by Anna LaVerne
I am grateful every one of us have good night vision because we are working our way through some pitch-black alleys to get to the docks. Once we finally near the port, we pass several restaurants and bars full of people on vacation. Maybe they will think we are musicians carrying cases with instruments?
Ten minutes later, we board a small run of the mill fishing boat. Nothing fancy saying it belongs to a goddess. I can sense the distaste rolling off of Morgan because he has a penchant for fancy things, but this boat is exactly the kind no one will give a second look to. Aden takes control of the wheel, easing us away from the dock and into the open Mediterranean sea.The boat is well-lit for night fishing.
“There are small living quarters below for you to change in,” Aphrodite gestures to a door.
I take the case with my armor and head below. When she said small it was an overstatement. There is a very tiny galley in the same area as two bunk beds. A small closet holds the tiniest toilet I have ever seen. I pull my sundress over my head and put on a leather crop top that is soon covered by my scaled armor. I place a short leather skirt about my waist before putting on the scaled version over it. I don’t bother with boots, knowing I will be shifting within an hour or two.
When I emerge, all of my men are stripped down to the waist with their perfect muscles reflecting the light. They are going through their weapons, putting each one in place upon their person. Charles is sitting near the wheel, still staring at my mother. If there is any sign that my men are meant to be mine this is it. They don’t even give her a second look.
I take notice of Laki’s bronzed skin and suddenly, feel brazen. I walk across the boat, slipping into his arms before he even notices I am near. His look of surprise quickly disappears as he wraps his strong arms around me. I kiss him long and deep. Our mouths play a game, and our bodies hum. When he lifts me off the ground, I wrap my legs around him, aware that there is nothing beneath my skirt because I am prepared to shift. Lost in the moment, the world around me swirls, and everyone disappears.
“Meri! Stop that right now! You are a goddess, and this is not the time or place for wanton behavior!” Aphrodite is definitely my mother in this moment.
Laki drops me like it is the first time he has ever been caught kissing. “Later,” I wink at Laki. He needs to know that I want him as badly as I want the others. My insides twist in a knot when he has to adjust his shorts to hide his erection. It turns me on, knowing that I have that effect on him.
During the entire exchange, I never once look at Aphrodite. Instead, when I walk to my case, I look at Breck whose dark passion-filled eyes are on me. Unable to resist the power I am experiencing over my men, I turn my weapons case around and bend over, revealing my backside to their glares. I wiggle it for added effect. Morgan, who was standing near, walks over behind me, inserting a finger between my legs. I gasp in surprise. Morgan bends over as if he is helping me and whispers, “If you keep putting on a show like that, we won’t restrain ourselves. Even in front of your mother.”
It is a warning, and the thought turns me on more. I glance in my mother's direction, and in that moment Morgan removes his finger. She is glaring at me knowingly, and there is no doubt that she disapproves. I smile back. I have no idea what has gotten into me, but ruffling her feathers feels natural.
Resisting the urge to get my men’s attention, I take my swords from their case, strapping them, within their scabbards, to my back. I take my string of throwing knives and place them about my waist with my dagger. Once the clothing is on, my necklace warms again, and I decide to approach Aphrodite about it. Now is as good of a time as any.
“Do you remember giving me this?” I hold the pendant between my fingers.
“Yes, how could I forget?” she snaps, clearly still angry.
“What does it do?” I prod, ignoring her attitude.
“You don’t know how dangerous you are, do you?”
My face goes blank with her question, “What do you mean?”
“You have your father’s ability to fight, but my ability to bring people to their knees through seduction. You have the ability to kill ruthlessly but the compassion to gift life at the next turn. A balanced goddess with two very different faces.”
I have made the same observations about myself minus the portion about seduction. I decide to keep her on track, “What does this necklace do?”
“It is a way for me to keep track of you. It is sealed with my blood and a fiber from the fates’ wheel. I hoped it would help guide you through the trials.”
Realization dawns on me, “That is the only reason you can transport to where I am?”
