Chapter Nine.
Willow.
S he was sitting on a throne made of gold, silver, and coral. Her, Willow King, sat on a throne in Atlantis. She was ready to pass judgement on those who, a day ago, had faced her across a seabed and were prepared to kill her.
Sea Dragons guarded the Atlanteans carefully. Holy crap, Sea Dragons, mermen, and Atlanteans. Willow was facing mystical creatures who, by rights, should only exist in stories and books.
But there they were, and Poseidon the wretch had determined she deal with this mess. His anger, affront, and burning desire for revenge filtered through the water, keeping the Atlanteans subdued.
Those who protected the city were disarmed. They were under the watchful eye of the Sea Dragons—and other creatures Poseidon had called on to patrol Atlantis. Willow’s own court was at the palace with her. Segory and Luna were outside, peering in through two balconies that led to where Willow was presently sitting.
Everything about the Great Hall was elegance. The walls were built of a crystalised substance which gleamed softly. The chairs were delicate, and tapestries hung on the walls. There were side tables with priceless artefacts, and the main floor held a lot of space.
The throne sat on a three-step dais, requiring everybody to look up at her. Siera’s contempt for Willow’s people made her uncomfortable. She clearly thought of herself above everyone.
In front of Willow ranged the first lot of foot soldiers. Over two thousand of them waited for her judgement. Willow wished to hide but couldn’t; duty called. She’d demanded the guilty and only the guilty be punished. If she baulked now, Poseidon may send even the innocents to the surface, which was not deserved.
The first person to be judged was General Rychill.
He floated before her in his merman shape, his face impassive, and Willow found she didn’t like that. She wasn’t skilled at reading the merpeople’s expressions.
“Shift to your other form, please,” Willow asked.
“This one disturbs you?” General Rychill inquired.
“No. Rychill, I am not familiar with your race. I can’t read your faces or body language. Whereas I understand them on a human-looking face,” Willow explained.
“You offered an explanation and a request. Not an order or demand. I shall acquiesce,” Rychill said, his voice carrying to his kind.
There was a restless movement as Rychill changed shape. Willow gently reached out, unsure of what she was doing but trusting the surrounding water.
“What were your feelings on enslaving the Sea Dragons? Don’t answer, just feel,” Willow asked. Immediately, disgust, despair, shame, and dishonour returned to her from the sea.
“And Siera?”
The feeling of insanity floated towards her, followed by disagreement, a sense of abandonment and worry. Fear followed right after.
“Your city?”
Rychill’s desire to protect Atlantis and its people nearly overwhelmed her. She swapped glances with Poseidon, who said nothing as he stood by the throne. They’d argued over who’d sit in it until he’d picked her up and dumped her in it, ending the argument quickly.
“Rychill is innocent. Come here, please, Rychill, and bring a chair,” Willow asked.
Poseidon cocked his head. She sensed him wondering what she was up to.
“Your people will accept the judgement and my position with you by my side. And when I leave, you’ll rule. I do not wish any part of this,” Willow said, and both male’s jaws dropped open.
“What?” Poseidon exclaimed.
“I beg your pardon?” Rychill gasped.
“I don’t want to rule Atlantis. Hell, I hate doing this, but it’ll save lives. Siera was batshit crazy. I believe we can all agree. Let’s finish this and appoint Rychill as the new ruler. He really does care about the people,” Willow explained as both men shook their heads.
“I’m not worthy,” Rychill replied.
“Willow, I gave you this city,” Poseidon stated, folding his arms.
Willow’s jaw jutted out stubbornly.
“I can feel emotions in the water, but I don’t want to rule here. I belong up there, not down here. This isn’t my world. Naturally, I’d like to visit sometimes, but my life is elsewhere. Rychill is full of honour, duty, and dedication to his people and Atlantis.
“He tried steering Siera away from her destructive path, but she wouldn’t listen. Too stubborn and prideful. You’ve given me a week to judge everyone. Fine, I’ll do that. But afterwards, I’m returning to The Swallow’s Nest, and you’re sending us both back to the surface,” Willow insisted, holding Poseidon’s red gaze.
A wet chuckle escaped Poseidon’s lips. “We still have your mate status to resolve!”
“Shut up!” Willow hissed.
Rychill wisely remained quiet.
