Chapter 41
DRAYA - ONE MONTH LATER
Three weeks after we freed Prince Inaki, Commander Adri received a summons from Captain Jogia, informing us that Emerson’s ship and body had returned to Whitethorn Bay without incident.
Maki had been stationed in Whitethorn Bay, living undercover in his human form and collecting intel regarding Emerson’s fleet, company, and last will and testament.
He returned this morning, immediately requesting a private meeting with Hazel, the Prince, the Queen, and myself to discuss his findings.
“Lord Emerson left his entire legacy to his second wife, Elizabeth Dunsmoor Emerson,” Maki said from the head of the driftwood table in the Warrior Room, his eyes carefully trained on Hazel. “His estate, his company, and all his assets. Hazel was not mentioned in the will at all.”
My eye twitched, fury coursing through my veins, though in all honesty I wasn’t surprised. Of course, that weasel didn’t leave her anything. Prior to seeing us ransacking his ship, he assumed she was dead.
“I’m unsurprised,” Hazel said with a sigh, “though I don’t recognize the name Elizabeth Dunsmoor.”
“It seemed like another political union,” Maki said, though I wondered if he was omitting something.
“It’s irrelevant to me now,” Hazel said. “I wish his legacy and his associates nothing but the worst.”
“Agreed,” The Queen interjected. “And luckily for you, Miss Emerson – we really ought to do something about that name – you shouldn’t want for anything ever again as part of the Talassi royal family.”
Hazel simply nodded in thanks, and I caught the slightest frown flash over The Queen’s face before she turned her attention back to Maki.
Their relationship was still strained at best, but the Queen seemed understanding enough of Hazel’s hesitations towards her.
I couldn’t blame Hazel, and I felt a sense of protectiveness over her when it came to the Queen.
Of course I respected her as the leader of my people, but that was where my loyalty ended.
Inaki, on the other hand, made every effort to help Hazel grow more comfortable in the Talassian Capital and with her powers, and their relationship seemed to grow stronger every day.
On a few occasions, I’d found myself mildly irritated by him stealing her away, though I was well aware they needed the time together to heal.
Hazel had acclimated to life in my cottage immediately, but she still yearned for the land sometimes.
Inaki had taken it upon himself to build her a cottage on the shores of Maine, though it wasn’t quite finished yet.
A team of Talassi artisans had been working on it, and I was positive it would be far more beautiful and comfortable than anything I could build in our volcano.
“I don’t mind, you know,” Hazel said to me one morning as we lounged in her dry bedroom.
“You don’t mind what?” I asked, stroking her pale hair out of her face.
“You seem frustrated that Inaki and the Queen are trying to win my favor,” she said, huffing out a short laugh.
“But it doesn’t matter to me. I love you, I love this room you made me, and no matter what gifts they bestow upon me, it’ll never change the way I feel about you.
You’re my entire heart and soul, Draya.”
“I know,” I said, nipping at her cute, shifted ear. “I still wish I could give you more.”
“Give me the gift of your companionship,” she said. “When my home on the surface is done, stay with me in it sometimes. We can split our time between the land and sea, building a life together in both places.”
“I’d love nothing more,” I said, kissing her deeply. As much as I’d loathed humans, even my own human form before I’d met Hazel, I had to admit I was growing more fond of it because of her. I spent more time in human form than I ever had in my life, now that she was around.
She still hadn’t woken enough of her magic to fully shift into a Talassi with a tail, and both she and Cordelia were starting to rule out that option.
Hazel didn’t mind, nor did I, and I think a part of her acceptance came from her hesitation to let go of her entire human self. And I couldn’t blame her at all.
The problem was that it was unsafe for her to sleep underwater.
She still suffered from nightmares and panic attacks, and would often shift back and forth from her human form to her Talassi form in her sleep.
I stayed by her side every night, caressing her face and body and soothing her back into reality when the terrors struck, and even in the short month since our return they had slowly begun to subside.
In reality, Hazel may never be free of the mental repercussions of the first twenty-five years of her life.
She’d spent so long under the control of horrible people that she’d convinced herself she was mad, and that fear still crept into her mind at times.
All I wanted was to be a stronghold for her, a rock.
I wanted to love her, to be her space of peace and consistency when her thoughts began to spiral.
I loved this woman with every fiber of my being, and despite the unfortunate circumstances that brought us together, I’d forever be grateful for our connection.
Oftentimes I’d think back to that night I found her floating in the open water and radiating pale blue light, glad I committed the image to my memory.
The spirit of the ocean pushed me in her direction, and from that moment on she’d made herself a home within my soul for eternity.