Hidden Depths

by L. M. Brown

  Finn nodded. “We’re here because Kyle wants to persuade his sister to come to England with us.”

  “Whatever the reason, I’m glad you came to see me. We have much to talk about. But first, I must apologize for my harsh words when we parted. I was angry with your mother, and you were caught up in that. I’m so sorry, my son.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” Finn said. “I turned a trident on you, an action punishable by death.”

  “You were angry, and you had every right to be. My behavior was inexcusable.”

  “You never struck me, though.”

  “Forget it, Finn. As you can see, I survived the sea-fire with just a small burn scar to show for it. I’ve had a lot of time to think about how I acted that day, and I’m ashamed. Please forgive me.”

  Finn sobbed in earnest as his father held him.

  “You are always welcome here,” King Nereus continued. “You and your bodyguard. I let my pride and my temper rob me of my beautiful young son. Please tell me it’s not too late to make amends?”

  Finn couldn’t even form a coherent thought. His fear at facing the king had vanished and all he wanted now was to be held and told that everything would work out for the best.

  “There’s one more thing you must know,” King Nereus said. “Even though I can hear the thoughts of everyone who has sworn allegiance to the city, I don’t use the power most of the time. I never intruded in your private thoughts, not until that last day, at least. I wouldn’t like anyone else poking into my head without permission, so I have tried not to do so since the day I was crowned.”

  “It’s okay,” Finn said as he managed to get a hold of his emotions. “You aren’t the only one with the power to read my mind these days, anyway.”

  “I’m not?”

  Finn shook his head. “Jake, one of the men I live with, can sometimes hear what I’m thinking, too. It’s strange, but I think sometimes it’s better to have things out in the open. Secrets always end up causing trouble.”

  “They do, indeed.”

  Finn eased himself out of his father’s arms and settled down on the seat reserved for the heir, at the side of the throne. He guessed it was Justin’s seat now, but he figured Justin wouldn’t mind sharing it for the moment.

  King Nereus rose and banged the bottom of his trident on the floor. A guard appeared immediately.

  “Audiences are closed for the day. Please take the names of those still waiting so they can be seen first when sessions are resumed.”

  The guard swam to do the king’s bidding.

  “Come, Finn. Let’s go talk somewhere more comfortable.”

  Finn breathed a sigh of relief that the ‘somewhere more comfortable’ apparently wasn’t going to be the dungeons. He followed his father to the other side of the palace and the royal family’s private chambers. Once there, they sat and Finn helped himself to some of the sea fruits that were always laid out for the king and his guests.

  “Hmm, I’ve missed these,” Finn said around a mouthful of food. “I love lots of the human food, but their fruits don’t taste quite as delicious as these.”

  “Well, as you know, there’s plenty here, so eat your fill.”

  Finn did as the king suggested, helping himself to another piece.

  “Does he treat you well?” King Nereus asked quietly.

  “Yes, of course he does—both of them do. Kyle and Jake are the best mates I could have ever hoped for.”

  “I’m glad to hear it, but I wasn’t talking about Kyle or Jake.”

  “You weren’t?”

  “I was asking about your real father, the human.”

  “Oh.” Finn hadn’t thought his father would want to know about his birth father. He wondered how much he should say. “He’s been great. I’ve enjoyed getting to know him.”

  “I’m glad he’s worthy of having a son like you.”

  “Mother is happy, too,” Finn said. The moment the words left his mouth, he realized he had said the wrong thing.

  “I don’t want to hear about the queen,” King Nereus snapped. “She betrayed me and lied to both of us. She’s not welcome here and I’ve forbidden anyone to mention her name in my presence.”

  Finn nodded. “I understand. I’m sorry for bringing her up.”

  The king shook off his bad temper and gave Finn a smile. “Now, tell me about this human—Jake, did you say his name was?”

  “Yes, Jake Seabrook. He’s a direct descendant of Medina, the Atlantean Goddess of Love.”

