“I will let that go, as I can see you are in a state of shock, and likely weary from whatever you were doing to Apollo.” Kaya lifted her chin. “This detail you are neglecting is you, Finch. You are of Merlin blood—the most ancient and revered of all. Not only that, but you proved yourself a hero during the war with Katherine. You told me so yourself, though you did not use boastful language. The surface world will trust you, given your actions against her. As such, you will be the one to convince them that this is the best course of action. You will be the king, for all intents and purposes, and the diplomat to the world above—an ambassador of Atlantis. I will be the queen and conqueror, though I do not care for that word. ‘Liberator’ is more pleasing to the ear.”
“Are you listening to yourself?” I yelled, exasperated. “Chaos on a bike, if I could layer what you just said over a million speeches that Katherine made, they’d sound friggin’ identical! Your reasons might be different, sure, but it’s the same damn thing—with the same holier-than-thou conclusion. Just because you’ve locked yourselves away down here with your precious pure bloodlines doesn’t mean you’re better, or somehow authorized to rule over people. Our world is only just healing from what Katherine did, so don’t you dare go breaking it again!”
She flat-out ignored me. “We will bring them out of the darkness. We are powerful and numerous, and we will not hesitate to contain anyone who stands in our way. This is our destiny. We will gift the upper world with our integrity, our intelligence, and our dream of a glorious, united magical world.”
“Contain anyone who stands in your way? What is that supposed to mean?” Nash restrained Huntress by her bandana as a growl thundered from the back of her throat. That sound encapsulated everything I felt: rage, confusion, disbelief, the whole nine yards of what-the-actual-hell.
She gave an infuriatingly blasé shrug. “It means what it means. We will subdue anyone who attempts to prevent us from fulfilling our destiny. I do not mean death, if that is what you are insinuating. I value all life, regardless of origin. I will simply place them in a facility of education until they are persuaded that this is the right way for the planet, as a whole, to proceed.”
“An Atlantean correctional facility?” I spat. “You can’t take away free will, Kaya. That doesn’t make you a queen, and it doesn’t make you benevolent. It makes you a despot.”
“I do not expect you to understand what I imagine for the future as yet. It will take you time to grow accustomed to the idea. However, I shall not alter my course.” Kaya straightened. “This will save Atlantis, and it will not only raise up this nation, it will raise up all magicals. It is what we deserve. It is what magicals have earned, after countless years of fear.”
“This is insanity, Kaya.” Erebus took us all by surprise. He was doing exactly what I’d hoped he would—telling her this was nonsense. Helping me out, at long last. Teamwork in action. “We Children of Chaos were cast into otherworlds for attempting what you are describing. This is not a portent from Chaos, and it is not a path you ought to follow. Chaos wants harmony. At present, Earth and its two human races—magical and non-magical—are in possession of a fragile harmony. Chaos will not look kindly upon it being disturbed. This will lead to destruction, and I cannot predict who will emerge unscathed.”
Kaya shot him a look that could’ve felled an ox. “I anticipated your naysaying. You want to rule at my side—you have made no secret of it. To reveal ourselves to the surface is to permit scrutiny, and you know none would trust me if I had you as my consort. That is why I have not chosen you. This is merely your jealousy speaking, because your hope of having a child has been taken from you. As such, you seek to take my destiny from me.”
“No, Kaya! I do not want to see you in harm’s way. You think you have the numbers, but there is a whole world up there that will not hesitate to destroy you if they feel you are a threat to them!” Erebus protested, but it was like talking to a brick wall. She’d really gone in deep with this legend nonsense, and I wasn’t sure anyone would be able to dig her out.
But despite it all, Kaya didn’t seem evil. She didn’t seek power for power’s sake. I believed her when she said she wanted to liberate magicals. She thought her heart and mind were in the right place, and that she was doing this to fulfill Chaos’s wishes. I believed she really thought she was the good guy, whereas my mother had known, full well, that she was the villain.
Maybe in some twisted way, that made Kaya all the more dangerous.
