by Jaymin Eve
She greeted her brother with a defeated expression, bowing her head low. He reached out and captured her chin, and in the same instant she had a bubble around her head as well, connecting her to our group.
“You never bow to me,” Xander said quietly. There was a pause then. “Why is he here, Dawn?”
I flinched as he said her name, a mixture of love and pain coating each syllable. She shrugged, pulling her face from his hand. “You know I have no choice.”
Xander shook his head. “You’re wrong. You always have a choice, and I will support you making the right decision.”
It was that moment Dawn seemed to realize that we could all hear their private conversation, and she straightened, her movements so graceful in the water that it was easy to forget she was actually swimming. “My apologies, you must all be ready to return to dry land … my parents have our pod ready for you … the legreto has been removed. We can be there in no time. If you are agreeable, my mate, Donovan, and cousin, Burton, will help you move faster.”
She pointed to each of the men who were hovering a few feet away. Xander greeted Burton with a nod, but it was clear he was pointedly ignoring the heavily-muscled mate of his sister. Donovan had strong features and flashing eyes, the sort of eyes that could give a girl nightmares if they were directed at her. The eyes of a predator. His dark hair was cropped close to his skull, his arms decorated in tatted art, as well as two armbands around each impressive bicep. He looked strong … arrogant … very sure of himself. He watched Dawn like she was a possession.
I didn’t like it.
He looked at her the same way my old roommate had looked at me.
My skin crawled at the thought of him touching me, but I didn’t want to cause a fuss. Hopefully I was a fast enough swimmer to not need help.
Donovan flicked his tail, heading for Dawn, only to veer off at the last second toward me. His mouth opened and bubbles emerged—he was saying something. Xander had not connected him to our channels though, so I couldn’t hear anything.
My self-protective instincts roared to life as he got even closer, my hands lifting to a defensive position by the time he reached me. Xander cut him off with one arm thrust between us.
“No!” It was a snap of command from the overlord that had Donovan’s very dark eyes flashing.
He said something again, bubbles flying around the water, and Xander, who was wedging his way between us, driving Donovan back, said with a growl, “Avalon is mine. You’re not even supposed to be here. We don’t need your kind of help.”
Donovan’s calm expression faltered for a moment, the monster inside peeking out. I really wished we weren’t getting the one-sided conversation. I wanted to know what he was saying to rile Xander up so much. “You’re no hero to me,” Xander said shortly, before he turned his back. “My family owes you nothing more. You will do well to remember that.”
“Leave it,” Dawn cried, and when I turned to her, my jaw clenched. She looked … broken, like she just couldn’t give anything more. “We made the deal. Now we must honor it.”
Xander squeezed his eyes shut tightly for a moment. “I have been honoring it,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve done nothing but honor it, which is why he’s still alive. But … I have my hard limits, Dawn. You’re one of those. I won’t let him hurt you any longer.”
She crumbled, and I could hear her soft sobs. “If it stops the beast,” she whispered, head still down, “then I can endure it. For our people.”
Xander let out a roar so guttural that both fear and concern hit me simultaneously. Donovan crossed his arms, leaning back casually. Xander pointed a finger at him. “Leave now, or I will risk the beast. Don’t believe me … fucking try it.”
Donovan just smiled, like he already knew he’d won. But he was close enough to me that I could see his eyes, and they held a new emotion, buried under his cockiness. Xander scared him.
He turned, mouthing something over his shoulder before he disappeared into the waters around us. “We need to hurry,” Dawn said when he was gone. “He’s giving me an hour to get back to our pod, so let’s get your friends home.”
Xander’s fists were opening and closing, over and over, and my craving to comfort him was strong. But … I was not his mate. He did not want that role filled by me, and I would have to respect his wishes on that.
Lexen moved closer, one of his hands gliding through the water to land on his best friend’s shoulder. They had some kind of silent communication—I heard nothing, but their eyes were definitely talking—and Xander calmed slightly. He turned then, capturing my gaze. I tried the same silent conversation … Are you okay?
He gritted his teeth, shaking his head once. I hated that I couldn’t ask him more without everyone else knowing. I’d just have to try again later. He got back to business quickly.
“Okay, let’s group up. One Royale to two non-caramina. Avalon should be able to keep up on her own.”
Xander linked arms with Emma and Lexen. Dawn took Maya and Chase. Burton ended up with Callie and Daniel. I noticed that bubbles were surrounding Xander’s legs as they morphed into his tail, and I prepared myself for some speed. Finally.
When they took off, I released my inner water child, following close behind. My blood bubbled, my soul soared, my heart felt lighter as we dashed through the water. Sea creatures joined us in the same way they always did back home, and I marveled at how many were similar. There were gorgeous animals that moved like dolphins, long and sleek. They had very short rostrums and were a bright turquoise in color, blending into the water around them.
A few others were of the scary variety, but I noticed Xander keeping an eye on things, sending out little blasts of red-tinged water if any got too close. We passed by a few more smaller towns as we went, filled with pods and coral gardens. It even looked like there were playgrounds for the young, built from a multitude of materials. It was literally like we’d stumbled into the set of a fantasy movie.
