He appears to be late to the party as he approaches and finds the conversation has distinctly turned into an argument.
“You won, Jo. I’m here. Don’t try to turn this around.”
“This was your idea! I don’t understand why you’re angry with me when all I did was finish the bargain!”
“Because I thought you understood! You had plenty of opportunities before and you let me go, and I thought it was because you knew what I was going after but clearly it doesn’t matter.”
“There are larger things at play here, Shea, that’s why I called you back. And for your information, I’ve been incredibly lenient with your activities. In fact, I’ve had to send plenty of nice gifts and apologies to your run-ins.”
“I never asked you to do that,” Shea snaps.
“You didn’t have to! It’s my job to clean up your messes. You are my future queen consort, and it’s time you started acting the part,” Jo shouts.
The room goes silent.
Shea is scowling at Jo and Jo is glaring at her. It seems to take the queen a moment until she finally notices Beck standing solemnly in the back.
“Master Beck. My apologies, welcome. How is your father doing?”
The group parts and he briefly meets Shea’s gaze as he steps to the front.
“He’s dead, ma’am. I’m the governor now. And while I’m sure the captain would love to continue being berated by you, I would like to make sure his death doesn’t go unavenged. So? Would you like to tell her or should I?”
The giant man with Shea barks a laugh while the blond teen glares at him.
Shea turns to look at him with a crooked smile. He glances at her and instead of anger and pity, like he finds in Jo’s eyes, in Shea’s there is a small amount of amusement and understanding.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Jo replies stiffly. “But I don’t think either of us are qualified to relay the news.”
She turns to the guard by her throne. “Bring them in.”
Beck steps aside, allowing Shea to take the center of the aisle once again, and watches as the guard heads for the side door.
“What is all of this about?”
Shea looks to Jo with a raised brow.
The queen stands from her throne and walks toward Shea with a neutral expression.
“Things have happened while you’ve been away.”
Shea cocks her head as the queen arrives in front of her, and Jo pushes a strand of hair behind the pirate’s ear.
A sharp pang erupts in the pit of Beck’s stomach and he has to look away.
The blond teen rushes forward before the guards can stop him and gives Jo a hug.
“Missed you,” the boy says.
“Missed you too, Aster,” the queen replies, hugging him back.
Shea smiles fondly at the two of them.
Beck can’t help but think it’s a very pretty smile.
“Your Majesty.”
Beck and Jo turn at the address to find Poseidon and Venus walking behind a guard entering the room.
“Venus?”
Shea hurries toward the goddess but stops short of hugging her; she looks back at Jo, who gives her a tight nod, before embracing the woman.
Venus pulls away first.
“Shea, it’s so good to see you.”
Shea unknowingly side-eyes her father, looking at him curiously before turning her attention back to the goddess of love.
“What are you doing here?”
“We’re here for you,” Venus responds.
Shea looks back at Jo.
“I don’t understand.”
“Shea,” Jo tells her, “we need to talk.”
Chapter 6: Father’s Daughter
Jo
“Okay. Hold on. Let me just sum all this up. An evil elf, who happens to be your son, is attempting to take over Nereid with an army of fish people. He also has your other son’s magic shell, which gives him a ton of power. In order to stop your first son, we need your other godly son to restore control of the shell back to him so he can kill Perses. Am I missing anything?”
Caen finishes his rant with a snarl. He’s got his hands on his hips and he’s glaring at Jo like it’s all her fault.
Because of course when it comes to Caen, it’s always her fault.
“Besides the fact you need me to navigate the waters to Tenaro in order to find Triton because the elf has unleashed the monsters from Hades back into the oceans,” Shea finishes the summary.
“Didn’t we just make this trip last year?” Aster grumbles.
He’s taken a seat on the stairs leading up to the throne and his comment makes Jo smile.
“That’s not the only reason we need you,” Beck speaks up.
And Jo doesn’t like the way Shea’s and Beck’s eyes light up when they meet.
“That’s not for you to tell,” Jo snaps, cutting off Beck, who glares at her.
“She deserves to know.”
“There’s something more?” Caen groans, his head falling into the palm of his hand.
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” Shea turns on Venus, who looks ashamed.
“I wanted to, but it’s not who I was anymore. I was merely Venus of the Slippery Serpent, just a mortal.”
“But you’re not mortal, are you?”
V winces at Shea’s question.
“Shea, she came here to help you,” Poseidon speaks.
“You stay out of it. I still don’t know what to think. I’m just supposed to believe you’re Poseidon, god of the seas and creator of Nereid? If you’re really him, why haven’t you stopped this? Why not call on the seas and wash your son from our shores back to the depths,” Shea states, crossing her arms over her chest.
“We’re not as powerful as we once were. Without my trident, and with the gates of Atlantis closed, I don’t have the power to defeat him. Triton doesn’t draw his power from Atlantis like I do, he draws it from me, and as long as I’m on the mainland, all of my children are more powerful than I.”
“Fine, then…where were you when your son went evil? Why didn’t you stop him then?” Shea accuses.
