by R. E. Butler
* * *
Once Zia was fast asleep, Cassian left a note on the pillow that he was going for a walk and would return shortly, and then he texted her father that he was ready to meet with him. He dressed swiftly and hurried out of the house. Athene was waiting for him on the sidewalk in front of the house.
“I thought you might’ve fallen asleep and forgotten,” Athene said.
“Sorry, it took Zia a while to fall asleep. I didn’t want her to know what I was up to.”
“No worries, I was reading while I waited for your call. Now, do you need anything? I brought some underwater flashlights.”
“That’s perfect. I was going to ask if you had a flashlight I could use.”
“Let’s head to the water. I let the patrols know that we’d be out late, so we won’t be stopped if anyone should happen to see us.”
“Thanks.”
It took ten minutes for them to walk to the pier where he and Zia had tied up their boat. The marina was small, with maybe a half dozen boats bobbing against the finger piers.
“Do you want to take a boat out?” Athene asked.
“No, I can just swim. It’ll be faster anyway. I know where to go, I felt an oyster bed when we were coming in, it’s about a mile away.”
“I’ll text Varn to let him know we’ll be on our way once you have what you need.”
“He won’t mind it being so late?”
“Nah, he’s a night owl. He said he’d be in his workshop until midnight at least, so we’ve got time.”
Cassian stripped and took one of the flashlights. “I won’t be long.”
“I’ll be here.”
He walked down the stone ramp into the water and swam out a bit, then shifted and dove under. He turned on the flashlight and tuned his senses, searching for the oyster bed. When he located it, he shot forward, propelling himself with powerful strokes of his tail. Using the flashlight, he located the largest oysters, using his enhanced senses to figure out which ones held pearls. He pulled a knife from a sheath on his bicep and slid the blade between the shells, prying it open. Inside, he found a pearl which was large enough for what he wanted. He removed two more pearls just to be safe, then set the oyster shells back on the bed, sheathed the knife, and put the three pearls in a tiny pouch that Athene had given him. Securing the pouch in his fist, he swam away toward the shore, where his father-in-law waited.
Once they visited the jeweler, he’d be one step closer to asking his beautiful mate to be his in every way.
Chapter Sixteen
Zia pulled her robe a little tighter around her to ward against the early morning chill as she stepped from her cottage and onto the path that led to her tea garden. A small basket hung from her forearm. She was planning to pick enough leaves and berries to dry and take back with her to Sable Cove. She could transplant many of the plants, but not until spring. Since it was so late in the fall, she’d risk injuring them if she moved them. While she could heal them with her nature abilities, it was easier and safer for the plants if she didn’t interfere too much in their natural state.
She gathered her favorite things: chamomile, lemon balm, stevia, elderberry fruit and leaves, basil, rosemary, and sage. She finished off the basket with some camellia to make black tea, when she needed a caffeine pick-me-up.
“Good morning, sweetheart,” Cassian called.
She turned from the garden and found him leaning against the doorjamb, his arms crossed over his bare chest, and a sleepy smile on his face.
“Morning,” she said with a smile.
He looked mouthwateringly delicious, his sexy muscles highlighted by the morning sun.
“Picking breakfast?” he asked.
“Stuff for tea,” she said, lifting the basket slightly. She walked to him and went onto her toes to give him a kiss. “I just need to put them in the dehydrator, and they’ll be ready to go when we head back to Sable Cove.”
“That’s a lot of leaves,” he observed as he followed her into the dirt room where her large dehydrator sat on a long counter.
She explained wanting to take plenty to last through the winter. “I can buy herbal tea at the store, but I really prefer to have homegrown leaves.”
“You’re still sure you want to move to Sable Cove?”
She pulled out the trays and laid them out on the counter, then began to fill them with the leaves. He joined in, helping her arrange the leaves and berries.
“I am, actually. I miss it. Trieve is nice, I mean it’s all I’ve really ever known, but Sable Cove just feels like home. Don’t you miss it?”
“I do. But I like it here too.” He nudged her shoulder. “I like wherever you are.”
She grinned. He always said the sweetest things. For a moment, she debated telling him that she didn’t just like him, she loved him. But she decided being elbow-deep in greenery with her still wearing her pjs and robe wasn’t nearly as romantic as those words demanded. She’d tell him later.
She went onto her toes and brushed her lips against his.
He smiled at her and then pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck and inhaling softly. “You smell really good. Like herbs and flowers and sunshine.”
“It’s one of the things I love about my tea garden. The scents linger on my skin.”
He kissed her neck, and she shivered.
Easing away, they both returned their attention to the trays and finished filling them. She placed them in the dehydrator and turned it on. As it whirred to life, she set a timer. Then she hung the basket on the wall and took his hand. They walked into the kitchen, and she hurried to the fridge to see what she had for breakfast.
“Eggs okay?” she asked. “And there’s cinnamon raisin bread in the bread box.”
“That’s perfect.”
He took care of toasting the bread while she made scrambled eggs and brewed coffee. When they were seated in her little breakfast nook that overlooked the garden, he said, “Could you build a tea garden at the lighthouse? The ground is really sandy.”