  “He is?”

  “Yes. According to Medina, she once ruled Atlantis with two other men, one human and one mer. She gifted me with two men of my own when I sought her assistance in finding love.”

  Finn chatted to his father about Jake and Kyle and the life he had built for himself in England.

  “I like it there, but I do miss the ocean sometimes. Thankfully, Medina has created a way for us to travel here without swimming all the way.”

  “She has?” King Nereus frowned. “I’m not sure I like that idea. With the immortals waking, having a back door into the city sounds dangerous.”

  “I don’t think you need to worry about our way of getting here. It involves traveling from our home in England through a portal we have to open by making an offering to Medina, and it doesn’t bring us straight here. It takes us to the Isle of the Gods first. Then we come here from there. If the immortals want to bring an army here, all they have to do is create their own temple and crystal portal, like Medina did. I have no doubt most of the gods and goddesses already have a way of getting into the city.”

  “I see why your Kyle might want to get his sister out of Atlantis.”

  Kyle wasn’t the only one who wanted the merpeople of Atlantis safe, and the immortals weren’t the only problem right now.

  “There’s more,” Finn said. “Without the sea dragons, the city is visible to all the predators in this area of the ocean.”

  “We’ve already seen an increase in shark attacks since the sea dragons left,” King Nereus admitted. “It’s only been a few days, and we’ve no doubt it’s going to get worse.”

  “There are human explorers heading this way, too,” Finn warned.

  “Humans cannot survive at this depth.”

  “Mankind has made great strides in technology during the last century. I looked it up when I saw some of the amazing inventions they have. Humans can travel right down to the bottom of the ocean in machines built to travel underwater. And they have machines with these things called cameras that can show the humans high above us what is down here, without them even needing to swim down and see it for themselves.”

  “Are you sure about this?”

  “I looked it up on this huge information bank humans call the Internet.”

  King Nereus smiled softly. “You always were thirsty for knowledge. You and that young merman Delwyn spent more time reading the stories on the palace walls than any other mer I know. I trust you to tell me the truth.”

  “What are you going to do about the humans?” Finn asked. “They can’t be allowed to discover the existence of the mer.”

  “Why not? Your biological father and Jake don’t seem to have any trouble accepting us. Perhaps it would be safe for us on land.”

  “Jake and my dad aren’t typical of humans,” Finn admitted. “Even Jake took some time to get used to the idea of what we are. He was pretty good about it when I arrived on land, but when he first saw Kyle with his tail and fins, he was really shocked.”

  “Discovering mythical creatures actually exist would give most people a bit of a fright.”

  “I know, and like I said, he’s been wonderful and accepting. But he’s not typical. Other humans, scientists and government agencies… They would take us prisoner and study us if they could.”

  King Nereus frowned with confusion. “I don’t know what a scientist is—or a government agency, for that matter—but if anyone tries to hurt you, I’ll raise an army to make sure you’re safe and sound, and yo
ur captors would regret the day they chose to hurt one of the mer. They just wouldn’t regret it for long.”

  The implied threat of impending death for anyone who dared to mess with him was not lost on Finn. He was glad the king would protect him, but he hoped it wouldn’t come to that. He didn’t want to see any of the mer in danger. Unfortunately, with humans heading this way and the threat of immortals who were not so accepting of the mer as Medina and Caspian, the sunken city of Atlantis was no longer a sanctuary of safety for their people.

  Finn wished he had any suggestions for what they could do to protect the young and vulnerable among the inhabitants. There were few true colonies of mer left in the world. Their numbers decreased every year, and the entire race was on the verge of extinction. Clans could no longer survive in the open waters.

  For so many years, Atlantis had been the one place where the mer could truly hide. Now it was visible, a target for every predator in the ocean. Nowhere was safe for the mer of the world, and the time might come when they would have to reveal their presence to the humans. Finn thought he would much rather come out from the ocean on his own terms, instead of ending up captured by those who would do them harm.

