Stone Heart (The Cursed Seas Collection)

by Pauline Creeden

  Kane lay on his back and pulled me down with him to lie on his chest. “But let’s not worry about that right now. Right now, let’s take a nice, long, well-deserved rest.”

  I nodded against his chest, relishing the sound of his beating heart as it lulled me to sleep.

  The trip back to the mage’s mountain was much more luxurious than our trip from it. We strolled, hand in hand, while admiring the new flowers that had bloomed overnight. I still refused to touch anything red, no matter how certain Kane was that the plant or flower was harmless. I preferred to stay away from any and all plants, just to be safe.

  “Do you want to get married at the mage’s mountain or with the siren’s?” Kane asked, our linked arms swinging between us as we walked.

  “Um, you can’t breathe underwater, remember?” I said with a chuckle.

  “I have a spell that would allow me to breathe underwater for a certain period of time,” he said.

  “What? That would have been useful to know when we were fighting water monsters,” I gaped at him.

  “I don’t have it memorized,” he said. “I’m going to get the spell when I get to my belongings in the mountain.”

  “Well, honestly, I’d rather not have it with the sirens. They’re a bunch of xenophobic, jerks.”

  “Do you not plan to return?” he asked.

  “Oh, I’m going back,” I replied with a sneer. “But I’d rather be already married to you, with the mages.”

  His smile spread wider. “Okay.”

  “What do you think happened to the pirates?” I asked. They weren’t monsters from the deep, so they wouldn’t have disappeared when the stone exploded.

  “I’m sure they’re doing pirate things still.” Kane smirked.

  “We should probably stay away from them,” I mumbled.

  “Probably,” he chuckled.

  We stopped at the entrance to the mountain, both staring at it.

  Kane squeezed my hand, and when I looked up at him, he had the most beautiful smile on his face. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Just waiting on you,” I teased.

  He opened the entrance, and we marched down the corridor with our heads raised high. As soon as people saw us, they began whispering loudly, and staring wide-eyed. Was it because we were back? Or because Kane held my hand?

  I tried to pull my hand free, but Kane kept a firm grip on it. We were supposed to get married here, so I supposed they would find out one way or another that we were together. He stroked his thumb across the back of my hand and didn’t pause as he headed towards the main area of the mountain city.

  People walked behind us, and as we passed others, they joined our parade, too. We’d gathered at least half of the inhabitants, if not more, and I was surprised to find all of the elders seated on the raised platform. The elder who despised Kane stood, mouth agape, but eyes hard. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be searching for the stone. Are you so cowardly that you’ve returned to beg for your life?”

  “When was the last time you went outside?” Kane asked him.

  The elder sputtered a moment, and one of the other elders stood and addressed us, “What is the meaning of this?”

  “The stone has been returned. The monsters from the deep have been destroyed. We’re free,” Kane announced loudly.

  Some people cheered, but most just erupted in shocked chatter.

  “Lies!” the elder who hated Kane yelled.

  “Go outside,” Kane challenged him.

  “Traitor! You’ve laid a trap to kill me!” The elder pointed a bony finger at him, spittle flying from his lips.

  I threw my head back and laughed.

  Everyone stared at me, most in disbelief, but the elder in disdain.

  “What is so funny?” He narrowed his eyes at me.

  “That you think he gives two licks about you,” I said around my laughter. “We’ve traveled all over the region, fought monsters, pirates, and nearly died. And you think we’ve come back so Kane can kill you. You must be the most egotistical idiot I have ever met.”

  “How dare you speak to me like that?” the elder growled.

  Kane draped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. “If you won’t go, because you’re so scared, send someone else. I’ll stay right here as they go, and that way you can keep an eye on me and my feisty siren.”

  “My?” a woman near us asked softly.

  I turned and smiled in the direction of the voice. It was the woman I’d met at the well. Her dark eyes sparkled. I nodded to her. “Yes. I’m Kane’s.”