She nods.
“Is that why you weren’t able to find me, while I was on land. Poseidon removed my pendant?”
“I tried, I truly did, but it wasn’t in my power. I didn’t sense your return until you put the necklace back on. You are my daughter–my baby. And everything I did before now I only did because I thought it was the best choice. I realize now that my actions may have not been as well thought through as I thought. I may be a goddess, but even the gods are flawed.”
I pull her into a hug. A true hug from a daughter to her mother. Something I haven’t experienced since before the Ring, and I missed it terribly. When we pull free, I sense a part of my soul calm.
“Okay, enough of this. I am glad the truth is out, and you’ve forgiven me, but we need to discuss our plan for once we reach Atlantis,” she says, pulling away from me.
Morgan tugs me into a hug from behind. His chin rests on top of my head, “We sneak in, and then . . .,” he trails off, waiting for her to fill in the details since it is obvious she wants to plan.
“We go to our old place and take the ferry to the Ring after gathering some more supplies,” she finishes for Morgan.
“Shouldn’t we gather support before heading straight for the Ring?” Aden asks.
“Lilly, that girl Meri saved, will be meeting us at the house. She has gotten word to Amphitrite that we are coming. Meeting publically is the best chance we have at a fair trial from Poseidon.”
“Trial? I’m not on trial!” I retort.
“You will be as will I. We were both banned from Atlantis. We need to plead our case, and you need to apologize. You may even need to step it up to groveling. Make it clear you have no harmful intent to Atlantis. Amphitrite and Poseidon may be the gods of the sea but you are the first god child born in Atlantis. All others came before Poseidon sunk the land. You are a child of her waters, and the priestesses who took you into the caves that night will support you.”
The first sign of nerves spread across my skin in the form of goosebumps. She is saying I am a goddess of Atlantis. The necklace warms with the thought. Oh, damn it, Poseidon is not going to like that one bit. I bite my lip, trying to force out my first moment of doubt.
I take a seat next to Charles, who is still staring at Aphrodite like a lost puppy. The rest of the trip I spend listening to everyone debate logistics as I try to convince myself that we are making the right decision. In the end, I decide it doesn’t matter if it is right or wrong, I need to go home.
34
It takes a few hours to reach our dive location. The guys spend most of the time debating Aphrodite’s plan and suggesting their own. In the end, we go with Aphrodite’s, after all. At this point, I think Morgan is convinced it was all his idea. Men are funny like that.
The men strip and jump into the dark water before us. I crack my neck and stretch my arms, anxious to get home and set everything right, but at the same time, nervous to do so. The conflicting emotions make me jittery.
My mother turns to Charles, “Watch the boat for us, dear,” she coos sweetly.
“Y-yes ma’am,” he stutters a reply. She has really turned him into a puddle of a mess.
I watch my mother strip her clothing and then dive in, leaving her breasts bare. Mine are well covered. I am the last to dive in. As the water ripples over my body, I can feel my arms and torso grow along
with my powerful tail. Opening my eyes in the dark, I see my men and their familiar colors, but it is my mother who draws my attention.
Her hair is still dark, but she is every bit as large as me. Twice the size of the mermen. Her tail is unique, made of glowing pink scales, and her fins are long and flared like a beta fish. I pause trying to remember how I know what a beta fish looks like. She is startling in her beauty, even in the dark water.
“Stop gaping, Meri, you are just as stunning as me, in a warrior-princess sort of way. We need to hurry before he takes notice.”
I acknowledge her by darting forward, slicing through the water. I have never seen or entered Atlantis from the outside like this, but I seem to instinctively know which way is the way to go.
As we approach the massive bubble that is Atlantis near the sea floor, I can feel myself growing stronger. My eyesight is now as good in the dark as it is in the light. I can see every detail of the islands and cities below. I run my hand across my scaled abdomen trying to calm the somersaults happening within. The sea is my domain, but Atlantis will always be my home. I realize now I wouldn’t be happy anywhere else for long.
