by Maira Dawn
The council sent Ian after Argos for two reasons; the Artifact and the Atlantian murders. Ian now understood Blake hadn't committed those murders, and the old man was willing to help recover the Artifact.
As far as the humans Argos had killed, most Atlantians cared little about that. A few less humans didn't bother them one bit.
Ian shifted as he leaned on the counter, glancing at Sunny’s curves. The prejudice against humans would need to change, or at least temper. He wouldn't have Sunny uncomfortable in her new home.
Ian looked back at the old man. The Artifact. If they could right that wrong, maybe it would be the end of this. Blake could live the rest of his short life with his family. He hoped the council agreed that the years of torture Blake had endured would enough to pay for his misdeeds. All Blake had was his family, and Ian was reluctant to take him away from it.
Sunny leaned away from her grandfather and eyed Ian. "Are the men who did this to Grandpa the same ones after you? To hurt and kill you?"
Ian gravely nodded. “Not the same men, but the same group."
Sunny's eyes grew wide. "You need to leave! Leave now!"
"I will leave—after we get the Artifact."
Sunny put a hand to her heart, then rushed to Ian and grabbed his arm. "Let Grandpa and me take care of that. We can meet you at the beach when we have it. You can't take this chance. I can't—I can't take the chance they would take you and do what they did to Grandpa!"
Ian crossed his arms. "This is my mission, and it is for me to take care of. It is you who are in the most danger. That is why you will not be helping to recover the Artifact."
Sunny shook his arm. "Don't be so high-handed. How am I in the most danger?"
Ian clenched his jaw so tight his teeth ground together. He couldn’t say the words, the thought made him sick enough.
Blake reached out a hand to Sunny. "Because dear, if they want to study a full-blood, then you can bet they would love to get their hands on someone mixed. And as far as we know, they’ve only studied males. You would be a prize to them."
Sunny's face paled. It was almost as if Ian watched the blood drain from it. It must have been the first time she considered that her freedom, her body, and her life were in danger. Ian sensed her horror, this realization life-changing for her.
Ian wrapped his arms around her, whispering to her. "No one will touch you! I will die before I let any of them near you!"
Sunny clung to him. "I didn’t imagine what this meant for the rest of us, only about the two of you. When I think about the people who are intolerant of other races—well, what would they do if they knew we existed? If they hunt you two, why would I be any different?" Sunny squeezed her eyes shut. "And whoever captures and—and does that—" she threw her hand toward her grandfather "—and kills Atlantians, how often do they do that?"
Ian looked down at her with sad eyes. "There have been many."
Sonora gasped. "Oh Grandpa, all of us. Mom, Aunt Claire, Sienna. Would they come after Dad and Uncle Devon too? All of us are in danger. We always have been."
Blake hurried to reassured her. "No one knows. The average person wouldn't guess, and those people suppose I'm dead. It's okay."
Sonora wiped at her tear-filled eyes as she turned to Ian. "You thought Grandpa had something to do with those Atlantian murders, didn't you?"
"Yes. I came to take your grandfather back for trial, but now I am aware it was not him." Ian smoothed Sunny's hair. "Do not fret, the council will believe me. And if we can get the Artifact, then I will take it, and your grandfather, back and see what the council says. The Artifact may satisfy them. Especially if I tell them what was done to him. They are merciful people."
Sunny moved to hug Blake, and Ian scrubbed his face with his hands. As much as he hoped that would be the end of it, he worried it wouldn't be. Because if Blake had never left the water, none of this would have happened. The Artifact would've stayed where it belonged—instead of lost and jeopardizing the Atlantian's ability to fulfill their oath. And this insane group of humans would never have found Blake and started this mad course they were on.
If only Blake had listened all that time ago. The man could have locked himself in his home as he had. Ian ran a hand through his hair. He wasn't sure what the council would feel was a fair punishment for that.
