by W. J. May
Azul came to stand next to her. “Lord Marin? What was that about?”
Karis shook her head. “I don’t know, but it can’t be good. I told you something was wrong.”
A man slinked off into the shadows, but not enough that Karis didn’t recognize him. “Tharious,” she said under her breath, but both men heard her and turned to where she looked.
He never moved, just stayed there and watched them as if he wanted them to see him. Azul started after him. Karis wanted to protest, but thought against it and followed him, as did everyone else. After what that woman said, she didn’t think any of them would want to separate. Staying together was their best plan.
Azul caught up to Tharious first and grabbed the collar of his long grey robe. His whole appearance was disheveled making him look quite the sight. His hair hung in his face uncombed and patches of dirt smeared across his face. This was certainly not the look of a King.
Karis chewed on the inside of her lip as she took in his appearance. “What happened to you?”
Tharious held his chin high. “That is how I am greeted after I came to warn you?”
Azul tightened his grip. “Warn us? Why would you possibly want to warn us? You had Karis banished, tried to have me killed, and took her crown.”
Tharious swallowed deeply. “My life was at stake, it still is, but I am tired of living in fear.”
Karis placed a hand on Azul’s. “Let him go.”
“Karis,” Azul said as he looked at her with a scowl. “Have you forgotten what treachery this man has done?”
“No, but he might be the only one to help us figure out what is going on.”
Magnus stepped forward. “She’s right. With Coron gone and her people afraid to talk to her, he might be the only one we have.”
Azul clenched his jaw and let out a grumble before releasing Tharious. “Okay, but I want it on record that I think it’s a bad idea.”
Brady spit, and it landed close to Tharious’s feet. “I second that.”
Tharious looked down at his feet then up at Brady. “Very charming.”
Brady shrugged.
Karis held her hands up. “Okay, boys, we need to get along for a moment. Can you handle that?”
They all stayed quiet, but Azul still shot daggers with his eyes at Tharious.
She took in a deep breath. “Fine. Let’s go someplace where we can talk.”
They all hesitantly followed Tharious to the gardens. Karis looked at him skeptically. “You think this is a safe place to talk?”
He let out a smirk. “Well, Princess, you haven’t been around to know how Shamike works now.”
She stepped forward, but Magnus grabbed her arm, holding her back. “And whose fault is that? I was banished!”
Tharious rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. “About that, it wasn’t my idea.”
“I know who was behind it,” she interrupted. “What I don’t know is what Marin has to do with all this. I know you’re just a coward who went along with everyone’s plan to ruin me, but what does Marin want?”
Tharious grinned wickedly. “You haven’t figured it out yet?”
Brady stepped forward with his arms folded across his chest. “Stop procrastinating. You’re stalling and it’s pissing me off.”
“Fine. Marin agreed to help Coron get you in return for the throne of Shamike, because he thought if he had control over the crown, he could have enough power and influence over the Baratrums to bring your father back.”
Karis went rigid. “What do you mean? Why would he want my father? And just for the record, my father would never be in Baratrum, he’d be in the High Kingdom. He was a good man.”
Tharious raised a brow at Karis. “You grew up with Marin, right?” She nodded. “Who was his father? His mother?”
She thought back to when she was younger. “I never met his father. His mother was a handmaiden in our home.”
“Karis, he’s your brother. King Parius was his father.”
“You’re lying.” Karis’s heart beat rapidly inside her chest. He had to be lying. Her father would never have kept that from her. Her breathing quickened, and she stared at Tharious. His face was straight.
“No. Coron and I both promised we would never tell you. He had to make it look like you were guilty of your father’s death to gain what he needed. To banish you so Coron could have you, so he could claim the throne. Except, I held the crown and wouldn’t let it go. That night when you came to the garden, I had to disappear because I knew that since you were truly alive and back in Shamike that he’d come after me.”
The world spun around her, making her dizzy. “Then why did he trap Tarine in Baratrum?”
