Harley Merlin 15: Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow

by Forrest, Bella

  “We tried, Finch. We really did,” Melody said softly. “We spoke with so many people about your predicament, and that legend you asked me to research, but nobody seems to know anything. The moment we mentioned the legend, they all sort of… clammed up. As if there’s an embargo on speaking about it. Pandion was slightly more forthcoming, though.”

  I shot back up into a standing position. “Lead with that, for Pete’s sake! Lead with the good news!”

  Melody flushed. “Sorry, you’re right, I keep forgetting to start positive and end with negative. I get it mixed up sometimes. Not that it’s completely good news. It’s just… vague news.”

  “Give it to me,” I begged.

  “Well, he didn’t go into much detail and kept saying, ‘I shouldn’t even be telling you this,’ but he mentioned that it foretells the arrival of a powerful stranger from the surface world at a time of great peril for Atlantis. I don’t need to tell you why that’s relevant right now. Plus, Pandion said he would be a magical with abilities that are uncannily similar to yours, someone in possession of a rare balance between Light and Dark. Again, fits you perfectly. He said something about a wounded queen, which I’m guessing is supposed to be Kaya and all her emotional baggage, and how this stranger would marry the wounded queen of Atlantis so the kingdom could rise to great and unprecedented power.”

  I shot her an “are you kidding me?” look. “Don’t you have a dictionary in that mind palace?”

  “In a manner of speaking, yes,” she replied.

  “Well, look up ‘vague,’ because, in the fabled words of Inigo Montoya, I don’t think it means what you think it means.” I shook my head. “This all makes sense now. Kaya thinks I’m some kind of chosen one sent to save her city! She probably thinks I’ve got some kind of juice that can restore their glitchy Bestiary, so they can keep building until this city is like a thousand cities in one. Of course she’s not going to budge on the marriage thing, if she thinks I’m some infallible hero that’s going to fix all her problems and bring her city that kind of hope.”

  Melody bit her thumbnail nervously. “I hadn’t thought of that. I’ve always understood legends and myths to be riddled with ambiguity. Never in a million years would I have thought that someone as smart as Kaya would take it so literally! But now that you’ve said it, I have a horrible feeling that she might be taking it entirely literally.”

  “You don’t say.” I smacked my forehead with my palm. “If the wedding prep and the Death Day stuff wasn’t bad enough, this has just added another layer of screwed-up to our plans. If she really does think I’m this hero in the legend, then that’s it… we’re screwed.”

  “You really think we’re out of time?” Luke put his hand on Melody’s shoulder. This affected them almost as much as it affected me. In the short term, at least. If—or, as was growing increasingly probable, when—I married Kaya, I could free them as my first royal decree. That meant I could set Ryann free, too. But I wanted to leave with them. I wanted Ryann to have a long and happy life, for sure, but I wanted to be in it.

  I clenched my jaw. “Erebus might still be able to get to Kaya. It’s not working as well as we’d hoped, and now I know why, but she does love him—that’s still got power. And if I can get him to play on what you said, Melody, about legends being filled with ambiguity, then perhaps we can get her to doubt it all, just enough to allow Erebus to weasel his way in.”

  “Are you not worried about Lux?” Melody looked as though she might combust from the stress. “I thought she threatened you.”

  I snorted. “She did, but we have to go with the lesser of two evils. There’s a good chance that Erebus will protect me if he gets what he wants. He’s been weirdly grateful lately, so that might work in our favor. True, Lux can hurt me because I’m tied to her husband, and she can hurt Ryann, but she’s weaker down here. She can’t go all out, unless she wants to risk getting booted from Atlantis.”

  Melody nodded eagerly. “The Sylphs she used before are probably confusing the Atlantean security system. If she actually strikes against you in her true form, then Atlantis will pick up the Child of Chaos power signature and kick her out. Although, I have to stress that this is all theorizing.”

  “A theory is better than nothing,” Luke said soothingly, squeezing Melody’s shoulder.