Nine
Confessions
Chapter Nine
When Sonora returned home to get ready for an afternoon of snooping around the museum at the Marine Center, her mom and Aunt Claire sat at the kitchen table. Azurine's special china teapot proudly sat on a flat wood trivet beside three matching cups. One for Azurine, one for Aunt Claire. Sonora didn’t need to think too hard about the other one.
It was clear the women wanted to talk and given the events of last night, there was only one topic that came to Sonora's mind: Ian. Sonora bit her lip as she quickly decided how much she should say.
"Is there something you would like to tell us, Sunny?" her mother prompted with a giggle. "About your special visitor at the wedding last night, perhaps?"
Special visitor. Oh, man. Sonora sank into the tall-backed chair. She knew these women. This would be unavoidable. She could run, but they wouldn't let this go.
So, almost absentmindedly, Sonora said, "Oh yeah, that was Ian. His family are the ones who helped me after I, you know, had the water incident."
Azurine's eye sparkled. "You didn't tell me he was so attractive."
"Yeah, he's real attractive, Mom."
"And he seems to like you. He couldn't take his eyes off my daughter."
Ugh, Mom. Sonora poured and handed out the beverages. Perhaps she could hurry this along. "Yeah, he seems to like me."
Aunt Claire leaned back in her seat, eyes narrowed, as she sipped at her steamy cup. "Will we be seeing him again soon?"
"He was only visiting, and it' s—well, it's just a weird situation."
Aunt Claire put down her teacup and made her way to the kitchen counter, picking up the French press. “Hurry and drink your tea, and we can drink something a bit stronger. I made it exactly the way you like it.”
Azurine wrinkled her nose. "You two and your coffee. A nice cup of tea is so much better."
"Yes, well, dear sister, I would need to drink twenty of those for the serious caffeine in one of my cups."
"That, I believe," Azurine said.
Claire poured her niece a cup of coffee, then ignoring the chair she'd just left, sat down beside Sonora.
"I can't help being a coffee snob," she said as she sniffed her cup. "Only the best bean will do, freshly ground and pressed into perfection. An acquired taste, perhaps, but one I'm glad I taught Sunny."
Claire and Sonora exchanged a look and a giggle as they sipped at the hot, flavorful brew. They closed their eyes and savored the ribbon of liquid as it ran over their tongue. When Sonora opened her eyes, they raised their eyebrows at each other. A perfect cup.
"Want to come to the aquarium tomorrow?" Claire asked Sonora.
Sonora's shoulders sagged. "I wish, but I have to work. Maybe the day after?"
As Sonora sipped, she studied her mother and aunt. They were half-Atlantian. Could she spot it? There was talk of genealogy before, but Sonora realized now, it was always about her grandmother or her father's side of the family. Her mother and aunt had to be aware about the Atlantian connection. Grandpa hadn't told her to keep it to herself, but Sonora needed to know for sure.
She gripped the handle of her cup and said, “I've been wondering, Mom, what we know about our heritage. Some of my friends are getting into the DNA thing. I've been thinking about getting it done."
Azurine's eyes widened. She looked down at the table and cleared her throat.
Mom knew.
Aunt Claire piped up, "Who are you wondering about?"
"Well, we don't know any of grandma and grandpa's extended family. I mean, we have to have some cousins out there. So, I guess I would start with them. Don't you think Grandpa would like
to find some family?"
When Azurine and Claire exchanged a glance, Sonora was sure they both knew. She might as well go for it.
Sonora pulled in a breath. "So, would some of my DNA come back as unknown? Is grandpa … different?"
Worry covered Azurine's face as she rose and put her arms around her daughter. "Oh, Sunny… I… I just…"
Sonora patted her mom's hand and nervously laughed. "Because if so, do I have a fish story for you!"
Azurine and Claire looked at each other, eyes wide and mouth open. Claire recovered first. "You know?"
"I know."
"How?" Azurine asked.
"It's a long story," Sonora said and turned her shining eyes to her mom, her voice dropping to an awed whisper. "Mom, I was there! It still seems like some sort of dream."