Tharious let out a stifled chuckle. “Marin saved him from me. He is the one person who can help Marin with the crown, with you, with the whole thing. I sent out a decree to have him killed, but Marin interceded and took him to Baratrum before my sentence could be fulfilled. Both Coron and Marin needed him, I can assure you that Marin is doing all he can to keep him alive.”
“So he’s okay?” She thought about that for a moment. Her heart was giddy knowing that her friend was alive and not being tortured. Her hand went to her neck. “Is that why you took my necklace?”
“I couldn’t have you talking to either Marin or Tarine. I didn’t know about the necklace until years after you were gone. I would’ve destroyed it much sooner.”
“You destroyed it?” The thought of the necklace her father gave her completely ruined and discarded made her cringe inwardly.
“No, actually I have been trying to figure out how to communicate to Marin through it, but nothing works. No one has the power it takes to open the communication portal. I’m actually surprised that you have enough to open it.”
“Don’t tell him anything,” she told Brady in his head. She saw him give a slight nod, so she knew he heard.
“There’s a lot you don’t know.” Karis folded her arms. “Look, this is getting old. We now know why Marin wants the crown, but why does he want me dead? The people in the square are terrified of him and won’t even talk to me for fear of death.”
“He’s lived hiding out in Baratrum for so long that the evil has become part of him. Not fully, since he’s not dead, but over time he’s forgotten part of what his plan was and why he’s doing it. Now all he thinks of is being royalty and has forced himself into the throne. He calls himself Lord Marin and is threatened by you. He thinks if you come back now, you’ll steal his crown before his plan all comes together.
“He still thinks he can awaken your father, but we all know it will never happen. King Parius is the only one who can confirm his birthright to the crown. Without him, Marin is just another man who climbed the social ladder to High Councilor. Only now, he took the title a whole different way.”
“So he’s gone a bit crazy?” Azul spoke up this time. Karis glanced over at him. She’d entirely forgotten that they were with her.
“You could say that. He has moments of clarity, but they are becoming fewer and farther between. If he doesn’t leave Baratrum soon, he may never return to himself. Not that I care. Either way I’m a dead man.”
Brady wrapped an arm around Karis’s shoulder. “It looks like we have a lot to talk about.”
Karis nodded, as did the others.
Azul walked over to stand in front of her. “You know we can’t stay here now. If Marin isn’t thinking clearly and has obviously threatened the people of Shamike, then we must leave so we don’t cause any more persecution for them or ourselves.”
“I wasn’t liking this trip anyway,” Alexis whispered from behind her.
Chapter Fifteen
They all sat around Magnus’s table and thought about what Tharious said the day before. They were all exhausted and grumpy.
“How do we help Shamike from here?” Karis leaned over and rested her forehead on the table.
Magnus stood up and grabbed a cup of coffee. “I think we’re gonna need some reinforcements.
For one, there is no way we can storm Baratrum with just the four of us, and even if together you have enough power, you need a lot more training. We need someone who has powers and knows how to use them.”
Karis let out another resentful sigh. “And just who do you think we can get that will help? All of Shamike is afraid. Those who helped before are scattered and even then, it’s not enough. Hardly any of them had any defensive inner powers. We need some major help.”
Azul cleared his throat and Karis looked up at him. He stared at her so hard it was as if he looked right through her. “You must return to Earth. There are those who have taken refuge there. Maybe they will help.”
Brady straightened up. “Really?”
“I don’t know who could be there that we could possibly use,” Karis said.
Magnus smiled. “I do.”
Everyone looked at him. “I can’t believe I never thought of him before. He was from Aridam. Amazing young man. He was different from the rest of us. He could see things before they happened.” Magnus trailed off in thought.
“That’s all? How can seeing the future help us in Baratrum? How will that help us fight against Marin?” Karis groaned. She was more than confused.
Alexis laced her fingers together on the table and smiled. “No, Karis, he doesn’t just see the future, he has a dark power that can control some of the dead.”
