by Starla Night
The ancient covenant was wrong. Separating a mother from her husband and newborn was wrong. His obedience had been wrong.
And it was too late.
That horrifying night had changed many lives.
Elan had been the most honorable First Lieutenant ever to serve Dragao Azul. After losing his bride, he became a hostage in his own city.
Soren had refused promotion. He chose exile — and helped King Kadir found the rebel city of Atlantis.
Dosan had also been damaged. A darker, angrier world view cracked his obedient facade.
Only Uvim had not changed. Silent then. Silent now.
Milly said he had a choice. That he had been silent for self-preservation.
Was that true? Could he speak without fear? Had their city changed so much?
His father had never been a loud warrior. But the elders had respected his words.
Uvim would never be loud.
Could he claim respect?
“Uvim!”
He turned toward the shout.
Two warriors swam inland from the open ocean. Tridents gleamed at their sides and daggers were tied to their powerful biceps and thighs.
His stomach lurched.
Two warriors? The minimum number to imprison him?
Or take his place?
Chapter Seventeen
Milly watched Uvim disappear beneath the waves of the harbor and then she turned and raced into the dive shop.
She was so late.
Brody had already fitted the day’s tourists with swim masks and weight belts.
“Good morning, Brody,” she called as she passed him finishing the safety spiel for their tour group.
He turned away. Cold shoulder. “Everyone, this way for the boat.”
Right. He was still mad.
Today would be a long tour.
Their boss sat at the reception desk and eyed Milly over the rim of her reading glasses. “Having a lie in? What about our Sea Festival strategy?”
Erk. “You could come on the tour with us.”
She waved it away. “I’ve been there.”
“We might see mermen.”
“Get your beefy merman to pose with a tourist and I’ll forgive your lateness. We’ll post the photos on our blog and become the only tour agency with real mermen guides.”
Milly rested her palm on her chest. “Technically you already have one.”
“Where are your tattoos?”
“In a place I can’t show you.”
Her boss’s brows lifted in mock shock.
They both laughed.
Milly strode into the back room, exchanging her empty scuba tanks for filled ones. She shouted to the main office. “Today’s a great day for snorkeling. Why else do you own a dive shop?”
Her boss grimaced at her computer screen. “You might imagine this is a dream. But the dream comes with big mobs of taxes and receipts.”
“Look at the clear weather!” She set her filled tanks next to the door. “I bet we have a hundred feet visibility.”
“I also have another Sea Festival committee meeting today.” Her boss followed Milly into the kitchen where Milly checked and repacked her lunch supplies. “I pushed with all my might for a ‘merman kissing booth.’”
“We are not doing a kissing booth.”
“Five dollars to squeeze his biceps. Ten dollars to slip him the tongue.”
“I’ll tell Roberto!”
“I’m just mucking around.” Her boss sighed. “Your sister is a tough cookie. The committee’s already agreed to a merman ‘ambassador’ giving the welcome speech for the boat parade. Your sister won’t even let one stand next to the podium.”
“That’s a huge responsibility,” Milly noted. She tried to be neutral. Even though Zara and she were fighting, she wouldn’t be disloyal.
Her boss tipped the dregs of her pot into her grungy coffee cup. “But a wonderful chance for non-threatening visibility for their plight.”
“You know.” Milly counted and recounted her fresh-baked bread loaves. “I could do it. I am a mermaid now.”
“You don’t look it.”
That was a problem. She didn’t even have fins. And everyone knew fins took forever to control. Milly flexed inside her tennis shoes. Her feet remained stubbornly human.
Her boss poured in a packet of raw sugar. “Our ambassador needs to be tall, muscled, and show off those mouthwatering tattoos for all to have a gander.” She posed, her steaming mug tipping. She leaned against the counter and blew steam from the mug. “The women will find it bonza.”
“Their husbands won’t get a good impression,” Milly observed.
“Their husbands need to be more confident.”
