Somehow, Kai ignored her loudest skeptics and focused on rebuilding Atlantis without the attention to bloodlines, promising the changes were essential to growing the army. Within a day, the Myrmidon forces received a record number of potential enlistees at the offices from among the laborer ranks and freed servants.
As with all changes, some mers called Kai a genius. They needed more mers in combat, and she had provided. Scouts reported Narkissa sightings to the north near one of their outposts, though she hadn’t attacked. Loto and the other commanders assumed the new Gloom Queen was searching for fodder to bring under her spell and biding her time before the next large attack.
“I don’t want to wear a pretty dress.”
“It’ll help you feel better.”
“No, it won’t.”
“Well, it’ll make me feel better,” Amerin quipped.
Kai rolled her eyes. “Oh, that’s entirely different then.”
The moment Amerin concluded her work by braiding Kai’s hair and presenting her to the palace in a new suit of scales, Manu caught her in the palace corridor and tried to coax her outside for a swim.
“Why are you both suddenly determined to tell me what to do with my free time?”
“Come out with me for a time,” Manu insisted, guiding Kai down the palace steps toward their waiting vehicle. She put up feeble resistance, too curious about their destination to turn him down, but reluctant to leave a never-ending pile of work behind. Three days had passed since her meeting with Democrates, and during those three days, she’d been unwilling to let the conch shell out of her sight.
The conspiracy theorist in her insisted it would take only one error, one mistake, for fathoms of evidence to vanish into the ether and never surface again. She’d taken to wearing the device concealed as part of her wardrobe, fashioned by Amerin into a discreet piece of jewelry. The official word around the palace was that Manu had gifted her a lovely conch choker during a romantic evening dinner, and that she’d vowed to never remove it. After Amerin mentioned it offhand to one of the other servants, the rumor spread like blue-green algae.
The most dedicated among the common-mer Royalists ate up that kind of story and spent more time printing whatever little facts they could discover about Kai and Manu’s whirlwind romance than they did reporting on the actual good deeds she performed for Atlantis. In their eyes, Kai could do no wrong. They loved and adored their new queen. They loved her choice of husband—especially that she had bucked tradition by marrying outside of Atlantian nobility or Pacifican royalty—and believed the pair to be a match made in Olympus, ordained by the divines themselves.
Followers of Aphrodite claimed the goddess had a hand in their apparent love at first sight. All that it had taken to cement that theory was one interview with Manu. His accounting of their first meeting somehow became an event steeped in fiction, inspiring stories told at the temples. In these sensationalized accounts, Eros rode ashore at the beach upon a chariot pulled by a dozen hippocampi where he took aim and wove a divine spell over their former commander.
Kai had never laughed harder than when she read the supposed oracle’s proclamation of how the royal couple came to be and why all should embrace them as the chosen leaders of Atlantis.
Initially, Kai and Manu happily dismissed the temple’s beliefs as hogwash, but then the idea stormed across Atlantis. People believed the tale. New pages were etched in the books, and regardless of how Kai felt, it was forever inscribed in their history, taking on a life of its own.
No one could prove the story. Likewise, no one could disprove it either. The worst part about it all was that their belief had merit. Kai loathed that. On the surface, years ago, she would have scoffed and laughed. Now, having received a magical reintroduction to a world of mysticism, she couldn’t deny it.
If a goddess could protect and conceal her from the dark designs of the evil sea gods, a god could impart his divine gifts to Manu, and she could meet her own parents once more in the shining waters of the Elysian, could not the other hands of their pantheon take part in uplifting Atlantis from the shadows of the Gloom? Even with the slim potential of meddlesome gods sticking their fingers in her love life, she preferred to believe the deep, profound affection between them had developed without interference, the intrusive nature of the gods unnecessary on that front.
After all, she’d hated his guts for weeks before she’d felt more than a stirring of physical attraction for the man he was inside, and not just the very amazing body that had ultimately sealed the deal.
