The Merman King

by Michelle M. Pillow

  Why hadn’t she stopped to consider that fact? A king. He ruled the entirety of her new home. Well, except for a few rebels. He had power and position. What did she think was going to happen if she pursued a relationship with him? He’d fall in love with her and she’d become his queen? She didn’t want that kind of power or responsibility. The fate of an entire country did not need to rest in her hands, not even in part.

  Or did she want to be his lover? Olivette turned again to the grave. Things had not turned out too well for the last woman who’d held the position.

  “And meeting me?” he asked. “Do you consider that to be a good or bad thing?”

  “I’m grateful to be alive.” She knew her answer was evasive as it came out but what else could she say? If she allowed herself to feel the way she was feeling about him, then she was choosing a future that she didn’t want. She wanted Lucius but doubted simple emotion was enough. She didn’t want to be a queen or to be known as the lover of a king. She didn’t want the spotlight or power. She wanted to create and spread beauty in the world.

  Her task today had not been beautiful.

  “Thank you for helping out this morning,” he said.

  She glanced up, but trees blocked the dancing stars. “Is it morning?”

  “When the sea stars begin to disappear, and the light shifts. It’s as much of a dawn as we will see. It is the best we can do to honor the dead.” Lucius tapped the altar gently before walking away from the site.

  Olivette followed him. “Please let me know if you’d like to talk. I know this must be a difficult time for you.”

  He bowed his head but didn’t stop walking. “I said goodbye to Maia long ago. She made her choices. What I feel is not grief over her loss, but grief over all our losses, and the reminder of mortality for the immortal. You cannot understand the passage of time, not until you have lived for thousands of years with its ravishes and whims.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Olivette was an idiot. She should have just kissed Lucius that night by the gravesite. She should have held him and walked beside him. She should have kissed him the next morning, and the morning after that one. Instead, she’d kept a wall between them, not allowing herself to respond to his understated advances. And he was too respectful to make more than subtle hints.

  She was an idiot—an edgy, grumpy idiot.

  Fine, mostly she was horny. Seriously, the ache she felt every time Lucius was near only grew worse by the moment. If he bothered to touch her arm, she’d probably orgasm and make an embarrassment of herself.

  Now it was too late. She’d woken up a few nights ago to find he had left the palace for the forest with no word as to when he’d return.

  So, here she was, three weeks after the funeral, following Lyra into town to meet Cassandra, another surface woman. For some reason, Lyra preferred to take a side entrance out of the palace. They followed the long wall surrounding the palace. Bright yellow lines accented blue stones. Like inside, the outside walls depicted sea creatures. They led to a narrow gate that let them slip beyond the inner courtyard.

  The one good thing was, Lyra had given her a dress that didn’t look like it belonged in Santa’s slutty kingdom. She was glad to be in something that didn’t have a fluffy hemline and stockings.

  The dark blue sky looked nothing like the surface, yet light shone as if she stood in the sunlight. They heard the faint sounds of the village before Atlas actually came into view. The town was settled in a valley beyond the main gate. The grid-like roads were measured to perfect lengths, surrounding a circular clearing of the town center. Since they didn’t have motor vehicles or horse-drawn carriages, there were only cobblestone roads for pulling carts and walking. The homes were packed together on each block with no yards or alleyways between.

  “Not handling the transition down very well, are you?” Lyra broke their long silence.

  Olivette blinked in surprise and shook her head in slight denial. “What makes you say that?”

  “You’ve been glaring at the palace wall since we walked outside,” Lyra observed. “I’m not judging. I gave my husband a run for his money when I came down. I’m glad I finally let him catch me, but I do like keeping him on his toes.”

  Olivette’s lip curled, as she thought, Yeah, yeah, keep bragging. You have a wonderful, perfect relationship and I’m an idiot.

  “And there’s the look again,” Lyra said. “I know I can be a little abrasive sometimes. Did I say something to piss you off?”

  “Lucius left and I don’t know when he’s coming back.” She wasn’t sure why she admitted it, but she liked Lyra.

