Vincent shrugged. “I don’t think they will.”
“And what the hell makes you think that?”
“Because I think they will want their kin back, or at least want to put a stop to what she’s doing. The last thing these beings want is attention.”
“How exactly do you know that?”
“Because when I was—you know—”
“Evil?” Tony quipped, earning a glare from Vincent.
“When I was alive, I went to them, and they nearly killed me.”
“Why didn’t they?”
“Because their princess snuck me out before they could, and then she went to work with Thames.”
Anastasia gaped at him. “You’re saying Rosabel is fucking royalty?”
“Why the hell would you leave that out until now?” Tony accused.
“Didn’t seem pertinent until the stakes were raised.”
“And when exactly were the stakes raised?” Anastasia folded her arms. “Seems to me the shit hit the fan a long damn time ago.”
“Dakota being taken was unfortunate, but not world ending, as you two seem to have a knack for getting out of tough situations. When Thames shut you out of Terrenia, and Earth, that’s when the stakes were raised. He won’t stop, not until you have nowhere else to go. And if you aren’t there to protect them—”
Anastasia’s blood iced as she realized what Vincent was saying, something she probably knew all along but didn’t want to admit. “He will destroy them all.”
“Is that what his plan his? Destruction of all the worlds? What the hell sense is that?”
“I honestly don’t know what his plan is, only what I’ve gleaned from current events.”
Tony stalked toward Vincent. “You better not be fucking holding out on us.”
“Or what?” Vincent looked at him amused. “You going to kill me?”
Tony lunged, and Vincent disappeared. “I swear I will kill him all over again before this is all over,” Tony said, clenching his fists.
Anastasia turned to stare back out at the stars. A dark part of her said to hell with Earth and Terrenia. They could find somewhere else to go, somewhere that wouldn’t push her aside when things got difficult.
A tear slipped down her cheek, and Anastasia wiped it away angrily.
“Anastasia.” Tony stepped up and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“I don’t know what the hell to do anymore.”
“I wish I could help.” Tony sighed. “I wish there was an easy answer to all of this, but there isn’t. We have to take it problem by problem.”
She looked up at him. “How am I supposed to do that?”
“We make a list, focus on the issues we’re facing, and tackle them one by one instead of taking the entire thing head on.”
“Thames is our biggest problem.” She stepped closer to the ledge. “You’re suggesting we put him aside?”
“I am. Because if we don’t, there is no chance in hell we’ll win.”
“Fine. Problem number one, Rosabel is threatening worlds and drowning them if they don’t succumb to her will. She also took Dakota, and is trying to get her hands on Vincent’s son.”
“I’d say she’s a pretty big problem. So, how do we stop her?”
“We have to find her weakness.”
“Any ideas as to what that is?”
Anastasia signed. “Honestly, I think Vincent’s right.”
“What was that?” Vincent reappeared on the ledge, a good distance away from Tony.
“I think you may be right. So, how do I find the Sirens?”
“You can’t be serious,” Shane said as he paced the ledge the next morning.
“Unfortunately, there isn’t another way.”
“You want to go back to the place where I got shot, in order to track down an entire race of Rosabels?”
“When you put it like that, it sounds insane.” Anastasia pinched the bridge of her nose.
“That’s because it is insane.” He turned to look at Argento and Tony, who were the only others outside. “Someone please tell her this is suicide.”
Tony shrugged. “I tried.”
“I don’t believe it’s suicide, not if what Vincent says is true.”
Shane rolled his eyes. “So, we’re staking her life on the word of a murderer. One with literally no skin in the game.”
“I wouldn’t agree with that,” Vincent said, appearing beside Argento.
“How so? You’re dead.”
“My son is very much alive, and his skin is far more important to me than that of any of you.”
“Exactly, he doesn’t give two shits what happens to you, Ana.”
Anastasia straightened at the nickname.
“Anastasia, sorry.” Shane folded his arms. “There has to be another way. What if I went with you?”
Anastasia shook her head. “I need you all here. I can portal in and out quickly if need be, but I can’t risk any of your lives. There’s no telling if the Siren’s will be open to guests.”
“What the hell are we supposed to do if Rosabel shows up? Run around and make it harder for her to drown us?” Shane demanded.
Anastasia sighed. “I can’t be everywhere, Shane. This is something I have to do. Stopping Rosabel is number one.”
“What about getting Dakota back?”
His words were like a dagger to her heart, and she glared up at him. “Getting Dakota back is more important to me than you could even imagine. If I could portal to Luxe and drag his ass back, I would, but unfortunately, with Thames controlling him, that is not an option.”
“Sorry, low blow.”
“Yeah, it fucking was,” Tony said sternly.
“I will go with Anastasia.” Vincent stepped forward.
“Oh goody,” Shane retorted.
“I will be sure she has the knowledge she needs to survive.”
“How about you tell her where to find them and then keep the hell away. After all, you did say they tried to kill you,” Tony reminded him.
