I'm sure one day, if we get that far, this helicopter thing will get old, but I find it kind of endearing at the moment. They aren't the only ones that would feel better if I weren't alone. At my nod, he sets three books down on the arm of the chair. Immediately, my hands scoot them into my lap, so I can look them over. Old bindings threaten to crumble under my fingers with the top one, making the others appear almost brand new. With it weathered and used, I figure it's as good a place to start as any. Too bad when I open the cover it's to discover the entire thing is written in Luanerik.
What was the point in giving me this if I'm not going to be able to read it? I start to ask, but when I glance up, I find Zale's green eyes inches from my face.
Then his lips wipe out any coherent thought that isn't related to him out of my head. Keeping an arm wrapped around the ancient tomes in my lap, I run my free hand over his shoulders and through the back of that blond hair, locking us together. The taste of him makes me want to go ahead and claim him as my other mate right here in the study. Where his brothers have a more predominantly salty taste, Zale's is more of a hidden surprise, or an after-taste maybe. It doesn't make him any less effective by any means.
A bright green thread thrums between us behind my eyelids, begging for attention. It wants more of everything he's offering right now. Unfortunately, we've both forgotten we're not exactly alone. A throat clearing softly over by the table brings us out of our bubble. Zale smiles against my lips before pulling back and moving to the chair across from me with his own book.
I hadn't been lying when I told myself I wasn't ashamed to be with the three of them now. However, that doesn't mean we need to flaunt it in the other' faces either when it's certainly been just as long of a wait for them too. Not looking towards Merrick's direction, I turn my focus back to the top book in my lap.
My gasp has both sets of mer eyes whipping my way as I stumble out, "I can read it now."
Both of Merrick's eyebrows shoot up on his forehead as he turns to Zale who appears to be lost in thought.
"It's possible she's gaining the wisdom of our people through your bond," Merrick speculates to himself while still working to clean off the table.
"Well I guess that makes our language lessons unnecessary," I say pointedly.
Neither of them seems to hear me, so I glance back down at the open pages.
Legend of Five Kingdoms
Over the next couple hours, I immerse myself deep into the history of the merfolk and their kingdoms. It covers some of the things I've already learned, going further into detail. The five rulers were more than simply bored with their station and underwater domains. Each one vied to be stronger than the other. Whether it be in magic, military, or even population. That rapacity led them all to their own demise. Even after the above water kingdoms were established, greed had claimed the hearts of the clans. They'd never be happy unless they ruled over all.
Civil war broke out in the realm. No one was untouched by the wrath of war, including those who tried to remain neutral. Those were the first to be slain or enslaved. An inky black darkness covered the waters in this realm, poisoning anything that dared brush against it. Pictures depicting these scenes in the book leave chills down my arms. It's like looking through a graphic novel of the human’s biblical apocalypse.
The waters coated with this darkness look to be swallowing people whole as their faces contort in fear and pain. Flipping through several more pages to skip even more visualizations, I realize I also skimmed over the end of the war. Peaceful times were upon the five kingdoms once more. Trade between them picked up and there was even speculation about a magical bridge between them being built. All darkness seemed to have disappeared.
I've seen that darkness. It's still out there, a voice whispers in my head, making those chills rush down my spine as well. I try my best to ignore them and the voice while I keep reading.
It would be many, many hundreds of years later before they'd all learn that peace couldn’t last forever. Discord had already started between the kingdoms and their rulers. Small things at first which broke the dam for much larger ones. Such as increases on imports and exports. These people wanted for almost nothing, and yet they still fought over material things. It's almost too ridiculous to even imagine.
According to the legend in this book, a prophet from my mates’ kingdom of Yhalwgon was the straw that broke the camel's back. He traveled to and from each kingdom spouting the same message:
“Outside the Realm of Man, Four Queens Rule the Land
One of Water, Born of Hatred a Cruel Male’s Daughter
One of Fire, Protected Under Exile From Her Empire
One of Blood, Forgotten Faith of Falsehood
One of Magic, A Monster Within Itself Tragic
Spurning the Empires Unite, Darkness Consumes the Light
All Realms Will Fall, Sickness Upon All Will Befall
A King Will Make Himself Known, No True Claim to the Throne
Until Rightful Heirs Return, Creatures of Magic Will Burn
One Pure Sacrifice, Realm Born Shall Pay the Price”
Until he traveled into the eastern kingdom of Wyhgorl, Bruinen's territory where he was quickly brought to death. Feeling slighted, King Zerces, the Zs father, enacted his form of retribution against the eastern kingdom by attack and demand. Quite possibly not in that order.
He cut off trade with the other kingdoms unless they agreed to an alliance against King Bruinen. None of them would ally, however, because they saw this as their own opportunity to acquire more power as well. Thus, beginning the next civil war that would decimate and cripple an entire realm. The rest of the book is filled with battles and drawings of such until it abruptly ends without warning.
Slamming the book closed, no longer caring about its worn condition, I toss it to the floor beside my chair as I stand to go look out the barrier window. Maybe I'm imagining things after having gone through that horrible history lesson, but the water seems darker and less inviting today. How is it possible for an entire race of magical beings to be so ignorant? Especially to the point of endangering the lives of their people. My heart hurts for the small children that were sinking beneath those black waves in the drawings.
The dark thoughts lead me back to the prophecy. There's no denying who it's referring to as the daughter of a cruel man; I've felt the water speak to me, and after the witch's revelation of my mother and father, it's plainly obvious. But who are the other three queens?
"I hate riddles," I burst out, letting my frustration seep into my tone.
Whirling around, I find not only my two original companions’ gazes on me but those of Zanthus, Zephyr, and a gray-eyed stranger. The latter three sit around the table with Merrick.
I don't let it stop my tirade as I point at the book I'd love to rip pictures out of and burn. "How much of that is true history?"
"Almost all of it that we’re aware of, damselfish," Zale replies without lifting his head from his book.
Maybe they've all had time to become adjusted to this life of unrest and bloodshed, or they could be as tainted as their ancestors. A guilty pang shoots through me at that thought. I couldn't see any of the Zs ever putting a child's life in danger for selfish reasons. Which leaves option one. If the prophecy is correct, it'll be the queens who bring peace to this realm. Fresh perspectives never hurt in situations, especially ones as dire as these.