It almost made all that time of loathing the very sight of him worth it.
“I have work to do, Manu. I’ve already wasted enough time today wandering aimlessly.”
He smiled. “You always have work to do. You’ll finish this, then someone will pile more chum on top of your to-do list. And then you’ll do that too.”
“Damn straight. Which is why I shouldn’t take a longer break.”
“It’s precisely why you should. Come on. Hurry.”
“Hurry where?”
“It’s a secret.”
Anyone but Manu and Amerin would have received a skeptical eyebrow raise. Because she trusted him implicitly, she sighed and surrendered to his will, surprised to find Heracles behind the sleek black coral skipper’s steering column and Cosmas in the front passenger seat.
Trusting Manu with her life didn’t mean she didn’t believe he was up to something, especially for their usual guard retinue to be replaced by not one, but both commanders. She drew up short and spun to face her husband. “What is this?”
“Secret,” Cosmas replied, grinning. “Get in.”
“Ooookay,” she drew out, bewildered. “Where’s the rest of the team?”
“We are the team,” the driver replied, looking particularly smug.
“All three of you are being exceptionally weird about this, and I don’t like it. Would this have anything to do with the way Amerin dressed me this morning?”
Manu’s gaze drifted over her glossy leggings. Each silver scale gleamed with the luster of a mirror. Her dress was the simplest of all the wardrobes she’d donned since becoming queen, eschewing the long trains and over-the-top sea lace in favor of a fitted bodice made from shark hide. Yet, despite all of her clothing, he made her feel naked in a glance.
“It would indeed. In addition to prying you away from…other matters for a time, I want to spend time with my wife.”
“Large crowds are a drain on romance,” Heracles offered.
Cosmas looked incredibly proud. “You get the both of us with El on standby. Shouldn’t be necessary. I scouted the area a couple hours ago. No one could possibly know it’s our destination.”
“You’ve done more for Atlantis in the past few weeks than the kingdom has received in over a decade, my love. One day of frivolity won’t hamper your plans.”
Eventually they reached and passed through the western checkpoint, spending the twenty-minute ride in casual conversation about Kai’s most recent charitable contributions and projects throughout the slums. The goal was for the slums to no longer be slums without subjecting the area to absolute gentrification. She wanted the district to retain its feeling of home for the residents while improving the quality of life for all within it.
Seven new schools were currently under construction throughout Swordfish Narrows, Dolphin Alley, and the less dangerous residential district of Turtle Lagoon. She’d tasked special overseers to conduct additional investigations into the behavior of keepers who previously patrolled the areas.
All in all, Kai was exhausted of policing the entire kingdom. No act had been wiser than passing all matters of the military into Loto and Manu’s capable hands if she wanted to focus on the social aspects.
With Captain Demetrius alerted of unusual activity in the vaults and all the other suspicious activity discovered by Democrates and his agents, Kai could do nothing else but begin a thorough audit of her own through the virtual currencies.
She didn’t believe Aegaeon would steal from the crown and then elevate her to the position of queen to possibly discover his wrongdoing. He had to have been used by those in close contact, by the advisors he trusted, and perhaps even Nammu herself. As memories of her childhood returned, it became more apparent that Nammu had never been anything more than a parasite hoping to drain what she could from the royal family.
Beyond the gate, Heracles activated the coral skipper’s submersion features. They flew past healing algae fields and the recovering site of Narkissa’s attack months ago. Bleached coral had regained hints of color and anemones returned to a state once again infused with health, no longer wilted. The kelp grew tall and lush beneath the heliolamps.
El traveled at their rear in her smaller medic skipper, the only other vehicle in their royal entourage. Kai wasn’t accustomed to it and didn’t really believe they were all alone on the wild outskirts of Atlantis with no other backup.
But if her friends were to be believed, they had.