“Get ready to do your duty,” Willow ordered Poseidon, who was shifting to his human-shaped merform.
Willow glowered at him. He was really gorgeous in that shape, and the smug look on him informed her that Poseidon knew it.
Deliberately turning her shoulder away, she looked down at Rychill, who was seating himself below her.
“Up here, General,” Willow called sweetly and smiled when he sent her a dire stare.
“We have not finished this conversation…” Rychill trailed off. He wasn’t sure what to call her.
Willow had told him to call her by her name, but Rychill had decided that was disrespectful. And she wasn’t a queen or commander, so he was stumped.
“You’ll be calling me Willow by lunchtime,” Willow snorted and turned as Chatter and Warrior escorted the first Atlantean to her.
The hatred spilling from this one made her decision easy. Banishment to the surface. And so began her week.
Poseidon/Jase
He was highly amused as Willow kept sending him glares. He’d not once interfered with her decisions, but he sensed her agitated glares when she wanted him to wade in. Poseidon’s lack of arguing with Willow was bothering her. His nose twitched as her stares turned darker and her comments more pointed.
Even when he ensured that the density of the Marina Trench would allow her people to stay with her, Willow had glared. And when he’d created a large area free of water for the air breathers to gain their precious oxygen in, she still scowled. Which tended to entertain him further.
Poseidon wondered how far he could push her. Willow was just starting to realise she’d be here more than a week, giving him time to sort his plans out for the human.
He had been using the mirror network to go from the Mariana Trench to the Indian Ocean, where he was preparing his own surprise for Willow.
She was four days along and had only just cleared the army. If she didn’t interview the general population, Poseidon would relocate them. It was keeping her busy, which allowed him to complete his own plans.
He’d fed his Sins and attended a couple of meetings back at the castle. Everyone wanted to know what was happening with his mate, and he merely glowered at them as a reply. It was taking him some time to come to terms with Willow. Poseidon’s hatred was too deeply entrenched to toss it aside in a week. Still, slowly, Willow was working her way into his thoughts more often.
Poseidon wouldn’t lie to himself. Willow was intelligent, smart, sassy, kind, and gentle. Those were her obvious qualities; he had also noticed she was quick-witted, sharp, loyal, and had a strong sense of honour and justice. In truth, she matched him completely. But Willow was on the defensive. The damn woman knew Poseidon didn’t want her as a mate, and she had no intention of giving up her newfound abilities. But Poseidon strangely found himself mellowing towards her.
His acceptance of their connection was growing, and his hatred of her was lessening. Right now, Willow was tolerable. Poseidon sensed the mate bond getting stronger but had yet to sense anything from Willow.
Did it even exist in her? He was confused and wanted answers. Hell, could Willow gain his powers and not have a mate bond? When he’d returned to the castle, he’d tried to grab Andie, but she’d proved elusive.
Then again, a little voice challenged, why wouldn’t Andie avoid him? Even when she’d arrived just over two hundred years ago, he treated her with disdain and hate. Like most Legendary Shifters, he’d blamed Pandora for their downfall. Now, rumblings existed that not everything was as it seemed with Pandora. As Andie only shifted into Pandora when she went out for her Sin, grabbing Pandora to press for the truth was hard.
And Pandora shied away from everyone. Even though she’d provided magic to help create their second selves, Pandora hadn’t been trusted. Andie was harder to pin down than Pandora was. Andie kept to her room and didn’t venture out. He didn’t know when she ate because she was hardly seen out and about.
Poseidon tried easing up on Andie/Pandora when he saw them, but he thought she remembered his hate and vitriol too well.
But Poseidon faced another human who appeared more than he first assumed. After everything thrown at Willow, she was progressing with dignity and sensibility. Poseidon had believed throwing her in at the deep end, although done in temper, might make Willow reconsider her options. Instead, the blasted woman took to court like a duck to water. It surprised him how quickly Willow coped with what was shoved at her.
Poseidon couldn’t say he was falling in love with the human. That certainly wasn’t happening. But he realised he sought her presence more often as he became acquainted with her. On the other hand, he found it a shame that Willow did everything possible to avoid him. Willow’s antics in doing so provided much amusement.
“Poseidon?” Willow’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and he glanced at her.
“Yes?”
