Chapter 48
Forty-Eight
“Angie āyí?”
Angie looked down, dusting off building debris from her arm from sweeping the residual parts of the dock’s gangway.
Rosie ran up to her, her sneakers tap-tap-tapping on the boards. Gasping, Angie knelt and gathered her niece in her arms for a long hug. “Oh, tiān, what are you doing here? Are you alright?”
Rosie broke away, fidgeting with the friendship bracelet on her right wrist. “Māma took me to come see you because you’re leaving next week.”
Angie squeezed her niece’s shoulder. “Yeah, I have to go back to school.”
School. With the events of the last several months, it was the last thing on her mind.
Now she only had ten days to pack up her things and Lulu and get her materials ready, while consoling Mia and joining Bàba on the dock cleanup crew.
She had written to Pacific Grove asking for a deferment several days ago, and had yet to hear back.
There was also the matter of bringing the last of the captured mer back to the sea, dead or alive.
That task had started the day after their truce, with Aurora and her lifemate the first to be released by the dockworkers.
“I know. But I won’t see you as much.” Rosie dug her small foot into a gap between the wooden planks and sniffled, wiping her nose.
“Hey, sweetie. What’s wrong?” Angie put a hand on Rosie’s shoulder.
“Māma is so sad cause Papa is gone.” At the mention of Nick, Rosie burst into tears. “And I am too. I wish he was still here.”
“I know, my love. I know.” She took Rosie’s hand in hers, closing her fingers over them. “If you or your mom ever want to talk, you can call me anytime, okay? And I’ll come back and visit as much as I can.”
“Okay.” Rosie rubbed her eyes. “But um, remember that mermaid we saw like a long time ago? She wanted me to tell you something.”
“What?” Angie loosened her grip, searching her niece’s bright eyes, still wet with tears. “Adrielle?”
“Yeah, her. Adrial!” Rosie mispronounced her name, but she looked so proud of herself that Angie didn’t bother correcting her.
“Wh-when? How?”
“Well, I am an honorary mermaid.” Rosie fiddled with her bracelet.
“That you are.” Angie couldn’t help but smile.
“I couldn’t stop thinking of her, so Māma took me back to look for her. She wants you to meet her at the place from last time.”
“Where’s your mom?” Angie looked, but found no sign of her sister.
“She’s coming with Gōnggong. They stopped to talk to some people.”
“There you two are,” Bàba said, Mia beside him, her face and lips pale and undereye shadows dark as ink. “Beibei, we have to keep going. The docks aren’t going to rebuild itself.”
“Rosie, next time, wait for me, okay?” Mia said with an exasperated sigh, before turning to Angie. “But I saw she found you. So I let her be.”
“I know, I promise I will, but I have to talk to one of the mermaids. I’ll be right back.”
Bàba looked at Mia and Rosie, and then back at Angie. “Mind if I come with you? I have not seen a mermaid up close. Alive and healthy, that is.”
“Definitely.” Angie waved goodbye to Mia and Rosie.
Stefan walked by then, giving her a wave and stopped to talk to Mia and Rosie, putting a hand on Mia’s shoulder.
Angie traced her steps to where she’d met with Kaden, Adrielle, and Cyrus with Mia. A small pocket of happiness in an otherwise turbulent time.
As Rosie said, Adrielle awaited them, her long arms folded on the shoreline and rose tail breaking the surface. She brightened when their eyes met. “I’m glad you came.”
“Me too. How’s everything been? Cyrus? And Kaden? Have you done the burial ceremony for him yet?” Angie settled herself on her knees.
“Burial ceremony?” Adrielle’s features marred with confusion. “He’s not dead. He is temporarily infirm, but he will recover shortly. He wants to see you, if you would see him and asked me to fetch you.”
“I would love to.” Angie’s hands flew to her chest, heartbeat pulsing strong.
Bàba finally spoke. “May I come as well? I would like to see my wife one last time. If you can wait, I will retrieve my gear.”
“No. I can give you both breath. Come.”
“Will that be okay? It won’t make you too tired?” Angie wrinkled her brow.