“I won’t let them see me.”
“Vincent goes,” Anastasia said. “We leave in an hour.” She stepped into the dimly lit cave, toward the fire keeping the villagers warm in the chilly air.
She stood for a moment, looking over the faces of those who followed her. Children played quietly in the corner, while men and woman conversed happily. Everyone here believed in her, supported her… what if she let them all down?
Vincent had been right; the stakes were never higher than they were right now, because if she didn’t succeed, it wasn’t just their way of life that was in jeopardy. It was their lives, their worlds.
“Everything all right?” Elizabeth looked up from where she sat with Vinny.
“It’s fine,” Anastasia responded curtly, still not having forgiven her for the lies.
“Can we talk?”
“I have nothing to say,” Anastasia answered before stepping to where her bedroll was set up and gathering what she would need for travel.
Her hand brushed Dakota’s shirt that she’d taken with her, and Anastasia closed her eyes.
“I love you, Ana.” His voice filled her head as if he were standing beside her, and Anastasia smiled. I’m coming for you next, she promised and got to her feet.
“Time to visit some mermaids,” Anastasia muttered, before stepping out onto the ledge.
32
Antarctica
Anastasia
Anastasia and Vincent stepped through the portal and into an icy, frozen landscape.
“Never been happier to not be able to feel,” Vincent commented dryly.
“Lucky for you.” Anastasia pulled her cloak more tightly around her and turned to face him. “Care to point the direction?”
Vincent gestured toward the ocean, and Anastasia began walking. The ice was covered in a thick layer of snow that came up to her knees, making it less slippery than it could have been, and she was grateful for that.
Slipping and falling on her a
ss in front of her crazy uncle would not have made her bad day any better at this point.
“I am truly sorry for what happened with Dakota.”
“No, you aren’t.”
“I assure you I am.”
Anastasia whirled on him. “Can we not do this?”
Vincent stared at her. “Do what?”
“This family routine,” she said, gesturing between them. “Where you pretend to give a damn about me. I’m over it, Vincent; you have your way, we’re going through with your plan.”
“I do care.”
Anastasia rolled her eyes. “You have a funny way of showing it.”
“Well, I assure you, I do care. If you’d rather, though, I’m more than happy to put on a neutral face and make this all about the business of stopping Thames.”
“That would be great, thanks.”
Wind whipped at her as they walked, nearly sending her stumbling into the snow more times than she cared to count.
“Stop,” Vincent ordered just before they reached the ledge.
Anastasia stopped and peered down into the bluest water she’d ever seen. A soft voice lifted through the wind. A beautiful melody that soothed her soul, and Anastasia knelt in the cold.
“You might want to get away!” Vincent called, but Anastasia continued to stare into the depths.
A face appeared in the water. A woman with grey hair, but a youthful face that was beyond beautiful.
“Back up!” Vincent called again.
Anastasia got to her feet just as the face broke the surface.
“Why do you come, Sorceress?” the woman demanded as she climbed out of the water.
Unable to speak, Anastasia watched in complete fascination as the woman emerged fully, showing a fishtail adorned with the most beautiful red scales. Soon, it transformed, revealing legs, and the woman rose to her feet.
Two dozen others climbed out, and soon, Anastasia was staring at twenty-four pissed off women wearing nothing but long hair in various shades, from silver to black to a vibrant red that would make even the brightest fire jealous.
“I came to speak with you about Rosabel,” Anastasia said finally.
The woman with the grey hair widened her eyes. “You know of Rosabel?”
Anastasia nodded.
“Grab her,” the woman ordered. The others stalked toward her.
Anastasia backed away and put her hands up. “I came to help you get her back!”
“If you know of Rosabel, that means you work with her. If you work with her, you are our enemy.”
“I am not your enemy. Rosabel stole my husband.”
“Then I am afraid he is lost. There is nothing we can do to get him back.”
Anastasia closed her eyes tightly on a deep breath, then reopened them. “It is not that simple.”
“You can take it up with our queen,” the Siren said, and gestured for the other women to detain Anastasia. Two Sirens gripped Anastasia’s arms and began pulling her toward the water.
“Now would be a good time for you to use magic,” Vincent said dryly, and Anastasia glared at him.
If she used it now, she risked not having an audience with their queen. Granted, if she drowned, there wouldn’t be an audience anyway.
“You do know I can’t breathe underwater, right?”
The Siren studied her. “Yes, I do.” The woman raised a hand, and everything went dark.
Anastasia opened her eyes slowly. Her head throbbed all over, making it impossible to pinpoint where the pain was coming from.
She was shivering, her body shaking from being wet and cold. Where the hell am I? She was lying on what felt like cool marble, intricately designed to contain lines of every single color known to man. There was no sunlight, no windows, and the only source of light came from a single oil lamp in the center of the room.
Anastasia got to her feet, despite shaky legs, and spun in a circle. “Well, that’s new.”
