Everlost (31 page)

“Mother, I tried to stop him,” he said, anguished, arms outstretched.

She collapsed into him, sobbing. “Please, no! Tell me you didn’t.”

“Mother, I’d wanted to see if he’d attend tomorrow, but I was too late. He said he couldn’t bear to look upon himself anymore.” He wrapped his arms around his mother’s sobbing frame, his eyes, though, were on Pearleza. He nodded to her and Tatiana stopped walking, a sickening dread washing over her.

Pearleza squeezed her hand and whispered. “It’s time.”

Tatiana couldn’t listen, or comprehend what she meant. She stared at Azor, then to the Queen’s convulsing form, then to the tiny hand reaching up from the bundle in Blanchard’s arm.

“Go into labor, now, Princess,” Pearleza prodded firmer.

Tatiana watched Blanchard turn and walk away with the bundle—a baby. The horrible sounds of the Queen’s grieving made her cringe. Did Azor actually say he’d tried to stop the King? Implied he’d committed suicide? Nausea hit when a firm punch landed into Tatiana’s side and she bellowed, crumbling over. Pearleza crouched around her, pouring something in her hand. Water splashed at their feet.

“It’s time,” Pearleza called out. “The Princess is in labor.”

Maids surrounded them, escorting her past Azor and the Queen as Desiree fought to gain access to King Phaleon’s room. Through the doorway, he lay strewn, maimed body exposed, a dagger in his chest. Desiree pressed past and fell to Phaleon’s bedside.

“Why, Phaleon?” she sobbed. “Why?”

Tatiana turned away, tears pouring down her cheeks.

“Do your contractions hurt?” Pearleza asked, digging her nail into her palm.

Tatiana grunted and tried to pull her hand away. Pearleza held on tighter. “I’ve got you. Breathe through the pain. Don’t worry.”

Tatiana mumbled something, her voice stolen from her lips. If Azor killed his own father, just to ensure he’d get the crown, he was capable of doing anything for his own gain. Her chest constricted, her heart about to burst. She couldn’t do this, couldn’t continue the charade.

: : :

In Tatiana’s room, Pearleza took over, immediately clearing everyone out. Blanchard appeared from hiding in Coralade’s quarters and handed Pearleza the merling.

“Thank you, I’ve got it handled,” she said before shooing him out the door.

Once alone, Pearleza gave Tatiana the baby. The small bundle looked up, dark eyes and lashes, his lips smiling. And an adorable shock of black hair puffed at his crown. A little Azor.

“Wail,” Pearleza instructed, her voice hard. “You’re supposed to be in labor.”

Tatiana groaned, but kept getting distracted by the adorable bundle in her arms, cooing at her. She already saw herself bonding to the child, teaching him to swim, to walk, to run.

“And if anyone asks why you birthed in human form, tell them you didn’t have time to get to water.”

“Wha—?” Tatiana momentarily tore her eyes away from the boy as Pearleza stripped the bed, then nicked her finger with a knife and spread it on the sheets.

“It hurts more the human way.” She wet her hands in the finger bowl and touched Tatiana’s hair and brow. “Again.”

Tatiana blinked, then remembered her task and groaned.

“Louder,” Pearleza said through her teeth.

She pressed her voice harder, startling the baby. “Sorry, little one,” she said quickly, offering her finger, which the merling suckled.

Pearleza took the baby from Tatiana’s arms, and he started to cry.

Tatiana pouted, holding out her arms. “I want to hold him.”

“Sh-h-h,” she patted the boy’s bottom and moved to a nearby chair. Lifting her top, she placed the child to her breast.

Tatiana gasped as the child stopped whimpering and nursed, hungrily. “I’ll give him back in a minute. He’s hungry and I have no clue where Xirene is. Besides, you need to get into your nightgown and into bed.”

Tatiana watched on with awe before she obeyed.

Pearleza closed her eyes and leaned her head back with a sigh. “What I do for this kingdom.”

“Do
I
have milk?” Tatiana asked, curious.

“No,” she said simply. “I have milk because I’m still nursing my son, but there are herbs in my bag. If you take them, you’ll produce milk if you want.”

She jumped out of bed, and found the herbs. Grimacing, she ate one of the bitter weeds and put extra in her pocket for later.

“How old is your son?”

Pearleza’s face lightened. “Ike is only a few weeks old.”

“How—?” Tatiana blanched, catching herself for asking such a stupid question.