Poseidon frowns.
“I try not to interfere with my children’s lives, he was banished to the Underdeep by the elven council in Erebos and consequently found by Triton. I thought he was dead after he tried to kill me three years ago.”
“So because you were an absentee parent, we’ve got a demented elf who wants to take over our world.”
“Not all of my children turned out so bad,” Poseidon mutters.
Jo can see the anger storming over his features; it reminds her of a certain redhead she knows.
“Poseidon,” Venus objects.
Shea gets up in the old god’s face.
“Oh yeah, like your other son who’s hiding from you. Who supposedly killed his brother. Father of the year.”
“Actually I was thinking of my daughter, who is a fearsome captain and engaged to be wed to a queen.”
Jo watches Shea’s eyes widen.
The captain takes a stumbling step away from Poseidon, but she manages to right herself as she continues to back away.
“What?”
Caen steps forward.
“Shea? You’re talking about Shea? Shea is your daughter?”
Poseidon smiles bitterly. “Yes, she’s mine.”
Caen takes a seat on the step beside Aster with a choked breath.
Jo swiftly goes to Shea. She places her hands on her shoulders.
“Leave us,” Jo orders.
Caen stands and starts to argue, but Jo directs her order to Soren.
“I want everyone out.”
Soren salutes and orders the men. They grab Caen and Aster, who struggle. Beck doesn’t move either.
“Leave us,” Shea repeats.
Reluctantly, the three men leave. The guard by Poseidon and Venus begins to usher them away, b
ut Shea stops them.
“You two will stay.”
Despite the heaviness of the situation, Jo can’t help the satisfactory chill that runs down her spine at Shea giving the guards orders, like she belongs here.
It takes a few moments but finally the room is empty except for the two gods, Shea, and Jo.
“Did you know?”
The question is directed at V, and she takes a placating step toward Shea.
“That isn’t why—”
“Did you know?”
V nods sadly. “I did. He asked me to look after you.”
“Thank you, you can go.”
“Shea, don’t take it out on her,” Poseidon commands, but Shea holds up her hand.
“You will not speak. V, you can leave, I need to speak with…Poseidon.”
“Do you want me to go too?” Jo asks, but Shea shakes her head, grabbing her hand.
“I’d prefer if you didn’t.”
Jo nods and the remaining guard escorts V out, leaving the three of them to talk.
“I don’t believe you,” Shea states.
“It’s the truth. How else did you think you could do what you can do?” Poseidon tells her.
Shea opens her mouth, but he cuts her off, “I’ve been watching you. I know you know about your abilities. Well, at least some of them.”
“What abilities?” Jo asks.
“It doesn’t matter,” Shea whispers, but Poseidon answers.
“Her abilities that mark her as my daughter.”
Poseidon looks her over, and his eyes widen briefly like he finds what he’s looking for.
“I see you haven’t had a chance to heal that cut above your brow. Here, let me help you.”
Shea frowns, reaching up, and Jo notices the cut she’d missed upon her first inspection. It looks old and scabbed over.
“You do that this morning?” Poseidon questions as his body moves into a strange stance.
It reminds Jo of sword footwork, his body positioned more solidly.
His hands come up and he uses a series of gestures. Water splashes from the Amphitrite fountain behind them and then a large column of water is being manipulated straight toward Shea and Jo.
Jo yelps in surprise, but Shea turns. She pushes her own feet into the same stance and with a similar set of gestures catches the water with her hands extended, stopping the liquid from slamming into them both.
Poseidon surprises her by sneaking up behind her.
Her focus wavers and the water inches closer, but she regains her power and keeps it in the air. Half the fountain’s water is suspended above them.
Jo knows this move is different and more powerful than when Shea made the whiskey bottle float above the bed in her captain’s quarters last year.
“Still don’t believe?”
Poseidon siphons a bit of water from Shea’s hold and presses it to her forehead. The water glows as it stitches the cut back together, the scab disappearing, and Shea’s forehead looks as if it was never marred.
The water absorbs into her skin, and with some difficulty, Shea places it back into the fountain. Once that’s done, she thrusts her elbow back into her father’s gut, causing him to stumble with a grunt.
“How dare you,” she accuses, storming toward him.
She grasps the lapels of his jacket so they’re face-to-face.
“If that display of power doesn’t prove you’re my daughter, your temper certainly does,” Poseidon groans, pushing Shea off of him and staring her down.
“So then, this elf?” Shea croaks.
“He’s your brother. Yes. Half. His mother was an elf from Erebos.”
“Like mine.” Shea laughs but it’s hollow.
Poseidon looks as if he might say something but he simply nods.
Jo steps closer to the love of her life, turning her around so they can look at each other.
“I know this is a lot. And trust me, I know a thing about fathers turning out to be something they’re not. You’re a…demigod.” Jo looks over to Poseidon, making sure she’s said it right, and he gestures for her to carry on. “We can deal with that.”
Shea shakes her head. “No.”
“Yes. Yes we can. We find Triton, he’s your brother too, and then the two of you take on Perses with your father. I will be there every step of the way to help you, to support you.”