“That group is guilty,” she said, waving her finger at a hundred or so Atlanteans.
A few hundred Atlanteans were present this morning. Now the army and city defenders were done and over three-quarters banished, Willow had started on the general public. They were being brought to Willow, street by street.
“One hundred traitors?” Poseidon asked as he glanced at them.
Hate and fear radiated off them. As it should. They were about to be expelled from paradise and would live human lives. Worse, their merperson side would be locked, and they would be unable to shift. And they’d now only exist as long as a normal human.
They were banished forever from Atlantis and forbidden to ever mention her. None of them would be able to betray those left and bring humans here. Poseidon was making sure of that. Should they try to speak, write or show people anything about Atlantis, their throat would close, and they’d die.
It was a harsh punishment, but one needed to protect the city. Of course, in each group was one who didn’t believe and automatically issued threats. Their death got the message across to the others. Willow had been appalled at the first and had raced away, refusing to talk to him. Marcina helped Willow understand the necessity. What if one of the big countries, the USA or Great Britain, discovered them and attacked?
Atlantis’s technology could not be allowed to fall into human hands. Nor could their secrets on how they shifted. Marcina helped Willow see he wasn’t being evil but was protecting those who lived there. Humans arriving would endanger Sea Dragons and other sea creatures. No, this assured everybody understood the message he was sending.
Poseidon had discovered a cousin who’d survived Siera’s cruel enslavement, and he was now at Marcina’s side as an advisor. However, despite her young age, Marcina had taken the throne and was ruling.
“What’s with you today?” Willow demanded, interrupting his train of thought.
“Sorry, I am distracted,” Poseidon said, and Willow’s eyebrows nearly flew off her head.
“Did you just apologise?”
“I am capable of such things, Willow,” he retorted.
“Not that I’ve heard,” she replied.
“Then start listening to me,” Poseidon responded.
“You are a fine one to speak. You’re away with the fairies today. Honestly, you have a real serious lack of focus right now,” Willow pointed out.
Poseidon raised an eyebrow, and a smug smirk crossed his face.
“You need more attention?” he asked.
“No!” Willow cried.
“You’ve made it clear you feel neglected as my mate. I shall endeavour to fix that soon,” he drawled.
“I don’t need your anything,” Willow shrieked and blushed as she realised how that sounded. “Oh, rats! Just do your job!”
Poseidon turned to the prisoners and said his part. He’d recited it so often now he could say it in his sleep. Calmly, Poseidon informed them of their banishment, their inability to shift, and the death sentence should they attempt to betray Atlantis again.
After the usual idiot testing it and dying, Poseidon locked their forms, cast his spell, and sent them to the surface. Once there, they would be met by an agent who would give them some money and send them on their way. Even though he disagreed, Willow had insisted they be given a chance to create a better life.
“It gets harder…” Willow spoke to nobody in particular.
“Yes, because families are being divided,” Poseidon agreed, hitting the nail on the head. He knew how much that bothered her.
“There’s a lot of hate, envy, and arrogance in some. They truly believe they are better than everyone else,” Willow said, and Poseidon waited.
He sensed Willow needed to talk, and he wanted to be the one she spoke to.
“I’m tearing husband and wives, brothers and sisters, entire families apart. Children will be without parents,” Willow replied, and Poseidon heard the guilt.
“Yes, but you did not teach them to hate,” he argued.
“I’d wonder if we could stop their envy, reverse it somehow. But I feel what they do, and they are all so far gone,” Willow whispered.
Poseidon nodded. Some of the feelings Willow had experienced were awful, the worst. But he couldn’t protect her. He had to let her experience each emotion and show her strength to the sea life. Even now, he knew Willow’s reputation grew. When it came time for her to be his mate, she’d have already earned the respect of the creatures she would rule over.
“Siera’s hate and jealousy infected many people,” he agreed.
“The Sea Dragons held court yesterday. They have found her guilty and sentenced her to death. First, she must remove all scales from the statues and wrap and return them to the Sea Dragons.”
“A just sentence,” Poseidon confirmed.
“I never thought I’d vote for the death penalty, but she does deserve it. I wonder what else we will find,” Willow mused.
