by Amy Sumida
Tell—short for Tellesorchenitian-el—is an asrai. Asrai are a type of water fey who can transform into water. This ability allows them to sense things happening within the same body of water they inhabit, even at great distances away, and also to cross those distances rapidly since they basically disperse themselves into the water then reform. It only took a minute for Tell to appear after I called him.
Tell's delicate face formed before me, lips stretching into a welcoming smile as the rest of his sleek physique took shape. His long, pistachio hair was braided back as usual and adorned with Sgàthan shells and his deep green eyes glinted with pleasure. I immediately knew I was welcome, at least by him, and smiled back in relief.
Welcome back to the Sgàthan, Queen of Song, Tell projected his thoughts into my mind.
Thank you, I was hoping I wouldn't be met with spears, I altered to speaking telepathically; directing my thoughts at Tell alone.
On my first visit to the Coral Court, I'd learned that projecting my voice into the water carried it to practically every water faerie there. To have a private conversation with one fairy alone, you had to focus your thought to them and then, in between transmissions, you had to think inwardly—as opposed to projecting your thoughts outward—to keep your other thoughts private.
The Water Fey know that you struggled against yourself, Queen Elaria, Tell said gently. When you triumphed, we were both heartened and relieved. His expression went serious. And you've come to call upon us again, I see.
Yes, a god of Earth has possessed my great-grandfather and is threatening the Beneath, I started to explain, but I must not have gotten my inward thinking down yet because Tell heard it all before I could say it.
I see the danger in your mind, Song Queen, Tell interrupted. I will take you to the Coral Court so you may speak to the Sea Fey.
Thank you, Tell.
A few minutes later, a trumpeting sound echoed through the water and a swirl of color appeared in the hazy distance. I smiled, knowing exactly what was coming and looking forward to Darc's reaction. Within seconds, the swirl became the fluttering of silky, multicolored fins; flying out like ribbons around five creatures the size of horses. Similar to hippocampi but sleeker, these creatures had swirling tails and a pair of webbed forepaws. Elegant necks supported elongated heads, more dragon than horse but not so savage. They twirled playfully around each other before coming to a graceful stop.
Darc grinned at the seadragons—beasts of the sea, not shapeshifters—and showed no surprise. Of course not; he and I had created these creatures long ago. I didn't have all of my memories from our time as Gods, but he did. He was probably, even now, recounting their design and birth.
Tell waved toward our mounts. Darc and I each climbed onto the back of a seadragon, grasping their fins as reins and hooking our legs around their bellies. As soon as we were settled, Tell shot forward—turning semi-transparent as he did—and the seadragons followed him. I pressed my face against my dragon's neck and closed my eyes against the rush of water, but Darc grinned wider and lifted his face to eagerly peer ahead. Not only did we go forward, but we also dove downward; heading toward the center and bottom of the sea.
The water darkened to nearly black, sunlight incapable of penetrating so far, but soon enough, a soft glow lightened the murk. It brightened further until the light became more radiant than the sunshine on the surface. The palace of the Water Fey came into view, illuminated by thousands of floating, fairy orbs.
Spiraling, glassy spikes of crimson and coal-black coral wove together to form the walls of the palace. The basket-weave design also confined the glowing orbs, transforming the entire palace into an undersea chandelier. Tips of living coral spiked above the palace like a crown. Beneath that crown were gates, doors, and windows, bordered by frames of polished gold. Several of them were flung open to allow schools of fish to swim through. Sgàthan shells—alien things of curving intricacy and radiance—were tucked into the coral walls, shimmering within the light of the fey orbs.
Glass bulged from the windows in bowls, echoing the shape of giant pearls that were set around the base of the palace. Gardens of dancing seaweed grew from orderly beds before those pearls, each section outlined by a golden fence. Among the seaweed, sea berries clustered in sprays, resembling rosebuds and giving the collection the appearance of flower beds. A path led up the center of the garden, through those undulating ocean blooms and straight to the main entrance of the Coral Palace.
The fey of the undersea court had all heard my call to Tell and were gathered before the main doors, waiting for us. Selkies in their seal form swam behind the backs of sturdy Kelpies in woven loincloths. Merfolk tread water beside the Linnatra whose tentacled lower bodies stretched and curled beneath them languidly. Above and around the crowd were Fintria—water fey with diaphanous fins attached at ankles, wrists, and shoulder blades. The fins on their backs had the look of wings to them. I like to think of the Fintria as Sea Angels.
Before this exotic congregation floated two fairies I knew well; Janae and Danyon. Janae is the mermaid who had gave me the shell that brought my Aunt Alexandra back from the dead and changed her into an asrai. Danyon is one of the undersea leaders, the first to welcome me to the Coral Court and the fairy who had taken me into their vault, where my imprisoned magic had been kept. I cringed to think that his trust had been misplaced.
