"I don't want it. I have a life on Earth," I fire back, not letting my hands drop from in front of me.
"Come, let’s not talk of this yet. We have much to catch up on, sister." He holds his hand out for me to take.
I look down at it in shock and awe. Bony, long fingers stretch towards me. A tiny fin flutters in his palm. Fuck a duck. Without taking what he offers, I step out of my pod and onto solid ground. With my back ramrod straight, we walk side by side down long winding halls. I’m ready to pounce at the first sign of danger.
The faint whiff of salt lingers in the air as we stride deeper into the building.
"I understand why you don’t trust me, sister. But I won't hurt you, I swear." His deep voice seems loud in the small space and I barely stop myself from covering my ears. "You'll get used to everything."
Yeah, not likely. I'm either going to be killed, or I'll escape long before I get used to anything. I don't bother answering him, exhaustion pulls my shoulders down and makes my head pound. I don't know how long I was asleep, but I feel like I've not slept in days.
Gordon stops outside a white door, the first one I've seen since I arrived.
"This will be your room until the one in the castle is ready." He taps an overly long finger against his chin, "You're early, so it isn't ready yet." He runs his hand over a normal-looking section in the wall, and the door slides open. "It's not much. But it will be fine for resting. Go, rest. I will have food brought to you." He sweeps his blue-tinged arm out, indicating I should enter the dimly lit room.
As I step over the threshold, never taking my eyes off Gordon, I realise I’m starving. How long was I out? The pain twists my insides, telling me it's been hours, maybe days. When I'm fully in the room, Gordon bows like actually curtsies at me then shuts the door. What fresh hell is this? I turn, only to be greeted with the most opulent room I've ever seen.
Gold, everything is bloody gold! The couch, table, bed, chair. All the same golden tone. The floor is covered with gold marble, the pattern offering different shades of gold. The fuck? I feel like just standing here costs me my whole life savings.
Another wave of tiredness crashes over me. The bed is huge and calls to me in ways I can't resist. Dragging my feet across the floor, I climb onto the bed. I should be trying to plan my escape. I should be plotting to kill Poseidon, but once my head touches the soft pillow, I'm out.
Karl
Day 6
Watching Everly jump off the cliff almost a week ago, damn near broke the four of us. Leyland's wings burst from his back, knocking the Selkie behind him over. Taking advantage of the distraction, we called upon our powers and managed to get free but not without injury. Victor was thrown onto land by a beast even I shuddered to look at. At least seventeen feet tall, its black scaly skin looked oil-like in the sun. He landed with a crunch, changing back to human soon after. Most of his bones were broken, he suffered all levels of agony from his injuries. Together, we healed him. But we couldn't grow back his missing limbs. The process left us exhausted. We had to hold Leyland back from jumping into the sea after Ever. A Gorgon knocked out Garrot, cracking his skull open. Leyland's wings were damaged. Luckily, we’re all now back to perfect health. Even Victor's tentacles are slowly growing back, only, we don't even know where to begin with a plan.
"Le, calm down will you, you're giving me motion sickness walking back and forth like that," Garrot complains. Leyland can't keep still; he paces the room constantly. The desperate need to get to Everly palpable in the air.
"I can't, Gar! He could be torturing her! He could have... killed her." Leyland's voice breaks. Tears spring into his eyes, Garrot closes the distance between them in seconds, wrapping his arms around Le, who laces his arms around Garrot's waist. They stand like that, for what feels like a long time. But since Everly jumped off the cliff, into the cold depths of the ocean every second that passes feels like hours.
Garrot
Day 6
Leyland shakes in my arms as sobs tear through his body. Watching Everly's body disappear over the edge was the single worst thing I've ever seen in my life.
"It'll be ok, Le. We will get her back, and everything will be ok. I swear."
"You can't swear that, Gar. We can't even get to her!" He pulls back and swipes the tears on his cheeks.
"No, but we won't stop until we have her back, now that I can promise you." I tell him, my tone firm. There isn't a cat in hells chance we will stop trying to get her back. Even if it takes us months, years, shit, forever, we will get her back. "Listen, let's eat and then we will sit down and make a list of every other kind we know and go from there."
"No! We don't know anyone, Garrot. We are on our own!" He fires back while pushing away from me, "You don't know what it's like! It feels like she’s dead, Garrot. My Everly, my baby" sobs take over him and his knees buckle. I catch him just before he hits the ground.