Eventually, their path crossed a pod of sea bison swimming toward land away from the deeper ocean. The nocturnal creatures dwelled almost exclusively underwater aside from occasionally surfacing for a gulp of air. A single breath sustained them for as long as three days, though they couldn’t survive topside, and needed the deep cold of the frigid ocean bottoms for their survival. Their skin offered no protection from the sun, and too many predators enjoyed feasting upon them. Their greatest ability was the magical gift to blend into their environment and disguise themselves from predators, as well as humans, by becoming one with the rock.
The ivory-skinned calves hid in the center of the herd, completely white and hairless, unlike their adult counterparts. Sharks and orcas picked off most yearlings before they developed the magic to defend themselves.
Kai loved to watch them as much as she loved observing the ocean’s nonmagical predators.
“They’re leaving. Where are they going? There’s so much left here for them to eat.” Typically, the creatures swam directly to the surface for air and only traveled along the ocean floor when migrating to the next grazing zone. Ranchers tended to build their homes around the ideal place chosen by their animals. “Look at all this green.”
“You’ll see,” Manu said, a smile on his face almost eclipsing the one he’d worn on their wedding day.
Heracles chuckled from behind the steering column. Their journey lasted another ten or fifteen minutes until the kelp floor thinned and the vibrant colors of the corals dwindled. At last, she was allowed to disembark from the vehicle. Cosmas and Heracles didn’t join them when Manu took Kai by the hand and guided her toward a nearby rise in the sea floor. Her husband swam so effortlessly beside her she would have never realized he lacked a tail of his own. When they crested the hill, he passed her a set of high-tech binoculars from his pack.
“That way.”
Kai raised the binoculars to her face without questioning him. Immediately a red blur came into view. She focused on the scarlet shape until a glowing crevice clarified and the jagged lines of scarlet on the sea floor jogged her memory of studies long past.
“It’s…an underwater volcano!”
“It is. One of many fault lines, at least, but the safest for us to view today. The recent eruption unsettled the adult sea bison. They know something is coming, and it won’t be long before the volcanic activity disrupts the kelp beds and destroys this entire area. There won’t be anything left behind. Because of that, they’re already migrating to greener pastures.”
“They’ll follow the land to their next home.” Kai swept the binoculars over the nearby area and picked out a small homestead nestled amidst a rock structure. “Oh no,” she breathed. “There’s a farm…”
Manu placed his hands on her hips, the warmth filling her mind with illicit, impossible-to-accomplish ideas for as long as they were outdoors beyond the dome. She didn’t fancy Cosmas and Heracles needing to swim to the rescue while they fought off a horde of Gloombeasts in the buff.
“There is. The family will have to leave their home behind. I imagine by now they are leading the pod away and moving whatever belongings they can take.”
“That’s awful. What can we do for them?”
“Nothing more than what has already been done. Cosmas sent a pair of riders to help herd the animals, and we offered a grant for their relocation.” Not for one second had Kai ever doubted Manu would become the best king he could be for Atlantis. Her heart practically melted. What was sexier than a man who took care of the people who looked up to him? Nothing.
Kai couldn’t help the bemused twitch of her lips. “That was kind of you, Manu. I’m sure their family appreciated it greatly.”
“They did, but that had nothing to do with why we helped them. The ocean is both beautiful and cruel, Kai. It gives and it takes from us. Some more than others. It is up to those of us who are more fortunate than others to share the blessings from the gods.” Then he took her by the shoulders and turned her to face a woven reed basket nestled amidst the swaying greenery. A bottle had been submerged in a bucket filled with enchanted frost-stones, no doubt chilling the bottle and its immediate area.
“A picnic?” She’d become so accustomed to the loss of intimacy between them that the mundanity of an afternoon in the wilds took her by surprise, even if they were on the edge of an active volcano to add a little spice to the moment. “A picnic now, of all times?”
“Why not now?” Manu bridged the distance between them and captured Kai against his body with one muscular arm. The hard angles and chiseled planes beckoned her closer, urged her to press against him. She didn’t resist, even knowing somewhere out there, Heracles and Cosmas lurked in wait of danger. His mouth found hers in a kiss that successfully removed their guardians from her thoughts.