Our mounts came to a stop before the gathering, and we slid off to float down to the sand. The seadragons swam away as I went forward with my husband.
Queen Elaria and King Darcraxis, Danyon bowed to us. Despite his status as one of the oldest fairies in the sea, he looked to be no more than twenty-six, with a solid set of abs sliding down into his indigo tail. His scales shimmered green, a color that matched his hair. Danyon's dark stare settled on me warmly. Welcome.
It's good to see you both, I said to Danyon and Janae. I hope you've been well.
We have, Janae assured me, her frilled tail swishing below her, flashing amethyst and emerald. And we're honored to have our creators visit us.
All of the Sea Fey bowed deeply.
“We are not your gods anymore,” I projected my voice so all of them could hear me. “In fact, we've taken great measures to not be. There's no need for such obeisance. It's enough that you've received us kindly.”
Your Majesties, whether you have cast aside your divinity or not changes nothing. You are the beings who formed our planet; who gave us a home and life itself. For that, you have our eternal gratitude and respect.
Darc must have said something divine because Danyon bowed to him again.
“Since we are speaking of creation, there is one thing that I want all of you to know,” I announced.
The Water Fey went still, every eye focusing on me.
“When I was Faenestra, I experienced several of her memories, and I remembered how I felt about all of you.”
The crowd moved slightly; tensing.
“The Shining Ones gave you the title of Lesser Fey, not us.” I took Darc's hand as I went on, and he nodded encouragingly at me, “Although you were created second, you were never second in our eyes. You were formed after serious consideration and created to suit the world we had made for you. In many ways, we viewed you as improvements on your Shining One cousins. We gave you gifts that we hadn't thought to give them. Gifts like telepathy which not only allow you to speak easily to each other but also to connect more deeply with each other. The Shining Ones have to resort to magic to accomplish such things. This makes you more compassionate than they are, and that pleased us greatly.”
The Sea Fey gaped at me, nictating membranes flicking over rounded eyes. I did not doubt that this was the first time anyone had told them that not only were they equal to Shining Ones, but they also were better. And not just anyone had spoken these shocking words; their goddess had. And yes, I took great pleasure in the confession.
“Now is the perfect moment for you to prove my memories true,” I went on. “Read my thought
s; I open my mind to all of you. See the war that rages on Earth and see how the Shining Ones need your help to fight it. You were created for this environment—born to water—and your help may mean the difference between victory and defeat for us. This is not your fight, but I'm asking you to stand beside me anyway. Not as your goddess but as your ally. Will you help me and prove that you are no one's lesser?”
The Sgàthan erupted with the affirming roar of the Water Fey.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Most of our people have never been out of the Sgàthan, much less out of our realm, Danyon said after the roar had died down. There are those of us who can't leave the water which means that they may not be able to make the journey at all.
Danyon blinked then focused on Darcraxis. He bowed his head with a smile.
Darc just informed him that you can bring soldiers into the sea with traveling stones, and those soldiers can transport the Water Fey directly into the Atlantic Ocean on Earth, Kyanite reported.
“We may not need all of you,” I added. “I'd like to bring your elite soldiers and keep the others in reserve. If things go badly, we can return for them.”
Lord Danyon looked around at the other undersea faeries. I waited as they discussed things. Although Danyon was one of their leaders he didn't do much ruling. The Water Fey are more democratic than the Shining Ones. Everyone gets a vote in matters that affect them as a whole.
A group of assorted sea faeries swam forward; a couple of Kelpies, some Merfolk, a Selkie, and a few Asrai.
These are our best warriors, Janae explained. Do they go with you now? Then her expression shifted into mirth. Ah, yes, of course.
Darc told her that we were hoping for a larger group, Kyanite said.
More faeries joined the first group until there were around fifty undersea warriors. A large number of them were Asrai. I lifted a brow at that, and I must have broadcasted my curiosity because Janae answered me.
The Asrai are excited by the prospect of entering another ocean. They'll be able to leave their essence there and procreate without assistance.
Of course. I nodded and glanced at Tell, who grinned at me boldly.
The Asrai procreate by separating a small piece of their essence and placing it in another body of water. Once there, their essence grows into a duplicate of themselves. Awhile back, I carried a piece of Tell to the Pacific Ocean and now there's another version of him there, looking after my aunt.
The rest of us will prepare ourselves and stand at the ready, Danyon announced.
“Thank you, but all of you have some time for that,” I said. “We are not fighting immediately. I would, however, like to take a couple of you as representatives of the Water Fey to attend a meeting on Earth. If you're fighting with us, you deserve to have a say in our battle plans. Are there any of you willing to be out of the water for several hours? You would also be underground, in a Beneather zone; a safe community for non-human races. Safe but possibly uncomfortable for you.”