  “Just as I’m hers,” Kane said and kissed my cheek. He looked back at the elders. “Well? Are you going to send someone or just keep hiding in this mountain?”

  “I’ll go,” a man in the back called out.

  Kane looked over his shoulder and then raised his arm. “Thank you, Mathias.”

  “What do you expect him to find?” one of the other elders asked.

  “The lands--restored,” Kane said.

  I turned into him, leaning my upper body against his. “I’m tired.”

  He picked me up and smirked. “Better?”

  I rested my head on his shoulder and nodded. “Much.”

  “Are you seriously going to try a relationship with a siren?” a woman behind us asked, contempt dripping from her lips.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, Hannah, but I am in a relationship with a siren. I’m going to marry this siren, actually,” Kane replied.

  “Marry?” several people gasped.

  “He’s telling the truth,” Mathias yelled, running back. “There are plants growing again. Flowers. And no sight of any monsters.”

  The mages exploded in cheers.

  Kane set me down on my feet but linked our hands again.

  “Now that my statement has been proven, I’m going to take a long rest on my bed, and then tomorrow, I’m going to marry this woman,” Kane said, staring straight at the elder who was beet red and glaring like he thought he could make Kane’s head explode with a look.

  “We will not marry you two,” he snapped.

  “On what grounds?” Kane asked.

  He sputtered again.

  “You are not fit to be an elder,” Kane said, striding forward and pulling me along with him. “You are xenophobic, egotistical, and can’t see past your own personal bias to serve the mages.”

  “How dare—”

  “Is this how the mages want to be represented? Do you want to have this man stand as a representative for our race? To have a man who won’t marry the couple who saved our region?” Kane asked, turning to face the gathered people.

  “You are a disgusting, intolerable—”

  “He’s our savior!” the woman from the well yelled. “There is no reason not to marry them. They deserve that and our thanks.”

  “Yeah,” several others yelled.

  “Resign,” someone in the back yelled, and then the entire crowd began chanting it.

  The elder’s face was so red, I worried he might pass out. He snarled at us, spun, and stormed off the platform and out of the area.

  “Come on, let’s go sleep on a real bed,” Kane said, smiling down at me and squeezing my hand.

  I followed him to his room and lay down on his chest.

  “Your bed is so soft,” I whispered with a sigh, relaxing into it.

  Kane nodded, but I could tell he was almost asleep already.

  Time passed, but I couldn’t sleep. The bed was too soft. I gently extracted myself from Kane’s arms, grabbed a pillow and a spare blanket I found nearby, and lay on the floor. It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Our ceremony was short and sweet. We exchanged vows and kisses and then we returned to Kane’s room to celebrate alone.

  The following day, we walked back to the beach where we’d first met.

  “It feels like it was yesterday, and yet decades ago at the same time,” Kane whispered. “The day a go
rgeous woman swam up out of the water, fought off a creature, and then strode onto the beach completely naked and utterly unashamed of her body.”

  “Sirens don’t wear clothes. I should warn you now. Everyone down there will be naked,” I said before he could continue.

  He arched an eyebrow. “Are you trying to get me naked?”

  I laughed and kissed him. “No. I’d prefer you stay clothed. But, just letting you know everyone else will be naked.”

  “Thanks for the warning,” he said. His brows furrowed. “Are you going to be naked?”

  I hadn’t thought about it. “Uh—”

  “I’m not going to tell you what to do, but I’d rather you stay clothed, too,” he muttered.

  “Okay,” I agreed and hugged him. “For you, I’ll stay clothed.”

  “That sounds wrong, but I know what you mean,” he said and hugged me back.

  “Ready?” I asked him.

  He nodded. “I activated the spell. It will last forty-eight hours.”

  “Great. Let’s go,” I said and walked into the water. As soon as the water touched my feet, I moaned, and then fell on my back into it.

  Kane laughed.

  We swam out of the shallows, and I still couldn’t believe that the monsters that had been plaguing us my entire life wouldn’t come out and attack us now.