“And confidence is how they’ll compete with warriors who subsist on a seafood diet and wrestle sharks?”
“Do the mer really wrestle sharks?”
“No,” Milly said. “At least, I don’t think so. Those things are so loud. Not as loud as a giant octopus, but you can hear them coming.”
“Loud?” Her gaze sparkled in fascination. “What do you mean, loud?”
Brody broke in with a knock and an odd expression on his face. “Boss? Got a minute?”
She glanced over. “Yes?”
He set a plastic bag of small white birthday candles on the table.
“I took these off one of our tourists just now.” He moved the bag to show the paper labeled Merman Repellent.
Their boss sighed. “And this is the reason we need an ambassador. Search the tourists.”
He nodded and departed.
Her boss set aside the baggie of dynamite. “I’ll call the police. Again. Oh, speaking of bad news, that man stopped by again.”
That man.
Milly’s heart thumped.
Run.
No, no. She could be wrong. Right? Deep breaths. This was her job, and she wasn’t getting driven away by a jerk.
Milly stood her ground. “Vernon?”
“He said ‘you’d know him if you thought about it.’ I had the idea he did you a favor.”
Her stomach rolled. “Yep, Vernon.”
“I told him if he wanted to talk to you he could do it right here during business hours with myself and everyone else present, and he took off right quick.” She shook her head. “He had a fancy diving watch but doesn’t use it for diving. You know?”
Yes. She knew.
Vernon had helped her when she’d most needed help.
And now he wanted her to pay.
Milly carried the last box of supplies to the tour boat. Every person she passed made her heart thump. She hated these feelings. Hunted and vulnerable. This must be how Uvim’s warriors felt when they patrolled alone near the Newas hunting party. Their skin must crawl and their eyes must dart to every face as they braced for attack.
Milly’s parents still languished in jail. Their trial was in another few months. They’d had a lot of friends in the Azores. Good people who couldn’t believe the evil they’d concealed under their affable facade.
Quite a few of those good people had attacked Milly. She wasn’t immune to the hurt, but she’d gotten good at sniffing out the former friends who would chase her on the street and call her an ungrateful liar.
Thank goodness Uvim was still here. Even out of sight in the water.
Chapter Eighteen
Uvim wheeled to face the coming warriors.
He had no weapons. Nothing to defend himself.
The warriors kicked in a relaxed formation. They were not here to capture a dangerous prisoner.
One warrior — Xalu — swam eagerly. He gave Uvim a short nod of respect and continued inland, toward the beach.
Good. That was not the act of a male intent on warfare.
The other warrior was Second Lieutenant Dosan.
“Uvim!” Dosan shouted again.
Uvim nodded to Dosan but did not slow or alter his course. Milly’s boat made fast, steady progress. He could not delay.
Dosa
n seemed surprised. He kicked long, hard strokes and fell into his swimming pace. “What are you doing in this place?”
A simple question with a complicated answer.
“You cannot say?” Dosan’s smile twisted with irony. “Your silences are missed.”
He did not mean to be silent. “What are you doing in this place?”
“I am to take your position,” Dosan said.
Hollow unease filled his bones. Like he was tumbling straight into the mouth of a shark.
He shook himself. “No.”
“Yes,” Dosan chortled. “I will listen at the echo point and convey orders from Queen Zara to our elders. You will descend to the city and rule over the warriors there.”
“You are Second Lieutenant.” And during Elan’s absence with Queen Zara, Dosan was the acting First Lieutenant.
“Congratulations,” Dosan said. “Now, you are.”
It was a promotion.
No.
Dosan anticipated his excited acceptance.
But he did not feel excitement nor acceptance. Not at all.
“Me?” he choked. “Impossible.”
Dosan’s mouth twisted into a rueful smile. “Do not regret my demotion.”
He shook his head. Dosan’s demotion was unfortunate but his own situation filled him with horror.