But it was very real.
When the next giant pod came into view, I noticed a definite increase in guards. They lined the entrance, which was again barred with huge gates.
“Home,” Xander said simply as half a dozen weapon-wielding Royales rushed to open the gates for us.
Once we were inside that perimeter, our pace slowed down. I was almost disappointed to slow, exhilarated from the race across the waters of Royale. The density should have made it harder to move forward at speed, but I’d adjusted easily. I would even go so far as to say I moved even faster here than back in Hawaii. Home. The whisper of that word just wouldn’t leave me alone. I would always be torn between two worlds.
On the bright side though, two homes wasn’t the worst thing to have in one’s life. No home would always win that prize for me.
Chapter 16
Burton left us when we reached the front chamber of the biggest pod I’d seen since we’d dived into the waters of Royale. Dawn and Xander led us through an arched doorway and into the front sectioned-off area. With a whir, the door closed behind us, and there were gurgles as the water slowly drained away. Within a minute we were all standing, dry as we had been before we entered the water.
It felt weird to be back on “land,” and my legs shook for a beat before my equilibrium returned. There was no movement in the pod, despite being under the water. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn we were on land.
“Come on,” Dawn said, her voice more melodic when it wasn’t being filtered through the water. “Our parents are waiting for you.”
Doors whooshed open, and we stepped into a long hallway. Art hung along the wood-paneled walls. Carpet covered the floor. “We never go underwater here,” she explained, leading the way. “This front section is always dry, but it’s best not to open any doors unless you’re sure of what is on the other side.”
That was good information for the others, but personally I was already missing the water.
The hallway opened up into a huge, gorgeously attired room. Def
initely fit for royalty. The carpet was a very pale shade of green, and most of the furniture was white. Huge pieces of art adorned the walls between glass panels that showcased a view of the water around us. “It’s perfect,” I breathed.
I’d thought I’d said it low enough that no one would hear, but across the room Xander’s head snapped up. His eyes were burning, and it was nearly impossible for me to tell what emotion that was. Arousal, anger, fear, worry … they were all tangled together.
Before I could combust right there on the spot, a couple appeared, striding in together from the side of the pod we had not explored.
“Xander!” the woman exclaimed, hurrying forward to hug her son. “We have been worried about you.”
He returned her hug with force, and then moved on to shake hands with his father. “We found the last keeper, and now we need to find the map,” Xander explained after he’d greeted his parents. “Come and meet the girls.”
He led them toward us and I tried really hard not to fidget. His mom was stunning, taller than me by a few inches, and looking not much older than us. Her hair was white, and unlike a lot of the Royales I’d seen, it was short, hanging only to her shoulders. Her skin was a creamy brown color, and I could see where Xander got his bronze skin tones. Actually, both of his parents were bronze-skinned.
Xander crossed to me first. “This is Avalon,” he said when he reached my side, both of us facing his parents, who had stepped forward. “She’s the Royale secret keeper.”
I stood still, waiting for one of them to indicate what sort of protocol was expected of me. Xander waved a hand at his father. “Tristall,” he said, before turning to his mother. “And Lettie, overlord major of House of Royale.”
Lettie held a hand out to me and I placed mine in her cool grasp. She shook firmly, and I relaxed somewhat. “We’re so pleased to finally meet you,” she said, sounding as melodic as her daughter.
She dismissed me pretty quickly after that, moving on to the other girls in the room. I really wasn’t sure how to take her, because she held herself very formally … almost coldly. But I had to remember who she was. No doubt it wasn’t the easiest task being a ruler. The level of responsibility resting on her would be titanic.
Tristall captured my attention when he captured my hand. “Absolute pleasure to meet you,” he said, much more warmly than his mate. “We will assign you a pod so you can come and go from Royale as much as you’d like. Would you prefer it be here, in the overlord village?”
His request was so random and unexpected, I froze up. My eyes darted to Xander’s, even though I told myself not to look his way. This decision had nothing to do with him, except for the fact that it would be easier when our “thing” was over if I wasn’t living in close proximity to him.
I tore my gaze away before he could influence my decision. “That’s a very generous offer,” I told Tristall, letting my gratitude seep into my words. “I’ve dreamed about being able to live under the water … to sleep under the water, for my entire life. But … I need to breathe oxygen from above, and I’m not sure I’d be able to make it this deep without some assistance. So a pod is probably not worth wasting on me.”
It hurt me to say that, because my own pod would be akin to my own home, and as a double bonus, it was under the water. All of my dreams could come true.
It was probably for the best, though.
“Get her one,” Xander’s deep voice cut through. “In this village. I will make sure she’s able to come and go as needed.” He wasn’t looking at me, facing his father directly.
“As you wish,” Tristall said. He turned away, but not before he threw a wink in my direction. I wasn’t quite sure what that wink meant, but it made me feel a little more comfortable.
“Are you sure?” I said, turning to Xander, stepping closer to him. “It might be easier … you know … if I don’t live so close by.”
