by Amber Garr
“They won’t negotiate,” someone said.
“Graham will make them,” I said, so sure that he was going to come through.
“Even so,” my uncle continued, “you most certainly will not be meeting with him.”
“Excuse me?” I asked with every bit of attitude that I had. Andre stood.
“We know that he’s asked to speak to you and the Council. We will not allow you to meet with him and jeopardize our clan any further.”
I sucked in a breath. I was in charge here and right now my uncle was doing nothing but belittling my power in front of the very people who shouldn’t see something like this. “You do not get to make that decision for me, Andre.”
“Eviana, please…”
“Mistress Dumahl,” I interrupted and the entire room stopped breathing. My uncle stared at me until he finally lowered his head.
“Mistress Dumahl, I strongly advise you not to meet with him. It is no doubt some sort of trap and we simply cannot risk it right now.”
“Then I will go with her,” Kain said as he rose.
“What?” Mr. Wallace shouted.
“We rule our clans as one, therefore we will face Lucian as one.” Kain walked around to the other side of the table opposite me and I watched in awe as everyone in the room focused on him. He’d grabbed their attention instantly and no one was arguing with him. There was a part of me that seethed with anger, but I managed to keep that buried deep down inside. “He’s asked for a meeting, most likely to negotiate some terms. I think that the past twenty-four hours have shown us that his reach stretches far beyond the few clans in the United States that support him. He has a world-wide following and if we don’t at least hear him out, I am afraid for what will happen next.”
“But it’s too much of a risk,” my uncle said lightly. Even he wouldn’t be too argumentative with Kain.
“It’s one that Eviana and I are willing to take in order to secure the future of our clans.”
“Do you know where he wants to meet?” one of my advisors asked Kain. No one was looking at me right now and it nearly sent me over the edge. I’d just spent several days with the shunned Jeremiah Williams in order to strengthen my power so that I could better protect my people and this was how they treated me? Damn them.
“No, but I’m sure that we will know soon.”
“What if it’s a trap? You certainly can’t walk in there with an army of protectors and selkies with you.” There was no hiding the disgust when my uncle mentioned selkies. “Besides, that isn’t going to be enough.”
Kain looked up at me and for some reason, I knew exactly what he was thinking. “We have the water,” I said quietly.
“What?” Mr. Wallace snapped.
I looked down at him. “We have more than just those brave soldiers training outside right now. We have someone in our clan who has just as much control over water as Graham. We also have some friends of the aqueous persuasion.” I smiled at Kain and got a wink in return. He was encouraging me to go on.
“Evaina…” I glared at my uncle. “I mean, Mistress Dumahl, can you please enlighten us?”
I pointed to Kain. “Your own clan leader has an amazing amount of control over water.” Everyone turned to look at him in surprise. “And,” all of the heads whipped back around to face me, “I think that I can get the water sprites on our side.” At least I hoped I could.
“No!” Most of the advisor’s gasped the same remark.
“Yes. I know one very well and I bet that he will be able to gather a force much greater than what Lucian already controls.” I noticed how none of them seemed to be surprised at their existence. Even when I had mentioned the ratchets earlier. Apparently, they only told the story about them being extinct to children.
We spent the rest of the day in that meeting room arguing and discussing potential strategies. Kain and I needed most of that time to convince them to let us go to Lucian’s meeting. Around four in the afternoon, we sat in on a conference call to the Council. Adele was the only one who spoke, but I had to smile when I heard Graham’s accented quips in the background. They had agreed to negotiate. Well, really, they agreed to hear Lucian’s demands assuming that he would have nothing to offer them.
Regardless, it was progress. Adele said that she would contact Kain and me as soon as the arrangements were made and a location was agreed upon. With a few parting words, I was able to escape but realized that it was much later than I anticipated. Kain was staying in the guest house, so I would catch up with him in the morning once the rest of our advisors gave us a few minutes alone.
But for now, I had another date. When I rounded the corner leading into the kitchen, I was relieved to see Brendan waiting there for me. Tonight, I would no longer think about Lucian, the Council, or anyone else. Tonight was reserved for my gorgeous selkie.
Fourteen
My smile grew the closer I got to him. “Sorry that took so long,” I sighed.
“Bad day, huh?” He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and I snuggled closer. We walked into the kitchen and he escorted me to a seat at the center island. “Everyone already ate, but I saved us a plate.”
I watched as he worked his way around, heating up our food and pouring drinks. It was just the two of us right now and my heart ached at the memories of our time living together at the beach. “So you’re training too?”
He smiled and pressed the numbers on the microwave. “I didn’t really have much of a choice. Although, it’s actually kind of fun. Julian really knows what he’s doing and your cousin is a good sparring partner.”
“I hope that we can convince Lucian to stop this crazy war.” I sighed and laid my head down on my arms. “I don’t want to see any more die.”
“You’re going to talk to him?” Brendan pushed a plate against my arms forcing me to sit up. I saw the concerned look on his face.
“Yes. We finally reached an agreement that Kain and I would go along with the Council members.”
He stopped moving for a few seconds but didn’t say anything at first. “When?”