"I know, Le, I feel the same way. My dad would know what to do. But he's gone, Le, they killed him." His storm grey eyes meet mine; he presses a soft kiss to my lips as we sink to the floor in our front room.
"I'm so sorry, Garrot. I'm so fucking sorry."
Everly
Day 1 in Atlantis
The room is bright when my eyes flutter open. It's so bright, my eyes snap shut, convinced my retinae are burnt to a crisp, I rub them with the heels of my hands to try put out the imaginary flames. Everything comes flooding back to me in a rush, tears spring to my eyes and the hollow ache in my chest threatens to tip me over the edge. Leyland. Karl. Garrot. Victor. God, I miss them so much it's like a physical pain in my chest. Curling my body around, my arms wrapped around my tummy, I let myself cry. Tears pour over my nose and drip onto the pillow. I had to; I always knew I'd have to leave them. But fuck, I didn't expect it to hurt this much so soon.
I allow my tears to dry by themselves, not bothering to wipe them away. I have to let it out, have to give my head and heart time to mourn the loss of their presence at my side, in order to get it out of my system. Once the sobs recede and I can breathe again, I push myself up. It's time to nut up, Everly. You've got a God to kill, and then, you must find a way back to land, back to your men. It's then I realise there’s a tray with food on a small table next to the bed. Fuck. I slept through someone coming in, Karl would kick my arse for that. It could have been anyone, they could have killed me while I slept. Swinging my legs over the side of the monstrous bed, I quickly rush around the room, running my hand against the walls in search of a door. There must be a bathroom here somewhere. My bladder is screaming at me, finally, I find the thin, black lines that indicate there is an opening.
There's no handle. Shit. Then I remember Gordon opening the door to this room, and sure enough, when I press my hand on the wall, the door swishes open, revealing a bathroom. Everything here is gold, too, floor to ceiling. It's enough to put me off the colour for life. I have a pee and splash cold water over my face. The taps are, of course, gold, and old fashioned. The hot one doesn't seem to work, but that's ok, it's the cold one I need. Finishing up, I pad back into the room. What now? Do I just wait until someone comes to drag me to my death? Nah. Fuck that shit. I press my hand against the wall where Gordon let me in, but it doesn't open. Letting out a small growl, I stride to the other side of the room. The whole wall is made of glass. Pressing my nose up against it, my mouth pops open in shock.
The city of Atlantis looks just like New York does in movies. All manner of buildings reach for the sky, or sea, whatever. People, all different shapes, sizes and colours mill around going about their day. Except, there are no cars that I can see. It seems like everyone here walks where they need to go. It isn't at all what I expected to see. The scent of food hits me then, I spin and eye the tray. My traitorous stomach picks that moment to gurgle loudly. I battle internally with myself.
On one hand, I need to eat, because the baby needs it. Plus; it smells good. On the other, it could be poisoned. My legs take me across the room without my permission. Surel
y Poseidon wouldn't want to miss my death? Would he really want me to die in this fucking golden room, alone and without him to watch? No. I don't think so. Surprisingly, there is toast, what smells and looks like a cup of tea, and a bowl of scrambled eggs on the tray. A tiny white pot of white powder, too. I dig in, the toast is perfectly brown, and the eggs are overcooked, just the way I like them. Just as I swig the last of my tea, the door opens and a tall, pink woman walks in. Her white toga has a piece of black rope around the middle, and the hem skims the floor. Her blonde hair is plaited down her back, fishtail style. Blue gills grace either side of her neck, she's very pretty.
"My Queen," her knees practically touch the floor, she dips so deeply. "My lord has sent me. Here," she holds out a bundle of material, she doesn't even meet my eyes, talking to my belly button. "These are for you." Her cheeks colour, turning red as I take the bundle from her.
"Thank you." I utter. When she doesn't move, I turn towards the bathroom, and open the swish door, it closes behind me. I take off my nightie and wash quickly. It's not cold in this golden cage, but it isn't warm either. I don the awful dress the pink lady gave me. It's got fucking frills on it. Frills. Around the neck and hem, and its shiny pink. I look like a dick. It comes to my knees in a flurry of material.
