Cloaked: Easthaven Crest, Book One

by Justice, A. D.

  “How do we get up there?” I crane my neck and point toward the castle.

  “We don’t, not without the help of the merpeople. Most are leery of humans, so very few of us have seen the inside of that palace. I’ve heard stories of how beautiful it is inside. They say it outshines every other palace in the realm.”

  I remember when Rio offered his help, he said to step into the water and call his name. If that works with all merpeople, then Talia should hear me calling her name too. “Here goes nothing.”

  After I slip off my shoes, I wade into the clear water. “Talia, this is Sara. Can you hear me? Please, I need your help.”

  After several minutes, small ripples in the water drift toward me before growing larger and larger. Then Talia rises up out of the water in front of me with a dazzling smile covering her face. She seems genuinely glad to see me again.

  “Hi, Sara. I’m surprised to see you here, but I’m glad you came. What can I do for you?” Her scales flitter and disappear, leaving regular legs instead and clothing matching the hues of her fin.

  “I have questions about Saban, if you don’t mind. I’ve been told you can see the future, and I have so many doubts about what I should and shouldn’t do.”

  “Both of you can come up to the palace with me so we can talk in private. I’m happy to share what I know.”

  Talia walks to the dry land and motions for us to follow her down a narrow, winding path hidden by the fronds of the thick trees. At the end of the trail is an opening in the rock wall, nearly invisible to anyone who doesn’t know it’s there, that leads into a great room directly behind the waterfall.

  A brook filled with brightly colored fish flows through the middle of the room, disappearing into the great mountain at the far wall. Crystal chandeliers hang from the ceiling on long lines, lighting the room with tiny rainbows from the sparkle of the clear prisms. The vaulted ceiling and all four walls are decorated with ornate gold trim that frames fresco paintings.

  One painting is of the mighty Poseidon and his wife, Amphitrite. One arm holds her close, and the other hand holds his infamous trident. The next work of art is a detailed depiction of the lost city of Atlantis. Still another is of Triton, the son of Poseidon and Amphitrite, shown as a merman, with the upper body of a man and tail of a fish. Sometimes the truth is absolutely stranger than fiction.

  I turn in circles as we walk through the grand hall, trying to commit every detail to memory since I may never come this way again. She waves her hand over a panel on the wall, and a door slides open. We step into an all-glass elevator, and I gasp loudly when my eyes land on the sight in front of us.

  I expected the interior of the mountain to be solid rock, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. From the mountain floor to its very peak, it’s filled with clear water. Mermen and mermaids move with fluid grace among the various buildings. An entire underwater city is hidden inside the rock-lined face.

  “This is amazing, Talia. Are those buildings apartments?”

  “Some are, yes. Others are the same types of buildings you’d find in any other city. This is considered a suburb, of course. The main city is farther downstream and much farther under the surface. This area was built for the palace staff so they can have closer conveniences like those who work in the city do.”

  When the elevator stops at the top, we step into a ballroom bathed in deep blue, bright gold, and various hues of dark red. The furniture is arranged to create multiple seating areas throughout the expansive space. At the far end of the room are two giant thrones positioned on an elevated platform. Matching curtains are draped on each side, completing the air of royalty as intended.

  The three of us sit together in one of the more comfortable spaces. Servants descend on us immediately, leaving glasses, a tall pitcher of liquid libations, and a platter of snacks. Before they go, we each have a drink and a small plate of food placed in front of us. It’s not until this moment that I realize the most obvious explanation.

  Talia is part of the Elderwater Basin royal family.

  That’s how she knows Saban.

  “What can I help you with, Sara?” Talia lifts her glass to her lips and takes a sip, but she doesn’t move her eyes away from me.

  “That day we met, you mentioned all was not as it seems with him, but you didn’t have time to elaborate. What did you mean by that statement, exactly? Should I be afraid of him?”

  She shakes her head and puts her drink back on the table. “I didn’t get that impression from him. He’s actually very much in love with you. But there’s another part of him that’s hidden behind a shroud. I can’t tell if he did it himself, but it’s concerning because it’s deliberate. Usually when someone hides a specific part of themselves, it’s for a very dark purpose.”

  “Does that mean he’s a warlock?”

  “No, he’s definitely not magical. There’s a mystery to him I haven’t been able to solve yet. His deep feelings for you are a direct contradiction to everything that makes sense.”

  “Can you see my future? Can you tell me what happens?” I’m almost afraid to ask, but I’ll kick myself later if I don’t do it now.

  “I have seen part of your future—several times—but it changes every time I have a vision. Your choices today directly influence and change what will happen tomorrow. For that reason, I don’t share what I see unless it remains constant because you have to do what’s right for you at the moment.”

  To say I’m disappointed in her reply is an understatement, but I understand her reasoning. She doesn’t want to be the reason why I take one course over another. If she puts the idea in my head something specific will happen, I’m more likely to set myself up for exactly that and nothing more.

  “Do you see me spending my life with Saban? Is he my true soul mate?”