The Sea Faeries looked at each other in surprise. There seemed to be some discussion going on and then a woman swam forward. She was one of the angelic-looking Fintria, with lavender fins waving delicately in the current. Her deep aubergine hair flowed around her as freely as her “wings.”
She bowed her head to me and when she lifted it, her dark stare met mine. I am Lady Marsine. It would be my honor to represent the Water Fey.
And I will join her, Lord Danyon added as he swam up beside her.
“Wonderful. Thank you. Are you ready to leave now?”
One moment, Danyon held up a hand and grinned at me. I imagine that the land-dwellers will not approve of a naked water faerie walking into their meeting.
Probably not, I agreed privately.
Marsine was already dressed in the Fey equivalent of a bikini with a flowing skirt over the top that drifted around her as freely as her hair. Her fins would be a hindrance on land though. So, while Danyon went to fetch some pants and shift his tail into legs, Marsine wrapped those delicate membranes around her calves and forearms. She bent the largest set of fins on her back and draped them down to slide beneath her arms, cross her waist, then settle over her hips with the tips just touching at her low back. The maneuver transformed her three-piece outfit into a gown.
My magic will coat my fins and protect them from drying out, Marsine said to my concerned look.
Of course, it will, I said with a grin. It's almost as if someone designed you that way.
She laughed brightly.
A few minutes after Lady Marsine's lovely costume change, Lord Danyon appeared with his legs covered in a pair of shiny, black pants. A matching tunic covered his magnificent chest. I assumed the slick material didn't absorb water, making it a good choice for going from sea to land.
Danyon waved farewell to the rest of the water fey then swam over to us and settled on the sand. I pulled my traveling stone out of my wet suit, and Darc did the same with his. He took Danyon's hand while I held Marsine's.
“Thank you again for your kind reception,” I said to the Water Fey.
You are both welcome in the Coral Court anytime, Your Majesties, Janae said with a sweet smile.
I smiled back gratefully. “We'll return in a few hours with more information.” I waved at the Sea Fey and then took Lady Marsine across the Veil with me, back to Slate's zone.
Chapter Thirty-Five
“I'm sorry about this,” I murmured to Slate.
We stood in the back of the ballroom of our crystal palace, waiting for the meeting to start. The room looked even more enormous than it was, thanks to the mirrored panels set into the rose quartz walls. The floor was quartz as well except it was clear instead of rose. Slabs of the stuff stretched from one side of the room to the other. The translucence of the crystal made it strange to walk upon; like stepping over glass or ice. I kept expecting something to swim beneath me. But the only thing that had been beneath Slate's zone was now dead.
“About what?” Slate whispered back as he stared around the room at the collection of Beneathers.
More of them had come this time. Word about Poseidon had spread. Specifically, word about the god possessing Poseidon. Every race had sent leaders and warriors to the meeting. And among them were two water faeries. I had settled Danyon and Marsine in the front row of seats with Darc beside them. Darc was also reserving some seats for Slate and me while we were held up at the door, greeting stragglers.
“This.” I waved toward the hundreds of Beneathers before us. “These strangers in our home. I know you wanted this place to be just for us.”
“For awhile.” He slid a grin my way. “But this is a palace, El. I didn't build it for us to stroll around in by ourselves. I expected to have guests someday.”
“Just not so soon,” I insisted. “Or for this reason.”
“True enough,” Slate conceded as he slid an arm around my waist. “But it's a minor irritation in light of what we're gathering to accomplish.”
I smiled and nestled closer, pressing my cheek against his chest. My gaze drifted out and was snared upon by an icy one. Verin. I nearly sighed. What was that damn dragon's problem? He said it wasn't my lifestyle but then he glared at me and my men as if it were. And if it wasn't that, then what? Maybe he was simply out of sorts because he could sense RS' manipulation. That thought sobered me. It was entirely possible that he was just as confused as I had been. I should probably let him know that it had been dealt with but that might make things worse. Best to just let it go. He should be feeling more like himself now anyway.
“I think we're all here,” Gage said as he strolled into the open space in front of the gathering. “I know you've been briefed but allow me to quickly sum up our situation. We have a true god inhabiting the body of a powerful sea deity. We have destroyed the god's original body, cutting off any means of escape for him. However, this also means that his power is now concentrated in his stolen body and is likely transforming that body into an immortal god form even as I
speak.”
Unsettled murmurs circled the room.
“Yes, that means that we need to act fast,” Gage went on. “This meeting is simply to direct our troops into position. We have a new location for the battle. The coordinates were given to you as you entered the room. This location is Gargo's palace; a fortress carved out of an undersea mountain.”
“A cave is just a grave waiting to be filled,” one of the phoenixes said grimly.
The other beneathers nodded and grinned at the phoenix.