  “Ready?” I asked.

  Kane nodded and dove beneath the water. I dove down with him and waited as he took a few tentative breaths to ensure the spell was working properly.

  “Good,” he said and smiled.

  “Follow me.” I took his hand and kicked my feet to get us moving downwards. Then, I used the current to propel us and allow me to be a bit lazier with my movements.

  The water was clear, and the fish population seemed to triple from the last time I’d been here. Or, were they just no longer hiding?

  We dove deeper and deeper, and as the water began darkening, I tightened my grip on Kane’s hand to ensure we didn’t get separated. The last thing I needed was to lose my new husband.

  “Almost there,” I told him. He didn’t respond, so I glanced back, worried his spell had failed and I’d been dragging him to his death. But, when I turned, he was looking around at everything with wide-eyed wonder.

  I smirked. He was about to get a whole lot more impressed.

  We descended down to the siren city, and immediately guards rushed us.

  I released Kane’s hand, swimming between him and the sirens.

  Tomlin snarled. “What are you doing back? You’re not welcome here until you find the stone.”

  “I did find it. Or haven’t you noticed the lack of monsters lately?” The smirk on my face was only going to turn into a full-blown smile when he realized I’d accomplished my goal.

  “You did it?” Alexander asked, a smile on his face.

  I nodded.

  Alexander grabbed me a giant hug, spinning us around in a circle. “I knew you could do it!”

  “Let her go,” Kane snapped, moving closer to us.

  Tomlin stuck his trident out, stopping Kane.

  “Wait!” I snapped and pushed off of Alexander. I swam to Kane, sliding between Tomlin’s trident and Kane’s chest. “Stand down.”

  “Who is this?” Tomlin demanded.

  “My husband,” I said.

  Tomlin and Alexander’s mouths dropped open. Tomlin lowered his trident. “What?” he asked.

  I just sneered at him and turned toward the other siren. “Alexander, this is Kane. Kane, this is Alexander."

  Alexander held out his hand. “I apologize. I didn’t know.”

  Kane shook his hand. “Sorry. I’m just a bit protective. Being attacked by monsters, pirates, and other things tend to set you on edge.”

  “Is my mom, uh, alive?” I asked. I couldn’t figure out how else to word it.

  Alexander flinched. “She’s alive, but rarely coherent.”

  My stomach twisted. I figured as much. “Okay. Can we go to the elders? I need to notify them that I’ve completed my task.”

  “They’re having a meeting right now,” Tomlin said.

  “Then, I’ve got perfect timing,” I replied with a wide smile.

  Alexander led the way, Kane and I followed, and Tomlin trailed after us.

  “They really are all naked,” Kane grumbled.

  I chuckled. “I warned you.”

  We swam into the city, and Kane’s eyes widened as he took in the sirens and the city. People stared, as was expected. After all, Kane stood out with both his clothing and his coloring. All sirens were pale, and I found that I was several shades darker than them, too. But I was relieved to find the end of their scrutiny when we finally made it to the main building. I stared at the doors, remembering the last time I’d been summoned here. It felt like another lifetime. A time before Kane. I felt like a different woman now, too. My last visit, I had been a scared young woman, afraid of getting in trouble for pranks. That young woman wasn’t scared anymore. I would not bow down to anyone, ever again.

  Alexander faced us. “Are you ready?”

  I smiled, laced my fingers with Kane’s, and nodded. “Definitely.”

  Kane squeezed my hand and smiled.

  Alexander opened the door, and all heads swiveled towards us.

  With my chin raised, I swam into the center of the room and faced the elders.

  Everyone was talking in loud, shocked whispers, many looking at Kane. The elders raised their hands to quiet everyone.

  “Welcome back, Ivy,” the middle elder said and smiled. “And thank you.”

  “Was it you?” another elder asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.

  I rolled my eyes. These pompous men were ridiculous.

