Chapter 5
A dome of water rose high above my head. I blinked to make sure I was seeing correctly. It was as if I was underwater in an enormous, giant bubble that seemed to hold out the sea around it. The top of the dome wall faded into a brightening morning sky—nearly transparent, puffy white clouds slowly drifting across pale orange hues. My gaze shifted to the tall, glowing golden gates above my head that arched to a point, then to the hoards of scaled warrior-like beings charging down a beautiful stone pathway and plunging into a massive wall of water. Naturally, this should have held my attention from where I lay.
But none of those things did.
The exquisite Caribbean green eyes of the massive man standing over me caused the hair on my body to rise. My gaze traveled over the bluish tint of his scales, which lent to the vibrancy of his olive skin. Scales and skin met on a well-defined lower abdomen. My gaze drifted further up his torso to his rock-hard chest, the statuesque lines of his jaw, full succulent lips, and sculpted nose. His long, dark brown hair flowed like a curtain around his beautiful face. He was the most breathtaking man I’d ever seen.
“She wakes,” he announced with a deep masculine voice.
A voice that made my stomach churn.
No, wait. That was…
I turned my head and began heaving. Dad rubbed my back in gentle circles. “That’s it, Sher. Get it all out.”
“I will leave you,” I heard the stunning man say. Pretty sure I left quite an impression on that one, with my retching up seawater and all.
When I turned back in my father’s lap, his lips quirked solemnly. “You okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” I croaked. Well, as fine as I could be considering. I wouldn’t voice that to him, though. Not with his barely maintained panic bubbling on the surface.
I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. “Nothing’s ever going to be the same, is it?” I asked.
His gaze lifted to the top of the golden gates. “I’m afraid not. Your mother and I had the best intentions. I swear it. We truly thought we could…”
“You thought what, Dad?”
He let out a heavy sigh and shifted my body to the sandy ground, helping me sit upright. “We just thought we could do things differently. Live differently. I’m afraid our choices are coming back to bite us in the ass,” he fretted, rubbing his chin. “But that’s to be expected. Your mother and I are nothing but unconventional to the people of Atlantis.” The concern grew on his face as I listened. “Your life will change, but my hope, your mother’s hope, is that what we did will be for the better. It will all make sense in time, and your mother will do her best to teach you the ways of our people, our traditions, and our culture.” Darkness crossed his eyes. “But she’ll also teach you all the painful parts of our history, the things we fight for, and what we stand for. And what we stand against. Those will be the most important.”
He exuded a confidence I didn’t quite feel concerning my mother’s life, which lived in limbo as we spoke. It dared me to hope—hope that I knew was dangerous to entertain. “And what of my friends? Are they just going to think I died?”
Dad pinched the bridge of his nose. “Please don’t be mad. Myles sent a text to John already. He’s under the impression that you had to leave early and couldn’t wait. The job was starting sooner than expected.”
“Guess that solves that problem,” I muttered. Even though I’d only left The Blue Fin a few hours ago, it felt like an eternity—discovering John and Chrissy’s relationship paled in comparison to my current situation. “And Mom? You sound so sure that she will be okay.”
Dad smoothed his hand over my head. “Let’s not give up hope yet. The Guardians are some of the best in the realms. I trust Draevyn implicitly.”
Draevyn.
That was his name.
Myles dashed past a tall woman standing with a trident at the top of a pathway just beyond the gates, his face tight with panic. Gone were the suit and tie he’d always worn. The scales that donned his skin rose to form a stand collar and traveled to his wrists. He looked formal even in his Water Fae form. “Your Highness. The council has called an emergency meeting. They’ve asked for you to bring Asherah.” He glanced at me with a wince.
“It’s too much, Myles.”
“I’m afraid there’s little choice in the matter. Melysah left no room for debate.”
“Of course, she didn’t.” Dad rushed to his feet, pulling me up with him. He swiveled toward me and held his palm in front of my face. A tickling sensation broke across my skin, and my eyes went wide when all the water that had soaked me from head to toe formed into a perfect sphere floating in the air before us. Instant Mermaid Just Add Water tank, jeans shorts, hair, and every inch of my body was now flawlessly dry. With a flick of the hand, he cast the ball into the wall of water. “Do me a favor and stay quiet. Only a select few in Atlantis knew of your existence, and even fewer knew exactly where you were hidden. The council has been demanding your presence for years, and they can be very overbearing. They’ll likely be upset you were right under their noses the whole time. Try not to take offense.”
“Princess Asherah, this is your guard, Mayana,” Myles advised, motioning to the woman behind him. “She’s been assigned to protect you.”
Mayana brought her trident across her muscular body and bowed. “It is an honor to serve you, Your Highness.”
“I’m afraid we need to keep the introductions short. This way,” Myles called as he advanced up the pathway.
I drew a long breath, the trepidation building within, and took my first step through the gates of Atlantis.
The early light peeked over a towering dome, its summit obscured by the vastness of its height. It revealed the evenly arranged large white stones lining the path ahead, guiding us toward a black metal portcullis. As we walked beneath it, the portcullis ascended to an astonishing height. The hallway was flanked by colossal stone bricks, crowned with a barbican. At both ends of the palace, imposing circular towers stood at six to seven stories, each adorned with rows of arrow slits. The Guardians gaped at us as we passed the guardhouse, but I paid them no attention. I was too busy admiring the highest tower that rose above them all, its dark castle turret pointing high to the top of the dome with a glowing blue light at its tip. Three other circular towers—all equally as charming—hugged the larger one around its perimeter. More Guardians paced the length of the battlements surrounding the sandy bailey, the workers pausing to stare at us as we followed Myles. It was an underwater fairy tale castle, and despite the dire circumstances plaguing my thoughts, I couldn’t help but be mesmerized.
