The Veiled Descendants

by Sophia Menesini

  He leans down, capturing Aster’s lips clumsily, and Aster hums into the touch before pulling away.

  “I love you too,” James tells him. “Always.”

  Chapter 23: Back to the Island

  Jo

  Jo wakes to find the bed empty of both Shea and Beck.

  Morning light is shining through the cabin windows, highlighting the brilliant colors in the bedding.

  Her head aches from the rum, but it’s not enough to block out the previous evening’s conversation she had with Beck.

  What was she thinking? He makes her happy too. She’d forgiven Shea for the kiss. Everything Shea had said about Beck and her connection to him, Jo had heard her and accepted it.

  She cringes at her drunken form displayed plainly behind her wincing eyes, but everything she told Beck last night was the truth.

  He does make Shea happy.

  Jo wants to spend the rest of her life with Shea, so she can deal with Beck. Because if there’s one thing she doesn’t have any doubt about, it’s Shea’s love for her. Shea chose her.

  Jo knows in her heart that she is Shea’s partner above anyone else. Besides, Beck is good for his word, and ultimately, he seems to respect Jo as Shea’s partner.

  A fist knocks at the door and an officer informs her that they’re docking at Orena.

  Orena.

  So many memories clash together over the name of the island where she spent her first true moment with Shea before it had collapsed into pain and fear.

  Jo can’t wait to see Dari and Phoebus again; she hasn’t spoken to them since the last time she was here on this beautiful island. Jo hops out of bed and heads over to her clothes chest that they stored in Aster’s old bunk to keep the floor clear. Shea had grumbled upon seeing all of Jo’s luggage. Speaking of Shea’s grumbling…

  “You guys are in so much trouble.”

  Jo drops her naval uniform pants back into the chest as Shea’s voice rattles her hungover brain. She supposes she and Beck had been a bit drunk the night before. The conversation slams back into her and her cheeks grow warm in embarrassment.

  Shea heard everything they said.

  Everything.

  Last night, she was too intoxicated to even care, but now? She wanted to discuss the situation with him, possibly find a place for Beck in their life, and somehow last night was the result.

  She doesn’t have to choose.

  What does that even mean?

  Family.

  There is now so much more to discuss, and on top of that, they practically decided everything for Shea, and their captain heard it all.

  What the Underdeep is she going to do?

  Jo finishes getting dressed, buttoning up her Arethusian military-style jacket, and rushes out of the small room, all the while trying to braid her hair back. She needs to see Shea. She needs to talk to her about what she heard.

  She messily ties the long braid and pulls on her black boots; she barely glances into any of the mirrors before walking out the door. She steals away to the galley first, grabbing an apple from Strom partly because she’s hungry and partly to avoid Shea’s temper.

  As she’s heading out of the kitchen, she passes Poseidon on his way in, completely drenched in seawater and with a very familiar sour look on his face.

  “Training?” Jo asks on her way by to the steps leading to the top deck.

  Poseidon waves a hand over himself and pulls the seawater out of his clothes, drying the dark black pants and the unlaced white top, which fall better on his built frame. His shoulder-length copper hair with strands of silver and his gray beard remain soaked, dripping onto the collar of his shirt.

  “She’s in a merry mood this morning,” Poseidon mutters with a harsh glint in his green eyes and continues on to the galley, where he’s made friends with the Duchess’s cook.

  “Have we docked yet?” Jo shouts to his retreating form.

  “Just about,” Poseidon replies and then he’s gone.

  Jo sighs and continues on. She climbs the steps to the top deck and opens the door to find Aster on the other side.

  “Hello.” Jo smiles around a bite of apple.

  Aster chuckles and pats her on the arm as he limps past her, down the steps. “Morning. Whatever you did? I don’t want to know.”

  Jo gulps, coughing slightly as the piece of apple goes down harder after his comment.

  “What?” Jo queries after him.

  “You’ll see!” Aster responds with a twinge of pain to his voice.