  “Yes, he is your true soul mate. There’s no denying or changing that, even though my brother Rio is very taken with you. He told me he offered to make you forget Saban so he could make you fall for him instead.” She shakes her head with a chuckle. “He would try his best to do just that, too.”

  “Yes, and as tempting as his offer was, I just couldn’t go through with it. Also, he didn’t mention he was your brother when he introduced himself.”

  “That’s definitely Rio for you. As far as not removing the bond, you made a wise decision. It’s for the best, trust me. Your parents didn’t want to leave you the way they did. They didn’t choose it. You and Saban will have problems, like every other couple in the world. Just remember, you have to look past the surface, into his depths, and make decisions based on what you see there.” Her kind smile reassures me, and I feel more at peace, trusting that Saban won’t abandon me.

  “Thank you, Talia. I’m sorry we barged in on you like this, but I appreciate your seeing us.”

  She shows us out of the palace and hugs both of us goodbye before she disappears below the water again.

  “Did you get anything out of her advice that I missed?” Addi and I are back in the car, driving toward Easthaven Crest. I’m dissecting every word of the conversation with Talia.

  “No, I didn’t. Sorry. It sounded very specific to me. Basically, she said to try to understand why he is the way he is and why he does the things he does. That’s true of anyone, though, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is. I was hoping I’d missed something more profound.”

  We make it back with plenty of time to spare before the rehearsal dinner, but I still shower and slip on an appropriate shell dress for the occasion. Thankfully, tonight is more low-key than tomorrow will be. With only the immediate family and the wedding party in attendance, the dinner is more intimate than I expected.

  “You look beautiful tonight.” Saban lifts my hand to his lips and places soft kisses on the back of it.

  “Thank you. You look very handsome yourself.”

  When the domes are lifted from our plates, I realize how famished I am from not eating all day. Addi and I were so busy, I didn’t take time to gra
b anything. The first bite is delicious, and I moan in appreciation. Maybe a little too loudly. When I look around to see if anyone noticed my gaffe, the lurid expression in Gerard’s eyes is definite confirmation. After a pointed glare, I return to my meal and ignore him for the rest of the evening.

  If Saban sensed anything out of the ordinary with me and my moods, he never mentioned it. After the festivities wound down and all the guests left, he and I said our goodnights and retreated to our wing of the palace. The best feature it has is it’s so far away from everyone else. It’s almost as if we have our own home inside the palace, with all the amenities we could possibly need at our disposal.

  He helped me undress and carried me to our bed in his strong arms. He never fails to show exactly how much I’m loved and appreciated, often rejecting my attempts to do the same. He claims he’d rather be the giver than the receiver, though I’m working on changing that mindset. It’s better to give and receive as far as I’m concerned. But after the unpleasantness Gerard caused, I’m relieved to know our bedtime routine is the same as it has been every other night—falling asleep in each other’s arms after we’ve spent every ounce of energy and we’re drained of the ability to move.

  Chapter 25

  “I see you and Saban are back together again. You know, he was absolutely miserable without you. He was in such a bad mood, we almost couldn’t stand to be around him. But all that changed the moment you came back here with him.” Gerard leans against the doorframe, blocking the passage to the courtyard outside.

  I feel trapped, but I’ll never let him know. I get the sense he wants to knock me off-kilter with his faux concern about Saban’s well-being. Isla must be the one who put him up to playing these stupid little mind games. She doesn’t have the backbone to do it herself, but she is just devious enough to coerce her fiancé into doing it on her behalf.

  Saban is busy with his family, getting dressed for the wedding and preparing to receive most of the kingdom in the spacious courtyard. I have to admit, the area is the perfect setting for a wedding. The collection of colorful flowers with their large blooms and aromatic fragrance is draped over the entire pergola. Long cascades overflow from all sides, creating curtains of living decorations. The light gold runner in the center aisle accentuates the royal red chairs on either side.

  “I’m glad he’s happy again.” I keep my response short and to the point.

  “As close as you two are, my guess is you’ll be walking down the aisle before we know it. Have you talked about setting a date yet?”

  I cut my eyes over at him with a glare, not trying to hide the fact that I don’t want to talk to him. But he takes my disinterest as a challenge instead of accepting the hint. He also seems to have forgotten all his guests will begin arriving in about thirty minutes, so he really should go find his place to greet them.

  “No, we haven’t. It’s still too soon for that.”

  “You know, I find that very interesting and telling. If you were certain he was your mate, I don’t think you’d feel like that. I think, Sara, you’d be much more adamant about validating your relationship to the entire kingdom. People will start to question why you’re hesitant to publicly claim him as yours.” He pushes off the doorframe, completely blocking the passage now, and his eyes become predatory.

  “That’s an interesting theory, Gerard. But allow me to present an alternative one. First of all, I don’t doubt my relationship with Saban in the least. I know exactly what I feel for him and what he feels for me. Secondly, I don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks because no one else is in this relationship with us. If we want to wait a hundred years to get married, that’s what we’ll do. We’re in this for us, not to appease anyone else. And lastly, the very fact that we’re together is a public declaration of my claim on him. I don’t feel the need to piss on his leg to mark my territory—and, in case you’re wondering, he doesn’t either.”