  She peered up at him with a nervous smile. “Of course, there’s still Erebus to worry about. What if he can’t win Kaya over, and she ends up marrying you anyway, Finch? Won’t he get angry again and lash out? He’s the only Child of Chaos who is technically allowed to kill you.”

  I flashed a conspiratorial grin. “Old Erebus is feeling a little impotent these days.”

  “Excuse me?” Luke spluttered.

  “He was limited before, but he’s a whole lot more limited now.” I allowed myself a moment of satisfaction. “Davin did something to him. Slapped a Chaos seal on him that buried his powers deep, where Erebus can’t get to them. I don’t know what the seal is or how he put it there, but he did. And he’s not talking.”

  Melody shook her head. “But how would he have found such an incredibly powerful spell? Goodness, he must have been busy!”

  “Especially considering Erebus and his powers may be our only hope, with so much stacked against us,” Luke chimed in.

  “Although, I’ve got to ask—how come you didn’t come to me with this sooner?” Melody looked slightly miffed. “I’ve still got my mind palace firing on all cylinders.”

  “I figured he’d used something Atlantean, since that’s all he’d be able to get his hands on around here. Being in Atlantis and all. Like you said, it sounds like an incredibly powerful spell. Again, Atlantean powerful,” I replied.

  Her expression brightened slightly. “Oh… well, yes, that would make a lot of sense. He would have had access to the libraries before he was caught and taken to prison. I’ll check anyway, just in case, though it might take some time to sift through everything.”

  “Sounds like a good idea to me. In the meantime, though, we should probably hit up Davin again, to try and squeeze the truth out of him about this seal. It might be quicker to go direct, so to speak.” My tone turned bitter. “Plus, he knows about Kaya’s ulterior motive for marrying me, too. He mentioned this legend to me, so he’s definitely got some intel about it that he hasn’t divulged yet. And I reckon we’re going to need all the details if we’re going to pick it apart and convince Kaya I’m not the one.”

  “Agreed.” Luke offered me a reassuring look.

  I sighed. “Okay then, time for some more Purgatory flashbacks.”

  This time, Davin was going to do the right thing, whether he liked it or not. Because if anyone thought I was getting married in three days, they were sorely mistaken. And I still had one weapon left in my arsenal… the Eye of Erebus.

  Twenty-Seven

  Finch

  After refilling the Eye of Erebus with Nash’s blood, we left him behind with Huntress. Pushing the boundaries of my Mimicry ability, I shrouded Melody, Luke, and myself in the guise of three random Atlanteans. I’d seen them in the palace hallways, so I knew they wouldn’t be coming down to ruin my scheme anytime soon.

  As a badass trio, we strode through the main foyer of the shady prison and paused beneath the bony chandelier of whale carcass. I’d made sure to put “you can go wherever you like” brands on each of our cheeks, like the one Kaya had given Nash. To be honest, I could’ve just stayed in Nash’s form and escorted Melody and Luke through the prison, but I didn’t want to have to deal with questions if anyone relayed the info to Kaya. This was easier.

  “State your business,” the guard on duty demanded.

  “We are here to speak with the prisoner Davin Doncaster, on behalf of the crown.” I didn’t miss a beat.

  The guard frowned. “The king did not say he had called for assistance.”

  “Pardon?” A sudden moment of confusion hit me.

  “The king is presently with the prisoner. He did not inform me that f
urther assistance had been called for,” the guard replied, his eyes narrowing.

  “Ah, there must have been some miscommunication between the king and the princess. She is the one who sent us. However, I am certain the king will not mind some additional support. Mr. Doncaster is a terrible rogue, and it would be best for him to feel intimidated by a full complement of guards.” I sounded more confident than I felt.

  The guard slowly shook his head. “With the preparations underway, it is hardly surprising that the king and the princess have struggled to communicate. Go ahead. His Majesty has been down there for a considerable time, so perhaps your arrival will prove to be excellent timing. I find that there is nothing like a fresh influx of strength and power to move interrogations forward.”