“But why me?” Shea asks, eyes wide, staring into Jo’s for the answer.
Jo leans her forehead closer to Shea’s so that they’re touching.
“Because the Fates knew you could do this. Trust me.”
“I was supposed to get the vault. I was supposed to get the vault and marry you,” Shea whispers.
“Well, that was before we found out you’re the daughter of a god and that your half brother is trying to wipe out humanity. And you said my family was crazy.”
Shea laughs, and presses a soft kiss to Jo’s lips. It warms Jo’s soul and if she could, she’d take Shea on the throne room floor right at this moment, but a small cough from Poseidon halts her desires.
They break apart and Shea takes a breath.
“Alright. So I guess we’re going back to Tenaro. It’s my ship; that means the queen of Arethusa and the king of the sea follow my rules. Got it?”
“Whatever you say,” Poseidon answers with a short bow. “Just let me know when we’re leaving.”
He exits the throne room, leaving the two of them alone.
Shea collapses, stumbling over to the steps in front of the throne, and Jo sits down with her.
“I was so mad at you.”
“Yes. Soren warned me,” Jo chuckles.
“Of course he did.”
“I had planned on waiting until you found the vault. Do you believe me?”
Shea looks over and stares into her eyes. It gives Jo a chance to really look at the scar over Shea’s left eye, and the white film that covers her iris.
“I believe you. Though with the world ending, I don’t think the vault will be of much use. When I thought of reasons for why you were bringing me back, this certainly didn’t cross my mind.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? About the water magic, the healing?” Jo asks without any heat.
“I didn’t want anyone to know,” Shea replies with a shrug. “I was just figuring it out on my own, I wasn’t ready to let anyone else in on it. Not you or Caen.”
That makes Jo smile. “So Caen doesn’t know?”
Shea laughs. “Aye. You guys need to get over this competition you’ve got going on.”
“There’s no competition. But if there was, when you decide to tell him about the water magic, will you be sure to also inform him that I already know?”
Shea laughs, and Jo grins. She’s missed this.
“I missed you,” Shea tells her and Jo realizes she said the last bit aloud.
“Where did you go? The first half of the year, it’s like you fell off the world maps. Soren searched everywhere and then one day you popped up in Oceanus,” Jo jokes, waiting for Shea’s explanation, but an uneasy look crosses Shea’s face.
“Aye. I did just that. I found something. Did some meddling in something I shouldn’t have. Found that the world is a lot bigger than we think it is,” Shea whispers, looking down at her clothes and fiddling with the metal clip on her belt.
Jo decides to leave it there.
“Well, I’m glad you found your way back onto the map.”
Shea grins. “Me too, sort of. So, the young governor? Beck. What’s his story?”
Jo sighs.
“Your half brother sent him here. Well him, a few senators, and their families. His father was mortally injured in a battle with, believe it or not, a sea serpent. Then they magically appeared on our shores. I have a feeling he’s going to try to come with us.”
“Understandable. He probably wants to see things through for his people. Honor his father by taking down…Perses.” Shea hesitates before saying her half brother’s name.
“But he’ll probably just get in the way,” Jo complains.
Shea studies her a moment and then bursts out laughing, much to Jo’s displeasure.
“What?” Jo questions.
“He doesn’t like you.”
“No! I didn’t say that!”
“You didn’t have to. He wasn’t shy about it, and I can see your distaste for the man clear on your face.”
“Oh please. That’s not why I don’t want him around.”
“Oh yeah, sure. Not the fact that you’re miss sunshine and everyone who meets you loves you immediately. And now someone doesn’t, and you don’t like it.”
“Quiet you,” Jo mutters, pushing Shea over.
But Shea pulls her over too and Jo falls on top of the sea captain with a laugh.
“Did you try using your healing on your eye?” Jo wonders aloud.
Shea cocks her head. “Yes. This is as far as it would heal. Does it bother you?”
Jo stares at the blemished skin and then runs her thumb over the deep scar that starts above Shea’s brow and ends below her damaged eye on her cheek.
“No. I just wish I could have killed him before he hurt you. You’re beautiful no matter what. Even if you begin to sprout gills and a tail,” Jo laughs, kissing Shea on the nose as she looks up in horror.
“You don’t think that’s possible right?” Shea mock gasps.
“Maybe,” Jo teases and Shea jokingly growls.
She pulls Jo closer, down into a deep kiss, and the many months apart make them more aware of how much they’ve missed each other’s touch.
Jo’s hands slide down Shea’s body, grasping her hips.
“I wore this dress to remind you of the first time we met. I changed three times,” Jo tells her.
Shea’s eyes roam over the glossy white material and the gold shoulder plates.
“And you look great! But do you think you could both stop the little love session that’s about to begin and focus on me?”
Jo and Shea startle, looking up from their precarious position to find Countess Thetis of Lycos at the end of the aisle, marching toward them with a small boy on her hip and two Lycon guards at her side.
The Veiled Descendants Page 7