Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection

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Realms and Rebels: A Paranormal and Fantasy Reverse Harem Collection Page 141

by C. M. Stunich


  It began a few months ago, at the cusp of spring. Kaveth, Neo, and Harun started coming to the beach every morning for their morning exercise. It intrigued me, and I began to come to watch them. Sometimes, I stayed out in the sea, while other days, I watched them from under the nearby pier. They weren’t like the usual beach visitors who came in the hope of playing with my sisters.

  Their seriousness and dedication drew me closer until I found myself coming up onto the beach to watch them. Harun approached me first, followed closely by the others, and since then, we’ve become friends. At least, I think we have. I’ve never befriended a human before.

  “Shall I escort you to your usual place?” Neo extends a hand, palm up, and my sisters’ warnings ring in my ears.

  The humans will try to lure you away. Don’t be tempted by them.

  Lately, my heart races when they’re near, and I can’t deny, at least to myself, that I find them tempting.

  My hand shakes as I place it in Neo’s. A deep breath helps calm my nerves, and I smile. “Thank you. I don’t mean to hinder your work.”

  Neo’s blue eyes, which remind me of a calm sea, search my face. “You’re never a hindrance.”

  “Yes,” Kaveth adds. “We always enjoy your company.”

  After a brief hesitation, I glide the rest of the way out of the water, my hair, body, and the soft blue, scarf dress dry. “I’m not sure how much company I’ll be, but I enjoy the morning sun, so if you don’t mind, I’ll take my position up on the sand again.”

  “We don’t mind.” Without waiting, Kaveth takes my other hand, and the two lead me over to my normal spot near the dunes. “You’re our guardian angel. Since you’ve been with us, there haven’t been any major emergencies in the town.”

  “The angels fled with the gods thousands of years ago.” I scoff, then add, “They weren’t the nicest of creatures, always playing tricks because they were some of the most favored. One time, I rescued a pixie caught in a whirlpool created by an angel. She was afraid to go near the water after that. I was glad to see the angels go. I do miss the gods, though.”

  The gods and goddess’ parting words swirl through the hole they left in my heart. The ache of their departure haunts me. They invited us to go with them, but fear of the unknown kept the nereids hidden in our silver and gold palace, now our only remaining reminder of the love the gods held for us.

  The guys step away, shock on their faces. That was probably the most I’ve ever said to them at one time. It reminds them of my age, or agelessness, since I look like I could be in my early twenties based on human aging.

  Sliding my hands the rest of the way free from Neo and Kaveth, I pull my azure blue hair over my face and turn back to the sea. Strong, rough hands rest on my shoulders, followed by a warm chest that covers the length of my back. My skin tingles as warm hands rub the goose bumps from my arms. Other than hand holding when I help those in need or when the guys help me from the water, my physical contact with humans is limited.

  “I’m sorry for our reaction.” In front of me, Kaveth’s deep voice soothes my nerves. “Growing up, and even today, folks rarely talk about the time of the gods. Most believe the stories are made up by parents to keep kids in line or be a fun story with a fantastical ending. Until you and your sisters showed up, the idea of beings like yourself or the gods were fading away.”

  Unsure I want to break contact from the secure hands holding me, I brush my hair out of my eyes and twist around. Harun releases and helps steady me as I turn fully. “Just like humans and animals, there were incredibly dangerous creatures and others as gentle as an afternoon breeze. Some of the deadliest were also the most beautiful, ready to ensnare you with their looks only to sink their claws into you. I’m not sad to see some of them, like the angels, gone.”

  The men’s shoulders relax, and smiles grace their faces as I open up about our world’s history.

  “Well, I’m glad you stayed because even if you aren’t an angel, you still bring good fortune to us.” Harun’s gentle nature and expressive brown eyes put me at ease. “Will you tell us more about them later?”

  “If I’m around, I’ll think about it, but you’re losing your day. Normally by the time the sun’s reached this point, you’re halfway into your routine.” Reds and oranges brighten to a vivid yellow as the light reflects off the water. Fishermen finishing their day float just off the coast, relaxing as they wait their turn to dock and unload a couple of leagues away.

