Brian kept two of his tentacles wrapped around the nekahi; one like a leash and the other like a muzzle on its mouth and began to lead the sea serpent in the direction of the portal. Jason and I kept petting and scratching, but we also applied pressure to get the animal moving the way we wanted it to go.
What about your trident? Jason asked.
We’ll come back for it, I sent. I want to explore the ship anyway so it will give us a good reason to keep the visit with my mom short.
Brian made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a snort, even though it’s hard to differentiate the noises a two-hundred-foot squid-like creature makes, but I agreed with him nonetheless.
Yeah, that probably won’t make a difference, but a girl can hope, I sighed and kept singing as we swam towards the portal to Theria.
Lundsail 9, 10,258
Planet Theria
Kingdom of Cetacea
Palace Communications Room
“That was the longest two-hundred miles of my life. While it would normally take me less than an hour to swim the distance, it took us a full day to get the creature back home. With all due respect, the next time you ask me to help capture an escaped nekahi I’m going to say something that will get me banished. So, I’m apologizing ahead of time,” I said to King Alister as I finished my report on how we managed to get the nekahi through the portal and back to Theria.
“Surely you must be exaggerating the difficulties,” Josef said. The large communication screen was split in two with King Alister’s image on the right and Josef’s on the left. Josef was the CEO of Rex Industries and the head of the Tionchar organization on Earth.
I narrowed my eyes at the screen and took a deep breath before I answered. Not only was Josef my boss, but he was also my friend. I had only recently joined the secret organization and I really liked being part of a group that tried to make Earth a better place. There were Tionchar operatives on each of the known planets across the dimensions. While each of the planets looked geographically similar, there were vast differences of magical, technological and scientific development between each. The High Kings and Queens of Theria created the secret organization to guide planets from behind the scenes to assist in peaceful growth.
“Imagine a fifty-foot toddler, hopped up on so much sugar it has syrup rather than blood running through its veins, then give it a mouth full of rows of knife-like teeth, and the worst case of ADHD you’ve ever seen. Are you doing that?” I asked and the two men on screen nodded. “Double that and you might be able to get an idea of what it was like.”
I sat back and sipped my tea and felt the healing elixir sooth my ravaged throat. Even with my accelerated healing as a shifter, I was still sore from having to sing so long. Every time I tried to take a break, the nekahi would start to struggle and I had to start singing again.
“The way I hear it, you cried when the nekahi was released back into the wild,” Alister teased.
“She was so cute,” I sighed.
“And some of the palace guards had to intervene when it looked like the animal was going to come back and attack the ones who had worked so hard to keep it safe,” Josef added with a grin.
“I never said Cora was perfect, I just said she was cute,” I shrugged.
“Anyway—well done. You and your team have done another amazing job. That brings the total number of Therian creatures you’ve either rehomed or destroyed to seventeen. Let’s hope Cora is the last of them. I look forward to seeing you in person next week. Sire, if you don’t need me on this call, I’ve got a few things to take care of,” Josef said to Alister.
Alister smiled, “Not at all, I’ve just a few things of a personal nature I want to cover with Cyndi. See you next week.”
Josef nodded and signed off. Before Alister could speak, his chair was pulled back and his fiancée, Aileene, sat in his lap and got comfortable.
“There’s a chair next to me you know,” Alister grinned at the feisty red-headed woman on his lap.
“I know, but I like this seat better,” Aileene said and kissed him on the cheek.
“My Queen,” I said.
“Not officially, at least not for another,” Aileene pursed her lips and looked up to the left, “thirty-six days, twenty-three hours, forty-two minutes and give or take thirty seconds—not that I’m counting or anything.”
“If you ladies will excuse me,” Alister chuckled and started to stand.
“Oh, no you don’t, mister, I’m comfortable and think it will be better if you stay right where you are,” Aileene smirked.
“Fine,” Alister huffed but since he was smiling fondly at his future wife, I knew he really didn’t mind.