“I don’t know. They’re going to get back to us once they speak with Lucian.”
“Why does he want you to be there?”
I stabbed a piece of meat with my fork. “I have no idea,” I sighed. “It’s like he’s obsessed with getting me on his side. I’m still having a hard enough time dealing with my own clan. I don’t know what difference my presence on his side would make.”
Brendan sat down next to me and we ate in silence for a while. My nerves were tingling like crazy at being so close to him. He smelled really good and our legs were touching underneath the counter. It was like we were on our first date again.
“So how is it being around so many other selkies?” I asked.
“It’s been interesting. My dad taught me well, but it’s kind of neat to hear everyone’s individual stories about their lives.”
“Where are they all staying?”
“Julian rented a house on the beach a few miles away. I think most of them have gone there for the evening.” His wry smirk made me suspicious.
“What?”
“Well, I think two of them managed to stay behind with your sister and Daniel.” I almost choked on my food.
“What? Where are they?”
He laughed. “Relax. I think they went into town for dinner or something.” Rubbing his hand on my shoulder he chuckled some more. “Quinlan is a good guy. He won’t take advantage of your sister. And I think Aleksey is just as fascinated with Daniel as Daniel is with him.”
“Aleksey? That sounds Russian.”
“It is. Julian’s reach is global.” Interesting. I bet Daniel was in heaven.
“My sister’s only fourteen,” I grumbled.
“And if she’s anything like you, she will have that guy wrapped around her finger by the end of the night.” I looked up at him and blushed. His sparkling smile and bright green eyes caused my heart to flutter. I simply loved him more than anyone could
ever understand.
“I’m glad you’re here,” I whispered. He leaned over and kissed me on the lips.
“Me too.”
We finished our meals and decided to take a walk on the beach. I asked him about Seattle, but he wasn’t real comfortable telling me his story. Not quite sure what that was all about, I did my best not to pry. He wanted to know more about the attack at Jeremiah’s so I told him. Although the topic was appalling, I found that it was nice to have someone to talk to.
He was particularly interested in my training and Malcolm’s willingness to serve as my guinea pig. I could see how much this unnerved him, but if we were going to have a relationship, then he needed to accept that I had the ability to control his mind.
“You know that I would never do that on purpose, right?” I asked after a prolonged silence.
He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. “Yeah. But it doesn’t mean that I won’t think about it.” I turned my head so that he couldn’t see the tears. “Evs, don’t worry.” He stopped walking and pulled me against his chest. “It’s just something that I have to deal with. And I’m working on it.”
I didn’t really have anything to say. My heart wanted him back with me no matter what. So I thought it would be best for him to come to terms with the new power structure of our relationship on his own. I just hoped he could do it soon. I shivered with the thought of him leaving me again.
His hands moved up and down along my arms. “Evs, you’re freezing. Let’s go back to the house.”
“No, not yet,” I said and wrapped my arm around his lower back. His body shook with a laugh as we continued our stroll down the quiet beach.
The breaking waves filled the evening with sounds of our other life. It was a life that I’d shared with Brendan for eight years. We didn’t have to hide our true nature from each other. Discovering the intricate details of our world was one of the most memorable and fulfilling times in my life. We’d shared everything for so long that I simply didn’t want to lose that. Right now it felt like we were the only two in the world, and that was a sentiment I deeply missed.
“Do you remember that time I tried to teach you how to fish?” he asked after a long bout of silence.
I smiled. “Yes, but you didn’t tell me I had to catch the fish with my mouth. It wasn’t fair that you were in your seal form at the time.”
“I was just teasing you, but you had to prove that you could do it.” He squeezed me tighter.
“I couldn’t let you win,” I said and bumped him with my shoulder. “Besides, I finally caught that flounder.”
He laughed again. “You sure did. Guts and all.” We stopped moving when he turned to face me. “I don’t have memories like that with anyone else.”
I looked up into his eyes. “That’s because no one would have accepted your challenge. It was really disgusting.”
“I’m serious.” He stared at something off in the distance and gathered his thoughts. “I don’t have anyone else, Evs. You are my family.” I saw tears in his eyes and my heart ached. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you at the funeral and I’m sorry I took off with Julian.”
“It’s okay,” I whispered.
“No, it’s not.” He pulled me into a hug and rested his chin on my head in a familiar gesture. “You are so strong. Since the first day I met you, I admired your drive. Even in Maryland, you never quit fighting for me. I was the one who ran away like a coward.”
I wrapped my arms tighter around his waist. “Stop it, Brendan. A lot happened to us and we all needed some time to process.”
“You didn’t. Not once did you lose control. Your parents were killed and yet you got everyone out of there without a second thought. It was natural for you. You are destined to be a great leader.”
I had to smile. “Do you know that I always admired how together you were?” He pulled away and looked down at me with a crooked grin.
“Me?”
“Yes. I knew that I could always count on you to have a plan. I was the one that felt like the follower.”
He squeezed me tight again. “You don’t need to follow anyone, Evs. You’ll always be fine on your own.”