  With a grin, Neo climbs to his feet, then claps his hands together. “You’re right! There’s no time to relax with the festival so near. We have less than a month to prepare.”

  He motions for the others to follow him farther down the beach where they usually begin their workout. The heat in the day must already affect them because they pull their shirts over their heads and toss them to one side before Harun and Kaveth take places side-by-side and Neo faces them.

  I purse my lips, my nose wrinkled in confusion. Today’s the first time the men have removed their shirts. The gods and many of the fae walked around in little to no clothing, but humans tend to be more reserved. Even when they swim, they cover most of their bodies.

  Neo leads them as he goes through each of their stretches. His lean muscles elongate as he raises his arms over his head and places one leg in front of the other, angling toward the water. As he relaxes, the muscles of his upper body taper back to a thinner waist and widen back at his thick thighs. He counts as the men shift positions and switch legs as they lean forward again.

  When Kaveth stretches, his tall body reaches past the others, a line pointing toward my home. The red in his hair matches the final streaks of breaking morning light, and his eyes remind me of the seaweed gardens surrounding the underwater palace.

  After about fifteen minutes, the men switch to push-ups. Harun takes the front and guides them through the motions, checking the others to make sure they’re following his instructions.

  “Kaveth, you have to bend your elbows more to get the maximum effect. You won’t be able to carry your equipment if you don’t build up your strength.” Harun continues the exercise but only uses one arm as he motions with his free hand to emphasize his strength.

  Giggling, I cover my mouth and smash my lips together. Harun glances over and winks at me. His playful nature and warm baritone voice seem at odds with his broad shoulders and stocky muscles. Demigods built like him tended to be arrogant.

  Kaveth jumps to his feet. “Enough of this. We have equipment to repair.”

  He nudges Harun, and they grab their shirts and head up the dunes while Neo walks over to me.

  After weeks of watching them do this every morning, curiosity finally gets the better of me. “Why do you come here if you can just workout at your station?”

  I’ve held back on asking, since I like them coming to the beach. There’s a watch station in town, but because of the distance from the water, I haven’t visited it. If they stayed there, I’d never see them.

  Neo places a hand over his eyes to shade them from the sun. “The sand helps us reduce the time we workout because of the way it moves. If we did this back at the station, it would take us twice as long or longer. We also like seeing you.”

  Once again, he offers me his hand to help me stand. Grateful, I take it, the residual sand on his palm creating extra friction between us. His blue eyes twinkle as he smiles down at me.

  Men have written poems and love songs about the beauty of the nereids, but this is the first time I’m flattered by the attention. “Thank you. My kind is known for our allure.”

  “Thelsa.” Neo stops and turns me to face him. “I’m not talking about the way you look, although you are beautiful. You calm me when you’re around. Maybe it’s part of what you are, but burdens wash away when you’re near.”

  “Oh!” My rosy skin feels like it may be the color or Kaveth’s hair.

  Nereids tend to be fun-loving and playful, so most humans treat us as pets. They rarely talk to us as
intelligent individuals, which my sisters find amusing but irritates me. I’m thousands of years old with more knowledge than humans can hope to grasp in their lifetime.

  Neo and I walk to the water’s edge, the waves lapping at our toes. The pulse of the sea rushes through me, feeding my life force. Although we can roam the land, being too far from water weakens us. If we stay out of the water for too long, we risk losing our ability to return beneath the waves.

  We become mortal, if it doesn’t kill us.

  Grunts echo from behind us. Turning and dropping Neo’s hand, I watch Kaveth struggle to pull a wagon between two dunes.

  “What’s he doing?” I turn back to Neo, my brows furrowed. “The wheels will just sink.”

  “He’s determined to work on it down here?” He links his hand with mine. “Come, we can laugh at his foolishness.”

  We jog the short distance to where Kaveth struggles with the wagon, and I spot Harun at the back, straining to push it forward another foot. It lists to one side at the front, and I realize one of the wheels is broken, along with the side of one wall.

