However, she didn’t know of another species like that.
Who was this man? And why couldn’t she pull her gaze from him?
“Be ready to run,” Tristan, Caly’s brother-in-law, said from her side.
He was fae, one of the Conclave members. His friend, a wizard named Levi, was at his side.
“Why would we run?”
“Because I don’t have a good feeling about this,” Dante the dragon said from behind her.
She turned and almost fell into her bowl, but Tristan held out a hand for her. “Seriously, this doesn’t look good.”
Dante hummed in agreement. “Hunter and the wolves will be gone, as well. Our friends will be safe. But I don’t trust this stranger.”
Caly looked at Dante, then back down at the man who wasn’t any supernatural species she’d ever known. “What is he?”
“That, I do not know. And that worries me more than I care to admit.”
Considering that Dante was millennia old, she didn’t blame him. She’d thought he knew everything there was to know about the realms.
“You can’t just come in here and issue ultimatums,” the elder snapped. “You are nothing. A figment of the imagination. You should go before you suffer the consequences. You are but one against many.”
The stranger tilted his head. “You know exactly who I am. Your lies and deceit can only last so long. And you know what I can do. You know what I represent. Let us have a voice, or remember exactly what happened the last time you ignored us.” He looked around, winked at her, then shrugged.
What. The. Hell?
“I’ll be waiting outside while you make your decision.” He strode off just as he’d come in, and she was honestly so confused that it took her a moment to catch up.
“Well, that was interesting,” Tristan said, shaking his head as the rest of the Conclave fell into an uproar. “We need to get back to Seth and Amara. I have a feeling that this isn’t going to end well.”
“We can all meet up later if needed,” Dante said, but before Caly could agree, not even knowing if she was truly invited, one of the elders called out her name.
“Calypso Oceanus. Come. You are needed.”
She froze, and Reynard looked at her. “Should I go with you?”
“No, go home with Tristan and the others. You don’t want the elders’ eye on you if you can help it.”
“You shouldn’t go alone,” Tristan said.
“I don’t really think I have a choice.” She squeezed his hand and then jumped off the edge of her bowl so she could make her way to where the elders sat.
She looked over her shoulder as Tristan and her friend stared, clearly ready to fight if needed. She really hoped it wouldn’t come to that.
“Sire,” she said, not kneeling, but she did bow her head in respect. She might not like the elders, but they still helped rule the Conclave. Not that the Conclave truly had leaders per se, but the elders did hold sway. And if they asked to meet with you, you met with them. Their powers were legendary, and she didn’t want to face that. After all, she was just a mermaid. She wasn’t even sure she had any real powers to begin with.”
“Calypso.”
“Yes?”
“Talk to that man and figure out exactly what he wants. In detail. It is your job of lineage to figure out who this imposter is. Find him, or you will lose your job as a Conclave member, as a lineage maker. You don’t want to be shunned by the mermaids, do you?”
The elder spoke so quickly, she felt as if she couldn’t keep up.
“What?”
“You heard me. More is at stake than just your connection to your realm.”
“You’re threatening me?” She fisted her hands at her sides, but the elder held up a hand.
“No, merely making a promise. That man isn’t going to wait much longer. You will speak for us, but make no decisions.”
Then they were gone, leaving her alone, wondering what in the goddess’s name had just happened.
“What was that?” Tristan asked, coming towards her.
“They told me I need to talk to him. And figure out what he is.”
“Alone?” he asked, and she shrugged.
“I have a feeling if I don’t do it alone, they’re going to do something far worse.”
“They’re not allowed to have that kind of power.”
“It seems they do. I’m going to go figure out who and what he is.”
“You shouldn’t. Not without help.”
Caly just shrugged. “I’m okay. I promise. I’m not going to do anything stupid.”
And then she chased after the man, going back the way he had come through, past the large, gilded doors. She really hoped like hell she knew what she was doing. Because, honestly, she had no idea what to do other than just come right out and ask him.
“Looking for me, pet?” a deep voice asked as soon as she was outside the large marble building that housed the Conclave.
She skidded to a halt, her heart racing. “You. What do you want?” she asked, looking at the man with the dark hair and hooded eyes.
“Well, things just got interesting, didn’t they, pet?”
Before she could ask exactly what he meant, he winked once, then vanished into thin air.
Chapter 2
Misha slid between the shadows, thankful for his glamour. No one could pierce through it, not even another of his kind. Although his kind could detect if a glamour were being used, just not who was beneath it. Thankfully, no one who knew him or could ever know him, was near.
Not that he enjoyed the idea that he was alone, but he was used to it.
This time, however, gave him time to look at her. A mermaid. Of all creatures, she would be the one to call to him. Well now, that was interesting.
He had spent centuries alone, helping his people, trying to keep them alive, but he had never truly searched for a mate. After all, what was the point when they would just die long before he did?
Because he was already dead, at least according to legend. Why add life to it?
“So, are you going to stand in the shadows all day, cousin?”
Misha smirked, having sensed his cousin Broderick near him right when the man glimmered. Glimmering was how his kind went from one point to another. It was another form of transportation, but it took immense power that not all had.
The truly strong didn’t need to see the end point of their glimmer in order to end up there. Some, most of the young, and those who had used far too much of their power over time couldn’t glimmer without knowing exactly where they were going. Others of their kind couldn’t glimmer at all, but Misha and Broderick were not those.
“I think I made my statement,” he said, ignoring Broderick’s taunts.
“And what kind of statement would that be?” Broderick asked, his voice low.
Misha looked over at him. “It’s whatever we need it to be.”
His cousin sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t trust any of this. We’ve been hidden for eons for a reason. The Conclave has never liked us, even in whatever iteration they were in when they knew we existed in the open.”
“I think two of the elders knew exactly who and what I was, even though they lied about it.” That worried him, but it shouldn’t. He wasn’t too surprised.