"You were?" her mother asked, excitedly. "I've always wanted to go."
"Tell us," Claire said. "Tell us all about it."
Sonora started from the moment she dipped her toes into those warm beach waters and continued to the day she came home. She wiggled straighter in her chair, her body lighter. Keeping this story from the people she loved had eaten at her, and she was relieved to confess it. The only thing she held back was the immediate feelings Ian had for her though she admitted there their growing affection for one another.
Somehow the connection with him seemed personal and rather fragile. She'd felt that flash last night as he dove into the ocean as if Ian’s emotions had laid beside hers for those precious few minutes. But it quickly dissolved, and she hadn’t sensed it since, not even in the kitchen this morning. Sonora wasn't sure why, but if something wasn't working right, it was surely her fault.
Azurine reached out and ran a hand over Sonora's hair. "Sunny, you're glowing. I'm happy for you."
Sonora hugged her mother then she excused herself to go to the restroom.
For a moment, the two sisters quietly sat at the table. Azurine spoke first, "Oh, Claire. She's falling in love with an Atlantian. What will this mean for her? And for the rest of the family? There always seemed to be something dark when Dad spoke about Atlantis."
Claire agreed, "If he did at all. Other than telling us about our heritage, which was really only for practical purposes, Dad told us very little."
Azurine put a hand to her cheek. "I don't want Sunny mixed up in any trouble. I hate to say it, but I hope her feelings for this man fades."
Claire leaned toward her sister as Sonora made her way through the living room back to them. "Don't worry, Z," she said, using her sister's childhood nickname. "it'll be okay."
Sonora returned and plopped down in her seat between the other two women. "Mom, Atlantis is so beautiful. I hope you can see it someday."
"I have always wanted to," Azurine admitted. "Even just once."
“Please tell us more about it," Claire said. "How have they kept so hidden all these years?”
Ten
There had been a Day
Chapter Ten
After Claire wiggled as much information about Ian and Atlantis as she was able from Sonora, she left the kitchen. Her breathing heavy as she leaned up against the hallway wall near the bathroom.
Thank God it had gone no further. Claire didn't know what she would have done if—no, she would never let that happen to Sunny. She would do anything to stop it.
She caught her lip between her teeth to hold back a sob, but a tear still escaped, running down her cheek. Once there had been a day when Claire felt as Sunny did. Now, the old hurt never moved away. She carried it every day as fresh as the day it came to her. It'd been so long now; Claire was sure it would linger until she died.
Against her will, Claire's mind drifted back to when she was Sonora's age when she'd still proudly used her full, original name, Clarion. She thumped her head against the wall and rubbed her aching heart attempting to stop the painful memories.
Fresh out of college, Claire had been so eager to put her training to work. She'd been dating Devon for a couple of years. He had the connections to get her into some of the best research.
Like Sonora, Claire spent hours in the ocean, learning and exploring. And one day as she walked through knee-high waves, Claire saw a man floating face down in the distance. Heart thumping, she raced to him as fast as possible, ignoring the drag of water against her legs.
On reaching him, she turned him over. It took most of her strength even with the water's buoyancy. The man was large, tall and muscular. When she finally got him face up, she stood struck. She had never seen a more beautiful person in her life.
He wasn't breathing. Huffing and sweating, Claire dragged him toward the beach.
She pushed his sun-streaked hair from his face and laid her lips to his. A bright, almost glaring wave passed through her. Claire jerked back and put a hand to her mouth.
She shook her head and tried again. This time, Claire ignored everything except her attempts to save his life, but her best efforts showed mixed results. The handsome man's heart beat, but not often enough, and his breathing sounded extremely irregular.
Claire scanned the beach but saw no one. In an age before cell phones, her options were limited, and the man's life was in her hands.
Too big for her to drag to her car, she looked him over to see what she could do. After finding a head wound, she washed it out. When he didn't stir during her nursing attempts, Claire worried he never would.