Pearleza laughed and shook her head. She removed her glove, careful not to disturb the baby, and showed Tatiana her tattoo. “I’m not one to break the law, but we couldn’t help it. Love is a very powerful thing, and since Ike’s father is a widower, it’s not like anyone would find out.”

Tatiana blinked, stunned for a moment, before crawling back into bed.

Pearleza looked at the babe and broke into a smile. “When Queen Desiree found out after my pregnancy, she turned her head to it, because I’ve been a good servant and kept many of her secrets. And since I’m to serve you now,” she gestured to the child, “you must know the truth. And it’s difficult to remain celibate, Milady. Especially when there’s nothing wrong with your feelings or your parts.”

“I can imagine,” Tatiana mumbled, suddenly thinking about Jacob.

“So…” Pearleza’s head turned to the door, listening to the small murmurs outside. “You might want to do one final labor cry.”

They both looked at the sleeping babe in Pearleza’s arms and sighed, deciding against it. Reluctantly, she finally handed the boy to Tatiana.

“He is sweet,” Pearleza said, sniffing his head and kissing his brow, “for now.”

Tatiana cringed, remembering the horror they’d just experienced with Azor. If he turned out anything like his father, Poseidon help them all.

Pearleza took one last hard look at Tatiana. “Are you ready for this?”

Tatiana sucked in a breath and held the bundle tighter, reminding herself that this wasn’t her son; that she was merely there to play a part. She’d care for the boy today, but she couldn’t get attached. Her plans were to escape with Jacob, not get caught up in a mess too big for her to fix. Why had she eaten the blasted weed?

Pearleza replaced her glove and touched Tatiana’s arm. “It’s an honor to serve you, my Queen,” she said with a bow.

At the title, something pinched inside Tatiana’s conscience, and her spine stiffened. Although she didn’t hold Azor’s promise anymore, she held the coveted fleur-de-lis along with the responsibility. And with Azor acting irrationally, she couldn’t run away to leave the kingdom to his wrath. So many innocent mers needed her help—the rebels, the servants, the maimed and the orphaned, the babe and his mother. They were all counting on her. They needed freedom, not only to love whom they wanted, but freedom from tyranny, and at the ceremony, they were going to get it, one way or another.

“Yes,” she said with a heavy breath. “I’m ready.”

37

: : :

Homecoming

The briny water pulled in and out of Ashlyn’s gills, her heart pounding. She gripped Fin’s hand tighter as the light at the end of the tunnel from Tahoe grew larger. She’d finally see Fin’s underwater world. Her kingdom. Natatoria.

She’d heard so much about the city, all good things in the past. Right before leaving her home in Tahoe, Fin explained the possibility of a lot of crap that could go wrong, of problems because the Prince stole Tatiana’s kiss, of a war. She’d already experienced some of it when his uncle Alaster forced himself on her and kissed her, but she’d never let Fin go to Natatoria without her. Their mission was clear: rescue her best friend from the clutches of the Prince. Problem was, from what Fin had said happened before, under the power of the promise kiss, Tatchi wouldn’t be compliant.

With her foreign appendage propelling her along to the unknown, she felt lost. And her scales, something new and tingly all over her body, wouldn’t stop quivering in excitement and fear.

“Is that it?” she asked, in English.

“Yes,” Fin said softly, patting her hand.

“Uh,” Jax said from ahead of them. “Sorry, guys. I—I kinda forgot to mention, things are a little different.”

“What do you mean
different
?” Galadriel asked, her voice terse.

Jax filled everyone in on what had happened since they’d been in Natatoria last. From the rebel attack, to the shark eating the King’s fin, to Prince Azor running everything with the help of his Dradux goon squad.

Galadriel halted, creating a bottleneck in the tunnel for Ash and Fin, Fin’s cousin Colin, and his uncle Alaster, who was bound at the wrists by Ferdinand, the mute. “And you didn’t think to tell us to bring weapons?”

Jax turned to her, his voice cracking. “I thought we’d get them in Natatoria.”

Galadriel snorted nervously. “And where exactly will we find them? Azor’s compound?”

Alaster’s hoarse laughter filtered through the water behind them all. “Fools. You have no idea what you’re up against.”

“Silence,” Galadriel demanded, and Ferdinand yanked Alaster’s tied wrists. She moved her tail, coming inches from Jax’s face. “I should have been informed of this a lot sooner than now.”

Jax’s mouth floundered, opening and closing. “I—I wanted to. I—I was just so happy to see you again. It kinda slipped my mind.”