Poseidon knew where her attention had gone. They’d discovered a child’s slave camp, children working chained up in a local mine. The youngest had been three. They’d stumbled upon a prison where people were thrown down a hole and left there too.
It didn’t matter if they were men or women, Atlanteans or Sea Dragons; they were people who’d disagreed with Siera. When rescued, they were in a critical condition, and not even Poseidon was sure they’d all live.
He wanted to protect her from whatever horrors Siera had done, but he recognised he shouldn’t do that. To do so would undermine Willow’s strength. She would require that when interacting with the inhabitants of the Seas and Oceans.
Even though he accepted she was his mate and was resigned to her being so, Poseidon didn’t push anything. He had listened to his brothers and sisters, and his hate towards Willow lessened, but Poseidon still struggled. Her race was a murderous bunch of thugs who were nothing more than a pestilence on the planet. But he understood the rare human could be different. Emmaline was an example of that.
Poseidon’s emotions were torn between hate and longing. Hell, he loathed his own human shifter side at times. Poseidon did recognise the irony in that, even though he did prefer that form. It was impossible to navigate the castle on a fin. And he hated being away from his brothers and sister; who knew when they might need his sword arm?
However, like Vladimir, Poseidon needed time to bond with his mate. He didn’t see an all-encompassing love like Vladimir and Emmaline’s. But he did hope for a strong relationship based on respect and friendliness. If he and Willow could plod along and, maybe once the bond was formed, meet once a month to strengthen their ties, that would be wonderful.
Poseidon briefly considered Vladimir’s and Emmaline’s bond. It shone brightly between them. They were so in sync with each other that it appeared unnatural. He’d be satisfied to gain just a smidgeon of that with Willow. However, his mind moved away from the actual fact they needed to mate.
Even though Willow was comfortable around his Uber merman form, she’d had to experience all three of his forms for them to mate. He couldn’t see her agreeing to that. It was way past kinky to expect Willow to take him in his shifted shapes.
And how the hell could he consider subjecting her to that? The realisation that his bond might never fully form stunned him. That hadn’t been something Poseidon had considered. He gazed across at Willow as she bent to speak to Crackle and the crab clacked his claws in merriment. Willow was strong, and a warrior, but no woman would let a monster in her. Not one.
Emmaline had, the traitorous voice in his head whispered. If Emmaline had, and Vampire was far nastier than his shifted form, he had a chance. Or was this just false hope, and him fooling himself? Poseidon did not know. Willow had turned him inside out, and he didn’t know which was up anymore!
Willow
Even as she bent and spoke to Crackle, she saw Poseidon in the corner of her eye.
“King watches,” Crackle murmured.
“Yes.”
“King wants.”
Willow reared back and shook her head before bending again. “No.”
“Crackle knows. King desires,” he insisted.
Willow ran a finger over his forehead, and Crackle shuddered in pleasure.
“No. Crackle imagines,” she argued, and Crackle snorted.
Willow grinned because a crab snorting was extremely funny. He clacked at her for her giggle before they both settled down.
“You queen, he king. Mate,” he said.
Willow blinked. That could have two meanings.
“Um…”
“King up sex queen,” Crackle plodded on, ignoring Willow, who burst into laughter again.
“I think you mean the king sexes up the queen,” she whispered, not wanting Poseidon to hear.
“Ugly bumps.”
“Bump uglies, dear Crackle,” Willow exclaimed a little loudly and glanced at Poseidon, but he was fully immersed in his thoughts. She didn’t want him asking why she and Crackle were discussing sex in slang talk.
“King lonely,” Crackle said, and Willow felt his emotion through their bond.
She peered at Poseidon from under her lashes. He did seem isolated. Poseidon was surrounded by sea life but stood apart from them all. His loneliness pierced her heart, and she drew in a sharp breath. Yet if he was the guy she’d seen at the castle, then he wasn’t alone.
“Poseidon, was that you at the castle, the man I saw?” Willow asked, capturing his attention.
His expression astonished her. There was a hint of lust as he gazed upon her, and then it disappeared.
“That is a story for tomorrow. When you’re done here, I shall tell you everything, Willow. But not now, because I need your full focus. And right now, I lack that,” he said.
Willow glanced towards the doors and saw another group of people being ushered in.
Well, at least he’d promised to explain things to her. She wondered if that included the orca-riding mummy!