk on water, they were all dead. The table was in the middle of the infested pool.
Dyne reached the chair on Amphitrite’s right, took off his coat, and draped it over the chair back. He waved Jessie over and pulled out the chair on the goddess’s left.
Jessie regarded the monsters with one more fearful gaze, then did her best to ignore them as she sat in her chair and let Dyne help her scoot closer to the table, which felt like glass. Her feet couldn’t quite touch the faux ground but her chair held her up at just the right height for eating. Dyne seated Mido beside Jessie, and then Jacobi. He seated Ed and Ted on the other side, then helped Amphitrite into her chair without any apparent difficulty, even though the chair was taller than him. He awaited further instruction by his own, looking at her with a mix of humiliation and rage. Clutching his chair, he doubled over with a grunt.
“You will look upon me with more respect,” Amphitrite said with a serious gaze, then her features softened and the captain regained his composure. “Now bring us wine and food. We are famished. And serve the wine with a flourish.”
Jessie caught a glimpse of a pleading gaze before Dyne bowed his head.
“Yes, madam.”
Several monsters behind Amphitrite broke the surface, bearing trays of wine, glasses, and bowls that looked like they were made out of seaweed. Using his powers, Dyne used ropes of water to set a glass in front of each of them. The deft control impressed Jessie. She had a passing thought about how it must be fun to be able to do that all the time, but the peril of their situation, along with the captain’s humiliation, cut the enjoyment short. She kept covertly glancing at their swimming company just a few feet below, and going on for dozens of feet until the water grew too dark see into.
Dyne took the jug of wine from a creature that looked like a hybrid of crocodile and frog, then he cradled the jug in one arm and sent its contents into the air over the table. He molded the fluctuating golden fluid into an octopus, stretched its arms into their glasses and filled them halfway, then redirected the extra wine back into the jug and set it on the table. He accepted a golden tray with eight golden plates and served everyone their steaming meal. He avoided eye contact with all of them as he set their plates on the chest-high table.
“Now you may join us, Dyne Lavere,” Amphitrite said.
Dyne handed over the tray to two monsters and took his seat, his gaze downcast.
Amphitrite helped herself to some wine and the rest of them began pecking at their food. They had some sort of seafood soup with hearty clam chunks, and some diced vegetables Jessie couldn’t identify. Normally she couldn’t stand just the thought of eating seafood, since she could commune with everything that swam, but she and the rest of the crew mopped their bowls with a soft brown bread with flaky crust. Soon Dyne had to fill their glasses again. He sent golden dolphins leaping out of the jug and into their glasses, one at a time.
“You’re very creative,” Amphitrite said with open admiration. “You could almost say I’ve given you a gift, instead of a curse.”
Dyne pointedly stared at his plate, his flaring nostrils betraying his neutral gaze.
The goddess sat there and lapped up his misery. “You’ve worked so hard to tap into your powers as little as possible, even though we both know they give you a certain thrill. Even the power of the ketos.”
Dyne clenched his jaws and strangled his spoon in a fist, then shoved his food in his mouth.
“Such a pity,” she said, still smiling, then faced Jessie. “My sweet avatar, you’ve been through quite a bit, yet you’ve grown stronger than your tribulations. I’d expect nothing less from any of my avatars.”
“Yes, ma’am,” she said in a small voice.
“Fear me not, child,” she said, caressing Jessie’s cheek with a slender hand bigger than her head. Jessie tensed but remained still. “I cherish you like one of my children. You’re precious to me.”
She bowed her head. “Thank you.” What else could she say? She didn’t know whether or not to believe her. Amphitrite most certainly cared about what happened to her, but Jessie didn’t feel one drop of daughterly love towards her. Mido slipped a hand in hers under the table. He gave her a reassuring squeeze. However, his eyes were glazed over with a dreamy look that didn’t feel intended for her.
“Those who wronged you so now rest in eternal sleep at the bottom of my sea and in the bellies of my creatures. They have reaped the rewards for their actions.”
Jessie nodded, intimidated by the satisfaction in the goddess’s voice. As glad as she was to know Tethys and the others would never rape another woman, so much death overwhelmed her. It wasn’t how she would’ve gone about resolving things.
“This news doesn’t please you?”
“It does and it doesn’t.” Jessie met Amphitrite’s searching gaze. She felt like a child in the goddess’s eyes, and inferior to her beauty. “I’m really thankful they can’t harm anyone else. It’s just… the…”
“The means to the ends, my child? The price is always high for testing my wrath. But the reward for respecting me is just as great.” She turned to Mido. “You, Mido Robustelli,” Amphitrite said in a sensual voice, “he who loves my avatar. Rise for me.”