Thirty-Five
Kaya
I had anticipated some surprise, but I had not expected animosity. Erebus’s words had shocked me the most, but then, we had hardly parted on the best of terms. True, he had a closer relationship with Chaos than I, but he had been cast into his otherworld because Chaos no longer cared to deal with him and his errant pseudo-siblings.
I forced myself to hold Finch’s gaze, though I did not care for the resentment and fury I saw there. “This is my reason for marrying you, Finch. You will be the hero of Atlantis and all magicals. That is your destiny. Do you think it mere coincidence that Katherine Shipton created her ultimate destroyer? That you are of two ancient bloodlines—a rarity upon the surface? Or was that Chaos’s grand plan in action? I know which I believe.”
I had not come to this conclusion spontaneously. I had contemplated it at great length, and I could not have been more certain I had chosen the right path, not only for me, but for the city I loved more than myself. The magicals of the surface world, too, would come to love us for liberating them from their enforced concealment.
“What if you’ve got it dead wrong, Kaya?” Finch snarled, a most unpleasant expression upon his face. “What if I’m not the hero, and you’re not the saving grace? What if I’m just me, and you wind up being a bigger tyrant than anyone who’s ever come before you, my mother included? For crying out loud, Erebus could be the friggin’ visitor in the legend!”
“He is not. He cannot be, or I would have known upon our first encounter. Someone who killed an innocent and continues to seek something only for himself is not the hero that has been promised,” I replied confidently. Nevertheless, I understood Finch’s other concerns, considering what he had endured from his mother. But I was nothing like that foul woman, and I had no intention of enacting anything she had hoped to inflict upon the earth.
“You and I will marry.” I stood my ground, as any good queen had to in moments of conflict. “I will not watch my divine city drown beneath the ocean. You may marry me with willingness in your heart, or you will be made to obey.”
His face crumpled, and I would have sworn I saw the liquid glitter of tears in his eyes. It bolstered my hopes for the man I believed him to be. A man that people would follow, for his vulnerability as well as his prowess. I admired men with no qualms about crying. To me, it showed a strength of character that could not be found elsewhere.
“I shouldn’t have bothered trying to get you to help. I should’ve known she wouldn’t listen, just like you said. I should’ve just asked you to take me out of the picture. That probably would’ve fixed this for everyone.” Finch lowered his gaze, but I knew he was speaking to Erebus. “Without me, this insane plan won’t be able to go ahead.”
Oh, Finch… I did not like to see him so utterly broken, for I had grown accustomed to his smiles and his humor and his strength. Nor did I take pleasure in knowing I was the one responsible for making him feel this way. Nevertheless, the love spell would resolve any heartache that remained. Soon enough, those pretty, tearful eyes would look to me with adoration and love, and even if that love was false, it was far preferable to this alternative.
“Finch, you can’t talk like that.” Melody moved to approach him, but a guard lowered his spear as a barrier.
“Why not? It’s true.” Finch slowly shook his head, his shoulder slumping like a wilted flower beneath a cold wind. Not that I knew what it felt like to have a cold wind kiss my skin, since Atlantis possessed a constant, temperate climate. Once
we reached the surface, I would learn how precious every real sensation felt. I would experience seasons—summer’s balmy embrace, the crisp sunlight of a spring afternoon, the slow fall of autumn leaves as they broke free of their branches and displayed their last bronzed beauty before winter came. And then, perhaps, the gentle touch of a snowflake against my cheek, or melting upon the heat of my tongue. Oh, there was much to look forward to. Nobody needed to fear me or my vision for the future.
Melody stepped back. “You and I are women of education, Your Highness. How can you be so sure this legend isn’t just a children’s story? There’s no logic in prophecy. Just look at Nostradamus—how many times did he predict the world was going to end, and yet it carries on regardless?”
“We must all believe in something, Miss Winchester. Chaos ensured Finch’s sister could not complete the task of killing Katherine, so that he would make the exchange with Erebus that, ultimately, brought him to me.” I would not be swayed by the words of a naïve girl, no matter how intelligent. “One coincidence may be ignored, but several, placed one after another, cannot.”