“I will be more tired, yes. But just give me some extra time while we swim.” Adrielle beckoned them closer, and Angie went first, parting her lips and gently met Adrielle’s, and the mermaid exhaled deep into her. Bàba followed suit after a moment of hesitation. He winced after Adrielle pulled back.
“I feel hot.” Bàba put his hands to his face and neck. “What’s happening?”
“It’s normal,” Angie said, and together, they followed Adrielle undersea.
He didn’t appear nearly as excited as Angie was when she first dove underwater with the mer’s magic, not speaking a word while they approached the palace. Angie would pay to know what went through his mind.
Adrielle was noticeably slower, and they paused every few paddles to let her rest. When they reached the infirmary full of injured mermaids and mermen, Angie searched for Kaden.
She found him in the far corner beside his brother, who still appeared to be in a deep sleep. Adrielle swam to Cyrus’s side.
Serapha floated upright at the foot of both their beds, and after her eyes met with Bàba’s, she tensed.
“Mer-Queen,” Angie whispered. “I know you don’t want to see us.” She gestured to Bàba. “This is my father. He only wants to see my mother. His uh, lifemate. And get closure. Then we’ll leave.”
Serapha’s shoulders dropped an inch, crossed arms loosening. “Just as well, but only because you’ve shown you are on our side. And because he has agreed to peace.” She jerked her head toward Bàba.
“Appreciated, Mer-Queen,” Bàba said, tone level.
Serapha motioned with her hand. “I will take you, with one of our sentinels.”
Bàba bowed his head, and left the room. A sentinel followed, and Angie watched them leave. She had questions and hoped Serapha could spare her some minutes to ease her mind. It could be her only opportunity to get her alone.
“Mer-Queen, can I ask a question before you go?”
Serapha stopped, circling around. “Ask.”
“When we faced off. You and another sentinel were talking, and I heard the word tsunami. But you were shaking your head. You could have ended my people right then and there, turned the tide in your favor.” Angie licked her salty lips. “Why didn’t you?”
A flash appeared in Serapha’s eyes, and she folded her arms, appearing to close herself off, and Angie worried that she might have inadvertently angered her.
Serapha smoothed her long, thick braid over one shoulder.
“I did not have the strength to create one without it killing me.” She carried herself tall and unapologetic.
“I created two too close to each another, and then the maelstrom, draining too much of myself without time to replenish. I would have gladly given my life to destroy my enemies, had I somebody to rule in my place. In that instance, an offering of truce was the clearer option.”
Angie did appreciate her brutal honesty, and she bowed. “Thank you, Mer-Queen. For answering my question.”
Serapha lifted her chin, then turned and left after her sentinel and Bàba.
Angie passed Cyrus’ bed on the way to Kaden. Adrielle had her tail curled under her, seated on a flat rock, Cyrus’ hand clasped in hers.
She saw Angie and gave Cyrus a gentle tap, awakening him. His eyes fluttered open, and he gave Angie and Adrielle a faint smile before falling back into his slumber. “He will be fine, after some time.” Adrielle sighed deeply, her gills flaring, and then relaxing. “You should go see Kaden.”
“Wishing a fast recovery for him.” She didn’t understand the sudden bout of awkwardness.
Adrielle gave her an encouraging nod. “He awaits you. You were the first person he asked for when he awoke.”
Once Angie reached Kaden and touched his hand, his eyes opened and lit up. A jelly-like wrapping rested around the wound on his abdominal region. He opened his arms, and she pulled herself to him and rested in his tender embrace.
“Why were you at the surface?”
“You were still being held hostage when I left. I wanted to see you, take you away from my mother, but I was too late. Saw the gun aimed for the two of you. Better my life than yours and my mother’s. Losing her would be too much. For Cyrus, for the queendom, for me.”
She gazed into his eyes. He lived, and nothing else mattered. She knew she would never find anyone else like him.
Small creatures wiggled in her hair, coupled with tiny pecks on her scalp, and she jolted, searching for whatever bit her.
“What the Hells?” A smattering of longfin smelt the size of her hand, fled.
Next to her, Kaden’s cheeks were puffed and his lips tight, his eyes holding back laughter. “Remember how I told you to keep your hair tied back? Now, there’s fish wandering around the sea, and they will seek to make a temporary home in your long flowing hair. They think it’s seaweed.”