“This is unreal,” I breathed.
Dad smiled warmly. “This is your home.”
That stopped me in my tracks. “I’m sorry?”
He placed a hand on my upper back, guiding me forward. “It’s your home. Well, our home. I wish there were enough time for a tour, but I’m afraid it’ll have to wait. This way.”
We quickened our pace, passing through another hallway that ran through the largest tower. A circular two-story building stood at the end of the hallway. The open doors revealed a long wooden table at its center with around twenty sets of eyes appraising us. My heart rate began to beat erratically.
“Greetings to you all,” Myles said, bowing to the group as we entered. He directed me to a chair near the head of the table, facing a wall of arched windows beginning to emit the light of day. A woman with a severe expression—hair pale blonde and tied back at the nape of her neck—stood before her chair at my side. Her pale blue eyes bore into me as I sat on the wooden high-back chair. She held a certain youthfulness that made her appear to be in her late twenties, but it seemed foolish to guess since the Fae could be any age.
Mayana came to stand at the wall behind my chair as Myles departed on swift feet, the doors closing behind him with a loud click that echoed across the room. Dad sat at the head of the table beside an elaborate chair with intricate wood carvings and golden accents that could only be reserved for royalty—a place for my mother.
Please be okay .
“I think it best if we put the pleasantries aside,” the woman suggested in a condescending tone.
“Yes, by all means, Melysah. Let’s be vastly unpleasant,” the male across from me chided. His full lips quirked as a gray eye gave me a wink. His face held a handsome ruggedness, his long brown hair carrying just past his medium-built shoulders. “Welcome to Atlantis, Asherah.”
“Yes, indeed. Welcome. We’ve been anxiously awaiting your arrival for some time,” Melysah sneered.
“That’s enough, Melysah,” Dad scolded. “My daughter has been through a lot in the past twenty-four hours. She’s only just found out who her mother is. About Atlantis. And may I remind you that she is the Heir, and you will remember your place.”
Melysah gave a curt nod. “As will you, my King. You and the Queen owe the council answers.”
“And you will have them. But right now, your Queen is in peril in the Above World, and you are wasting our precious time acting as if you have the authority to reprimand my daughter or me. I can assure you that you do not. I understand it’s been a long time since I’ve sat at this table—”
“Too long—”
“But I still know the rules. So if they’ve changed, and the council—with Neleah’s approval—granted you more authority I’m unaware of, then by all means, let me know.”
The room grew deathly silent, Melysah’s lips pursing so tight wrinkles formed around her thin lips.
“Well, that escalated quickly,” murmured the ruggedly handsome man. He shifted his gaze my way. “Roarvyn Syles, if you’re wondering, my sweet.”
Dad cleared his throat and cocked a dark brow at him, causing Roarvyn to squirm in his seat. Melysah glared between the both of them before rolling her eyes. “Are the two of you done with the male posturing?”
“Depends on Romeo over there,” Dad quipped.
“Your Highness,” a woman from the other side of the table intervened, “can you please advise the council regarding the heir and where she has been hidden all these years?” The rest of the table nodded politely at Dad.
“Thank you, Shaegana. Since before Asherah’s birth, we’ve been living in Key Largo, Florida, in the United States. It was a very peaceful life amongst the humans, allowing Asherah to grow up without any expectations or interference. Asherah didn’t know she was a Water Fae, nor did she have any knowledge of Atlantis or her role in this queendom. Neleah glamoured her to protect her identity. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it’s one we made together as her parents.”
“But why?” Shaegana asked, aghast. “Why would you do that to our only heir?”
“As the future ambassador to the humans, we believed it was essential that Asherah live among them.”
Melysah’s dainty hands balled into fists from where they rested on the table. “At the sacrifice of our people.”
“I hate to say it, but I agree with Melysah on this,” Roarvyn commented. “How will she rule our people if she’s unaware of our customs? Our very nature?”
“My daughter is incredibly smart. She will learn. I have faith in her.”
Melysah’s scaled arm cut through the air as she motioned at me. “Look at her! She wears human clothes, and there’s not a single scale on her body. She doesn’t even know how to morph! And you want her to lead our people?”
My arms wrapped around my middle as the blood rose to my cheeks, my humiliation making me feel like a child.
“I do,” Dad seethed through clenched teeth.
Melysah scoffed. “You underestimate the time it will take to educate her, to prepare her to be queen. If something’s happened to Neleah, the heir takes over the queendom.”
“Do not put that energy out there,” Dad growled. “Not when I just left our Queen in the Above World with goddess knows how many Akani.”
“Agreed,” Shaegana interjected. “We should pray to the goddess for her safe return to Atlantis,” she affirmed and glared at Melysah, “where she has ruled for nearly a thousand years.”
“A thousand years?” I squealed. They were the first words I’d spoken, defying my father’s orders to stay quiet. All eyes in the room swiveled in my direction.
“She doesn’t even know how long we live. Does she, Cathan?” All the humor Roarvyn previously held was gone, his face held in arrested shock. “My goddess. You’ve handicapped her.”
Melysah buried her face in her hands. “This is a disaster.”
“Enough,” Dad bellowed. His chair scraped across the floor and echoed off the walls as he rose. “It’s past dawn, and we haven’t slept. Asherah’s life was uprooted; she’s been stalked, our boat attacked, and my mate is in critical danger. We’ll reconvene when we receive news of the Queen.”
The chamber doors banged open against the wall, and a pale-faced Myles rushed in. I couldn’t breathe, my body going cold. Myles scanned the room before setting his gaze on my father. “The Queen…”
“Is she alright? Where is she?” Dad pressed.
Myles swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry, Cathan. The Queen…she is dead.”