“I told First Lieutenant Elan I was not a popular choice for his Second. He is absent and Queen Zara does not wish to rule over the warrior’s hierarchy.”
“No?”
“She only rules on the All-Council and brides. You conveyed that message.”
“But you are already here.”
“Yes, Xalu and I had started. My demotion awaited us at the echo point.” His smile sharpened. “The elders happily offer the Second Lieutenant position to a warrior who will not blare his opinions. You must leave. Now.”
No. Uvim refused.
“Xalu carries his offering to engage his bride.”
Uvim jerked up short. “He does?”
“His flower blossomed.”
His flower!
“There was much celebration. We began on our way. And then your message arrived.”
This could not be. Surely the flower had blossomed for Milly. Now Xalu carried it.
He would give the flower to Milly. The honorable warrior would dazzle her — the most honorable warrior in Dragao Azul — and she would accept Xalu’s mating jewel and drink his flower’s nectar because he could give her all she desired.
Power. Respect. Pride.
“Xalu stows the flower for safety and then he will come to you. You have been here longer. You must have seen his bride.”
Uvim kicked harder to outrun this horrible fate.
Promoted. Separated from Milly. Leaving her to the most honorable warrior of Dragao Azul with an offering she would not refuse.
No!
Dosan coasted along beside him. “Why are you chasing this human boat?”
“Milly.”
“Milly, Queen Zara’s sister?”
He nodded.
He would capture Milly and carry her away to a place of safety. A place where she would never meet Xalu or accept his offering.
“And did you know a giant cave guardian chases you?”
“Clifford. She and Milly are friends.”
“A human has made friends with a giant cave guardian? Extraordinary. Humans eat cave guardians. How did they meet?”
He gritted his teeth. “Under water.”
“Where?”
“Ilha Sagrada.”
“Ilha…” Dosan kicked hard and placed himself in front of Uvim. “Stop.”
Uvim darted over the top of him.
Dosan redoubled and blocked him with his trident.
Uvim darted beneath.
“Do not fight me, Uvim.”
He kicked hard. Dosan was a stronger warrior but Uvim was faster. And, truly, neither wanted to fight.
Dosan thrust his trident at Uvim, forcing him off-rhythm to avoid the blade. “Do not fight!”
Uvim wheeled so his head was upside-down and glared at Dosan.
Dosan’s sapphire gaze accused him. “You are twenty-eighth in line.”
“She is my bride.”
“You may not take a bride! Twenty-seven others come before you.”
“She is mine.”
“Do you not understand?” Dosan shook his trident. “We have too few warriors. The city territory is undefended. Raiders from distant cities like Newas plunder our hunting grounds. If you surface and find a bride — if even you do this, a silent warrior twenty-eighth in line — how can the second through twenty-sixth remain at their posts?”
Dosan himself was twenty-seven.
Uvim understood this.
But he could not give up Milly. The fire in his heart would not allow it. “Give me the blossom.”
“Xalu will fight you. I will, too.” Dosan grimaced, furious and helpless at the same time. “You should understand. This is impossible.”
Clifford crept up behind Dosan. The giant cave guardian made a gentle sawing noise that faded into the background ocean. Dosan didn’t notice.
But Xalu, approaching from a far distance, noticed. He eased forward. Although within sight, he could not hear their words.
Most likely.
Dosan squared off against Uvim, unaware of those gathering behind him. “You must introduce Xalu to Milly.”
Uvim growled. “Never.”
“I order this as your friend.”
“Any male who threatens my bride is my enemy.”
Dosan’s brows drew together. “When did you learn to speak? I dislike it. My silent friend, who understood his duty to the city, was much better.” His hand tightened on the trident.
Clifford shrieked.
Dosan whirled, startled and then horrified.
Clifford puffed her funnel and gathered her tentacles underneath her like a massive undersea ink cloud. She dwarfed the stunned warrior.