The walls and ceiling were made entirely of water, and no matter how far she tried to look up, there was no light.
“Vincent?” she whispered loudly.
A blur of motion caught her eye, and Anastasia stepped closer to the wall of water. Lifting a hand, she pressed it into the water, and some spilled out onto the floor by her feet.
Something splashed behind her, and she turned her head as a woman stepped through the water. Like the others, her long red hair draped down over her breasts.
“Where am I?”
The woman didn’t speak, just folded her arms and stared at Anastasia, a general studying their enemy.
“I was told you know of my daughter.”
“If your daughter is Rosabel, then yes, I do.”
“Where is she?”
“Probably slaughtering an entire species somewhere.”
The woman’s jaw tightened, and she took a step closer. “I suggest you be upfront with me, Sorceress. You are here at my mercy. One snap of my fingers and the weight of the ocean will crush you.”
“I am at no one’s mercy.” Anastasia waved her hand to conjure a portal, but nothing happened.
The woman smiled darkly. “You have nowhere to run. Your magic will not work down here.”
“Why not?”
“Because you are in my realm, and my power is the only one that will survive here.”
Well, that puts things in a different light. If she couldn’t escape, she really was at this woman’s mercy, and if that was the case, she’d damn well better come up with a Plan B.
“Your daughter has murdered the Guisnows, and taken my husband.”
The woman’s golden eyes darkened, and a muscle twitched in her jaw. “You lie.”
“I do not. She drowned their world because they refused to switch sides.”
“Switch sides?”
“There is a war going on, one that threatens the lives of every single creature in every world.”
“Yes, I know. I want to know the side they refused to leave.”
Anastasia swallowed hard. “Mine.”
“You fight against Vincent, then? Even though he is of your blood?”
Anastasia narrowed her eyes, tilting her head slightly.
The woman sniffed. “I can smell him on you.”
“I killed Vincent. The Luxe prince, Thames, is the one we have to worry about now.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “Thames. I’ve heard whispers of a Luxe rising to power, but I was unsure of their truths. I believed the Luxe world was destroyed.”
“You know of them?”
“They are ancient, as we are. The late king was the one who rescued us.”
“What do you mean he rescued you?”
“Our world was on the brink of destruction as it sank slowly into the sea. He made us what we are so that we might survive.”
“What was the cost?”
“Cost?”
“Everything comes at a cost.”
The woman began to pace. “Perhaps, but he did not ask us for payment as far as I know.”
“Do you know what Thames wants?”
“I might have an idea.”
“Care to share?”
“Perhaps I should request something in return.”
Anastasia rolled her eyes. “What do you want?”
“My daughter back, alive.”
“Afraid that is not possible. She has murdered my friends, stolen my husband, and threatened those I love. She must pay for that.”
“I assure you, Sorceress, she will pay for what she’s done. We are not to delve into the other worlds’ business, as it is not our own. Rosabel abandoned her people, her post as the next ruler, and put my own leadership in jeopardy. She will be punished greatly for her crimes.” Tears shone in her eyes, and for a moment, Anastasia felt for the woman who’d lost her child to the dark.
“What do you know of Thames?”
“I know nothing firsthand, it is important you know that.”
“Okay.”
“Two years ago,
a man came here,” she started.
“Vincent.”
“Yes, he spoke of great power beneath the surface of the worlds, and offered to share it with us if we helped him locate it.”
“Great power? What kind of great power?”
“That, I do not know. He seemed sure it was beneath Terrenia, but he spoke of others he would be gathering from as well.”
Seemed her uncle was holding out after all. “You refused to help, why?”
“There was something in him that was not entirely human. Something dark that seemed to taint the air around him. We will have no part in the evil workings of man.”
“Rosabel helped him escape?”
“How do you know that?”
Shit. Anastasia shrugged, trying to play it off. “Lucky guess.”
The woman studied her, mistrust in her eyes. “A very lucky guess indeed. Rosabel did help him escape, because we were going to execute him.”
“Why?”
“He killed one of ours.”
So, it is possible! “How?”
“Excuse me?”
“As far as I know, you all are indestructible. How did he manage to hurt you?”
The queen stared blankly at her. “Do you honestly expect me to tell you how to kill my daughter?”
“I want to know how to stop her without dying myself.”
“Your life is not my problem.”
“It is if you want me to bring her back to you. She can turn into water, which makes her damn hard to keep in one place. How do you expect me to control her?”
The queen narrowed her bright green eyes on Anastasia’s face. “In order to keep her in a static location, you must turn her solid.”
“And how do I do that?”
The queen shrugged. “I’m sure you’ll figure something out.”
Sensing the conversation was over, Anastasia changed the subject. “I have reason to believe Vincent was being controlled by Thames.”
The woman folded her arms. “You don’t believe he acted of his own volition?”
“I think a lot of what he did was due to his own actions, but I also believe he was being manipulated and, in some cases, completely controlled by Thames.”
“Interesting. What of your husband?”
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