  “It’s no wonder you have him caught in your spell. Your fiery side is mesmerizing. I have a proposition for you, Sara. Given the circumstances today, I admit it’s highly inappropriate, but this feels like a now-or-never scenario.”

  I slowly arch one eyebrow as disgust fills me to my very core. He is not about to suggest what I think. A quick probe of his mind reveals nothing, which immediately puts me on guard. I’ve shaken hands with him before, but there was no recognition of a kindred magical spirit. For his mind to be blank to me now, he’d have to be…

  “You and I should run away together. We’re a much better fit than you and Saban or Isla and I are. We’ll be happy, Sara. I’ll take so much better care of you than he could, in every way imaginable. My family is very well-off, and I’m very well-endowed myself, as per my own financial assets.” He smirks, thinking he’s cute. He’s not. “What do you say to that?”

  “What do I say? I say there’s absolutely no way that will ever happen. Even if I weren’t in love with Saban, which I am, you would never be my choice for a mate. Let’s forgo the entire discussion of all the other reasons why I’m not attracted to you and focus on the one at hand.

  “Any man who would dump the woman he claims to love, on their wedding day, and proposition someone he barely knows, who happens to be in love with his soon-to-be brother-in-law, is not appealing at all. No, Gerard, you’re not the kind of man I’d ever be interested in.”

  He’s left speechless, and I turn on my heel to get as far away from him as I can. Saban is busy, but I can handle Gerard myself. I’m trying to be respectful and not cause a scene on their big day. As much as I’d love to reveal him for the type of man he really is, Isla and Giselli wouldn’t believe my story. Not when it comes to his word against mine. But I have no doubt Saban would defend me, and that would only cause more division in his family.

  Deep in my own thoughts, I don’t hear Gerard come up behind me. Though the staff is buzzing about all around us, he stops way too close for comfort. He intentionally brushes the shell of my ear with his lips when he murmurs his ominous warning.

  “Mark my words, my beauty. You will regret that decision one day soon.”

  When I turn to confront him, his long strides have already carried him too far away for me to respond privately. My temper gets the best of me, and every muscle in my body constricts as I ready myself to yell my reply across the large room.

  Hold your tongue, Saraya. Don’t do it yet. Your time will come.

  I know she’s right, as usual. But damn, it would feel so good to really give him a piece of my mind and get it all off my chest. Addi walks up just in time to save me from ignoring Nana’s advice. One look at my face and she knows something is wrong. While we walk, I quietly explain the entire conversation to her, careful not to let the household staff overhear any part of it. I have no doubt the palace gossip already runs rampant about me. This juicy little tidbit would cause a fervor.

  “He’s so disgusting. I’ve heard he’s propositioned several of the maids in the palace. They’ve all been told to keep their mouths shut about it so they don’t upset darling Isla. If I were her, I’d want to know what he was doing so I could kick him out on his ass.”

  “Who is his family? He said they’re rich and implied they’re influential. I assume that’s what he meant by I’d regret it one day.” I stop walking when a menacing thought pops into my head. “Addi, do you think he’d try to use his family to take over the throne?”

  “Hmm, I’m not sure about that. His family is very wealthy and holds a lot of clout in Easthaven Crest. They have a monopoly on our clean energy sources, so almost everyone in the realm is forced to go through them to buy it. If that’s what he was after, why wouldn’t he have already used his family to persuade the other kings? Why wait until now?”

  Addi is as perplexed as I am, but I’m convinced my theory is sound. There’s a reason why he hasn’t made a move yet. I mean, he’s marrying into the family that’s pushing their son to seek the throne for himself.

  “Addi…he’s waiting for me—the heir. If
he’d made his move too soon, he would’ve had to abdicate his title if I came back for it. But my birthday is coming up quickly. If I don’t assert my claim soon after, what happens?”

  “It’s open to whomever the other kings vote in.” Her face looks a little paler now.

  “And what do you think he’d do to his opponent after the vote?”

  “I think any opposition would meet a suspicious and untimely death, but there wouldn’t be any proof to link him to it.” Addi chews on her thumbnail, looking for any holes in my theory. “Why would he marry Isla, though? If his parents can help get him on the throne, why would he need her?”

  “My guess is she’s his Plan B. If he couldn’t get all the votes, who’s next in line if something happens to Saban?”

  “Gerard and Isla would be.”

  “You know, I could be way off base here, making up conspiracy theories where they don’t exist. But something is off with him, besides the obvious.” Now I regret not asking Talia who her vote would’ve gone to if she had to choose. I wonder if Gerard’s family has already been promoting him to the other kingdoms.

  “Excuse me, ma’am. The guests are starting to arrive, and your presence has been requested at the main door.” One of the palace staff approaches cautiously, not wanting to interrupt our conversation but also needing to deliver an urgent message.

  “Thank you. I’m on my way.”