  The public would be fascinated with them, and many would be supportive. Finn wondered whether it was worth the risk.

  A few years ago, he would have said no. Atlantis had been securely hidden and there had been no reason to doubt that would change. Now it had, and they needed to look at all the options, even if some of them involved even bigger risks than staying here, waiting for the sea dragons to come back and finish the job or the human explorers to stumble upon the greatest find of their lives.

  Chapter Six

  Jake watched his two lovers enter the portal that would take them down to the sunken city. He wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that he could not go down with them. On the one hand, seeing the legendary Atlantis would be the experience of a lifetime. On the other, he still wasn’t comfortable with staying underwater for lengthy periods of time. While his brain told him he could survive because of his Atlantean heritage, there remained a tiny part of him that was determined to panic at the very thought.

  Medina hooked her arm through Jake’s and led him outside. “You should go explore the island. They could be a while down there.”

  Jake’s stomach growled. “Is there anywhere to find some food on the isle?”

  Medina held out her hand and a bowl of fruit appeared. She passed it to him with a bright smile.

  Jake wasn’t a great fan of healthy eating, but he guessed pizza delivery was out of the question around here. He took a peach instead. “Thanks.”

  “My pleasure,” Medina replied. “Now I must get on. A goddess’s work is never done.”

  Jake wondered what chores she could possibly have to do, but he didn’t like to ask. Instead, he decided to take her advice and see what was on the island.

  To the left of Medina’s home, there stood a similar building, but it seemed to be on the verge of falling down. One of the walls had crumbled away completely, leaving a gap big enough to walk through.

  Farther along stood another building, which was much better kept than the rest.

  Jake couldn’t be sure, but he thought he spotted movement nearby, so he headed in that direction, wondering who else might be on the isle.

  When he reached the building, he realized he hadn’t been mistaken.

  “What about this America place?” a male voice asked.

  “It seems quite vast,” another man replied. “Whereabouts are you thinking?”

  “Maybe we should toss a coin to decide?”

  The second man snorted contemptuously. “You can leave your fate to chance, but I intend to make an informed decision about where I spend the rest of my life.”

  Jake didn’t like to hover eavesdropping, so he coughed deliberately, drawing their attention.

  “Oh my, look what we have here,” the first of the men said with a bright smile. He had dark hair and wore old-fashioned robes, as though he had stepped out of ancient Greece or Rome. “Who says our prayers aren’t answered?”

  Jake frowned, wondering what he was talking about.

  “Down, Isander,” the second man said. “You don’t even know if he’s a lover of men.”

  “Oh, he is,” Isander replied. “I can tell. He’s a man who knows what to do with his cock.”

  Jake didn’t know quite what to say to a comment like that.

  “You’ll have to excuse Isander,” the second man said. “He’s rather sexually frustrated. I’m Dolph, former priest of Mariana, Goddess of Sea Creatures. This is Isander, also a former priest. We’re what you would call unemployed now.”

  “I’m not sure I understand.”

  “Unemployed,” Isander said. “We need to find jobs, not to mention homes and all the essentials in life.”

  Jake laughed. “I know what unemployed is. I meant why are you here, on the Isle of the Gods?”

  Isander gestured for Jake to take a seat with them. “We’re Atlanteans but were saved from being banished by our goddess, Mariana. She transformed us into sea dragons, along with the rest of her priests. When she woke from her long slumber, she freed us, but Dolph and myself chose not to fight with her. We helped to protect the mer from her and her loyal priests instead. Because of this, we’ve been saved from banishment by Cynbel, but he refuses us access to Atlantis.”

  “Which means we need to find somewhere else to live out the rest of our lives,” Dolph added. “We’re allowed to stay here for a limited time but only until we decide where to go. Once we’ve worked out the details, Caspian is going to set things up for us.”

  “I’m surprised he didn’t dump you on a beach somewhere and leave you to it,” Jake commented.