  “Ah, understood.” Lyra nodded. “Well, I would assume soon. I received word from my husband that they’re tracking the Olympians and hope to catch up to them shortly.”

  “Word?” Olivette grabbed Lyra’s arm in concern. “Did someone deliver a message? Are they safe? Is it too late to send a message back? From everything I’ve heard of the Olympians, that doesn’t sound safe.”

  “You do know about the telepathy, don’t you? I spoke to my husband through our mind link. It’s harder to do when he’s far away, but we manage to get fragmented messages to each other.”

  “Oh,” Olivette said. “I don’t have that.”

  “You haven’t gone through the transformation yet,” Lyra said. “I can’t say I blame you. Drowning is hard enough. Choosing to drown so you can become a mermaid is a terrifying choice to make.”

  “Does it hurt?”

  Lyra opened her mouth. It looked as if she wanted to lie, but in the end, she sighed and nodded. “Drowning? Yes. Transforming? No. Turning into a mermaid is more like pinpricks. Once it’s over though, it’s worth it.”

  Olivette swallowed nervously. She wasn’t sure she could ever choose to drown. “How many Merr are there in Atlantes?”

  “I’m not sure. I’m told that very few actually live in town. Many have homes in the country. If I had to guess, I’d say a few thousand.” Lyra hooked her arm through Olivette’s. “You’ll notice that most of them appear to be between the ages of twenty-five and forty. I’m sure it has something to do with the life expectancy back in the ancient times. You also won’t see children, except for Bridget’s triplets.”

  “So that’s why everything is so clean and pretty.” Olivette let Lyra lead her down the hillside to town.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Kids are messy. I worked as a temp in a daycare for about a month.” Olivette chuckled. “It took me three hours to clean what it would take them two minutes to destroy.”

  Lyra’s smile was sad. “I probably wouldn’t joke about kids here. It’s a very sensitive subject.”

  “I don’t understand.” Olivette furrowed her brow before realizing what Lyra meant. “You’re saying they can’t have children, not that they chose not to have more?”

  Lyra nodded. “Rigel wants a child. He doesn’t complain, but I know he secretly wishes for one. Bridget and Caderyn were special. She was the only one to become pregnant. You should see King Lucius with those boys. He spoils them terribly. If you watch, though, when the boys are playing, you’ll see the heartache in the men’s eyes, the longing.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make light of—”

  “You didn’t know,” Lyra said. “I didn’t take offense at anything you said. But you are right. This place is beautiful. Have you seen the mermaid statue in the town center?”

  “No.” Olivette shook her head in denial.

  “Come on. There are some shops I want to take you to near there. I’ve been trying to work with the bakery to make cinnamon rolls. Sadly, we don’t have cinnamon so it’s been difficult, but they’re getting closer.”

  Olivette tried to smile at those they passed. Some waved. Others watched curiously. None approached.

  “They’re not sure what to make of you,” Lyra explained. “Since you were found by Lucius, there are rumors that you will be his…”

  “Lover?” Olivette supplied whe
n she didn’t finish her sentence.

  “Queen,” Lyra corrected.

  The woman’s words only made her nervous, like she was being judged.

  “There.” Lyra pointed as they came to the town center.

  Olivette’s breath caught as she looked up at the beautiful statue of a mermaid. A long tail swept behind the woman’s naked torso. Every scale was carved to reveal the movement of muscle beneath, stone hair looked as if it flowed in the air, and the tail fin had been lined in perfect detail. Even the mermaid’s nipples stood erect as if brushed by cold water.

  “Amazing, right?” Lyra prompted.

  “Stunning,” Olivette whispered. “The detail.”

  “I’ll be in the bakery over there,” Lyra said. “Join me when you’re ready.”

  Olivette glanced at the shops. Someone had started an intricate tapestry on a tapestry loom. Next to her was a man blowing glass, his hands moving with such precision as if the task took no thought on his part. One building had a carved fish, so she assumed it was a butcher shop. Lyra entered a narrow door—the bakery.

  “You must be Olivette.”