“How do we get in?” Morgan sends.
“Through the base,” Aphrodite responds and then takes off in the water full speed.
Atlantis is so big and has mer-patrols all hours. For some strange reason, I don’t see any of them, even though it takes us nearly thirty minutes to reach the ocean bottom at full speed.
“I’m worried we didn’t see any patrols, it is unnatural,” I send to Aphrodite.
“Patrols move positions every hour. It is impossible to watch every inch of the perimeter. I’m not worried,” she responds as she leads us between a small gap in two very large rocks. Aphrodite and I barely fit in our shifted form. It is no problem for my men. Once through, we enter a cave-like area that Atlantis’s barrier cuts through the middle of.
“It is your turn, Meri, Key of Atlantis,” Aphrodite sends with a mock bow. I roll my eyes because she knows very well that I don’t have a clue how to do this.
When I stay firm staring at her, she finally spills the secret, “It is your blood; we will be able to enter, if you use your blood,” she says it twice slowly, like I am too daft to understand.
I approach the barrier and take my dagger out, slicing through my palm. The sting of the salt water is a slight distraction, but I push on. I place my hand on the wall of Atlantis and project, “My blood is for Atlantis.”
The barrier ripples, flashing green, and I swim through quickly followed by my entourage. I surface in the Sea of Atlantis, looking at the barrier above me as it continues to pulsate a deep green. Aphrodite surfaces beside me, “I did not expect that,” she replies.
“What did I do?”
“Opened the barrier. Hurry to the wall and seal it,” she demands.
I do as she says but still shout, “How?”
“Same way, I guess. I don’t know. I have never seen the barrier open like this!” she yells back.
I place my still bleeding hand on the barrier, willing it to close, and when it pulses green one last time before returning to the clear bubble it was before, relief rushes through me. Oh, thank goodness.
“We need to get going. Poseidon has to know you are here now,” Morgan states the obvious.
“To my house to regroup,” I say.
“No the Ring is closer, and it is too late now. He will follow us wherever we go,” Aphrodite reasons.
“To the Ring!” Laki shouts, and we take off swimming.
I am faster than all of them and reach the portion of the sea that connects with the Ring first. I swim under the bleachers that normally hold the pures. Before exiting the water, I shift and walk into a silent Ring. Last time I was here, there was so much blood and so many people cheering. The silence it is draped in at this moment is ominous and unnatural.
Poseidon enters the Ring from the other end. He grows to his god size, spurring my body to grow to meet him. I am over twelve feet tall, and he is even taller and larger than me in this form. His beard is glowing an ethereal blue, and his eyes remind me of the storm I saw in Zeus, only Poseidon’s are crashing waves.
“I see you have come to finish what you started,” his voice booms, echoing through the Ring and Atlantis. Soon, people will arrive to see what is going on.
“I have only come to request my men’s chance in the Ring . . . . And to apologize.” I drop to one knee.
His laugh surrounds me, taunting, making me recoil in anger. I refuse to look him in the face, or he may see it and take it as a threat.
“An apology? You killed my entire fleet of squid, and you think I will an accept an apology?” His laugh is so loud, my ears pop.
“To be fair, you did send them after her with the intent to end her life,” Amphitrite’s voice interrupts him.
I raise my head to look upon the ancient goddess who stands every bit as tall as Poseidon.
“Haven’t you done enough by birthing the goddess who brought this curse to Atlantis?” Poseidon curses her.
“This ‘curse’ as you call it was born here and gave her blood to our home. She is every bit a part of Atlantis as you and me. And I am tired of playing second fiddle. You may be my counterpart for eternity, but I will not stand to be considered any less than you a moment longer,” Amphitrite’s words of defiance cause me to stand.
If Poseidon so much as lays a finger on her, I will bring war to my home to protect her. In this moment, the anger twirling in me is just a reminder that I am a product of war, himself. I will not be easily quelled even by a god like Poseidon.