  Suddenly Jo has very little desire to walk onto the main deck. But she squares her shoulders and pushes on; Shea can’t be that mad.

  The sun is blazing on the main deck and its heat encases the crew with very little wind reprieve. Jo notes the crew preparing for docking procedure and she catches Beck at the bow furiously tying down the base of the harpoon launcher.

  She waves at him until she catches his attention, and when his eyes land on her, he stiffens.

  Caen shouts for him to get back to work, and she can see the redness staining his cheeks from here. He doesn’t wave back.

  Well that could be his own problem. It doesn’t necessarily mean Shea ripped him a new one about last night.

  Caen has also caught sight of Jo and gives the remaining orders to the bow crew to finish their work quickly. He storms over to her, and Jo’s eyes widen at his twitching left eye and the hard curve of his brows.

  “What did you do?” he asks, placing his hands on his hips.

  “Me? What? I don’t understand,” Jo tries to explain.

  “Right. She’s in a great mood this morning. Whatever you did? Apologize,” Caen states and then purposefully looks back to where Beck is at the bow, making Jo look over with him. “Both of you.”

  Caen pushes past her toward the afterdeck steps.

  “Caen, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jo says, following him.

  She stops at the foot of the steps, a smile gracing her features as she stares out at the massive port of Orena.

  Stunning fabrics span the market stands, intermingling with all kinds of people dressed in exotic styles and sheer clothing. The vines have grown, Jo notices. She can see a lot more greenery spanning the sand buildings that shimmer with the expensive gems scattered around.

  Flowers Jo has never seen before sprout all over the new vines and trees, marking the city pathways.

  Orena is full of life and cultures from across the globe; she feels welcome here.

  She snaps out of her admiration and quickly takes the steps two at time to make it to the top of the helm.

  James is steering the boat, with a strangely happy grin. He’s easing the Duchess into port, and Caen walks to the rail ordering the deck crew to prepare the heaving lines of rope they’ll need to connect the ship to the dock.

  Everything seems okay so far, Jo thinks, and then her eyes finally land on her fiancée.

  Standing at the map desk, Shea seems to be looking at a list of supplies along with the charting course they’ll take from Orena to Tenaro, once everything’s been collected.

  She’s radiant. Her long red hair is down, her captain’s hat is missing, but she’s plaited a front braid to frame her face. Her dark blue peasant blouse is tucked into her black pants, which are then tucked into her dark leather boots.

  Jo can’t help the smile that gathers on her features as she notices both her eyes the normal green, instead of the milky white her left used to be.

  Finally, those green eyes land on the Arethusian queen. Jo’s smile quickly fades. Those eyes have a burning fire behind them, and she’s frowning upon finally noticing Jo.

  Caen bellows the orders for the deck crew to throw the heaving lines, and Aster shouts that the below crew is ready to drop the anchor.

  “Your Majesty,” Shea mutters.

  Jo gulps. This is definitely not good.

  “Shea. Good morning, did you sleep well?” Jo asks, taking a step toward her.

  She stops when she see
s Shea’s hand grip the desk tightly.

  “Not exactly. I had a bit on my mind, as well as on top of me.”

  Jo thinks back to the night before and remembers climbing into bed. Perhaps she may have cuddled Shea with Beck lying at the foot of the bed, sort of pinning her legs down on accident.

  Okay, so yes, she probably didn’t have the best sleep.

  “Do you want to talk about it?” Jo inquires, edging closer to the table until she’s on the other side, looking at Shea directly.

  The ship lurches, making it to port, and Jo looks across the afterdeck until she sees Beck on the main, straining to keep the heaving lines straight as they progress toward the dock.

  Shea sighs, and she loses some of the fire in her eyes. She looks…tired.

  “No. Yes, I heard what you all said. No, I don’t really know what to think. Yes, I’ve developed…emotions…regarding Beck. But I haven’t had the time to really explore or even understand how I feel, and I don’t need you and him figuring it out for me.”

  Jo winces at Shea’s rant, but she agrees with every word.

  “Jo.”

  Jo looks up, meeting those beautiful green eyes.