  Olivette turned at the sound. It was the first townsperson to speak to her. The woman had bright red hair and playful green eyes.

  “Let me guess, Lyra is after her cinnamon rolls again,” the redhead chuckled. “I told her, you can’t make cinnamon out of seaweed and hope, but she is determined.”

  “Yes, I’m Olivette,” she said belatedly.

  “Cassandra, nice to meet you.” Cassandra held out her hand for Olivette to shake. “What part of the surface are you from?”

  “Florida,” she said.

  “Our boat left from Florida.” Cassandra glanced up. “Bridget and I were on a scientific vessel.”

  “I was murdered by a psychopathic aide to a politician,” Olivette said.

  Cassandra arched a brow. “Interesting. I hope the scylla wrecked his boat for you.”

  “No. As far as I know, he’s still up there.” Olivette wondered where Tanner was now. Did anyone even notice she was gone yet?

  “Try not to think about it,” Cassandra said. “The unanswerable questions will only drive you crazy. My husband, Iason, helped me find a way to communicate with my family on the surface. They’re all men of the sea, so I knew where to find them. If you have any requests, I can ask them to send it down. Lyra, naturally, wants cinnamon. Or if you have loved ones, I can try to send word to the surface for you.”

  “Jason?” Olivette asked, not thinking she’d heard the woman right.

  “No, Iason. It’s the Ancient Greek version of the name,” Cassandra said. “Have you met Demon?”

  Olivette nodded.

  “That name threw me for a loop. I never realized people named their kids that. Anyway, let me know if you think of anything you need,” Cassandra offered again. “Communication has become incredibly fast. I contact them about twice a year now and it only takes them a few months to answer. We go out again in a few weeks.”

  “There is one letter I’d like to write. Thank you.” Olivette thought of the man who’d thrown her overboard. If no one realized or cared that she was missing, she’d make sure someone noticed—like a news outlet. Let them take a closer look at Mr. Tanner Tapert’s life. She couldn’t have been the only woman he’d ever attacked.

  “Cass, Elf, come try this with me,” Lyra yelled.

  “Elf?” Cassandra asked.

  “Don’t ask.”

  “Oh, I have to now.” Cassandra moved toward Lyra. “Why do you call her Elf?”

  Lyra chuckled and pointed toward a shop across the way. “Because she inspired the new fashion trend.”

  “Oh, no!” Cassandra laughed so hard she had to grab her stomach. “What is that monstrosity?”

  Olivette leaned over to see where they looked. What appeared to be a dressmaker’s shop had three versions of her elf attire in the window on display, presumably for sale to the local women.

  “We have to get one,” Cassandra exclaimed. “It’s too hilarious not to.”

  As if by divine intervention, the weaver came out of her shop wearing a bright yellow version of the Mrs. Claus costume. Olivette’s words were lost as she coughed in surprise. The weaver smiled at them as she went to work on her loom.

  “Fine, but first you need to come try these new concoctions with me.” Lyra moved back inside the bakery.

  Olivette couldn’t help but laugh as she made a move to join the women inside. To herself, she mumbled, “I guess I did contribute something to this society after all.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Lucius pushed through the underwater tunnels, not wanting to admit that he was lost in the maze. It was worse than they could have ever imagined. The Olympians must have spent decades mining the underground routes to the ocean. No wonder they kept appearing each time the hunters managed to block one of their tunnels.

  The darkness did not bother him as he was used to seeing through the dark waters of the ocean. What worried him was the instability of several tunnels they passed. Passages were blocked by a rock fall. The smell of decay in the water caused him to stiffen and slow his pace. He inched along a fractured tunnel, only to find a skeletal arm poking out from the rocks. By the length of the fin it looked to be a male. Someone had dulled the edge of the fin to keep it from cutting. One of the Olympian slaves, perhaps?

  ‘Maia, what were you doing?’ Lucius said, more to himself than anyone else.

  ‘My king?’ Brutus’ voice filled his mind. ‘Come this way. We found a path out. These tunnels are not sturdy. One almost caved in on Demon.’