She hummed. “I can actually make anything grow anywhere with my power, but I’ve always felt like it’s not kind to plants to make them grow in situations where they wouldn’t normally. I have forced a plant to grow off-season from time to time, like I might need something for an herbal remedy or balm. Some things will grow in sandy soil, but I’ll probably need to build a greenhouse.”
“You like to build?”
“Sure. So long as I have a plan to follow and it’s not too complicated I can build something. I started when I was young, when Dad bought a boat kit and had me help him. It was just a little skiff, but I was so proud to have helped him make something that actually worked. After that, I made some things on my own. I made a few birdhouses and feeders, and the jewelry box on my dresser is one I made when I was a teenager. I also made the little shed in the backyard.”
He leaned forward and looked out the window, where the small shed was visible. She’d picked it because it was adorable. It looked like a child’s playhouse complete with a window with a flower box. It held the tools she needed to cultivate the gardens and take care of the lawn. The kit had said it would take eight hours to make but it had taken her a week. She was definitely not a fast builder.
“It looks great.” He leaned back and continued eating. “There’s plenty of room on the lighthouse’s property, and we can turn the first floor into a workshop for you for your plants.”
“What about the gift shop?”
“It’s not much anyway, just a few trinkets, old maps, and postcards. The only time someone wants to go inside is when they believe they can tour the lighthouse itself, which I don’t allow since it’s my house.”
She smiled at him over her coffee mug. “That sounds perfect.”
They finished their meal and did the dishes together. After a quick romp in the shower, they dressed for the day and headed into town so she could show him all that Trieve had to offer. She loved the old-world charm of the place, where the mar
ket felt like a step back in time, with the cobblestone streets and vendors selling food and crafted goods from wooden carts and stalls.
They were walking toward the palace when Cassian said, “Are we going to meet the king and queen?”
“No, they only see people by appointment during the day. We’re having dinner with them tonight, though. We’re meeting up with my bestie, Joy. She wanted to meet you yesterday, but because we were delayed with the attack and all, it didn’t work out.”
“Is Joy’s power over nature like yours?”
Zia shook her head. “Hers is over fire. Her mother is also a fire fairy.”
“Powers are hereditary, then, I take it?”
“They definitely fall into family lines, yes. As I’ve said, my dad’s power is related to water, and my mom’s is plants. Hers tends to lean more toward trees, while I have a more general power over all nature. For example, my mom doesn’t have any power over sea plants like seaweed and algae, but I do.”
“I had no idea about fairies and power. It’s cool.”
“I think so too. Witches and warlocks are similar to fairies in terms of power, but we can’t use familiars to help boost our power.”
He hummed. “I’ve been wondering about that.”
“What?”
She led him to the side of the grand palace where the entrance to Joy’s living quarters were.
“Well, the witches said they felt like another witch was in trouble. Do you think there’s something to that?”
“I honestly don’t know. It’s possible that when they sensed my distress it felt like magic to them because fairies are magical in their own right, and so are merpeople, and I obviously gained some of your magic when we mated.”
“I didn’t gain any from you though,” he said.
They stopped on the stone pathway, and she turned to face him. “No, you didn’t. I wonder why that is.”
“Unfortunately, we can’t ask anyone, because I’ve never known a merman or mermaid who mated with a fairy, or even a non-merperson at all. I don’t imagine we’re lucky enough for there to be a merperson in Trieve?”
She chuckled. “That would be very handy, but no. Trieve is almost entirely fairy.”
“Then we may never know why you gained some of my abilities, or why the witches responded to your distress.” He hooked his arm around her waist and drew her close. “I’m just very thankful they did.”
“Me too.”
There was a creaking sound as the door opened, and Zia stepped from Cassian’s arms in time to get a tackle-hug from Joy. “Ah, you’re here! And alive! I’m so glad. I was worried.”
“I’m glad to be alive too,” Zia said with a laugh. She hugged her bestie tightly.
Joy grinned at her and then looked at Cassian. “You must be the mate.”
“I am, I’m Cassian.” He extended his hand, but Joy pushed it aside and gave him a quick hug.
“Zia’s the sister I never had, which makes you my kinda, sorta brother-in-law. Family doesn’t shake hands.”
They followed Joy into her home, a luxurious apartment-type space. Zia’s parents had offered to build her a similar space in the basement of their home, but she’d wanted to be out of the house and able to create her own garden. Joy’s situation was a little different since she was a princess, and it was tradition for royal children to live at home until they were mated.
Joy led them to the living room that had been set with a tray of sweets and drinks. “Help yourselves,” Joy said as she sat on one of the plush couches. Zia and Cassian sat across from her.
“How did your hot date go?” Zia asked as she picked up a biscotti and took a bite.
“Not bad. I’m not sure he’s the one for me though.”
“Oh?”
“Well, you know. I wanted sparks. He’s hot and everything, but there was zero connection for me. And after hearing about how things happened between you and Cassian, I decided I wanted that for myself. To fall head over heels for a guy who does awesome things like rescue me.”
Zia snorted. “You shouldn’t have to endanger your life to find your forever guy.”
