Ageless Sea

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Ageless Sea Page 19

by M. R. Polish


  “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.

  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 Azul 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.

  The wind settled around them and Karis let out the breath she held in. What she saw first didn’t impress her. Large bushes of sage and dirt surrounded them. The breeze picked up and she wrinkled her nose at the strange scent. “What is that?”

  Brady inhaled deeply with a smiled. “That’s pine. I believe the town has lots of pinon pine, or something like that. It’s been awhile since high school geography.”

  “Eww, and you like that smell? I think it smells like a wet animal.”

  Alexis came up behind her. “It smells clean. I think I like it. It’s not like the Harnessroot trees in Aridam, but it’s nice.”

  Karis could already see that she was on her own as far as the new smell was concerned. Maybe she’d get used to it, or better yet, they would find Athena and be able to leave—soon.

  They walked until they reached a highway. Brady stopped and looked at the rest of them and then himself. “Um, you know I didn’t think of this before, but we’re not exactly looking like we belong here. Karis, you look like a genie, a very beautiful genie in a sexy black…”

  Azul cleared his throat. “Spare us the rest of that, I beg of you.”

  Karis blushed, but Brady continued, “Well, what I was saying is that we have Captain Jack Sparrow, a genie, Alexis has a milkmaid thing going on, and Magnus and I look like something from Arabian Nights. We’re gonna be lucky if we don’t get arrested for indecent exposure or worse, sent to a loony bin.”

  Azul stepped to the side and gave them all a long stare. “I hate to say it, but he’s right. We’ll have to find something more appropriate to wear while we are here on Earth.”

  Karis scrunched her brows. “How?”

  Magnus dropped his pack that looked more like an extra-large duffel bag on the ground then kneeled next to it. “I have a way. You see, when my brother left for Earth, he sent us all kinds of money for all different places that they went. He told me to keep it, in case I ever needed to come here in the event that something happened. Well, I didn’t know about their deaths till it was too late, but I think this qualifies in the something happened category. He also set up a trust account in Brady’s name when they first arrived on Earth.” He pulled out a couple small parcels and opened them. “I just have to find the one he marked US.” He flipped through the packages quickly then picked one out.

  “Ah ha! Here it is.” He handed it to Brady. “What do you think?”

  Brady opened the thick packet. His eyes widened and he looked back at Magnus. “Do you have any idea how much is in here?”

  Magnus shrugged and pulled his pack up on his shoulder. “Well, your father said that whatever was in the account and what he sent would be enough to make us well off.”

  “Well off? Magnus, there’s gotta be at least a hundred thousand in here. How did my dad ever get that much? Hell, I don’t remember him ever saying we had money. I mean we traveled a lot and never hurt for anything, but this is a substantial amount of money.”

  “There’s a lot you don’t remember yet. Soon, we’ll find a way to help you. In the meantime, I say that if it’s enough to get us new clothes and possibly some dinner tonight, then I think we’re set,” Magnus said.

  “I don’t think we’ll have any problems,” Brady muttered under his breath.

  Karis twirled around in the mirror of the fitting rooms. The jeans Brady had her try on were tight, but she liked the way they framed her body. Her long hair hung loose and swung out as she moved. She had on a white short-sleeved shirt with a scoop neck and cut shoulder straps. She could see part of her Syrenae tattoo swirl up over her collarbone and shoulder through the slits.

  At that moment she felt exceptionally beautiful, and couldn’t wait to find out what Brady thought of her new look. She spun one more time and stopped with her hand to her mouth. Brady stood behind her grinning and his eyes glistened with happiness.

  “You’re amazing.”

  She blushed. “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “I almost forgot how much I loved tight jeans, dang girl.” He let out a whistle.

  She could say the same about him. He wore faded
light-blue jeans that were long enough to touch the heel of his new white tennis shoes, and a white button-up, short-sleeved shirt with red cuffs.

  He took her hands and swirled her around in a circle. “Let’s go find everyone else.”

  They met Azul standing by the mirrors by the men’s fitting rooms. He had on a dark silk shirt, black pants, and what appeared to be rattlesnake-skin cowboy boots. Karis held back a giggle.

  Brady coughed, but a small chortle escaped.

  Azul shook his head. “This isn’t right. I’ve worn the same type of clothes for nearly two hundred years, it just feels wrong.”

  “Well, maybe being a pirate is okay in Shamike, but here it could get you killed.” Brady draped his arm around Karis’s shoulders, clearly comfortable and feeling more at home since arriving in Santa Fe.

  Azul gave him a stern look and straightened his shoulders. “I’m immortal, I don’t fear death.”

  Brady shrugged. Magnus and Alexis joined them. Magnus went for the same look as Brady, but his shirt was a cream color with a teal swirl design on the back. He gave Karis a smile and did a little twirl for her. “What do you think?”

  Brady slapped him on the shoulder. “Uncle, you look like you belong on Earth. It suits you.”

  Alexis shied away behind Magnus. Karis leaned to see her better. “Come on, Alexis, I bet you look amazing.”

  Alexis scooted into view. Her long brown hair hung over her shoulder in a low ponytail. She wore blue jeans a lot like Karis’s, but hers had sequins sewn onto the back pockets, and a light-brown T-shirt with a swirly cross emblem on the front.

  “If you weren’t my aunt, I’d say you look hot.” Brady gave her one of his famous winks and she blushed even more.

 

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