Chapter 29
“It might be best if your guards stay here,” I suggest, noting the merman and mermaid behind Farrasea.
She lifts her eyebrows and drops her chin in a condescending expression that makes it clear she thinks I’m ridiculous for even suggesting such a thing.
“I promise you’ll be safe. But we need to keep a low profile. If my mother finds out more merfolk know, it could be dangerous for all of us. She seems set on keeping the humans’ existence a secret.”
“They stay with me.” Her tone carries the weight of pure alpha dominance.
“I’m still not convinced you’re telling the truth, and you have yet to earn my trust. I have utmost faith that Llyr and Araxie will act in my best interests,” she states as she waves respectively at the male and female guards flanking her.
I recognize them both as the same guards who were with her when she caught me sneaking into Tythas.
As of yet, they haven’t reported anything I told Farra in our last conversation.
If they had, we wouldn’t be here right now.
With the way my mother’s been acting, I’m surprised she hasn’t already confined me to my room entirely.
It was difficult enough to sneak past Nami and the other guards after breakfast.
Still, it’s risky to include more merfolk on this outing. But if the princess won’t go without them, I’m left with little choice.
“Fine.” I spin away from her, grinding my teeth. “This way.”
We slip through the secret gate out of the city and into the open water.
Farrasea stays a short distance behind me with her escorts at either side of her.
The hardest part of this will be getting past my mother’s guards.
They used to let me through easily, but I’m not sure that will be the case after the queen’s last order for me to stay away from Madi.
When we’re still out of view of the prison, I slow down and face the princess.
“It might actually work in our favor that you brought them,” I admit, jerking my chin toward the two merfolk behind her. “I think we’re gonna need help. If the guards see me, they won’t let me through on my mother’s orders.”
We quickly formulate a plan for Llyr and Araxie to go ahead of us under the guise of doing a sweep of the area for her safety. While they’re talking with the prison guards, Farrasea and I will approach the grotto from the opposite side.
“We won’t have much time,” I say as we swim toward the left while her guards go to the right, still staying in sight of us.
They didn’t like the idea of leaving the princess’ side, but we were able to convince them by promising we’d stay where they could see us.
It means we’ll also be in view of my mother’s guards, but hopefully they’ll be too distracted to notice.
As we draw closer, the scent of my mates nearly overwhelms my senses. The water still smells of my omega’s heat spike. Farrasea wrinkles her nose and scowls, but she doesn’t comment.
I spot one of my mother’s guards ahead, and signal Farrasea to stop. The sound of her people calling out carries to us.
“You there,” Llyr yells.
My mother’s men turn toward the sound. “What are you doing out here?”
“I was about to ask you the same,” Araxie replies. There’s a seductive edge to her voice I wasn’t expecting, but a little flirting will probably be the most distracting course of action, so I guess it’s good thinking.
Farrasea and I don’t wait to hear the rest of their conversation. We bolt toward the little island prison, our tails whipping powerfully through the water.
Sebastian’s the first to spot us as we rise above the surface on the opposite side of the island from where I normally appear. He’s sitting with his knees tucked into his chest and a contemplative look on his face. His features go slack as he takes in the mermaid next to me.
Madi is with him a second later. A smile lights her face, but immediately falls into confusion when she notices Farrasea. There’s an edge of jealousy in the bond that makes me smile. I love my omega feeling possessive of me.
We swim all the way up to the rock outcropping. I set my hand on Madi’s thigh and give a quick squeeze. “Starfish, this is Princess Farrasea,” I say in Madi’s language.
Her eyes light with recognition, but the introduction also has the effect of increasing the anxious nervousness in the bond. She sets a hand over mine. “This is your betrothed?”
I nod before turning to Farrasea, whose eyes are locked on my mate’s possessive grip. Her mouth falls open, smooth forehead wrinkled. “It’s really true.”
“Yes, this is my mate, one of them,” I say in our tongue. “And we need your help.”
Farrasea’s attention shifts to the men gathered around Madi, her eyes narrowing. I can practically see the wheels spinning in her mind as she notes each fresh bonding bite.
“Call off the wedding,” I plead. “My mother will never let me out of our arrangement. The treaty means too much to her. But you could—”
“I can’t.” There’s a pained wince in her voice.
“My parents are equally set on this alliance. And my people…” She shakes her head.
“We need this. Our population is dwindling and the merfolk of Veris are threatening our borders in the south. Without this alliance…” She shakes her head, then draws back her chin, her posture lengthening to her full height. “I can’t do what you ask.”
Madi watches us carefully from beside Sebastian. Hunter and Phoenix stand behind them like sentinels, equally intent on the conversation they can’t understand.