  “I think you’re stuck,” Neo points out.

  “Thanks for the help,” Kaveth grumbles and elbows him in the side.

  Neo discreetly rubs his ribs. “You’re the one who insisted on hauling it down here.”

  He wipes the sweat from his brow. “I thought Thelsa might like to see it. She doesn’t come into town, so we had to bring it here.”

  I stare at it. The wagon holds a large barrel strapped to its frame, with a chair mounted to the top. Uncertain, I smile at Kaveth. “It’s a very nice wagon.”

  He grins back at me, his eyes twinkling. “It’s for putting out fires. Usually, we fill it at the Great Fountain and keep it on hand for emergencies, but someone”—his gaze shoots to Harun—”ran it off the road during drills.”

  Harun raises his hands in self-defense. “It was one of the new recruits.”

  “That you were training.” Kaveth turns back to me. “I need to fix it, and since you seem to like seeing human inventions, I thought…”

  I venture closer to the broken side of the wagon. “But won’t it be harder to fix down here?”

  “Not really.” Color creeps into his cheeks. “And it might be fun to work on together? If you have the time?”

  I have nothing but time, and working with human tools intrigues me. “What will you do if a fire breaks out while you’re fixing the wagon? Do you have another?”

  “We’ve never needed two before.” Neo leans against one corner. “We’re having another built now that we’ve seen the error of that idea. But it will take time. Especially during the festival season when the craftsmen are working on wears to sell to the town visitors.”

  “We can use buckets filled from the Great Fountain if something comes up before then.” Harun digs tools from the back and comes forward. “It’s not ideal, but there’s not much else we can do until the wagon is fixed.”

  The Great Fountain sits at the town center and offers ready access to water for anyone in need. In the early days, it was the only access to fresh water. Modern invention make life easier on the townsfolk, but the fountain still acts as the local gathering place. I’ve never been myself, the town being too far away from the sea for my comfort, but I’ve heard it described often enough to feel like I’ve been there.

  Kaveth slumps. “Hopefully it won’t come to that. Bucket brigades don’t have great success.”

  “Wait! I can help with this.” I bounce on my toes, excited I can contribute to their solution. “Well, not me, but my sister, Cyanea, can. One of her gifts is to form water into shapes that hold their form. You could put it on a regular wagon.”

  “That would be a huge help, if she’s willing.” Kaveth’s focus shifts to where my sisters frolic, his brows pinched with uncertainty.

  “I’ll ask her as soon as I see her again.” I clap my hands, excited to bring Cyanea the news.

  In the old days, nereids helped humans all the time, usually sailors lost at sea who needed to find their way home. Over the centuries, we lost purpose, the humans not needing us as much. It will be good to feel useful once more.

  “But I want to help, too.” I pace around, trying to figure out what I can do. “My abilities are basic compared to what some of my sisters can do. If I were there, I could shoot the water directly at the fire.” Raising my hands, I pull water from the sea and direct it at Harun’s chest, knocking him down.

  Not intending to hit him so hard, I rush to his side. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that. Are you okay?”

  As I dry the water dripping down his sides, my hands slide over his taut chest. His wet shirt molds to his muscles, the white fabric practically transparent. Tingles rush through my fingers, the urge to continue touching singing through me. I move away quickly, balling my hands.

  Harun laughs and swipes more water from his chest. The sight of his large hands skimming down his muscular abs makes my pulse pickup speed, and the tingles worsen. I want to help more, to catch the beads that slide over his pectorals, to test the temperature of the water stolen from his body. Warmth fills my chest, and I duck my head, not sure what my expression reveals.

  “Hey, it’s okay.” Harun leaps to his feet and waves his arms. “See? I’m fine. That’s quite a punch you have. If you think you can help us, I’m sure the town will stay safe.”

  “I’ll do what I can.” I peek back up, and his brown eyes catch mine, heated like the sun at high noon. Flustered, I break eye contact once more to stare at the broken wagon. “My sisters and I have always worked to help humans in need. This should be no different.”