Not knowing exactly what that meant, my thoughts travelled in a thousand different directions. I needed to hear an apology from Brendan for leaving me like he did. Sure, I understood what he was going through, but he’d left me when I needed him most. Yet something in his tone sent warning chills down my spine.
“It’s cold. Let’s go back now,” he said. I didn’t argue and instead enjoyed being next to the guy I’d waited so long to spend my life with.
With arms wrapped tightly around each other, we walked in silence all the way to the deck. Just as I climbed the first stair, he stopped and forced me to turn around to face him. His hands were holding both of mine and I drowned in his warmth.
“Evs, I…I don’t know how you feel right now, but I think…I…” He was fumbling like a school boy.
“What Brendan?”
He sighed and smiled. “I want to stay with you tonight. But if you’re not ready for that again, then I understand and I will go to Julian’s.”
Not ready? It’s what I’ve been waiting for ever since the day he left me! I could barely breathe. My pulse pounded and I was sure that my cheeks were flushed. He wanted to spend the night with me and it was all I could do not to jump into his arms right away.
“Please stay here,” I whispered. His handsome face glowed with excitement so I grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stairs and into the house.
My sister, Daniel, and their two selkie boys were back and sitting in the living room watching a movie. Trying not to be seen, we tiptoed past the entrance and towards the stairs. Even though my parents were gone, Marisol and I never moved out of our rooms. It would have been too weird to stay in their bedroom, so that was where Uncle Andre slept instead. Apparently he didn’t have a problem with it.
We crept into my room like we were sneaking around even though that wasn’t necessary anymore. Locking the door behind me, I took a deep breath and tried to calm my nerves. I loved Brendan with all of my heart, but something about all of this made me hesitate. It felt like this was my one and only chance to prove to him that we were meant to be together and that we could actually make this work. It was simply too much pressure.
Even with people constantly telling me that he was going to leave again, I still wanted to believe that we could overcome the odds.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked from his spot next to the bed. I looked up at him in surprise and he chuckled. “I can see your pinched brow from here.”
I decided not to ruin this moment. “Nothing really. Just that you’ve never been in my bedroom before.”
He looked around and then pushed on the mattress a few times. “It’s nicer than our efficiency in Maryland.”
“Yeah, but I loved that place.”
“So did I.” He held out his arm and I walked close enough to lay my hand in his. “I really think this is where I need to be.”
“What?”
“Seattle never felt right. Being here with you is better.” Better? That stung a little bit but I was determined to make the most of tonight and prove to Brendan that this was our home now. So I raised my head and gave him a kiss. He responded quickly and all feelings of doubt disappeared. I remembered every part of him and the way he moved. Being with him was just plain right.
He pulled away and licked his lips. “You taste salty.”
With a sudden pang of embarrassment, I realized that I hadn’t showered since I left Jeremiah’s nearly a full day ago. I stepped away and walked towards my bathroom. “I’m going to get cleaned up.”
Brendan laughed and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know, but it’s been a really long day and I could use a shower.” I made my way into the bathroom, but before I closed the door I stuck my head back into the bedroom. “Don’t go anywhere, okay?”
H
e was sprawled out across the foot of my bed. “I won’t. Promise.”
I smiled at that and shut the door. Why was I so nervous? It’s not like we hadn’t done this before. I mean we lived together for almost a month. It just seemed like things were different now. More fragile. Like one wrong move on my part would send him running again.
Sighing, I turned on the shower and stripped out of my clothes. Why was I feeling this way? The man I loved more than anyone else in the world was just beyond that door, willing to try at our relationship again. This nagging feeling of dread inside of me had to go away. I stepped underneath the hot water and closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe deeply and ignore those negative feelings.
I was just about to grab the shampoo when I heard the door click open. My breath caught in my throat and I froze. The shower curtain rustled as it was pushed to the side and Brendan stepped into the tub with me. My back was facing him but I knew what I’d see if I turned around. And I could barely stop myself.
Brendan grabbed the shampoo from my hands. “Here, let me do it.” The moment he began to massage the shampoo into my scalp was the moment the last of the fear slipped away. Showers together had become an almost daily event in Maryland. It was as though we could never quite get enough of each other. I closed my eyes in part due to the bliss of feeling him so close to me and also to stop the impending tears from spilling over.
When he finished with my hair, he began to massage my neck and shoulders. It was so relaxing that I needed to brace myself against the side of the shower. He laughed and leaned forward close enough to whisper in my ear and brush up against me. “Perhaps we should finish up in here and go to bed.”
I turned around so that I could see his perfect face and beautiful body. Any childish feelings that I may have had for Graham had just been that…childish. This was real. Brendan was real and he was here.
We stayed in the shower long enough to use up all of the hot water before moving into the bedroom. Everything was perfect. It was as though we hadn’t lost all of that time or that our lives had drastically changed since that day in the cave. Brendan had owned my heart for so many years and now I couldn’t give him enough of me. I closed my eyes and wished that we could freeze these moments in time. Like the moment when we were wrapped around each other so tight that nothing could ever break us apart again. Or the one right now, where we were laying in each other’s arms, content and at peace.