She closed her eyes a beat, then turned to Fin with a frown. “Is there anything at the house we can use?”

Fin laughed, incredulous. “A few spears, but they’re smoldering in the ashes in the basement.”

Galadriel huffed and pushed her hair away from her face. “I can already see running this kingdom is going to be difficult. Don’t keep stuff like this from me, Jax, please—”

“I’m sorry, Princess.” Jax reached for her and took her hand.

She closed her eyes again, softening to him. “Well it’s not like I’m deft at using a sword or anything. But I do have one heck of a siren. Besides, Darrellon and his two goons are scared of me anyway; so is my brother.”

Jax pulled Galadriel close, hugging her.

 “Darrellon is dead,” Colin said quickly while his pectoral fins flared. “Chauncey is in charge now… and there are more than just two Dradux guards.”

She pushed Jax away, her eyes lit. “How many are there?”

Colin sighed. “Pretty much all of the true-blooded mermen who chose the King’s side over Jack’s were inducted.”

Fin’s face fell. “Azor drafted all the mermen?”

 “Yeah.” Colin grimaced. “He blackmailed them after they saw what he did to the rebel families. Kind of like, be loyal to me or else. The rebels are awaiting punishment in the square.”

Alaster’s laughter returned until a loud “oof” filled the air, silencing him. Everyone turned to see Ferdinand looking off to the side while Alaster leaned awkwardly over.

“Call him off, will ya?” he begged, his voice pinched.

Galadriel chucked, shaking her head. “Thanks, Ferd.”

A slight smile played on Ferdinand’s lips.

Fin’s hands wove their way around Ash’s middle, pulling her close. “Don’t worry about all of this,” he said in her ear. “I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

Her heart thumped anyway. The Dradux guards sounded fierce, and without weapons, she had the impression they were sitting ducks.

“Come on. Let’s face the music,” Galadriel said, leading the charge.

Ash fluttered her tail, propelling herself out of the cave into—beautiful didn’t do the vast land and palace in the distance justice, with its vibrant spires and tiny lights in the windows. Palatial. Heavenly. And inside, her spirit felt whole. Home.

Next to her, though, Fin cussed. “This isn’t the place I wanted you to see, Ash. This is—”

“Where’s the song?” Exasperated, Galadriel’s hands flew upward into the current, then fell down, clutching her head.

Once Alaster and Ferdinand cleared the cave, Fin whipped his tail and grabbed his Uncle by the throat. “What did the King do? Why is it like this?”

Alaster’s face turned red, his beady eyes bugging out. “Your father is to blame.”

“My father did nothing. He hasn’t even been here.”

“Stop it,” Colin interrupted, pulling Fin off his father’s neck. “He may be a son of a bass, but he didn’t do this. Azor did and we have to stop him.”

“Azor,” Fin hissed through gritted teeth. He pressed his hands against his knuckles, cracking them. “I can’t wait to see him.”

“What’s that stink?” Ash asked. “It’s like rotten oyst—”

A bag slipped over Ash’s head and she thrashed about as someone’s hulking grip surrounded her middle, trapping her arms. A pinch sent fire racing up her scales. She cried out unsuccessfully, unable to make any sound with the bag wrapped around her gills.

“Get the other girl,” a gruff voice said.

Grunts and groans punctuated the air when an earsplitting scream flooded the water. Instantly her hands were freed. She untied the sack at her throat, and removed the bag, shrieking a blasting noise herself. Fin, Jax, Alaster, Colin, and four mermen dressed in green cloaks were all doubled over, holding their ears and moaning. Though the sound was hardly tolerable to her, the mermen all seemed pained over the noise coming from Ferdinand’s mouth.

Galadriel freed herself as well and removed the cloak from the first guard.

“Quick,” she said. “Get their clothing and their weapons.”

Ash flexed her weighted appendage, wincing in pain, and somehow managed to maneuver herself over. She removed the cloaks from the two nearest thugs without any struggle from them.

Ferd’s eardrum-shattering screech continued, loud and long. Galadriel put on one cloak and propelled herself forward with the spears under her arm, dragging Jax behind her. She motioned Ash to do the same. “Come on!”

She took Fin’s and Colin’s hands, towing them slowly behind Galadriel with her gimpy fin.

“I can’t,” she whimpered, feeling herself losing strength.

But as they distanced themselves from Ferd, Fin and Colin were able to swim alongside her. Colin pulled his hand away.

“I can’t leave my dad.”