She jetted toward Dosan.
He darted to the side.
She chased him away from Uvim with all tentacles.
Xalu pulled up as Clifford herded Dosan to him. Easier to chase them off together.
Thank you, Clifford, for your fine service. Your loyalty to Milly is exemplary.
The two warriors swam in opposite directions, kicking hard to outswim the giant cave guardian.
She jetted between them, jubilant, like a crackling electrical storm. She was having great fun.
Dosan and Xalu both hugged their tridents to their sides. Against her, such weapons were useless.
Uvim kicked right-side up and chased Milly’s distant boat.
He had to get to her. He had to sweep her away before it was too late.
Chapter Nineteen
The journey out to the first snorkeling site passed quickly.
Milly stowed the gear and prepped the morning snack — strong coffee and crusty, flaky pastries with custards and chocolates — and arranged them on silver trays she had brought over from her short-lived restaurant internship.
As she was serving it, Brody oriented their passengers on today’s tour. “Stay together in the buddy system and watch out for wildlife. Our resident oceanographer and naturalist, Milly, will point out the native life she sees.”
He made eye contact as he introduced her.
No more cold shoulder. Whew.
Across the medium-sized, two-deck touring boat their boss’s husband Roberto, an islander, called for attention in accented English. His salt-and-pepper hair waved in the breeze and his still-impressive sailing biceps flexed as he held up a package of dynamite.
“This is forbidden. You turn it in to us now and you are okay. We find it later and you will report to the policía. Understand?”
Brody crossed his arms, watching Roberto.
No wonder her boss wasn’t worried. With a husband built like a sea captain, she could cozy up to all the muscle she wanted. Anytime.
The tour
— full with couples, a few families, and college kids on vacation — only partially paid attention. Some outright ignored him, posing for selfies. Others lined up to help themselves to her coffee and pastries.
After a minute, Roberto carried the bag with him back to the steering wheel.
“Ugh,” Milly said, under her breath. “Not more dynamite.”
“More every day.” Brody glanced at her sideways. “Be careful.”
Visions of pulverized fish guts sloshed in her head. She shuddered. “You too.”
One father — a middle-aged man with thinning gray hair and a large paunch — loaded his plate up with chocolate phyllo pockets. He elbowed Brody. “Does it give you the heebie jeebies? Knowing a half-human monster is in the water watching you?”
“They’re not half-human,” Milly asserted, striving to stay light. “They’re totally human. They shift.”
Their paying customer ignored her. “Watching your girlfriend? With his beady, fish eyes?”
Brody smiled tightly.
“You know how to keep them in line? A hook!” He hooked his fat mouth with his crooked index finger.
“That’s offensive,” she snapped, dropping the pretense. “My in-laws are mermen, you know.”
He guffawed. “So are mine. Cold fish! Ha ha.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say she was a mer.
But this jerk wasn’t the kind of person to apologize or learn. And she didn’t want to announce her change to the rest of the tour. Not when she still concealed it from her family and her sister.
She glared at Brody for backup.
Brody smiled and shrugged, not backing her up, and furthermore, trying to shut her up. He silently reminded her they had a job.
So frustrating!
Her boss was right. Secrecy hadn’t done the mer any good. It empowered jerks to make offensive comments.
Milly would talk to Zara again. The mer needed a calm, well-spoken ambassador representing them at the international Sea Festival.
They arrived at the snorkeling cove. Brody showed how to clear masks and snorkels. Milly helped the tourists roll backward off the ledge of the tour boat into the calm waves. Her group kicked around on the surface. Half opted for life jackets.
Milly had been to this shallow reef, on a slope thirty feet deep, many times. She monitored her group and pointed out curious Mediterranean rainbow wrasse, wide-eyed flounders, speckled parrotfish, and little porgies. And she held her breath to kick, pointing out the coral-lined ledges where species of moray eels hid, eyes wide and mouths gaping.