  2

  “Not interested,” Cyanea says as she runs a comb through her long, blond hair.

  “But it will help out the watch station.” I hold back the frustration and circle to stand behind her so I can see her expression in the mirror. “We’re nereids, we’re supposed to help humans.”

  “Yeah, ones who’ve wrecked their boats. Show me an attractive sailor in distress, and I’m your girl. But these land humans?” She shrugs one plump shoulder. “I won’t be tricked onto land by one of them.”

  “They’re not all out to trick us.” Worry fills my voice, though, making my argument lose steam. “I don’t know why you all keep saying that. We’ve had one sister, one, in the last two hundred years who was lured away from the sea.”

  Cyanea sets her comb down with a decisive click, and her blue eyes meet mine. “Do you know how few of us there are on this planet?”

  “Thirty,” I mutter, my shoulders hunching.

  “Thirty!” she repeats. “And with the gods gone, there won’t be any more of us. Do you want us all to turn mortal? To breed with humans and birth babies who will know only one hundred years, if they’re lucky?”

  My hands fold over my stomach in self-defense. “No, of course not.”

  “We’ll disappear, just like the dryads did.”

  “They haven’t disappeared.” Though human expansion limits where the wood nymphs live, they still slumber within the trees and dance among the sunspots. “There’s just fewer of them than there were.”

  “Because humans cut down their homes and forced them to become mortal!” Her hands grip the edges of her vanity table. “We’re more protected here in our palace, where they can’t reach us. But if you give into their lure...”

  Disheartened, I pull a padded stool out and sit beside her. “I know. It’s just...” My hands open and close, unsure how to voice my unhappiness. “There aren’t as many shipwrecks anymore. And I feel so useless.”

  “Then come to the beach with the rest of us.” She turns, her fingers combing through my blue tresses. “I’ll put pearls in your hair, and you can play with the newcomers.”

  “I don’t want to play with the festivalgoers.” I drop my head in her lap, my arms around her knees for comfort. “I want to have meaning in my life.”

  “Be cheerful and merry. Sing so Father knows we are sti
ll here, protecting our home should he wish to return.”

  Sadness sinks through me. What’s the point of immortality when even time takes the immortals away? “Father is gone.”

  Cyanea tugs sharply on a stand of my hair. “Always the naysayer. This is why you’re so blue.”

  “I’m practical.” I sit up, rubbing the sore spot on my scalp. “And I was born blue.”

  “You were born without the sense to have fun.” She turns back to her mirror and lifts her red coral hairpiece. “Now, if you’re not going to join us, then leave me alone. I have fun to make today, and you won’t sway me from it.”

  “Fine, shirk your duties.” I stand and kick the stool back under the vanity. “I’ll figure this out without your help.”

  In the mirror, her eyes narrow. “You do that, sister.”

  Exhausted by our argument, I stride from the room. Of all my sisters, I thought Cyanea to be the most levelheaded. She used to love floating on the crest of stormy waves, eyes and ears open for the crack of wood against rock. She used to boast of the number of princes she dragged to shore, of the gifts they offered to entice her to leave the sea to be their bride.

  Now, those gifts decorate her mirror, trophies of a time long gone. Few princes still exist, the nations cobbling themselves together into larger groups where monarchy gives way to republics. Ruled by the masses instead of a divinely appointed leader.

  Without the gods present on earth to remind humans of their divinity, people forgot. It’s as Kaveth said. If we hadn’t reemerged from the sea, magic would have been forgotten entirely. Even the great sea creatures of old have either passed from this world or slumber on the ocean floors, the warnings on maps of Here be Monsters now a fanciful myth few believe.

  I wander the silent palace, its once jeweled pillars now bare of the bright starfish that previously adorned them. The decorative kelp strings that festooned the ceiling now hang in limp stands, where they hang at all. Most of the domed ceiling now sits exposed, the gold leaf flaking in places. Humans don’t lose gold the way they used to, choosing to ship their treasures over land, so patching the holes is near impossible.

 

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