  “I love you. He didn’t change that. I’m not asking you to ‘share’ me with him. I am capable of being with you and only you.”

  “I know,” Jo objects, and suddenly she can see the hurt in Shea’s eyes. The doubt.

  Jo recounts everything she said last night and then is reminded of how she called Shea a Lionbird, the epitome of freedom, and she can understand how she got the wrong idea. She doesn’t think Jo believes she could ever settle down with one person.

  “Shea, I know you’re mine.” Jo places her hand on top of Shea’s. She lowers her voice when she sees Shea glance toward James at the helm.

  “I know that you love me, and that you want to be with me. But do you remember what we said about our love being unfair? How one of us will have to give something up to be with the other?”

  “I’m willing to do that,” Shea remarks.

  “Shea. You’re giving up the Duchess, your freedom, to become royalty. So, I thought if I could give you anything back, perhaps…” Jo trails off.

  Shea’s eyes widen in understanding. “You thought you could give me him.”

  Jo chuckles and her cheeks glow red. “Silly, isn’t it?”

  “Very,” Shea states. Then she leans over the desk and kisses Jo on the cheek. “But sweet too.”

  Jo grins and catches Shea’s chin before she can pull back, landing a kiss on her mouth.

  The sound of a clearing throat has them pulling back to opposite sides of the desk once more.

  Shea looks over in Caen’s direction.

  “Shall we drop anchor, Captain?”

  “Yes, Caen.”

  Caen gives the order and leaves them on the afterdeck with James. They can hear the sound of the anchor falling and the gangway plank being dropped overboard and onto the deck, creating the walkway off the ship.

  “Jo.”

  Jo turns back to Shea with a smile. She follows her as she walks over to the rail and places a hand on top of hers as they look over the main deck together.

  Shea’s eyes land on one particular crewmate, and Jo watches as Beck laughs with Aster on the main deck.

  “I don’t know what it is. This draw. But I do feel it. And I’m sorry,” Shea’s voice cracks slightly.

  Jo’s hand tightens on Shea’s. “Do you love me?”

  “Of course,” Shea tells her, and she turns her head, looking up into Jo’s eyes. “I choose you, always.”

  “Then that’s all I need.” Jo smiles. “I trust you. And I trust him, surprisingly.”

  Shea laughs and leans her head on Jo’s shoulder.

  “Besides, he’ll make the perfect surrogate when this is all over for our kids.”

  Shea chokes, coughing, and pulls away from Jo with a weary expression.

  “Kids?”

  Jo laughs. “Well yes. We’ll need heirs to the throne. I think it would be a smart alliance move to have Beck be the father.”

  Shea shakes her head. “I can’t imagine you two…” She shivers. “And you’re so stubborn now, I don’t know how I’m going to deal with you pregnant.”

  Jo grins. “I can’t imagine. But luckily, I won’t be the one pregnant.”

  James begins a coughing fit behind them, and Jo laughs inwardly as he obviously heard her, but Shea doesn’t react just yet.

  “Right,” Shea replies.

  Jo can tell it hasn’t sunk in, so she carefully removes her hand and starts backing away toward the stairs.

  “Wait,” Shea mutters. “What do you mean you won’t be the one pregnant?”

  Shea turns on Jo with a horrified expression, and Jo shoots her a cocky grin.

  “Well, the ruling queen doesn’t carry the heirs. There’s too much risk, so the female consort does, or well, a surrogate mother if the consort is male.”

  “Jo.”

  “And don’t worry. There’s always a chance you could have a girl on the first try. And if not, we have more options for alliances with neighboring countries. Boys do run in his family though, from what I understand, but the more the merrier. Right, love?”

  “Jo.” Shea shakes her head, her eyes comically wide.

  “And this way Beck will always be in our lives, he’d be family,” Jo tells her, and the pieces are falling into place.

  Jo can tell Shea is working the thought process out in her own mind and just how long of a game Jo’s been playing since she realized she couldn’t simply get rid of Beck. Now he’s a political advantage and the perfect surrogate.