  ‘The Olympians are not in here,’ Demon added. ‘Even they must know what they created is not safe.’

  ‘No wonder the guard worm has been territorial of late. They’ve been invading his home within the rock dome,’ Lucius said. ‘It explains why it attacked and killed Pirene.’

  The land above him began to tremor, vibrating the water within the tunnels. Lucius heard rocks falling behind him.

  ‘Hurry,’ Brutus yelled. ‘They’re caving in!’

  Lucius surged forward, pulling with his arms to speed his way through.

  ‘The integrity is too weak. They did not brace the structure with support beams.’ Iason’s voice joined theirs. He’d found a tunnel entry while with his wife, Cassandra, in the country. ‘Follow my vibrations. I’m out in the ocean.’

  The steady tap of a hand on the rock was hard to decipher in the rumbling tunnels, but somehow Lucius managed to emerge from within. Brutus and Demon reached into the tunnel and pulled him out as he swam forward. Rocks continued to clink inside the unsafe hole. The stone pedestal held Atlantes above the ocean floor, allowing it free movement with the currents. What the Olympians had done weakened the base of their home.

  ‘It’s almost like they want to destroy the dome.’ Lucius scanned the surrounding ocean. Small sea creatures were scrambling away from the dome as if they sensed it was in danger. Their translucent bodies glimmered briefly before disappearing into the sand.

  ‘But why? They need Atlantes as much as we do. Without it, they will be lost to the sea just like the rest of us,’ Iason said.

  Lucius shared a look with Brutus. The method for breathing surface air came from the Olympians. It was possible the crazy mermaids planned to force everyone in the dome to either bow to them or die. Either way, the mermaids had found a way to survive on the surface.

  ‘I must show you something,’ Iason said. His shoulder-length blond hair covered his face as he moved to swim up toward the soft light of the dome.

  Lucius followed the movement of his green tail up the rocky incline. The soft glow from within the dome penetrated the darkness. It sat like a frozen bubble trapped in water. So strong, yet appearing so delicate. He touched the smooth surface, letting his hand glide over it. Beyond his hand, on the other side, he saw the trees along the borderland. Though so close, it was impossible to get to through the barrier. Above them, the dome stretched high
to create the Atlantean sky.

  ‘Look.’ Iason gestured to the barrier. ‘Tell me I imagine that.’

  Lucius swam to where he indicated.

  A small crack had formed in the dome, a thin thread reaching from the rock base and fracturing out like three crooked fingers. A tiny air bubble formed along the seam. Lucius touched it lightly with his finger. The bubble skated up the side of the dome.

  ‘The crazy sea witches actually went through with it,’ Brutus said.

  ‘We have to seal it,’ Demon insisted. ‘We must check the entire dome.’

  ‘Aye.’ Lucius nodded. He stared at the crack as if it manifested all his fears from over the centuries below the surface.

  His people needed the dome to survive. They could not survive in the ocean. They’d try, but in the end, all the Merr would succumb to the dark insanity. They would become the thing his people hunted. They would become scylla.

  ‘We can’t let this happen,’ Iason whispered. ‘I would rather die than become a mindless scylla, killing those from the surface world. Imagine, thousands of us roaming the waters. No ship would be safe.’

  ‘The humans won’t know how to hunt scylla,’ Demon added.

  ‘This can’t be happening. We only just found our wives,’ Brutus said. ‘The gods would not take them from us so soon. What more do they want? What more can we do to please them?’

  Lucius stared at the crack. He’d only just found Olivette. For some reason, she hesitated around him even though he felt her desire. He thought to give her time to learn what he knew. But what if they didn’t have time? What if this was the end of their world?

  ‘The seaweed,’ Brutus said. ‘We must make everyone eat the seaweed.’

  ‘We don’t know if that works,’ Iason disputed.

  ‘It does,’ Lucius answered.

  ‘My king?’ Iason asked.

  ‘I breathed surface air and lived,’ Lucius said.

  Iason grabbed his arm and forced him to look at him. ‘This news is too important. I would have heard about it.’