  Isander laughed. “I see you’ve met him. But no, he isn’t going do that to us, much as he might like to. It took Cari hours of arguing with him before he’d even agree to help us at all. He isn’t exactly fond of Atlanteans.”

  Jake frowned. Caspian was grumpy and bad-tempered, but he didn’t seem to have a problem with him, and according to Medina, Jake was very much Atlantean.

  Dolph sighed. “You can’t exactly blame him, all things considered. If the rumors about what happened are true, he has good reason to be angry. Besides, he has agreed to help us, once we have things decided. He’s already given us the knowledge of the modern world and languages.”

  “So, what’s your story?” Isander asked. “I don’t recognize you, so I’m guessing you aren’t Atlantean.”

  “Actually, I am,” Jake replied, “at least according to Medina. She says I’m a distant descendant of hers. I’m waiting for my partners, who are down in Atlantis. Like yourselves, Cynbel has forbidden me from going to the city.”

  “Then you’re a modern man?” Isander asked. “You can explain to us some of the things Caspian has given us knowledge of that don’t make much sense.”

  Jake shrugged. “I can try.”

  Isander shifted closer. “And we can get to know each other better, yes?”

  “Er…”

  “For the sake of the goddess, leave the poor man alone,” Dolph said. “You’re not the only one who’s been celibate for hundreds of years. Anyone would think you didn’t have use of your hand.”

  Isander smirked at his friend. “My hand is getting plenty of action, just like yours. But there’s nothing like having another man’s hands on your body to get the blood pumping.”

  “I’ll take your word for it,” Dolph replied before turning back to Jake. “As you might have guessed, Isander and I have differing tastes when it comes to carnal pleasures. I prefer women, while Isander craves men.”

  “Like you do,” Isander added to Jake. “So, how about it? Do you want to help me break out of this celibate slump?”

  Jake chuckled. “Sorry. I’m in a relationship already.”

  “He’s a lucky guy,” Isander replied. From his bright smile, he didn’t seem bothered ab
out Jake’s rejection.

  “Guys,” Jake said, determined to make good on his promise to Kyle and Finn to treat the two of them the same. “Kyle and Finn, the two mermen down in Atlantis.”

  “You called them your partners,” Isander said.

  “Yes, that’s a modern phrase that can mean a business relationship, but in my case, it is definitely pleasure.”

  “Finn, Finn, Finn.” Isander tapped his lower lip with a finger. “Not Prince Finn?”

  “That’s the one, though he doesn’t like being called a prince.”

  Isander roared with laughter. “I don’t imagine he does. From what I saw, he never did. I watched him swimming into mischief more times than any other member of the royal family, including his father, who wasn’t exactly well-behaved himself. I’m glad he found someone to love him.”

  “Me too,” Dolph said.

  “So, two men are definitely enough for you?” Isander asked. “You wouldn’t consider taking on a third?”

  Jake laughed loudly. “I think I’ll have to pass. Two mermen are more than enough to keep me satisfied.”

  “I’ll bet,” Dolph commented, “especially during the mating season. They are most energetic. I even bedded a mermaid or two myself, back in the day.”

  Jake declined to comment on Dolph’s remark. He didn’t want to admit that he did sometimes have trouble keeping up with the two mermen, not that he let it bother him. He found as much pleasure in watching his two lovers come together as he did participating himself.

  “So, I’m guessing this is the home of one of the gods?” Jake asked.

  “Yes, this is Cari’s temple. She’s the Goddess of Prophecy. She’s been kind enough to let us stay here.”

  “You’d be well advised not to enter any of the temples unless you know they belong to a friendly immortal,” Dolph warned. “Not all are welcoming of Atlanteans. Cynbel threatened to castrate us both if we dared set foot in his territory.”

  Jake and Isander simultaneously cupped their groins, the very idea sending shivers down Jake’s spine—and not in a good way.

  “So, how do I know which are the buildings I can enter?”