Mido’s hold on Jessie’s hand went slack. He slid off his chair and approached Amphitrite’s outstretched hand. She flashed him a winsome smile that worried Jessie. Dyne had mentioned that crew members had been seduced by the goddess before. Distant cackling drifted up from the water.
“You are pleasing in more ways than one.”
&nb
sp; Mido kissed her hand, then respectfully stepped back.
“You have loved and protected my avatar unconditionally. I thank you for your chivalry.” She tilted her head, making her waist-length hair frame her voluptuous breasts. Mido’s blue eyes were fixated on them. Jessie almost hopped off her chair to smack him, but decided against it. “You’re quite pleasing to the eye.” The goddess cast a sidelong glance at Jessie. “And the body.” She leaned closer to Mido and delicately held his face in both perfect hands, examining him. He just stood there, transfixed. “How I would enjoy experiencing you for myself.”
Jessie’s jaw dropped as she watched Amphitrite put a finger under Mido’s chin. She rose from her chair and lifted his chin. His body swelled and expanded, clothes and all, until he stood taller than Amphitrite. She let go and he ran a hand through her curly hair. His arms were huge, thicker than Jessie’s body, and his chest was too broad to fit in a normal doorway. He looked upon the goddess as he always had with Jessie.
Amphitrite pressed her body to his and traced his physique with a finger, gradually working her way along his arms and chest. Jessie turned to Dyne for guidance but he and the others watched the seduction in abject horror. The captain gave her the slightest shake of his head, warning her to not interfere, but when Amphitrite slipped a finger under Mido’s belt— “He’s mine!” Jessie hopped off her chair and pushed at one of Mido’s legs, which were as big as her. She stood between the giants and pressed her back to Mido. She’d rather die fighting for him than live her whole life with the memory of having given him up so quietly.
Amphitrite backed off a little, not enough for Jessie’s liking, but at least the goddess looked at her with wide-eyed shock. For a moment Jessie wondered if she really was about to die for this, but then the goddess softened into a bemused smile. She let go of his belt. “Of course, child. I shall let it be so.”
Mido blinked a few times, looked at Amphitrite as if for the first time, then went wide-eyed when he noticed Jessie leaning against his leg. His gaze shot back to Amphitrite. “Is this reversible? I—I don’t mean to be rude but…”
Amphitrite leaned in and kissed him on the lips. He froze, and then he started shrinking back to normal as she pulled away, a satisfied smile on her face. She returned to her seat, then, once Mido was back to his normal tallness, gestured for them to do the same.
He wiped his mouth with a forearm. “That was weird,” he whispered as they climbed back into their chairs. “Kinda cool to be that tall but still weird.”
“I like you better at this height,” Jessie said. While his giant muscles had been impressive, there was no way things would work if he was over ten feet tall.
“I’ll have to find another champion another day,” Amphitrite said. Her gaze fell on Jacobi. “Or perhaps this bronzed specimen of masculine perfection could do. After an attitude adjustment.”
“Please don’t!” Dyne blurted. He gripped the edge of the table so hard his fingers were white. “Please.”
Amphitrite took a sip of wine. “Sine you asked nicely, I’ll give you a choice.” She set her glass down and held up a finger. “One: let me claim him and I’ll forgive his wrongdoings. No strings attached.” She held up a second finger. “Or two: keep him and accept his punishment for what he did to my avatar.”
Dyne rounded on Jessie. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
She cringed. “I didn’t want the crew hating each other because of me.”
Jacobi said, “I didn’t do anything to her!”
Amphitrite spoke in a deep throaty voice that filled the whole cavern. “Liar!” The vehement conviction made goose bumps form all over Jessie’s skin. The rest of the crew froze.
“Never try to lie to me again.”
Jessie glanced at the water. The croco-frog things were concentrated near Jacobi’s end of the table and so close to the surface that their swimming created v’s in the surface. She gasped. “Please don’t hurt him! He never touched me. Besides, I already got even with him.”
“You have, child. But I haven’t.” She put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on interlaced fingers.
Dyne said, “Jessie, what did he do to you?”
“I never touched her!” Jacobi yelled.
“Words cut deeper than swords,” Amphitrite said.
All the men looked at Jessie expectantly. Mido, Dyne, and Jacobi were angry. The other two were confused. She heaved a resigned sigh. “He threatened to rape me if I didn’t leave Mido and the Pertinacious.” A pregnant silence followed.
“You fool,” Dyne said.
Mido tensed, his muscles taut with fury and glare fixed on Jacobi. “You…” he muttered under his breath. Jessie put a hand on his arm. Now would be a horrible time to start fighting among each other. Mido ignored her touch.