Angie laughed with him then, burying her face in her hands. “Alright, smartass. Tying my hair was the last thing on my mind when I heard you were alive.”
“Ah, I jest.” He grinned, and she laid back down, pressing her chest to his so she wouldn’t float.
“I thought I lost you. That I would never see you again, and that’s the way I had to see you go.
” Her voice laced thick with emotion, and he stroked his knuckles along her spine, her nerves awakening and sending warm, comforting signals to the rest of her body.
A low chuckle sent a rumble through his chest, tickling her cheek. “You think I would leave you without telling you I loved you one last time?”
She pushed herself up onto her forearms, gazing into those striking amber eyes she’d missed seeing.
“I love you. I love you so much.” She leaned in and kissed him, and he put one hand behind her head, drawing her in closer.
The tension she carried melted with the undulating, caressing deep, and she lost herself in him.
Angie pulled back, breaking their embrace. Adrielle had been watching them from the corner of her eye, but turned her attention back to Cyrus with a lowered head and a smile after her gaze connected with Angie’s.
“We will have to make up for lost time.” Kaden reached for a lock of her hair and smoothed it. “When I’m better.”
“I’d like that.” Angie wound her fingers in between his.
“You know, my mother said my love for you cost her her lifemate. Sent her oldest son into an infirm state, and she thought her remaining son was mortally wounded. She held a grudge for some days, but—”
“But because of you, my sons live to see another tidesday.”
Angie hadn’t heard Serapha approach them from behind. “Mer-Queen,” she said at the same time Kaden said “Mother.”
Serapha gave them both a head bow of acknowledgment and swam aside to reveal Bàba behind her. His eyes were swollen, his nose red, his cheeks puffed. He approached Angie to hug her, and then moved to Kaden to shake his hand.
“Kaden, I want to tell you. What happened to you that day at the shore, should not have happened,” Bàba started. “I was only looking for Angie. I did not expect to see the two of you together, and Nick fired before I could stop him.”
“I told you, Mother,” Kaden added. “She wouldn’t set a trap for me after agreeing to rescue Cyrus, and then keeping her word.”
“I was doing exactly what I promised. Getting your message to my dad. I mean, before I lost the bottle,” Angie said. “I also helped get King Aqilus back into the sea. I figured at least he would be home.”
“Yes. Sentinels recovered him recently, and we’ve provided him with a burial. That still doesn’t explain how you knew where to find them,” Serapha cut in, the second part of her statement directed at Bàba. “It seemed much too coincidental.”
Angie listened as Bàba filled Serapha in on what Nick had said about the mermaid, Aurora. When he was finished, Serapha thinned her lips. “I see. It is certainly a shame she felt that way. But she would not be the first. War will divide even the most united of mer.”
Bàba clasped his hands behind his back, his legs scissoring under him. “I have seen war in my past, and now this. It divides humans, as well.”
Serapha gave Bàba a nearly imperceptible nod in response. “I would have felt similar in Aurora’s position. My lifemate was taken from me, as well.” She went silent, gaze dropping to the seafloor.
Perhaps if Serapha had listened to her that day in the mer prisons, the bloodbath at the shoreline would never have happened.
Yet Angie understood. Losing her lifemate, having one son injured and her other son tortured and drained to the point of unconsciousness by the same enemy would cause rational thought to flee her mind, as well.
“Mother.” Kaden reached toward her.
She shook out her shoulders. “He will be properly grieved, once we have a moment to breathe. And he will be taken care of in the afterlife. I will await him when he reincarnates.”
“I am waiting for that day with my wife, as well,” Bàba murmured.
“Did you see Māma?” Angie studied his still face.
“I did. It has been so long. To see her face again,” he said, his voice breathy and his hands clasped over his chest. “Thank you, Queen Serapha, for bringing me to see her.” He looked at Angie. “Beibei, are you ready to go back?”
“Yes, I think so.”
Kaden put one hand on his heart and inclined his head toward Bàba, who bowed in return.
She let go of Kaden’s hand and swam back to the surface with Bàba.