I step back into the golden room, looking like an extra from the movie Grease, to find the woman still standing there. Like a living statue. Damn, Atlanteans have a stillness about them that freaks me out. "What now?" I ask, her head snaps up and our eyes lock. Her's are large for her face, bright purple and hold a look of terror in them. "What's wrong?" I automatically take a step forward, my hand outreached to touch her elbow. The pink woman looks absolutely terrified as I make contact with her exposed skin. It's cool to the touch.
"Oh, oh, my Queen." She bends on one knee, her head dipped to her chest.
"No, please," I try to pull her back up, but she doesn't budge. "Get up. You don't need to do that."
"I must. I am not worthy. I am sorry, my Queen, I should not have looked into your eyes. Please, forgive me." Tears stream down her face and her voice trembles.
What the fuck is this? What sort of treatment has this poor woman been subjected to?
I drop to my knees, I put myself on her level in the hope to calm her. "What's your name?" The pink lady sniffles and wipes her nose on the hem of her toga.
"Darcy, my Queen." She replies, her voice barely audible.
"That's a pretty name, Darcy. I'm Everly, most people call me Ever, though. Please, call me Ever." I'm so done being called Queen. Her eyes rise to meet mine again. This time, they’re filled with awe.
"You mean, I can call you by your given name?" Her face scrunches up in confusion, her large eyes even wider.
"Yes, Darcy. I don't want to be called Queen. Now, have you eaten this morning?" I pause for a second, I add, "It is morning, right?"
"Yes, it is my Q- Everly." She lets out a small laugh as she corrects herself. She is adorable. She reminds me of Victor, a little bit. It took him the longest time to just see me as Everly, and not some fabled Queen. "And no, I have not. Usually, we get whatever is left after lunch. But that is all." She adds, quietly.
Bloody hell. This place is fucked up beyond belief. Pushing off the floor, I rise and bring Darcy with me. She's rail-thin, her skin has a yellow tinge under the pink and her teeth look half rotten. She is severely malnourished. Pulling her to the bed I motion for her to sit. When she climbs up and settles with her legs bent under her, I turn and grab the tray of leftover food. There isn't much left, but it will have to do for now.
As she stares at the leftovers, I contemplate how to get my arse out of here. I need to know if my men are ok. The last time I saw Victor he was lying limp in the arms of a giant creature. That thing looked like an Alien. Not the cute green kind, but the ones from the movies with a mouth full of teeth and acid drool running down their chins. Six arms, because apparently, two are not enough, and four eyes. It was at least twice the size of Vic's Kraken form. Then there was my poor Leyland. He looked absolutely broken watching me jump into Poseidon's hand. They all were beaten up, that much was clear. But to what end?
Poseidon wanted me to go to that cliff, but there had to be an easier way. Perhaps it was a message of some kind? To have captured my four men, without killing them, is no mean feat. I've seen all of them fight Selkie. They hold their own. "Eat, Darcy. After, you're going to tell me how to get out of here."
Chapter Three
VICTOR
Day 10
Leyland wobbles on his legs as he lands back on the cliff that features in my nightmares.
"Fuck!" He screams to the sky. It's been ten days since Everly has been gone, and our little group is starting to show the effects of her not being with us. Garrot strides over to Leyland and catches him just before he falls, lowering him to the ground, he pushes his sweaty hair out of his eyes. Leyland has been flying over the ocean for days, looking for signs of where Atlantis is. The books in Mickey's home said that light shines in a circle from the sea above where it lays. He's been trying to find it, with no luck.
"Rest brothers, we will try again tomorrow." I tell them while picking up the basket of untouched food I brought with us.
"Let's move out, the sun is setting." Karl barks the order, but no one listens. Garrot comforts Leyland as he stares out to sea and I change into my Kraken form. I scream out in pain as the gaping wounds from my missing limbs pump blue blood onto the grass. I quickly shift back, the action draining me of the last bit of energy I had . Karl wraps his arm around my shoulder, throwing mine over his neck. Together we hobble back to the red jeep.
I SIT AT THE TABLE with Karl and Garrot, shifting through books and papers from Alan's house.