I laughed, “So, how are the wedding plans coming?”
Aileene beamed while Alister grimaced and muttered, “I had no idea royal weddings were so complicated.”
Aileene kissed him lightly. “I suppose that’s one of the drawbacks of you growing up on Earth, you really didn’t have any idea what you were getting into by becoming the High King.”
“I don’t mind the High King part, it’s all the pomp and circumstance I could do without,” Alister grumped.
“C’mon, it’s not that bad,” Aileene teased.
“I really couldn’t care less about the ceremony,” Alister said as he rested his chin on Aileene’s shoulder. “As long as I get married to you that’s all I care about. The ceremony is only a day after all, our marriage will last a lifetime.”
It took me two tries to get their attention again after Aileene showed her appreciation to Alister for his romantic comment; at least they had the grace to look embarrassed as they turned their attention back to the screen.
“Enough about us,” Aileene laughed, “how are your wedding plans?”
A joyful smile animated my face as I shared our plans. I couldn’t believe Jason and I were getting married in just over three months and I was anticipating spending the rest of my life with my true mate.
“I’m looking forward to a small ceremony on the cliff overlooking the beach below my house on Earth. I’m planning on buying the other houses on either side of mine so the private beach will truly be private; that will also give the two of you your own space when you come to visit. You are still coming to officiate the ceremony, aren’t you Sire?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he smiled.
“How’s Jason adjusting to life as a merman?” Aileene asked.
“He’s doing really well. It took him a month to get used to keeping his arms at his sides and only use his tail to swim, but he’s got the hang of it now. He’s still a lot slower than I am but I don’t mind swimming at his pace. It’s a small price to pay for someone who was willing to give up being a sasquatch to be with me.”
“My dad has never regretted his decision to use his final shift to become a fire drake to be with my mom.” Alister smiled.
“I never thought I’d find someone who loved me enough to change species for me,” I said in awe.
“Jason would rather give up being a sasquatch than to live without you by his side. Besides, I bet he doesn’t think being able to transform into a merman is much of a hardship since you get to swim together,” Alister said as he waggled his eyebrows.
“Alister,” Aileene laughed as she hit his shoulder, “you’re incorrigible.”
“What?” he smirked.
“On that note, I think I’ll let you two go. I’ll see you next month at your wedding and coronation.”
“I didn’t offend you, did I?” Alister asked sincerely.
“Not at all. You should know by now I don’t embarrass easily. Besides, I’ve got to get off the call so I can get ready for an unpleasant task.”
“Do you need to check on Cora?” Aileene asked.
“No, I’ve got to get ready for dinner with my mother,” I sighed and waved goodbye to my friends.
“Thank you, Amphi,” I said to the guard as he opened the door to my mother’s private dining room. He was in his human fo
rm, but still retained scales on his arms and chest as a form of armor. The iridescent green shimmered as he moved and reflected the muted light in the hallway. The doors were intricately carved with scenes of underwater life and I always marveled at the artistry involved.
I stepped closer to the door and ran my hand down my father’s face. The artist captured his personality perfectly. How I missed his smile, the one that always implied he was up to something. I looked at the representation of my mother and smiled ruefully; I couldn’t remember the last time I saw her smile the way she was depicted in the carving.
“Where’s Tang? You usually guard this door together,” I said as I glanced to the empty spot to the right of the doorway.
Amphi’s face fell as he answered, “He was among those who gave their lives defending the palace.”
The Kingdom of Cetacea had been attacked almost a year before by rebels who were trying to kill King Alister while he was on a mission to reunite the seven kingdoms of Theria under his banner as High King. We were attacked without provocation or warning above and below the waters. While we successfully defeated the attackers, there were terrible losses to my people because some of the rebels were fitted with explosive devices and blew themselves up to cause maximum death and destruction. Nothing like that had ever occurred in Cetacea before and we were still mourning their losses.