  “You,” Shea growls.

  “Yes, dear,” Jo replies and takes off down the steps away from her quickly angering fiancée.

  “Jo!”

  Jo laughs as she makes it to the gangplank, finding Beck standing at the top too. Jo hooks her arm through his, and he pulls to try to get away when he sees the raging ball of captain storming toward them, but Jo holds him steady.

  “Oh, you don’t have to be embarrassed, Beck, I calmed her down,” Jo confides to him.

  He looks at her with a concerned expression. “That’s what you call calmed down?”

  Shea notices Beck standing next to Jo and her ears turn pink. She can see her trying to find a calculated escape, but Caen finds her at the bottom of the helm stairs and begins pushing her toward the gangplank where Jo and Beck are.

  James is no longer coughing but laughing when Aster joins him at the bottom of the steps as well.

  Caen gives him command of the docked ship and James can barely raise his hand up to salute among all the giggles.

  Aster volunteers to stay behind with James.

  Shea glares at her son’s boyfriend with menace.

  Poseidon finally rejoins them on deck with a list from Strom, and Shea groans at the sight of him.

  Jo nods a greeting to Caen and Poseidon, and she grins at the embarrassed looks Beck and Shea are throwing at each other.

  Jo thinks, wickedly, she could definitely keep them both on their toes for the rest of her life.

  “Everyone ready?” Caen asks.

  The crew that needed to go ahead to the market have done so, and the rest will remain on the ship under James’s command. That leaves Shea, Poseidon, Caen, Beck, and Jo to go to Dari and Phoebus’s for supplies.

  Everyone murmurs their acquiescence.

  “Let’s go,” Jo commands, and she hooks her arm through Shea’s.

  Her other arm is still hooked through Beck’s. She drags them both with her down the gangplank while Caen and Poseidon follow behind.

  Chapter 24: The Family Thicker than Blood

  Shea

  And Shea thought overhearing the conversation between Jo and Beck last night had been embarrassing, but as the three of them along with Poseidon and Caen weave their way through the winding streets of the Orena port, Shea can’t bring herself to even look Beck in the eye.

 
; Becoming a mother to Aster had happened almost naturally, and sometimes he still feels more like a little brother than a son. But to actually give birth to Jo and Shea’s child—correction Jo, Shea, and Beck’s child?

  Does he know?

  ​Shea chances a glance in Beck’s direction. He’s standing with Jo in front of one of the Orenien vendors, examining the merchant’s wares, pointing out things he likes to Jo as she does the same.

  Shea can’t help the smile that comes over her features, grinning at these two wonderful leaders who just so happen to see something amazing in her. She doesn’t really understand why, but she’s not stupid enough to question it—at least, not aloud.

  Caen shouts from ahead for them to keep up, and Shea voices the same concerns closer to the two royals.

  Jo shouts back that they’re right behind them.

  Beck picks up something from the vendor’s table and exchanges Oceanan coin for it.

  Here in the markets of Orena, anything with value can be traded for something else, there’s too many kinds of people and nations prospering on the outskirts of the law.

  Shea is trying to get a better look at what Beck has in his hands when a deep voice makes her jump.

  “See something you like?”

  Shea turns around quickly, her hands going to the waterskin on her belt, but she quickly meets a pair of similarly shaded green eyes smirking at her as Poseidon gestures toward Jo and Beck walking quickly to catch up.

  ​“Just making sure they’re okay,” Shea explains.

  She weaves past a group of prostitutes begging the two to join them inside for a good time.

  ​Poseidon’s eyes scan their scantily clad bodies and Shea rolls her eyes.

  ​“You look like your mother when you make that expression,” Poseidon tells her, chuckling to himself.

  ​“You often stared at other women when you were with her?” Shea mutters, hoping she insults him.

  ​Poseidon shrugs, pointing up ahead to Caen’s fast fading figure when he sees Shea scanning the crowd for him.

  They’re almost at the crossroads for Phoebus and Dari’s home.