Sunken Empire

by Brandy Slaven

  Zanthus both ruins the moment and saves us all, bursting through the door like a mad man. I feel as though I'm on the outside listening in as they argue, and I forcibly remove my strong-willed brother from the room while explaining the drink to Rubi. Her gratitude isn't lost on me, but I need to remove us all from temptation until we're all thinking clearly.

  "What in the name of the five kingdoms are you thinking, Zale?" Zanthus hisses at me. "We know nothing about anything that's going on. Thought you had a brain in that thick skull of yours."

  I hold up my hands in defense, but it shocks us both when Zephyr jumps in first. "Leave him alone, Zan. You know he's smarter than both of us combined. There's something at play here, and you're a lying mer if you say you don't feel it too. I'll wait for her. You two go cool off, and we'll meet you in the study when she's done."

  Not having to be told twice, I take the out instantly, Zanthus right on my heels.

  "Since when did that airhead become the sensible one of us? And leaving him with her? We're out of our minds," he grumbles as we stroll down the hall together. Not bothering to wait for my response, he branches off toward his room.

  He does have a point. Out of the three of us, our brother is known for indulging more than his fair share. At the moment, however, he may be just what she needs considering I wouldn't be able to keep myself from touching her again, and Zanthus is in the mood for a battle of wits. Chewing on the side of my bottom lip, I hurry the rest of the way to the study. We're going to need all of the head start we can get.

  Merrick is there waiting but doesn't hurl the questions that must be burning on his tongue. Choosing, instead, to ask, "Should I prepare a meal?"

  I nod absentmindedly as I search the row of shelves in the corner. I've read every title in here multiple times, but there's only one book that refers to any feeling like what currently sits in my chest. It takes more than ten minutes to find it and my hand has just reached for it when I hear a soft swish of fabric enter the room.

  The female is so enamored by the glass wall that she doesn't even hear me as I approach. The magic of the kemp has once again proven its worthiness as the dress fits her perfectly, outlining in detail all of those perfect womanly curves that were pressed against me not long ago. Itching to touch her bare skin again, I narrowly refrain.

  Not sure whether the question is directed at her or my brother, I wait until my lips are close to brushing her ear when I ask, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

  I start to give the dress another go, but the shower in the room catches my eye. Its clear doors allow me to see that more than one person can fit inside the space. If I’m honest, Zale’s shower is bigger than my entire room. They must have paid a fortune for this kind of space.

  I glance towards the door. He said to come out when I was dressed, not that I couldn’t shower first. I smirk to myself at the thought of making Zanthus wait. Just from what I can tell, he’s a beastling with very little patience.

  My brows furrow as I notice the shower isn’t exactly the same as a normal one, though. There aren’t nobs to turn the water on and off, just buttons. Stepping in, I go to take a closer look and get sprayed right in the face as an automatic system kicks the water on. It’s the perfect temperature, but I still let out a little girly squeal from the surprise.

  Two knocks and Zephyr’s sandy brown head pokes around the corner of the door. “All good in here?”

  “I think so. Thanks,” I say, staring at the buttons. He disappears but leaves a crack in the door.

  I give up trying to figure out which one does what and why. “Hey, Zephyr?”

  He must not have gone very far because it takes half a second for him to appear again, with an oddly pleased look on his face. “Yes?”

  I point at the wall. “What are all of these for?”

  He smiles and points as he says, “The one far left changes the pressure, middle is for cleansing, umm what you call soap, and the far right is to fill up the area for a bath. Just make sure the door is closed tight before you press that one. I’ve made a mess or two that way.”

  The last is said with a snicker and a shrug.

  “Okaaaay,” I draw out.

  “Anything else?” he asks, giving me a once over. He grins ear to ear as he finds me watching him.

  I should feel violated, but I don’t. It sparks a small part of me that has been hiding in the corner for a while. The way that he looks at me makes me feel confident in more ways than one, but in true Rubi fashion I make a comment way out in left field, “Why do you guys have saltwater in your shower?”