“I’m sorry, Amphi. I was so caught up in my own thoughts, I had forgotten Tang was one of our honored fallen,” I whispered as a tear slipped down my face.
Amphi opened his arms and I stepped into his embrace. “No worries, Princess; I know this won’t be an easy dinner for you,” he smiled kindly. “I’ve been instructed to make sure you don’t leave before your mother gives her permission,” he whispered then stepped back to his post.
I laughed as he had intended and wiped my face with the sleeve of the velvet dress my mother had sent for me to wear. While I loved the way the amethyst-colored dress looked on me, I didn’t appreciate how my mother tried to control my life whenever I set foot in the palace. That’s one of the reasons I didn’t come home very often. I wiggled my toes in the mermaid pattern Chuck Taylor sneakers I had on my feet and reveled in my little rebellion. Since the dress went all the way to the floor, no one could see my shoes. I refused to wear the heels my mother had left with the dress not only because I didn’t want her to think I couldn’t take care of myself, but also because I was clumsy enough without adding the additional danger of high heels.
“How’s the family?” I asked.
“Quite well, Princess. Marlin is married and has given me the cutest grandkids.”
“Do you have any pictures?” I asked.
Amphi looked around furtively then reached beneath his tunic. He wore the green and purple livery of a palace guard. The crest of the Kingdom of Cetacea, a green mermaid on a purple background, was displayed prominently on his chest. He pulled out a small tablet and leaned his trident against the wall so he could show me pictures of his grandkids. I was oohing and aahing over the shots of the children in both their human and mere forms until we were interrupted.
“Before you ask to see pictures from his vacations for the past decade come in here, I’m tired of waiting,” Mother’s irritated voice called from within the dining room.
I shot a cheeky grin at Amphi and mouthed, ‘sorry’ before I walked inside, and he shut the door behind me. This private dining room was where we’d eaten our family meals when I was growing up at the palace. The twenty-foot wall opposite the door was made of living coral and there was a ten-foot-wide bay window in the center of the wall which looked out into the ocean beyond. I used to love sitting in this room, long after our meals ended, and watching the sea life swimming outside the walls of the palace. The rest of the room was the deep purple color of the coral and felt more homey than the formal dining room in another part of the palace.
My mother was seated at the head of the oval table with room for eight, her face rigid in displeasure that I’d kept her waiting. However, since that was the look she usually favored me with when we got together, I chose to ignore her.
“Hello, Mother,” I said and kissed her on her cheek.
She pointed to the chair on her right and as I sat, I noticed there was a place setting directly across from me.
“Is Nestor joining us?” I asked.
“Your brother is otherwise engaged,” Mother said primly.
“Then you relented, and Jason will be joining us?” I asked hopefully.
“No,” Mother shook her head. “I said we had family matters to discuss, and he would not be allowed to join us.”
“Then I admit, I’m confused,” I said and smiled my thanks at the young woman who poured my drink. She must be new to the palace staff since I didn’t recognize her.
Before my mother could answer there was a sharp knock at the door and a man walked in.
“Forgive my tardiness, Lady Zhaleh, I was finishing those arrangements you asked me to make.”
Mother beamed at the merman, offered her hand and giggled coquettishly as he kissed the back of it with a flourish. He took his place across from me and although he smiled at me, he glanced in annoyance at the kitchen servant as she stepped forward to fill his glass. When she was finished, he dismissed her with a snap of his fingers and shooed her away with a hand gesture.
“Don’t worry about it, Tetraodon, my daughter just arrived so you’re right on time,” Mother said, ignoring the byplay.
“Princess Cynthia, you are looking radiant as always,” he said in his deep voice.
“Hello T,” I said as I looked at the pain in my flukes sitting across the table from me staring at me with his piercing amber eyes. He was three inches over six feet when standing and had broad shoulders. I knew he had well-toned muscles under his loose shirt because he preferred to walk around shirtless as much as possible. His shoulder-length midnight-blue hair was gathered in a drawstring at the nape of his neck and his lips were curved in a smirk as he looked me up and down.