His shoulder trembled slightly, and I ached to touch him. I just wanted to press my hands against the broad planes of his back.
“This is right,” he murmured, and just as I lost the battle with my control, reaching out for him, he walked away. Frozen, I sent out a prayer of relief that at least he hadn’t been facing me.
You’re a goddamn idiot.
I had been kidding myself that I could stay objective to Xander. I was already in way too deep. Dammit. My heart was going to get annihilated, and I’d walked right into the disaster zone thinking I had all my protective gear on.
I had nothing.
“Are you okay?” The soft voice startled me; I let out a little shriek.
Emma chuckled, reaching out to grab my arm. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you were quite that far away.”
I shook my head, letting out a small, forced laugh. “No, it’s my fault. I was thinking hard enough to hurt myself.”
“Anything you want to talk about?” Callie asked. She’d also drifted closer after finishing her turn at greeting the Royale overlords.
“Uh….” I wasn’t used to sharing secrets with girlfriends. These particular friends, though, felt more like family. Sisters.
“Actually, I could really use some advice,” I whispered, leaning in closer to them. “But it’s about Xander, so….”
As I trailed off, they both nodded, like they weren’t surprised at all. Maya joined us too, the guys remaining on the other side of the pod, talking with Tristall, Lettie, and Dawn.
“They’re discussing the warriors and plans for taking back Astoria,” Maya offered, leaning against a wall near Emma. “Chase said as soon as they sort through that, we’ll head to the sacred waters.”
Emma and Callie both whipped around on me. “Go,” Callie said, her eyes still bright from the swim through the water. “This is your chance.”
I sucked in a deep breath. “Okay, so … Xander and I … we had sex and—”
“What?” Emma shouted so loudly that silence fell over the pod, and all heads turned in our direction. I willed my face not to go red, staring at her like everyone else was.
Emma gave her head a quick shake, relaxing then and laughing. “Oh sorry,” she said, waving a hand at Lexen, who was already heading in her direction. “I didn’t realize that would be so loud. I just found out my favorite movie was at the theaters and I missed it.”
All of the Daelighters looked slightly perplexed by this, except for Lexen who just shook his head at her, his concerned expression fading into a smirk. When the overlords turned back to their discussion, the girls crowded around me again.
“Sorry,” Emma whispered in a rush. “You shocked the shit out of me with that one.”
I snort-laughed; she had made that very clear. “It’s fine,” I said, waving my hand at her. “I know it’s a surprise, especially with the way he acted when you first found me.”
“So … what happened?” Callie asked. Of the three, she looked the most concerned. I lifted one eyebrow in her direction and she let out a long breath. “I’m just worried about you, because I sense that in some ways you had an upbringing like me. Emma and Maya had loving parents, but we were very alone. And … I know how Daniel makes me feel. I’m scared you’ll do anything … accept anything from Xander, for just a small sliver of home.” She shook her head fiercely. “You deserve so much more than that. Don’t let him use you for sex.”
I sucked in a sob, and she softened her tone. “You deserve more, Ava. As your sister, I’m telling you right now that you deserve everything.”
I dropped my head and squeezed my eyes shut. Callie had known straight away what my situation was, because she was right—we were much more alike than Emma and Maya.
“Is that what happened?” Emma asked, sounding upset. “Xander is using you for sex?”
My head shot up as I shook it. “No, absolutely not. I mean, okay, yes that is pretty much our deal, but it wasn’t all Xander. I thought … I thought I would be satisfied with it as well. I’ve never been so attracted to a guy before, and I figured that this would get him out of my sy
stem.”
“I’m going to guess you’re in way deeper than you ever expected,” Maya suggested, and I sucked in another sob.
“Pretty much.”
Callie crossed her arms, her eyes shiny. “It’s okay,” I told them. “I knew what I was getting in for when I signed up. I thought I was strong enough to handle it. That the Royale part of me that doesn’t like to settle would get sick of Xander. And … maybe I still will. It is very new, you know.”
I was kidding myself, and I could tell by their expressions they also knew that. No one called me out on my bullshit though, and I loved them even more for allowing me to hold on to whatever delusion I had right now.
“I’m going to stop it,” I decided, trying to gather up my shaky resolve.
“Stop what?” Xander’s deep voice took me completely by surprise. He didn’t give me a chance to say anything. “Are you okay? You look a little … upset.”
The other guys were still talking with the overlords, which meant that Xander had crossed back on his own … because he thought I looked … upset?
“I’m fine,” I told him quietly. “It’s just been a crazy few days, you know.”
My words didn’t appease him; he turned to the others. “Do you mind if I borrow Avalon for a minute? I’d like to show her the styles of pods she can choose from. My father wants to start hers immediately.”
It sounded like a weak excuse, but no one called him out on it.
“If it’s okay with Ava, it’s okay with us,” Emma said, smiling in her friendly way.
Maya nodded. Callie just tightened her crossed arms.
“It’s fine,” I said, promising myself that I’d just take this one last moment with him.
Xander captured my hand pulling me closer. “We’ll be back in about ten minutes, if anyone asks,” he said over his shoulder as we walked away.