Erebus strode toward me, only to be halted by the weaponry of my personal guard. “I do not give a damn about Atlantis. I only care about it because you care about it. I am trying to stop you from making a grave mistake, because I care about you more than I have cared for anything in a millennium or more.”
I clenched my fists to suppress the surge of rage that threatened to overwhelm me. How could he claim to care after what he had done? He had humiliated me… for the very last time. “All you have done, since the moment I first encountered you, is lie and cheat and deceive me. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”
His features creased into a frustrated frown. “If you believe nothing else, believe me now. I am telling the truth.”
“You are bitter because you know you have destroyed any affections I once had for you. You will never have me, or my child.” I gestured toward Finch. “Of course, you may attempt to exact your revenge upon me and kill me, but Chaos would not permit it. Is that not so?”
He recoiled as though one of my guards’ spears had made impact. “I would never kill you, Kaya. No matter what you may do or how you feel about me, I would never resort to that… even if I could.”
“Then you and I have nothing more to say to one another.” I struggled to suppress the minuscule ember of love that still, and likely would always, burn for Erebus. He was my weakness, but I would not allow it to affect me. A queen could have no weakness.
Erebus drew in a deep breath that seemed to make the very earth beneath my feet tremble. However, he did not say another word. Instead, he stepped back and lowered his head.
“Are you kidding me? You’re just giving up, after everything we talked about? You might not care about Atlantis, but I know you care about Earth!” Finch snapped out of his own sullenness and directed his ire at the Child of Chaos. The poor boy did not know when he had been defeated; another admirable quality of his.
“I don’t,” Erebus said softly. “I don’t care about any of it. Only her.”
Only what you wanted me to give you, I think you mean. I held onto my sour retort, lest it make me look weak in front of these people. I had expressed that I had nothing more to say to him, and I fully intended to hold my course.
“Erebus!” Finch barked. “You do care! I know you do. If you didn’t, you’d have let Katherine take it all. You have to help us. We’re a team, aren’t we? Isn’t that what we agreed to? I know you don’t want this. I know you want to help me, and us. Come on, get a grip!”
Erebus said nothing, which was noble of him. Meanwhile, Finch and his friends fell into a strange, somewhat ominous silence of their own. Perhaps, at last, they knew they could not defy me.
I straightened and inhaled, letting the clean Atlantean air fill my lungs and restore my strength. “Finch, you should not have attempted to fool me by escaping my chambers and leaving Nash in your place. Nor should you have concealed your Mimicry ability from me.”
Finch’s nose crinkled in disgust. “What did you expect me to do? You had me trapped like a caged animal.”
“I expected you to obey,” I retorted, far more harshly than I had intended. In truth, I had grown weary of the deceits of men. Even those who appeared to be good and loyal could not be trusted. Simply because he was a vital part of the legend did not mean his deceptions would go unpunished. “Guards, take him back to my chambers. Ensure he does not leave, and no one enters other than me.”
“What? No!” Finch staggered backward. For a moment, I wondered if he might run. Fortunately, I did not have to wait impatiently through a chase. The guards were far faster than his reflexes. They swept forward and restrained him, arms behind his back, before he could even think of fleeing.
“Yes, Finch. I am afraid you only have yourself to blame. All you had to do was be obedient, and all would have been well.” I sighed. “The wedding is in three days’ time, and it will go on as planned.”
“I know you’re desperate to save your city. That’s all this is—desperation. But there has to be another way.” Finch seemed to be unaware that his words had little effect on me. He had lost my respect when he lied to me. As such, he did not deserve my attention any longer.
I looked to the guards who remained. “Pay a visit to Miss Smith in her chambers and have her arrested. At present, she is a liability and must be contained until after the wedding.”