She sat beside the man for what seemed like hours. The sun dipped in the horizon, offering her a spectacular view of deep purple to pink. She remembered it vividly because of what came next.
He moved. A finger, then an arm. A groan. Claire turned to face him, for some reason she couldn't explain, putting one hand to his cheek.
She would never forget the moment he opened his eyes. They went from shut to open in one quick move as if he already knew she was there. Because he did.
His gaze was a warm chocolate brown. It encompassed her, filled her, and set her mind to wonder. The man's beautiful eyes crinkled as he offered an enormous smile. His words baffled her and yet somehow seemed utterly right.
"I have found you," he said.
As if a bolt of lightning traveled through her, her body shook, and the skies seemed to lighten. This would have been strange enough, but there was more. She felt her own awe and bewilderment. And she sensed his too.
Claire knew what love felt like. She loved Devon; she was sure of it. This was something else, something more. Sudden and consuming and amazing all at the same time. A connection that no one ever told her could exist.
The closest thing that came to mind was when she’d met the rare old couple who hung onto their love as if still fresh. They giggled and flirted with each other, finishing each other’s sentences and knowing each other's thoughts before even speaking. Exchanged glances weren't just looks, but volumes, decades of information.
It was like that. Only instantly, right at the start.
The man spoke again, this time a musical language she didn't understand. She shook her head, and he glanced down before looking back at her. “I thought, perhaps you understood our language. You must be one of us. You fit me so perfectly." He took Claire's hand. "It matters not. I will teach you."
His name was too complicated for her tongue. Until she learned it, he said, she would call him by his nickname, Bay. And he couldn't stop saying hers, proclaiming Clarion to be the most beautiful name in all the world, sea or land.
Bay. Amazing, beautiful Bay. Claire couldn't keep her eyes off him. It was if he shone in the sunlight, and glowed in the moonlight. Within a few days, he became everything to her.
She saw no obstacles to their romance, but he knew better.
One day he asked, “There is only one Atlantian permanently on land. Argos. Are you his daughter?"
Claire shook her head. "My father's name is Blake. Blake Karras."
Bay said nothing, but later confessed he realized her father must be Argos. It worried him. How would Argos react to his daugh
ter's bond to an Atlantian? And would Bay's people accept her? At the time, he said nothing to her about his concerns. Instead, he reassured Claire.
"You are my Intended, my Jata Ara. It matters not what anyone else thinks, you took my breath with your first glance. We are bonded, and no one can break it."
Bay looked at her and ran his hand through her silky hair. As for him, it mattered not. She was his Intended, and she took his heart with her first glance.
Bay healed, and for weeks, they met, sometimes acting as though they were as normal as the beachgoers around them. Other times, finding hiding places along the sea. They fell deeper in love, if that was possible, and every level of it surprised and delighted Claire.
One day, Argos followed his daughter and found their hiding place. Claire trembled as she saw a rage in her father she hadn't thought possible. She put a hand out to him, trying to bring back her loving parent.
"Daddy, I love him more than I ever realized a person could."
The anger left her father, and he sagged. "You are truly bonded then. I cannot take away from you what they ripped away from me." He hugged Claire as he stared at Bay with steely eyes. "If you want my blessing, I have two conditions. You must never break these."
Both eagerly nodded.
"No one in Atlantis can ever recognize Clarion as my daughter. I do not want my sins to be visited upon her. And, Clarion, you must always say, and act, as if you are entirely human."
Bay objected at first. “A human wife will not be popular, may even endure ridicule and prejudice. But Clarion, if you can endure it, I will do my best to temper any bad behavior by my people."
Claire gazed at Bay with love-filled eyes. "Anything. Anything to be with you."
"I feel the same." Bay lowered his head to hers, gazing deeply into her eyes.
Plans began to be made. Claire was in the midst of it all when Devon appeared at her front door, begging for yet another chance. Even though she told him months ago it was over, he refused to believe it. When he left, Claire felt a small pang.