Kai could have sprawled across the kelp beds and kissed Manu for an entire evening, no picnic required. She moaned an objection when his mouth turned from her lips, but he only chuckled and kissed her temple instead. “Even a queen must rest, my love. You are not the one leading this investigation. That is a matter for Demetrius and the mers assigned to the case.”
“I know, I just…I feel such shame whenever I turn away from my duties. I wasn’t brought here to have fun. Haven’t I had fun enough in the weeks prior to my enthronement?”
“You call that fun? Assassination attempts, explosions, war and battle.” When Kai said nothing, he carried on in a silky voice that curled her toes. “It is precisely for that reason that you will enjoy our evening together.”
“I will, huh? You’re getting the hang of this kingly, demanding attitude.”
“I learned it from you.”
They settled on the ground and dined on a variety of snacks from marinated anchovies and caviar to sea greens and the ocean’s many vegetables. Kai thought she’d burst by the time she finished and Manu popped open the bottle of frostwine. The rare delicacy from elven lands had been yet another gift from King Andarien, designed by their alchemists to resist dilution in water.
“I have always wanted to try this. Mom and Dad never let me have even a sip.” Not that there was a law against underage drinking in Atlantis. Her mom had merely suffered a case of greed, and they’d give her a child-sized cup of a cheaper vintage to enjoy with their family dinners around the royal table.
Manu chuckled. “Yeah, me too. A little too rich for my blood, but I can’t spit on a gift. May it live up to your expectations. Are you ready?”
Kai held out her goblet as Manu removed the cork from the bottle neck. It flashed a gentle blue-green color and a fae rune gleamed against it. Foggy liquid splashed from the open bottle into her goblet and filled it with dark red fluid that billowed and swirled in a weird semi-gaseous form before regaining cohesion as a liquid.
The goblet stem chilled her fingers. Cool currents swirled around her from the magic designed to stabilize the expensive drink, carrying the scent of rich berries and flowers. The very scent of it was a cool glade on a sp
ring day, lively with earth and flora. She waited, somehow, on the proverbial edge of her seat for Manu to fill his glass. They clinked together in a toast requiring no words, then raised the glasses to their lips. The first taste introduced heaven to her mouth finer than any wine she’d ever sipped from her own kingdom, a fragrant and full-bodied treat.
Her husband topped off her glass then refilled his own. She drank it down to the bottom.
“You know,” Manu said, laughing at her enthusiasm. “I think we’re supposed to be savoring this. This is a wine meant for sipping, love.”
“Maybe.” She eased onto his lap and looped one arm around his neck. Cosmas and Heracles were close enough to monitor the area for Gloombeast activity and to swoop in, but distant enough to grant them a modicum of privacy. The low rumble of the coral skipper engine reached her in rhythmic pulses on the waves, the water conveying the sound she couldn’t quite hear with her own ears. And something else. A small creature, moving. Flailing. Senses like sonar told her the area wasn’t entirely abandoned by all life just yet. “Do you know what else I’d like to savor?”
“I can think of a few things.” His teeth closed around her earlobe. Her delighted shiver provoked him, prompting another kiss against her neck and the wandering of a hand that crept over her ribs. His palm cupped her breast, and all she wanted was to remove the thin layer of shell and silk between them and expose herself fully to his touch.
“Manu!” Kai hissed instead. “Our guards.”
“They can’t see us. I verified as much with them when initially arranging this.”
“But they’ll know…” Whether or not she cared was the true question as his strong arms wrapped around her and Manu pinned her against the swaying algae bed. Soft fibers kissed her bare arms. The low carpet of kelp provided a cushion comparable to a sheet of memory foam beneath her.
“Legs, my sweet. You’ll need legs for what I plan to do to you, because I fully intend to place both on my shoulders.”
Goddess of Sea and War: a Fantasy Romance (Kingdom in the Sea Book 3) Page 12