Tetraodon and I grew up together in the palace, his father was an advisor to mine and our mothers were friends. When we were children, our mothers would talk about how we should be married one day and had plotted our lives out for us. When I left the palace after my father had been killed in an accident, I thought my mother had given up these plans; apparently, I was wrong.
“I thought it would be a good idea for us to sit for a meal and discuss your future together,” my mother began as she signaled the wait staff to serve the first course. As my attendant served me, I mentally asked for her name. She showed surprise but quickly covered her reaction and answered me in the same way.
“Thank you, Anemone,” I said as I took the first piece of calamari from the dish she set before me. She smiled sweetly and backed away.
Rather than respond to my mother’s statement about our future together, I continued to eat quickly. Even though I knew this dinner would be ruined by the conversation we were sure to have, I hadn’t eaten a meal prepared by Chef Louis in years and didn’t want to miss out.
The next course was eel and seaweed soup seasoned with just a hint of spice and quite delicious. I remained silent as my mother and Tetraodon continued to discuss what life would look like once the two of us were married. They discussed how many children we would have over the fish course and of course Tetraodon expressed his hope the first child would be male so a son of his could take the throne once the two of us decided to abdicate. I was tempted to jump in at this point to goad him into expressing his belief in the superiority of men over women but decided I would much rather enjoy the food set before me.
I had a coughing fit during the salad course after Tetraodon suggested I allow him to rule in my stead during what he called my ‘childbearing years’ since it was a well-known fact that pregnancy affected the cognitive abilities of women and I might not be fit to rule. My mother finally took exception to this and they had a lively debate over the accuracy of his statement. When he notice
d my mother was getting irritated with his position, he quickly backed down and laughed it off as though it were a big joke. I still stayed silent.
The cheese and nut course was especially entertaining as they began to plan the wedding and Tetraodon gave his opinions on the type of dress I should wear and listed the women he had already picked for my bridal party. My mother kept looking at me to see if I would respond to his plans, but I just smiled as I enjoyed the course before dessert. If I had to put up with this insanity throughout the entire meal, there was no way I’d be leaving before dessert.
I laughed in delight when Anemone set the piece of Tiramisu before me. Chef Luis made my favorite dessert from Earth while my mother and Tetraodon were served a Cetacean specialty. Tetraodon frowned at my outburst and began a lengthy discussion about how things would be different when he ruled and dishes from Earth wouldn’t be allowed at his table. He didn’t seem to notice that my mother wasn’t engaging in the conversation any longer because he loved hearing the sound of his voice so much, he didn’t pay attention to anything else.
Once the coffee had been served, Tetraodon allowed that coffee would be an exception to his Therian-only food rule, I decided I’d had enough.
“Mother, thank you for a highly entertaining meal. I didn’t realize you had such a capacity for comedy, but you and Tetraodon have surpassed my expectations.”
“What do you mean?” Tetraodon asked with a confused look, which he presented first to Mother and then to me. I met his stare until I knew I had his full attention, then primly wiped my mouth and placed my napkin before me.
“I mean you are a joke,” I stated flatly.
“Now look here—” he began to bluster.
“Stop,” I interrupted him and narrowed my eyes at him. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you have absolutely no say over my life and what I do or don’t do.”
“But your mother—”
“Has no say over my life either,” I stated firmly. “I suggest you leave before you embarrass yourself any further, but you should know one thing before you go. I do not want to marry you, will never marry you and actually feel sorry for the poor mermaid you eventually do marry unless you change your antiquated views of women. You aren’t superior to me because you are a man, and my father certainly didn’t treat my mother as less because she was a woman. He treated her as an equal or better which is why she was given the throne after he was killed, rather than it going to a male relative.
Scales of Justice Page 2