  He laughs and disappears behind the door again.

  “What? It’s a legitimate question,” I announce to the empty shower.

  I manage to not break anything and get myself clean all in the fifteen or so minutes that I spend in there. The saltwater proves to make me feel cleaner than I ever have, almost like a layer of myself has washed down the drain. As I move to leave, the shower the water turns off, and I startle again and put up an arm against the wall to catch my weight. When I pull away, I see that the tile is a different color with the imprint of my arm.

  “What the?” I question out loud.

  Color bleeds from the tile and slowly turns back to its original shade of dark-aqua. I place my hand against the wall in a different spot, and my curiosity is rewarded when the wall changes from the aqua color to a lighter blue-green and then back again.

  Okay, now, that’s cool.

  Of course, my brain automatically goes to what the imprint would look like after one of the Z’s pressed me up against it in a lust-fueled moment. I shake the image free of my head. I’ll never be able to get a handle on myself and make it all the way back to my room thinking things like that while they’re around.

  Stepping out of the shower, I steal the big fluffy blue towel that’s hanging on the rack. It wraps around my body almost twice, and I take a second to just enjoy the feel of it against my skin. Then I remember the cup of steaming liquid on the counter. I’m surprised to find it still warm enough to sting my throat going down.

  Between whatever is in the cup and my stolen shower, I feel the jackhammers in my skull downgrade to a manageable headache. I don’t know what Zale put in this, but he could make millions off it. Looking around the expensive room, I decide that maybe he already has. I am so out of my league here.

  Without any distractions this time, I am able to fit the dress over my body just fine. The purple material is as soft as the towels. It starts with a Queen Anne neckline, cinches at my waist and flows the rest of the way to the floor. I back up in the room far enough to where I can see most of my body in the mirror in the sink.

  “Wow,” I stammer out.

  This dress is phenomenal and makes me look very much the royal that I am not. That’s when it hits me, and I begin to wonder whose dress it is that I’m wearing. The thought barely crosses my mind before I hear a soft knock at the door, and Zephyr is sticking his head through the crack again.

  His eyes meet mine before he slowly works them all the way to my toes and back up again. I watch as several emotions pass over his face. Sadness, anger, curiosity, and lust are all there before it finally settles on what I am beginning to think of as his usual expressions of amusement. The smile he sends me makes a blush come to my cheeks, which, I must say, is a first. I’m not the girly type to flirt and bat my eyelashes around men, but there’s something about these three that has woken up something inside of me.

  Of course, that doesn’t help the non-existent filter between my brain and mouth, “What are you looking at me like that for?”

  He glances at the ceiling while shaking his head and chuckling. “No reason at all, ma petite sirène.”

  I narrow my eyes at him. “What does that mean?”

  Instead of answering me, he laughs again and holds out his hand to me. “Come on. Let’s go find the others.”

  My hand reaches out to his without my permission. I should be a little more hesitant with these men, b
ut if I can always head back to my room if I want to. Letting Zephyr pull me from the room, I realize that I’m not wearing any shoes. Not a single one of the three Zs were either, so I’m not going to worry about it.

  He takes the lead as we walk out into the hallway. Okay, they definitely dropped some serious green for their part of the ship. The carpet underneath my feet is plush and feels like it’s at least three inches deep. I would imagine someone could lay on it and sleep just as well as they could in a bed. It’s a tan color that goes great with the dark navy of the walls. I find it odd that I don’t see any of the standard cruise liner decorations hanging up, but at the price they probably paid, it could have been decorated to their preference. Distracted for a moment from my surroundings, I’d have to be completely blind to not notice the way that Zephyr’s long sandy hair sways across his naked back. The tips stop just above his ass.

  When in Rome, right? I take a full thirty seconds to admire his form from the back in tight blue jeans. I am so not ashamed to say that I’d bang him like a storm door in a hurricane. As if my wicked thought spurs his actions, he flicks a devious smile over his shoulder.