  “Gratitude.” I bowed my head and wasted no time ushering the others across the foyer and into the Great Glass Elevator. Only after the doors had closed did I dare speak to them. “What the hell is Ovid doing here?”

  Melody frowned through the masculine brows of an Atlantean guard. “I don’t know, but we can’t let him see us. Is it possible for us to hide somewhere and try to eavesdrop? But all the high-security cells are made of glass, aren’t they?”

  “Let me handle it. If we act like guards, we should be able to get pretty close, but don’t say anything. My Mimicry is good, if I do say so myself, but I don’t know how far I can push it with three of us.” I tried to swallow my nerves. This was probably the worst idea in the whole encyclopedia of terrible ideas. One sniff of a rat, and the game would be over. Davin would be delighted to throw us to the wolves. But I wasn’t going back now.

  “Are you sure?” Luke didn’t sound convinced.

  “It’s not ideal, but we have to keep going.” I drew a breath as the elevator wheezed to a halt.

  The doors hissed open, and we stepped out. Immediately, I spotted the king and his entourage. The small cluster was standing outside Davin’s cell, which worked in our favor. We could use the guards to shield ourselves from suspicion, as long as we kept a reasonable distance.

  “You see those sentry posts.” I gestured toward two circular platforms. They jutted out on either side of the walkway before Davin’s cell, with no guards on watch. “Let’s take up positions there and make it look like we belong.”

  Luke nodded. “Roger that.”

  “I trust you,” Melody said shakily, but it sounded more like she was trying to convince herself that I wasn’t a madman.

  Keeping up a businesslike stride, we made for the two platforms. Luke and Melody took the one to the left, while I took the one on the right. All the while, my Mimicry maintained our disguises, though I could feel it sapping my strength. A draining, heavy fatigue started at my toes and worked upward. I wouldn’t be able to keep this up for long. Fifteen minutes, maybe a bit longer. Hopefully that’d be enough.

  I turned my back on the king and his groupies. The other two followed my lead, although Luke was the one who put his arms behind his back in a very military-esque fashion. I copied him, since it looked like the kind of thing a guard should do.

  “At present, it is a request, Davin. However, it can quickly turn to a demand if you refuse me,” Ovid said, and my ears pricked. “I came here in good faith, even though you attempted to murder my daughter. Naturally, that means you are indebted to me. If you help me, I may find it within my heart to forgive your appalling transgression.”

  Is he for real? I stared dead ahead at the far curve of the high-security sector. I wasn’t Kaya’s number-one fan, especially right now with her planning this wedding under my nose. But even I wouldn’t forgive someone for trying to kill her. Murder wasn’t cool in my book.

  I didn’t have to dig too deep to understand what question had come before this particular part of their conversation. Clearly, Ovid had asked Davin to extend his life. And people could get a little desperate, and so very, very selfish, when it came to, you know, not dying.

  “I will help you, Your Majesty, as I said. However, I will only do so if you release me from this prison,” Davin replied, all smooth and silver-tongued. “Those are my terms.”

  I heard Ovid shift uncomfortably. “That is no longer my jurisdiction, Davin, considering my time as king will soon end. We are now in the transitional period laid out by Atlantean tradition, whereby Kaya is the one with power. A handover, of sorts. I can still make some demands, and my people still obey me out of habit, but I am little more than a figurehead. As such, she is the only one who may legally free you, and since you attempted to assassinate her, I hardly think you will succeed if you make such a request of her. However, I can promise you comfort and see that you are well taken care of, if you do what I ask. I will still have that power, but only if I continue to live.”

  Hmm… interesting. The king sounded peeved and just a teensy bit vulnerable. Kaya had the love of her people, as Verity had. With that came enormous control and power. If the preparations were anything to go by, Atlantis had already shifted in her favor. I didn’t give a hoot about legends, but if Atlantis believed them, then she was also part of its history—the “wounded queen” who would marry the hero that would save them all. Even without that, I’d seen enough to know how fond of her everyone was. Way fonder than they were of Ovid. Who could blame them? As it turned out, he was a twisted, selfish little twerp who couldn’t even bow out gracefully.