“Choose wisely,” Amphitrite said. “I recommend letting me take him. You never ever treat a lady so poorly, avatar or not, especially after learning that others have done worse than threats. He is fully deserving of my scorn.”
Jacobi looked at the goddess. “I don’t wanna be her pet.”
“I think we have reached a decision,” Dyne said unhappily.
“So be it.” Amphitrite waved a hand and the chair Jacobi sat on turned to water. He fell and, instead of hitting a solid surface, splashed into the pool. The aquatic monsters swarmed him.
Dyne jumped out of his chair, ran to Jacobi, and pulled him out before the monsters could drag him under. Dyne used his command over water to slap and bat them away. Arms and webbed hands retreated back under the surface and Dyne dragged Jacobi back onto solid water. Amphitrite watched, her face a flat glare.
“We’re here to discuss lifting my curse,” Dyne said. “Punish him on your own time.”
Her eyes narrowed to feral slits. “You grow too bold, Dyne Lavere.”
Dyne let go and dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach and groaning. Ed, Ted, and Mido jumped off their chairs and rushed to him. The techies wrapped him in a group hug and urged him to fight the transformation. Mido put a hand on the captain’s back.
Jessie glanced at the goddess, then slid off her chair and ran to Dyne. “Please don’t do this!” she said to Amphitrite, who looked down at her with a glare full of pity.
The water monsters swam like piranhas in a feeding frenzy. They began chanting the word “demon.” Jessie kneeled before Dyne, at a loss for what to do.
Amphitrite stood and waved a hand. The chairs, table, and everything on it seeped back into the pool like a sinking ship. She crossed the water to them and ran a finger along the line of Dyne’s jaw. Her features softened, until she let go and straightened up. “Over two hundred years later you haven’t changed one bit.”
Dyne raised his head with an air of defiance. “Neither have you.”
“Because I’m still waiting for you.”
“Waiting for what? For me to lift my curse? I don’t—”
“No. That’s not it at all.”
“Then enlighten me.”
“You really can’t tell?”
“If I could, I wouldn’t be cursed anymore.”
Amphitrite closed her eyes and let out an anger-releasing sigh. Her eyes were full of hurt but her frown was full of anger. “The food I serve you doesn’t give you any clue?”
“Not when you make me serve it like that every time.”
“My attire gives you no clues?”
Dyne’s glare lowered to Amphitrite’s breasts. “Love the view and nothing else.”
She took a step forward, outrage sharpening her features. “And all the wonderful times in bed we’ve had together? Did they bring you no joy?”
“They weren’t voluntary. You know that. My romp with your daughter, however… now that was the best I’ve ever had.”
A murderous look flashed across the goddess’s face before regaining composure. “I never had to save your life that day, but I did. I wanted to, needed to. The sea captures many hearts but sometimes mortal souls capture mine back.
I love you, Dyne Lavere. I’ve been in love with you all this time.”
Jessie could and couldn’t believe her ears. It all made sense, the jealousy and everything. She just hadn’t expected to be right.
Dyne gave her a look of horrified disbelief. “You’ve toyed with me, humiliated me, and have been the indirect reason I’ve suffered through the loss of so many people I’ve cared about. You think I’d fall in love with you after putting me through all that?”
“The divine are not infallible. However, I saved your life long ago. I gave you the opportunity to enjoy many more years at sea. My sea. Instead, you taunted me, insulted me, and spat my act of kindness that night in my face.” She took a step closer. “Yet you look upon the sea with love, awe, and admiration every day. How can you say you don’t love me?”
Jessie whispered to Dyne, “What if you gave her a chance?” He gave her a look of abject horror. “She’s a beautiful goddess we mere mortal women can’t compare to.”
He shook his head. “It’s a personality clash from hell.”
Amphitrite said, “There are many sides to me, as there are you, Dyne Lavere. I’ve tried to show that through my avatars.”
“I wanted to strangle the first one.”
“This one before you I thought had the greatest potential thus far, yet she captured the heart of another soul instead. It was most unexpected.”
Jessie looked at Mido, who returned her gaze a moment before looking at Amphitrite and swallowing.
“Fear not, sweet children. We cannot control who we fall in love with.” She looked upon Dyne with longing. “Maybe another avatar will capture your heart as you have mine.”
“Never. I hate you.”
Jessie’s stomach dropped to her feet. “Dyne, you idiot. Why did you say that?”
“She has no intention of ever lifting my curse. Why should I sacrifice my happiness for hers? She’s a selfish bitch.”
Amphitrite said in a dangerously calm voice. “I pity you, Dyne Lavere. A goddess offers her heart to you, yet you make every attempt to break it.” She narrowed her eyes and Dyne doubled over once again. The water rippled away from them. “You will know my pain.”