  Busted.

  I bring my brain back into focus just in time to realize that we’re standing outside of a huge study.

  As we walk into the book-filled room, I must say I'm impressed. Whoever designed it was a complete and utter genius. Floor to ceiling bookshelves cover three of the four walls. The fourth is a massive aquarium. I don’t know how they manage to do it, but it’s amazing to look out and see schools of colorful fish swimming by. The backdrop in the tank is perfect. It looks as though I’m staring out into the abyss of the ocean.

  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice whispers in my ear.

  Zephyr is still standing to my front, eyes locked on my face as he wears that amusing expression, which means the voice belongs to Zale. The brute wouldn’t speak to me like that.

  Sure enough, I see I’m right as I flick a quick glance over my shoulder. His smile is so similar to Zephyr’s, and it’s one that I can’t help but return.

  “That it is,” I tell him in awe for a different reason now.

  It’s unnerving to realize that any three of these men can turn me into a puddle on the floor with nothing but a smile. Even Zanthus, I’m sure, if he attempted a real smile.

  “That’s not even the best one,” a deeper voice says on my other side. Speak of the devil.

  Before I can think of some witty but probably ridiculous thing to say back to him, Zale saves me. “Are you hungry?”

  The hangover beat all else when I first woke up, but now that it’s dissolving, hunger is quickly taking its place. Zale’s inquiry only brings it to the surface. Then again, I have no idea what I put them through last night.

  “Thanks, but I’d hate to impose. I really should be getting back,” I answer.

  He opens his mouth to reply, and I hold up my hand to cut him off. “Look, I really appreciate you guys taking care of me last night because I don’t remember a lick of it, but I’m capable of getting back to my cabin by my lonesome. So, let me just get this walk of shame over already, okay?”

  I go to step between the two blondes, and they close ranks going shoulder to shoulder. It’s cute that they think that will stop me. Ducking down, I make a mad dash between their bodies. If they really wanted to stop me, they could angle their hips and squish me between them. I try not to think about the feelings that image brings front and center.

  I make it all the way to the door and almost do a victory dance. The good feeling is squelched as another man walks through it, and I nearly collide into him. Coming to a screeching halt, it’s enough hesitation to set one of the Zs into motion. A hand captures mine and twists me around.

  Now facing Zephyr again, I fall victim to the enchantment of voice while those eyes simmer like liquid gold. “Just for breakfast.”

  Sealing my decision, he brings my fingers to his lips and kisses the back of my hand.

  “Who would have thought that all it takes to get her to behave is a little swoony romance,” Zanthus sneers as he puts some kind of smelly fish spread on a roll-looking thing.

  I glare at him from across the table. “I’m not a child, beast. Ever hear of simply asking nicely?”

  A breaking dish has me whipping my head over to the sound. I find another man, the one serving our food, gaping at me like I just insulted the Queen of England. Beyond the wide-open mouthed stare, he’s super attractive. I fully intend to write a wordy complaint to the cruise liner for keeping all of this eye candy restricted to this part of the ship.

  I feel a not so soft nudge against my shin. Narrowing my eyes at Zanthus across the table, he simply returns my look with mock innocence. I swear to all that is fishy, that man makes me forget my maturity level. I want nothing more than to stick my tongue out at him or flick a spoonful of weird little black specks his way. Actually, considering the last one, I watch as his eyes narrow in warning.

  In my peripheral, I notice his brothers have been watching our exchange. Zale’s face rests on the top of his twined hands as he fights his smile, and Zephyr is outright chuckling as his head volleys back and forth between us.

  A new voice from the door breaks our staring contest. I lose as I turn to get a look at the newcomer. Holy cream cheese on a bagel, he’s just as hot as the others. And seriously, why the hell does no one wear shirts around here?

  “I’m glad to see Zanthus has finally met his match,” the voice says.