“Don’t you dare!” Finch thrashed wildly and battled to break free of the guards. “If you touch her, I swear to God I’ll—”
“You will do nothing!” I hissed in response, allowing myself a small outburst. “I would not have reason to arrest her if you had done as you were told. I am no fool; I understand that you escaped in order to visit her. You have made her a liability. While I am grateful for your presence here, I cannot allow you to wander as you please.”
“Don’t touch her! You’ve got a problem with me, that’s fine, but don’t you bring her into this!” Finch continued his futile fight, but the guards were far stronger. And they were equipped with neck Cuffs. One was swiftly placed around Finch’s throat to prevent him from lashing out with magical assaults.
“Take him away,” I instructed, maintaining an air of calm. I did feel sorry for Finch. He had not asked for this. Then again, no hero ever asked to be a hero; otherwise, they could not be genuine saviors. This was his sacrifice, as I had sacrificed true happiness in pursuit of this goal. We both had to suffer in order to succeed.
“Make sure Apollo is taken to his chambers and seen to by the palace physicians. And take these three away, also.” I waved a hand toward Finch’s trio of friends. “I suppose you ought to take the hound, too, lest she become aggressive.”
“Your Highness, there is no need for that!” Melody protested, as I had known she would. The guards swarmed around them, bearing neck Cuffs. The beast cast me a look of such pure vehemence that for a moment, I would have believed there was a human soul within that furry vessel.
I smiled at Melody with sadness in my breast. “But there is, Miss Winchester, and I am sorry for it. You will all be imprisoned until after the wedding. I cannot have any further disruptions.”
Where Atlantis was concerned, I would not falter. By the time I saw Nash, Melody, Luke, and Huntress again, I would be a married woman. With Erebus sulking, my father under constant watch, and everyone else controlled, there would be no more obstacles in my way. As I had told them all, anyone who tried to prevent my success would be contained without hesitation. This was merely the first show of my sincerity.
Thirty-Six
Finch
Gabriel García Márquez might’ve written about one hundred years of solitude, but I’d have bet my entire collection of obscure comics that it hadn’t felt nearly as long as the last three days, trapped in this bedroom alone.
Kaya hadn’t even come to visit me; she’d just sent guards to do her dirty work. Maybe that was for the best
. If she’d so much as stepped into that room without backup, I’d have lashed out at her with every ability I possessed. Which was probably why the guards had kept a neck Cuff on me these past few days, too… just in case.
And that had been wise on their part. From the moment they brought me back here, my mind hadn’t stopped. Defeat? I might’ve been close to it, but there was still a knife-edge to stretch my legs on. Through the window, darkness had settled over Atlantis. In a few short hours, dawn would rise on my wedding day. You could’ve packed for a year-long trip around the world with the bags under my eyes. How could I even think about sleep, or food, or anything good, knowing my friends were in prison and Ryann was… well, I didn’t know where she was. I hoped she was with the others. I didn’t want her to be alone, if I couldn’t stop this day from coming.
I’d pretty much thought through every possible scenario in the last few days, trying to find some way of escape. Not just for me, but for all of us. Sure, there was the fact that we’d been trying for weeks and hadn’t come up with anything, but desperation could be a potent motivator.
So far, I’d waited by the door and prayed for a Bestiary glitch, which hadn’t come. That place glitched to its heart’s content until I actually wanted it to. Naturally. I’d thought about summoning Gaia herself, only to realize that I had no idea how to do that with this neck Cuff on. I’d spent a good six hours trying to break said Cuff so I’d have a bit more freedom, but that hadn’t worked, either. I’d even tried sending out a mental message to the gargoyles, in the hopes of it reaching them, but since they hadn’t come, I guessed it hadn’t worked. They wouldn’t have been able to break out on their own anyway without a massive glitch.
If I only had my Chaos… Without it, options were majorly thin on the ground. Which I guessed was the point.
I kept trying and I kept failing, and Erebus had fallen into a wallowing hole so deep that nobody could get him out to deliver some good ol’ fashioned Child of Chaos interference. I’d waited by the door for him, too, but he’d been as much of a letdown as the Bestiary glitches.
Harley Merlin 15: Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow Page 29