“A place where no mer has ever returned from,” Aukai informs me with a worried drop to his brows. Turning his attention to Zephyr, he adds, “Never once have I ever missed a location or had my portals lead to the between.”
“But you’ve never tried opening one to somewhere you’ve never been before either,” Zeph tells him.
The circles they’re talking in are starting an ache behind my forehead. It’s been days, and no one has a clear plan of approach. What’s life without a little bit of risk, anyway? Especially if it’ll bring us all home. When I ask as much, the two of them glance at each other, and I know I've won them over.
My lips have barely parted to push us into motion when Zanthus’ voice makes me almost jump out of my skin.
“We’re not going that route,” he announces, stalking into the room with Zale on his heels. “And you should know better than to encourage this, brother.”
Zephyr doesn’t look sheepish in the least at being caught. Shrugging, he admits, “I was tired of waiting on the two of you to stop bickering long enough to make a decision. If they tried and it worked, then at least we had an option.”
Zale sighs. “I’m not going to comment on all of the things wrong with what you just said.”
Zanthus cuts off further replies. “We’re leaving tomorrow. It’ll take us at least two-day journey without surprise guests and delays. I suggest everyone get as much rest as possible. We’re all going to need our strength.”
In all of the years I’ve been alive, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as magnificent as the sight of my mate swimming between my brothers. Our pace isn’t as brutal as it should be considering we’re finally heading home after the forced abandonment of our kingdom. No one has complained that we aren’t speeding away from our prison. They’re all aware how new Rubi is with not just her magic, but her shifted form as well.
We’re all supposed to be keeping our eyes open for danger, but I can’t seem to stop watching the flick of a sexy purple tail in front of me. She had the Keep craft a top for her before we left. It covers her breasts fully but doesn’t stop them from slightly spilling over the top as she swims. She’s beautiful yet just as deadly with the trident gripped in her hand as well as the magic I know simmers through her veins.
Head in the game, she teases, her voice flowing into my mind humorously.
Kind of difficult with such an amazing view, I reply instantly, drawing a small laugh from her.
Zanthus shoots an exasperated look over his shoulder at our distracting telepathic conversation. His warning is enough to pull my focus back to where it needs to be. In my peripheral I see even Aukai fighting a smile. At least the majority of us are in good hopes right now. There's no telling the state we're going to find our kingdom in, so the higher spirits will likely be needed the closer we get to it. We've still got another day’s journey ahead of us, too. Buckling down my attention, I don't let it wander so far again as we keep traveling.
More hours than what's worth by counting, we've finally swam close enough to start recognizing some of the underwater kingdom of old. Rubi's wonder drifts through her thoughts to us unconsciously. Attempting to see it through her eyes for the first time, I can imagine how glorious it must seem. The kingdom on the surface was built to mirror this one almost exactly. Four towering spikes jut toward the sky. Huge castle walls stretch between them, creating barriers that separate it from the open water. In our current kingdom on the surface, one of those towers is where prisoners are held. As though our ancestors were telling everyone whoever was contained inside wasn't worthy of being so close to the sacred water. These days, after years of little use and no upkeep, the underwater kingdom seems to have sprouted a life of its own. Coral has started to grow on some of the stone outcroppings, but it doesn't look like it should.
As we come nearer it's obvious something is way off from what it should be. Where I remember there being light, there's nothing but shadows. That darkness seems to wash over my skin and attempts to pull me down tail first into the abyss of the sea floor that is no longer visible.
Swimming closer with a flick or two of his tail, Aukai reaches out for Rubi right before a monster I've never seen before surges up from the depths beneath her and my brothers. Easton and Caelen, who've been protectively flanking them on our journey, jump into action, flinging themselves toward the monster.
Shrouded in shadows, the being is barely distinguishable from that of a kraken. Without being marred by darkness, that's likely what the creature used to be yet is no more. Two tentacled legs reach for our two guards who dodge them just in the nick of time. Doing a quick roll, they're able to bring their weapons up and slice through the monster. It appears to cut right through skin, but at closer inspection it's obvious there's nothing physically there. It's like watching wisps of black smoke divide then reconvene around their trident and sword.
Zanthus' bark is loud within my mind.
MOVE NOW!
Zephyr wraps an arm around Rubi's waist and begins to tow her in the direction of the surface as Aukai takes off after them. Staying by my brother's side, I let my magic flow freely; currents tug at the monster, threatening to drag him further out to sea.
All eight legs unfurl and wrap themselves around the palace as the monster seems to swell, doubling in size. As his size grows, small shadows separate themselves from him, turning into vicious mini creatures that immediately rush forward.
It's all I can do to use the current against the giant kraken now reaching out for us again. There's no way I can cover all of its spawn as well. Thankfully, our people stand as solid at our sides now as they have for the plethora of years we were locked under the barrier at the Keep. Using both weapons and their magic, they jump into action against the threat.
I lose track of which one goes where as I try to keep a tight-lock down on my magic. Zanthus long since joined the fray with Caelen and Easton where they're trying to find a weakness within the shadow creature.
A sharp hiss of pain and short curse from Zephyr in my mind have my attention jolting up to check on him and Rubi. They never made it to the surface and are battling their own dark creature above. That one moment of distraction costs me as a tentacle clamps around my torso before squeezing hard enough to make my bones creak in protest. Were I not caught beneath the suction cups that feel like they're starting to tear into my flesh, I might take a moment to investigate the creature fully. How does one defeat a monster of shadow when it only has flesh at will?
As though she's heard the riddle inside my head, Rubi comments, You don't.
You send them somewhere they'll never be found until you defeat their master, Aukai adds right before a bright flash of light beams through the water.
I'm turned loose as the creature screeches in response. Evidently, stunning it seems to make it even angrier. Or it's possible the light hurts it. Either way, we don't get to find out as it makes another lunge, only this time with its entire body.
It's several feet from Zanthus when Aukai zips between them. One quick wave of his hand and the creature disappears into the black void of a portal. It gets sucked through as though it was never there to begin with, all of its dark minions vanishing as well.