“Not according to romance novels,” Joy quipped.
“Well, maybe you can come to Sable Cove for a visit and you’ll run into a guy who’ll make sparks fly for you.” There were several eligible bachelors in town, but Zia knew that she wasn’t a real matchmaker, so her thoughts on what made a good match for her bestie were just based on wanting her to be happy.
“I’d love to come visit. Now, tell me about this bitch mermaid who tried to kill you. Do I need to go all medieval on her ass?”
Cassian choked on a bite of cookie, coughing loudly. His face went red as he dislodged the cookie, reaching for a glass of fruit tea.
Zia patted his back with a chuckle. “I think he’s questioning your ability to go medieval.”
Joy flexed her arms, showing off non-existent muscles. “Hey, I’d be like one of those human moms you read about that can lift a car off her baby when it’s in distress. Or I could shoot a fireball at her butt.”
“That seems more likely,” Zia said.
“Sorry,” Cassian said when he could speak again. “I’m sure you’re very fierce, your words just caught me off guard.”
“That’s okay,” Joy said. “I know I don’t look like I could kick ass, but I promise that when my family is threatened there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep them safe.”
Cassian nodded.
They spent a few hours with her bestie, discussing everything from Zia and Cassian’s future living arrangements to Joy’s future Sable Cove visit. After they left, Zia took the long way round to show Cassian the groves behind the palace where dozens of types of trees were grown in long rows, harvested by fairies who had powers like hers.
“This is really impressive,” Cassian said. “I’ve never seen so many different types of trees. Do you have a favorite?”
“Well, my favorite fruit tree is the mango. But my favorite tree is the red maple. I think they’re so pretty. Do you have a favorite sea creature?”
“It used to be crabs. Now it’s dolphins.”
She gave him a curious look, and he simply rocked back on his heels and hummed.
“Oh,” she said, when it occurred to her why he liked dolphins best now. Because they’d come to her rescue. “I like them a lot too.”
Once they were back at her cottage, they had only a little time to get ready before they needed to go to her parents to meet up before heading to the palace for dinner with the king and queen.
Her parents had sent over clothes for Cassian, because although the meal was casual, the dress code would not be, and he hadn’t brought anything fancy enough to wear to a royal meal. Zia chose a dark blue dress that reminded her of the color of the water in Sable Cove. She paired the strapless dress with peep-toe heels and twisted her long hair up at the sides with mother of pearl clips.
“You look amazing,” Cassian said when she stepped from the bathroom.
He was wearing the fairy version of a tuxedo—black slacks and shiny shoes, a collarless white dress shirt, and an embroidered vest.
“You look good enough to stay inside and forget about dinner,” she replied, sliding up against him and running her finger down the buttons of the vest.
“I have a request,” he said.
“Ask away.”
“I want to go to the pond before we meet your parents.”
“Oh.” She straightened and looked at him, but his face was blank. “Sure. We have time.”
“Good. Are you ready, beautiful?”
“Definitely.”
She hooked her arm through his as they headed out of the cottage, taking a detour toward the pond. She had no idea why he wanted to go to the pond, but she had a feeling she was going to like the reason.
Chapter Seventeen
Once more Cassian found himself filled with nerves as he walked with Zia to the gazebo. The wood creaked as they stepped onto it, and
he was reminded of standing with her father in the same place the night before. Asking him for permission for this very moment. It had seemed so easy at the time—ask her father, ask Zia, bing-bang-boom engaged.
But now? He was tongue-tied and practically vibrating with nerves.
He’d heard plenty of proposals since he’d been in Sable Cove. Humans tended to think of the beach as romantic, and he’d witnessed many males dropping to a knee in the sand at sunset with a ring in hand. He wanted to do a proposal both memorable and romantic for Zia too.
She turned to face him, leaning against the railing. She looked so lovely, the dress accentuating her curves, the color a deep blue like the waters of Sable Cove.
His fingers tightened on the ring in his pocket, and for a moment, he forgot everything he’d planned to say.
Then she smiled at him, her eyes crinkled at the corners, and it all came flooding back.
He dropped to one knee and pulled the ring from his pocket.
The pearl was centered on the platinum band and ringed with small, teardrop-shaped blue diamonds. Athene had shared with the jeweler that Cassian was a merman, and the male had brought out a tray of rare, natural blue diamonds. Cassian thought they fit perfectly with the pearl.
Zia’s gasp of surprise was enough to get Cassian’s thoughts back in line quick.
He looked up at her, his heart full of love for his beautiful fairy.
“Zia,” he said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “Zia, I love you. I think our hearts were drawn to each other that night you were injured in the storm and brought to Sable Cove. Without fate, our paths might never have crossed, and a world where I don’t wake up with you in my arms isn’t one I want to consider. Will you marry me?”
His hand trembled as he held the ring toward her. Her eyes glimmered with unshed tears, and she nodded as she sniffled. “Yes. Yes!”
He slid the ring onto her finger and rose to his feet, capturing her lips with his own in a kiss that devastated his senses and rocked him to the core.
“I love you too,” she said in between kisses.