  “Then I can’t help you,” Davin said simply. “I will not be a caged beast, Your Majesty. If you want extended life, then I must have my freedom. Everything has a price, and this is mine.”

  “Davin, you do not understand the complexities of the royal structure. My hands are entirely tied. Kaya placed you here, and she is the only one who may free you.” Ovid was starting to sound pathetic, his voice all strained and desperate.

  “Oh, I understand very well. But, even as a figurehead, are you not still the king, at least for a few days more? You must have some influence left, or am I mistaken in thinking that being king means something, until death removes your power entirely? Either way, if you want to live, you must find a solution.” Davin chuckled coldly. “I will wait.”

  Ovid huffed out an irked sigh. “Allow me to confer with my daughter, and I will return.”

  I stiffened as the king and his entourage turned and began to make their way down the main walkway toward the elevator. Fortunately, Ovid looked so pissed off, he didn’t even notice three newcomers standing on the guard platforms. I resisted the urge to turn and look at Davin, in case he realized we weren’t who we appeared to be. But I could feel his smugness radiating out of his cell. He knew he had the king by the cajones, and I wasn’t completely convinced he wouldn’t end up getting his way. If past encounters were anything to go by, he always did.

  At that moment, the elevator came down its futuristic tube. The doors opened, and Kaya herself stepped out, flanked by guards. If I’d thought Ovid looked pissed, I hadn’t seen anything yet.

  The princess stormed up to her father, forcing him to back up. Her eyes narrowed at him, glowering with such fury that the temperature dropped about ten degrees.

  “Did our conversation fall upon deaf ears, Father?” she hissed. “Did you truly believe you could go behind my back, and I would not find out? Do you think so little of me, of my life, that you would forget what this cretin did so you could have the unnatural life you seem so intent upon? This is abhorrent, even for you!”

  “I told you my desires. I did not say I would forget them simply because you asked me to,” Ovid replied like the coward he was. “I am still your father, and I am still the king. I do not need permission to wander where I please, nor speak to whom I please. I am not dead yet.”

  “You will not make a bargain with this wretched creature!” Kaya raged. “He tried to murder me. Even if he had not, I would still prevent it. It is despicable. It undermines everything Ganymede created for us. She gave us extended life. She gave us five hundred years. Why should you be any different?”

  Ovid sneered. “Are you
so eager to jettison me into the ocean so you may wear the crown yourself? Do you care nothing for the fact that in three days’ time, I will be dead? You are the one who is speaking abhorrently!”

  Now, now, children…

  “How dare you!” Kaya shuddered with anger. “You know that is not true. I will grieve for you, as I grieved for Mother. Every day without you shall be painful for me, and the weight of that crown will rest heavy upon my brow. Though, I cannot say I have seen you shed a single tear for her since her passing. She awaits you, Father, and I will not see her abandoned by your selfish actions!”

  “I am not ready.” Ovid’s voice came out strangled. “What is five hundred more years?”

  “A slight to our founder, that is what it is!” Kaya shot back. “And both she and my mother would be disgusted if they saw you now, begging an assassin for what you want. Have you really stooped so low?”

  Ovid balled his hands into fists. “I would do anything necessary to avoid death. It is not unnatural. It is human nature.”

  Davin cleared his throat, and I resisted the urge to turn. “Might I chip in? I don’t intend to help your father anyway, since he can’t give me what I want, so it’s really not worth wasting your breath.”

  Aquamarine tendrils slithered from Kaya’s body and drifted right past me. I heard a hefty thud from behind, like someone had been slammed into a wall. A grunt followed, along with the squeak of someone sliding down glass. Kaya had delivered much-needed punishment to Davin, but I couldn’t enjoy it. It was nerve-wracking being close to so many people who’d have my friends strung up if they discovered us eavesdropping.

  “You will not speak to me so informally,” Kaya said coldly, as more tendrils slipped out of her. A few more thuds clanged behind me. I really wanted to peek, but I didn’t dare.