"Found another, in... France. Add it to the list. Katja." Garrot calls out and I write it down on the long list of witch's names and addresses. Leyland is in the huge bed, sleeping off his trip across the sea. His wings were damaged in the fight and they've yet to fully heal. They ache when he uses them. "What happens if they can't, or won't help?" Garrot asks, sitting back in his chair he drains the last of his whisky. If none of the witches help, then I'll have to force the change, I'll risk bleeding out before I get to Ever, but it’s a risk I'm willing to take.
Everly
Day 2 in Atlantis
Darcy waddles into my room with a tray of food clutched tightly to her chest. Her pink face is pale, and her hands shake.
"What's wrong, Darcy?" I ask and take the tray from her. Before I had a chance to talk to her yesterday, she was called away. A task that couldn't wait until she had finished my leftovers, apparently. I'm pretty sure she was punished for something, if the way she shakes is anything to go by.
"Nothing, my Q-Everly. I'm so sorry." Her head bows, and she stiffens when I move towards her. Fuck. I wish there was something I could do to stop whatever is happening to her.
"Sit with me, Darcy." I slowly make my way to the huge window looking out on Atlantis. Last night, I dragged a chaise lounge over and rested it against the glass. Then, I spent all night pacing back and forth. Checking and rechecking every inch of this bloody room for hidden doors. The tips of my fingers bled before I gave up searching, running them over every inch of the walls. The glass wall is the only window here, not even a small one in the bathroom. It doesn't open. There truly is no escape. I’ve lost count of how many times I've pressed my hand against the wall next to the door. Small smears of blood mark the walls and when Darcy notices, she freaks out.
"Oh! My Q-" she shakes her head and takes a deep breath, "Everly, are you bleeding?" She rushes over to me and takes my hands in her elongated one's. "No, no, no, this won't do." She reaches into a pocket of her grey tunic, digging to the bottom she pulls out a tiny first aid kit, the logo on the front not the red cross for home, but a green trident. "Sit, " she asks gently. Not wanting to upset her further, I sit with my back to the cold glass as she applies ointment to the tips of my fingers, I hiss in a breath as i
t stings. Darcy looks up at me with a small smile. Ever so gently, she wraps a small bandage around my middle finger, the skin all but gone on the tip. The others are not so bad. Then she busies herself with cleaning the walls of my blood. I turn and look out the window. There aren't any books in here, no magazines, no telly. My mind wanders to my men. I miss them so much my whole-body hurts with it, I can hardly breathe. My chest tightens, I can't fill my lungs properly. It's a feeling I know well. At least, I used to, before I met my men.
Leyland
Day 15
The wheels of the plane touchdown on the tarmac, jolting me awake. I sit up and look out of the small window. Thick snow covers the mountains in the distance.
"Come on, everyone get off. We've got a lot of distance to cover today, the witch," Karl flips through the thick pile of papers on the clipboard in his hands, "Felicity, lives in the mountains. Says here, she has an affinity to water. Let's roll out!" He yells and we all jump from our seats. We spent the last two days dragging our arses through a rainforest looking for a light Fae, only, she wasn't there.
I jump off the steps of our small, private plane and shiver in the cold. Russia is a beautiful place, but it's lost on me. Everything is shades of grey at this point. Garrot lifts our bags out of the cargo hold using his powers while Victor is constantly on the phone to Mickey, William's mate. He's a witch, but he isn't powerful enough to help us. William's arm hasn't fully grown but he is in contact with some of Everly's mum's people. They’re searching for a way to get us to Atlantis too.
"Le, look at this map for me, make sure it's the quickest route." Karl thrusts a tablet into my hands. I know what he's doing, trying to keep me busy. They're all worried that I'll lose it, maybe they're too late, though, I might have already slipped into the dark.
Karl
Day 15
My foot sinks into the snow for the millionth time as we climb up the mountain path.
"Bloody snow, it almost makes me miss the rain of Britain." I grumble, pulling my leg up. My boot is covered in snow and I shake it off. Not looking back, Leyland keeps walking with Garrot close behind him. Their faces made of stone, sadness pouring off them in waves. Victor brushes by me, his large frame blocking the light temporarily, casting me in darkness. For a second, I almost welcome it. I can see the appeal of being in the dark instead of the light. It's peaceful, quiet, if only for a brief moment, my world isn't falling down around me and it feels good. He passes and the sunlight shines down on me once again. I raise my face to the sky and pull myself together. Everly needs us, I refuse to give into the darkness calling to me.
The Everly Davis chronicles Page 41