“She is an abomination! You know as well as I, that there is no room for another Arch goddess!”
‘Arch goddess’ is not a term I have heard before, but I like it.
“I am aware that I upset the balance, but I am willing to allow that to work itself out naturally. I have no intent to kill any god or goddess. I only want the ability to come and go from my home with my men by my side. To do that, they need a fair chance in the Ring and to be anointed gatekeepers. Once that is done, I want to start working towards righting the wrongs done by my father, Ares. He has spent years cultivating ways to attack the sea, while you slept through it all, leaving Triton to fight a losing battle on his own.” I realize in an instant, I should have left that last portion out because Poseidon bristles from the truth I spoke.
“Ares would have never attacked the ocean if it weren’t for that demon who spawned you,” Poseidon points a finger at my mother, now standing behind me. Her hair has grown so long as to touch the ground and wrap around her naked body like a curtain. She chose to stay in her human size.
“That ‘demon spawn’ is my daughter!” Amphitrite spits at Poseidon.
Great. Fantastic. I love that she has our back, but making him angrier does not work in our favor.
“Look!” I shout, “I am trying to help you, offering myself to combat my father in exchange for you giving my men a chance in the Ring! I am part of Atlantis, I have no desire to harm you or anyone here!”
“You don’t get it do you? You shouldn’t even exist!” his voice thunders, and the lights in the Ring flash on. People have begun to fill the seats as if they are impervious to the danger.
Zeus said he would help, but I guess his idea of helping is to not interfere anymore than he already did. A flash of red light appears in the middle of the Ring, and Ares appears. This makes me look really bad. I pull my swords from my back and prepare to do battle with the god of War.
“Thank you, daughter, for opening the barrier long enough that I could enter,” he sneers, knowing very well I would never let him in.
“I knew she was a demon like her father,” Poseidon spits.
Ares raises an obsidian sword into the air, and Poseidon brings forth his trident. I dart between them, and when they both strike, one of my swords catches and holds Ares, and the other causes a burst of lightning when it deflects Poseidon's weapon.
Po
seidon releases and backs up, I bring my free swords to help hold off Ares. Ares pulls back to attack again, “You will have to kill me before you can do harm to anyone here,” I spit at him.
“I have been prepared to kill you since we first met. I knew in that moment, you were brainwashed by your mother. The damage has been done, and you are no longer any use to me.” Ares’s dark hair is pulled back, emphasizing his high cheekbones, giving him a severe look. He is dressed in black leathers and only has the single sword. The hatred etched on his face is alarming. Bells go off in my head when I realize the truth of everything, even my birth.
“You are the imbalance, not me!” I shout my revelation. “You attacked the very planet gods are meant to protect! You are a god of War, it is true, but you are meant to keep balance. Now the ocean is dying, and no one is to blame except you and your hatred,” I pause, understanding everything now, “I was born to kill the god of War, who waged war against the one target that is off limits even to him–Earth.”
“He didn’t wage war until your birth. His anger bloomed when Aphrodite hid you in Atlantis,” Poseidon reasons from behind me.
“Maybe so, but the seed of corruption had already been placed. What was happening at the time of my birth? How many devastating wars wrecked the planet during the time leading up to me? He overextended his power. Where were you during the world wars?” I ask, and he doesn’t answer. “How about Hiroshima and Vietnam?” I have no idea how I know about those wars, but I do–echoes left from my land life. “Horrific actions spanning the entire planet, which is still feeling the aftershocks today.”
No one speaks. Ares stands his ground, appearing to calculate how he is going to attack, but I don’t give him a chance to calculate much. I charge in with both of my swords. He deflects each one with his obsidian weapon at lightning speed.
We are now entangled in what may be a never-ending battle. Every move he makes, I sense first and divert my body or use a weapon to block, and he does the same to me. I can see the patterns forming in his technique, and I know every second he battles me, he is doing the same thing. Every move is being ingrained in me, enabling me to attempt to find a weak spot, but I can’t find one.