  I laugh as the words hit home in my brain around the frustrated lust-filled randomness. The other two laugh with me, and after a moment even Zanthus looks like he might crack a smile.

  “To whom do I owe the pleasure?” the speaker asks, coming to stand beside me.

  I throw out my hand in greeting as I introduce myself, “Rubi.”

  All smiles around the table are gone, and the tension rolls around us in waves. He looks to each of the Zs before placing his hand in mine, all too quickly releasing it, and saying, “Merrick.”

  I ignore all of the weirdness and remain polite. “Nice to meet you.”

  His smile is soft and holds a small hint of relief.

  “So, you’re friends with the three Zs?” I ask, being nosey.

  Before he can answer, Zale cuts in, “The three Zs? Is that seriously what you’re calling us?”

  I grin at him. “For now, yes.”

  Zephyr laughs. “I’ll take that over whatever you’ve been calling Zanthus in your head since you woke up.”

  He can’t possibly know what I’ve been thinking, but that doesn’t stop us both from chuckling as Zale shakes his head with a smirk, and Zephyr receives a glare from Zanthus.

  Merrick brings the attention back to him. “To answer your question, Miss Rubi, yes. The Z’s and I have been friends for a long time.”

  “Okay, what’s the deal?” I ask, my filter slipping. “Not to be rude or intrusive in any way, but you’re all gay, right? Is that it?”

  Zale chokes on his drink, and Zanthus pats him roughly on the back. Zephyr is laughing so hard he’s crying and almost falling out of his chair. Merrick, in front of me, coughs twice to hide his smile.

  “What in the world gave you that idea?” Zale asks, still struggling.

  I shrug. “Well, I haven’t seen a single woman since I woke up, and come on... Everyone around here is sexy as homemade sin and walks around half-naked. And I’m not saying that I have anything against it. I’m all for love is love, so it’s not a big deal or anything…”

  “Do you always ramble like that, woman?” Zanthus cuts across the table.

  “Are you always a dick, man?” I snap back.

  The room falls silent, waiting on his retort, but all he replies is, “We’re not gay, Eurybia, and you’re not where you think you are.”

  I don’t question how he knows my real name. It’s probably plastered somewhere on my wet dress. The other, however, shocks me.

  Zale’s hiss of, “Zanthus
!” is hidden underneath my, “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

  It’s directed at him, but as no one will meet my eye, my voice gets a little louder. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  I jump up and away from the table as I avoid the hands that reach for me. Oh no, I’m done with this. I don’t know what they’re playing at, but I suck at games. That makes this my time to scoot on back to the sane side of the ship where the craziest thing I have to deal with is people trying to pronounce my name.

  Which Zanthus had no problem with whatsoever.

  Stopping at the door, I see Zale’s hand still midair as they watch me.

  “Thanks for everything. Truly,” I say before bolting out the door. I’m completely lost in two seconds and have no idea which end is up. When I come to a staircase I sigh in relief. Lifting my dress, I run down the stairs almost taking them two at a time. I’m midway down as it hits me. The dress. Duh. There are women here.

  My bare feet slap the marble floor until I make it to a set of wide double doors. They give me pause as I admire the intricate detail in the carvings. Swirls cover them on all four sides. When I turn my head the right way, it looks as though the swirls make waves cresting and settling back into place. The best part is what looks like an ancient family sigil right in the middle. I hear footsteps behind me, so I break that crest right down the center as I push my way out.

  I have no idea what I am expecting when I step out into the brighter than usual light, but it is not what I see. There’s no ship; instead, there are dwellings that resemble houses. The only reason I would say they aren’t houses is the material they’re made of. It looks like some kind of dark shimmering glass. Too bad I’m not taking the time to stop and check them out because they look interesting, to say the least.

  There’s no sun above us; instead, there’s a soft glow that lights up the entire area. The only thing that’s to be expected is the open water. Only, I’m on the wrong side of it. Underneath a dome that shimmers brighter than the houses from the unknown light.