“What’s she saying?” Madi asks.
Before I can translate for her, or try to persuade Farra, a mechanical, chopping sound has us all looking up. There’s a black spot in the sky that gets bigger as it draws near and the sound grows louder.
“A helicopter,” Madi says, jumping up from where she was sitting. She frantically waves her arms over her head. “Oh my gods, it’s a helicopter!”
“My helicopter.” Sebastian joins her, shouting, “Here! Over here!”
My relief is tempered by concern as my gaze swings out to sea. This is going to draw too much attention. The guards will hear. Farrasea seems to have the same thought, her expression turning worried.
“You need to be fast,” she says. “I can try to distract them and hold them off while you get away.”
“What about you?” She just told me that this wedding is important to Sirena. Is she really letting me leave this easily?
“I’ll figure something out,” she says, half growling the words. “This is your one and only chance, though. If you don’t leave now, I will marry you for the honor of my family and the sake of my people. Despite your… mates.” She scowls at my pack, then takes off into the water.
The helicopter is right over the rock now. Whoever’s inside drops a ladder.
“Madi first,” I say, swishing my tail urgently. The need to ensure my mate is safe rides me hard. Who knows how long it’ll be before my mother’s guards are on us? We need to get Madi out of here as quickly as possible.
Phoenix and Hunter nod their agreement. Madi looks like she might argue for one brief second, but Hunter stares her down, daring her to challenge him. That look has me shivering, cock swelling inside my pouch. Shit, not the time.
Hunter takes hold of Madi’s hips and lifts her toward the ladder. She grabs the first rung and wraps it around her arm as she carefully makes her way up.
Sebastian climbs after Madi, with Phoenix just behind him, leaving only Hunter and me.
“Come on.” Hunter points at the rock, encouraging me to get out of the water so my tail can dry out. He should start climbing, but I appreciate that he’s waiting for me. He’s a good alpha and will lead our pack well.
Just as I set my hands on the ledge and lift up, a spear hurls through the air, zipping right past my ear. I duck to the side just in time to avoid it, but hear Hunter yell. The tip of the blade slices along his outer bicep before clattering to the rock.
I spin back to the water to see four guards charging toward us.
Princess Farrasea and her entourage are nowhere to be seen.
Did they even try to distract my mother’s guards?
How did the queen get more people here so quickly?
Were we just unlucky enough to have the helicopter come right at the changing of shifts?
“Fuck,” Hunter curses, holding his shoulder. Blood spills down his arm. From above us, someone calls his name.
“Throw me the spear,” I yell.
Hunter picks up the long rod and tosses it to me in the water. I grab it before it can sink, for once grateful for my training. Pointing the sharp tip forward, I brace myself for the oncoming attack, looking briefly back over my shoulder at my pack alpha. “I’ll hold them off. Go!”
Hunter hesitates, looking from me to the helicopter.
“Get her out of here,” I growl, full alpha now, pure instinct. “She needs you.”
That gets him moving. We both know Madi’s the most important. She’s been trapped here in the sun, without comfort or care for days. She’s probably malnourished and needs medical attention. So does Hunter now that he’s been wounded. We can’t let my mother’s guards get to that ladder.
I’ll do anything to protect my pack, even if it means being left behind.
Another spear hurls toward Hunter as he climbs, but he dodges it.
One of the guards in the back aims his weapon, ready to try again.
I throw the spear with all my might. It strikes true, hitting him in his throwing arm.
I’m going to pay for that betrayal later.
But I’d rather forsake my mother and attack her guards than have any hurt come to my pack.
My only loyalty is to them now. I may not have known them long, but they’re mine.
We’re part of each other, our own family, our own kingdom.
With a feral scream, I charge the closest merman, dragging him under the water.
The warriors shift all their attention to me, shock painting their features at their prince turning on them.
The hesitation doesn’t last long, though.
Moments later I feel a hand grip the back of my gorget and pull, making the scales dig into my skin painfully.
Aeces, one of my mother’s guards who has always had it out for me, slams his fist into my solar plexus, a grunt barely able to leave me with the gorget choking me.
I thrash my tail, only making it worse, until I reach up and unclasp the armor, releasing its hold from my neck as the male holding it falls backward from the force he was pulling with.
They chase me back to the surface. We’re far out from the prison when I break the top of the water. Hands grab hold of each of my limbs and yank me back down, and I finally stop struggling. It’s not necessary anymore. This isn’t a fight I can win, it’s just a distraction, and it’s over now.
My only comfort as I’m dragged below is the sight of the helicopter flying away.