That perked her attention. “So he can help with the Baratrums?”
Alexis nodded. “Possibly. He left here because too many found his certain power to be an evil energy and didn’t want him around. There is a good chance he could control some of the dark ones over there.”
Brady leaned forward, completely enthralled. “Who is it?”
Magnus let out a breath. “Kiel.”
Azul shook his head. “You’re kidding, right? He’s probably gone mad after all these years.”
Magnus gave him a hard stare. “Okay, well who do you have?”
Azul slouched in his seat and thought for a moment. “Alright, how about Zeus?”
Brady laughed. “Really? Dude, we’re trying to be serious.”
Azul kept a straight face and waited for Brady to stop laughing. Brady glanced around and realized he was the only one who found it amusing. “What? Oh come on, you can’t possibly believe he’s real.”
Karis rested her hand on his. “On the contrary, he’s very real. Where do you think humans came up with those stories? Do you think someone decided to paint murals, build temples, and retell legends about super strength and lightning bolts from just their imaginations without some otherworldly influence? No, there had to have been a lot more than one person to witness him and all his glory in order to make the story stick around for centuries.”
Brady let out a long deep breath. “This is just a little much for me.”
Karis stifled a small laugh and smiled at him. “Yet turning into Syrenae is normal? I remember you asking me if Spiderman was real, why not Zeus?”
“Well, you got me there. But we’re talking about Zeus. He’s like the god of gods. I mean, Zeus, really?”
They all chuckled at him. Azul gave him a pat on the back. “Yes, really. He’s from Shamike. He lived there a long time ago.”
Brady looked at Karis. “This is crazy, you know that.” He scanned each of them. “So what about the rest of them? I mean there were a lot I learned about in Greek mythology back in high school.”
Azul grinned. “Most of them are all real, with the exception of a few. As are some you’ve probably never heard about.”
Brady ran his hands through his hair. “And we have to go find them?”
“That’s the idea,” Azul said. “We can certainly use the help. We need to make a list of all those we want to ask. Some of them may not want to have anything to do with this and will say no, so we need to have plenty. Most of them left our worlds for a reason.”
Brady rubbed the back of his neck. “So what? We just walk up to Zeus on Forty-Second Street in Utah and say, ‘Hey, I know who you are and we need your help.’ For some reason that doesn’t play out well in my mind.”
Karis giggled. “Something like that. Except finding them will take a bit more work than that. I’m sure you’ve noticed they don’t show themselves anymore.” She glanced at each person. “Does anybody have any clue where any of them might be? I’ve been secluded on an island, so I haven’t the faintest idea.”
Alexis shifted in her seat. “I might know where Athena is.”
Magnus turned to her with a raised eyebrow. “I didn’t know you two still spoke.”
Brady let out a bellowing laugh. “You? You’re soft spoken and nice. Wasn’t Athena the goddess of war or something like that?”
Alexis sat up straighter in her seat. “There was a time when I trained with her before she left.”
Karis stared at her. “You trained with Athena? That had to have been an awfully long time ago.”
Alexis frowned playfully. “I refuse to say how long ago, but yes, I did. She was my best friend. We both liked the same man.” She grabbed Magnus’s hand. “He chose me. She was heartbroken, as I would’ve been, and couldn’t stand to be here, so she left.”
“Wow, I had no idea,” Karis said.
Alexis shrugged. “Well, even after this many years, those memories can still be painful. I gained the love of my life, but lost my best friend.”
Magnus gave her hand a quick squeeze. “Then how do you know where she is?”
Alexis smiled. “We used to talk about running away to Earth together. She was infatuated with the southwest. Places like New Mexico in the United States made her excited. I know she wanted to live in Santa Fe for a long time, so we could start there.”
Karis raised a brow. “Santa Fe? Really? I didn’t peg her for a cowboy boot kind of woman.”