  “Yes, I returned the stone to its rightful place.” I moved closer to Kane. “We returned the stone. The lands are flourishing again. I came to let you know that you now have the choice to return to land.”

  “Return to land?” a few people whispered, and conversation started to rise.

  I surveyed the crowd and finally spotted her. I dropped Kane’s hand and swam over to my mother. She sat in the back of the crowd, her eyes glazed over.

  “Mom,” I whispered, and picked up her hands.

  She looked at me and frowned. “Ivy? Is that really you?”

  I nodded. “Yes, mom. It’s me. I did it. I returned the stone.”

  She sniffled. “You did?”

  “I did.”

  She threw her arms around me and cried. I rubbed her back and stroked her hair as she let her emotions out.

  Voices around me continued to whisper loudly. “She did it?”

  “She returned the stone?”

  “So, the waters are safe again?”

  “Are we returning to the surface?”

  The people had a lot of questions, but I wasn’t bound to answer them. I’d let the elders sort them out.

  “Mom, I’d like you to meet someone,” I said a bit louder, so the chattering sirens would hear as well as I pulled away from her.

  She wiped her eyes and looked at Kane. “Who is he?”

  I held out my hand and Kane took it, swimming to my side. “Mom, this is Kane. Kane is my husband.”

  “Husband?” Her brows furrowed.

  The word ricocheted around the room from siren to siren.

  Kane picked her hand up and kissed the back of it. “It’s lovely to meet you. I see where Ivy gets her beauty.”

  Mom giggled. A total, petite, feminine giggle.

  “The elders will meet and discuss plans for possibly returning to the surface,” one of the elders said loudly to get everyone’s attention. “Until then, this meeting is adjourned.”

  “Want to see my house?” I asked Kane with a wide smile.

  “I’ll go wherever you want me to,” he whispered.

  Weaving through the crowd, a few thanked me, but most stared as if this couldn’t be truth.

  I stopped before my tiny house, and Kane glared at it. “This is
your house?” he asked.

  “Was,” I said with a nod.

  “It’s so tiny.”

  I shrugged. “It was just me living there.”

  They hadn’t fixed my shutter, which did not bode well for my interior. Pushing open the door, I was surprised to find most of my stuff was as I’d left it. Kane swam inside, and the house felt much smaller with his bulk filling it.

  “Our house is going to be a palace compared to this,” he grumbled.

  I wrapped my arms around his neck. “Will it now?”

  He slid his hand down my back, pressing us closer together. “Yes. You won’t ever live in a shack like this again.”

  “Hey, I built this shack,” Dad said.

  We spun around, and I stared at my father standing in the doorway.

  I blinked at him, unable to breathe for a moment. But when I finally did, I said, “You’re alive.”

  He chuckled. “Those pirates couldn’t kill me. They’re too stupid and easily manipulated.”

  “I’m sorry, but not sorry,” I said as our eyes met.

  He pulled me from Kane and hugged me. “You did the right thing. I’m proud of you.”

  Tears welled in my eyes, but the ocean water swept them away. “Thank you.” I pulled back and asked, “Have you seen Mom?”

  He shook his head. “I was looking for her, actually.”

  “I have to warn you, she’s…well, she’s been through a lot emotionally, so—”

  “She’s not sober,” he said with a nod. “I figured. Well, I’m off to find her. Kane, take care of my girl.”

  Kane slid an arm around my waist and pulled me close. “I will.”

  Dad nodded and swam off.

  “I didn’t think he’d come back,” I whispered.

  “He has no reason to stay out there, now,” Kane said.

  “I guess that’s true.” My gaze fixed on my father’s retreating form for a moment.

  “So, what now, Wife?” Kane asked with a smirk.

  I slid my arms around his neck and pressed a chaste kiss on his lips. “Now, we go find the perfect spot for our house. Then, we find Hiruko and convince him to come with us.”

  “If anyone comes to visit us, they’re going to think we’ve gone insane,” he chuckled.