Alexis gave a small shrug. “I think it intrigued her because Earth was more secluded from all the other worlds, letting her feel hidden. New Mexico is a lot like Aridam, so I think it would help her not to feel so homesick.”
“Okay,” Azul started, saying it slowly. “But what about the rest of them? What about Zeus? Do we have any idea what we are saying we’re going to do? They all left for a reason, so finding them will be one thing, but talking them into coming back is entirely another.” He took a drink of his coffee while everyone stared at him. “Look, I’m not saying it can’t be done. I’m the one who mentioned Zeus. I just don’t want everyone to get their hopes up.”
Karis leaned across the table and placed her hand over his. “I know we can do this. We can make them see how much they’re needed here. If they choose to return to Earth after it's over then that is their choice, but hopefully they will help us. We don’t have any other options. Everyone here is too afraid to help.”
Magnus nodded. “She’s right. They’ve been away for so long that nothing about here scares them. They would be a great defense. Not to mention, their powers would be a massive asset.”
Karis sat back in her seat. Brady draped his arm across the back of her chair. “I’m all for it. I’m not gonna lie, getting to see a real life superhero or Greek god would be pretty freaking cool.”
They all laughed. Karis looked at him and smiled. He gave her a wink, and she felt the familiar warmth in the pit of her belly flow throughout her body. She bit her lip and couldn’t help herself from teasing him. “You just wait till we’re alone. I’ll show you something better than a god.”
His eyes lit up as he heard her message in his head. He clapped a hand down on the table. “Well. I think we’ve made up our minds. We’re going to Earth.” He pushed back his chair and stood up. “Now, Karis and I have some things we need to talk about, so if you’ll excuse us.” He stretched his hand out for her to take.
She dipped her head low and hoped no one saw the blush that crept up her face as she took his hand. She caught Magnus smiling widely and Alexis gave her a knowing grin. She was humiliated that they knew why they were leaving, and didn’t dare look at Az
ul as she kept up with Brady’s quick pace from the house.
Once outside, Brady swung her around and faced her, pulling her close with his arm around her middle. “How dare you tease me like that, woman.” His breath was hot against her cheek and she blushed some more.
“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
He took her hand, pulled her to their small room, and closed the door. “Maybe I should show you what teasing is really like.”
Karis didn’t look up from her breakfast plate as they all made plans to go to Earth. She was still embarrassed from the previous night, although it had been worth it. Brady did things she never would have thought in a million years were possible. She grinned at the memory and bit her bottom lip to keep from smiling too widely.
She pushed her eggs around on the plate. Her appetite was long gone since Azul walked in glaring at Brady.
“Well, I have things taken care of here, so we’re good to go any time you are.” Magnus sat down next to her at the end of the table.
She gave a slight nod. “Well, there’s no sense putting it off.” She chanced a quick glance at Azul sitting across from her. “Are you ready?”
His face softened when he looked at her. She was glad he wasn’t mad at her, but she could still feel his jealousy thick in the air. “Karis, I’ll go with you anywhere, whenever you’re ready.”
She swallowed hard. His dedication to her made her heart droop. She grasped Brady’s hand under the table that rested on his thigh. “You ready?”
He gave an umph sound. “I’ve been ready since we got here.”
She licked her lips and blew out a breath. “I guess it’s settled. We can leave within the hour.”
Karis could feel Brady’s excitement build as they conjured the portal together. His anxiousness flew through her, making it hard not to be happy as well. Everyone walked to the center of the funnel and waited. Karis’s heart rate picked up. The last time she was on Earth she was left alone. This time she had friends.
They all agreed to arrive in Santa Fe, where Alexis thought Athena might be. It would be best to find as many immortals as possible as soon as they could. After studying a map of the area that was made for otherworldly travelers, Karis picked out the most secluded spot she could find closest to the city, making sure she stayed west and out of the mountainous range. They would still have to walk for a bit, but no one would be the wiser if there happened to be a dust funnel in the desert.