Tidal Magic

by Janelle Peel

The edges of her peridot eyes crinkled as her lips lifted into a knowing smile. “Hello, Gideon.”

  Getting to his feet, he sputtered, “B-but. You died!”

  “Not another step. Sit.”

  Confused, he did as he was told.

  “The story I tell will fill in the gaps, but know this: I grow weaker with each moment. Pay attention to the pond. I will not repeat myself.”

  Anxiously shifting to the edge of his chair, Gideon nodded.

  Crystal clear, the ripples rolling across the pool’s surface stilled. The sand underneath blurred as an image began to take shape.

  “A Seer’s knowledge is passed on to the next female in their family line. With Dina’s death, my power will pass to Chessa.”

  His breath caught as his sister’s face appeared. Her hair, similar to his own navy hue, floated in a soft current. Emerald green, her gaze lit as she tenderly rubbed the curve of her stomach. This was the last time he’d seen her before she’d passed away.

  “Due to Chessa’s youth, you will assume her role until she comes of age. This has never been done, Gideon. Males simply cannot process the information. The visions change with each day. Focusing on any one too intently will drive you mad. This is why I have the scrolls. Documenting the visions alleviates the stress. Under no circumstances are you to read them. Time is fluid, and the possibilities are endless. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, Gran.”

  “Good.”

  A small wave washed away Dina’s silhouette. Aching with loss, Gideon struggled to bury the emotion. He needed to pay attention.

  Gran cleared her throat. “This next portion happened thousands of years ago. It is here where you will see your enemy. Do not shy away.”

  Darkness spread through the water like ink. White lines penetrated the black depths to form a new picture.

  It was a castle, but not one he’d ever seen before.

  Large spiked gates swung inward on silent hinges. A short gray dorsal fin drew his attention as a mako swished by on a tail like his own. Razor sharp, its teeth gnashed together inaudibly as it chased a small Mermaid.

  The image turned, giving him a front-row seat of her plight.

  Red angry welts lined her wrist from a broken shackle attached to her forearm. Reaching into a pouch at her waist, she produced a roughly made knife.

  Her other hand held something, but he couldn’t see what.

  Deep blue, a sonar tone rolled from her mouth.

  The shark dodged to the side and easily avoided the stunning blow. Drawn by the commotion, five more poured from the gates and headed straight for her.

  She unclenched her other fist, and a multihued pearl lit her creamy skin.

  The pieces clicked into place. She had the heart!

  Her shoulders slumped in defeat, and her swishes slowed until she gazed into the distance. A small smile played at the edge of her lips.

  The sharks were closing in.

  Gideon roared, “Move!”

  Flipping the blade, she gutted herself from her navel to her ribcage. Bright red, her blood stained the water. Using the last ounce of her strength, she threw the pearl.

  The half sharks began tearing her apart as the image disappeared.

  Shocked, Gideon dropped to his knees.

  Reverently, Gran murmured, “She was the first Seer, Gideon. Her sacrifice freed our people from centuries of slavery. The Mersharks are Poseidon’s pets. As he slumbers so do they.” Clearing her throat, she wiped a tear from her eye. “We must continue. Are you ready?”

  Dumbstruck, he bobbed his head.

  The pool rippled violently. Seconds passed before the surface settled on a new frame.

  Disgusted, Gideon recoiled. “What the hell is that!”

  Gran spat before answering. “Poseidon.”

  Purple-hued tentacles undulated around his heavily muscled torso where his arms should be. The scales lining his tail matched the dark tint. Navy-colored hair sprouted from his head and shifted in the current. Thick fans of lashes fluttered against his cheeks as if he were on the verge of waking. Square jaw, strong nose…

  Gideon sat down hard with the realization. With the exception of the tentacles, he’d been staring at himself.

  Gran tutted. “We are his creations, Gideon. That is why you resemble him so closely.”

  Shaking his head, he glared at the image. “How long do we have?”

  A shudder shook her shoulders and sent the hammock swaying.

  “Gran?” Rushing to her side, he took her gnarled hand as her eyes rolled back in their sockets.

  The connection snapped into place on contact.

  Darkness closed in as his grip on reality slipped.

  Chapter 9

  Gideon

  Unable to move, let alone open his eyes, his thoughts ran wild. Was Gran safe? What happened? How could he be a prisoner inside his own body?

  The sensation of being held interrupted the panic threatening to consume him. A feminine scream followed.

  “What did you do to my sister!”

  A soft whisper answered, “I took her to the ocean. She had a problem with her pants. I… helped her. She… thanked me.”

  Roughly, he was shoved against something hard. Magic tickled along his thighs and announced the reformation of his legs.

  The female growled, “Fly her back to the mansion, Skye! And for the love of God, quit gawking! Yes, she’s naked, but I don’t think she would appreciate it any more than I do!”

  Sister? Her? She? Naked? What the hell was going on? Where was he?

  The hard surface vibrated against Gideon’s ear with a low bass. A hopeful note entered Skye’s voice. “Bex, do you think Sora can help her?”

  Bex hissed, “You’d better fucking hope so. I promised Riva she would be safe.”

  Gideon froze. He was inside Riva’s body?

  The feeling of weightlessness settled inside his gut in tandem with a blast of air buffeting his cheeks.

  Was Riva still here somewhere? Tuning out his surroundings, he dove into the recesses of his mind.

  Darkness greeted him.

  Without form, he called out. “Riva?”

  Silence.

  “Are you there? My name is Gideon. We met…” He paused. Smooth. She ran from her wedding. Reminding her of it was just plain stupid. “I command the Royal Guard of the Pacific.”

  A dim teal geyser appeared in the distance. Fear laced her response. “Gideon?”

  His heart clenched at the lost sound before skipping a beat in relief. “Yes.”

  “Where are we?”

  Gideon’s thoughts rolled. How was he supposed to answer her?

  Drifting closer, the swirling depths of her magic flickered in and out of view. It was lit in every shade of the sea, and its motion slowed. “Am I dreaming?”

  The vibrant display left him stupefied.

  “Gideon?”

  “You’re… beautiful.”

  She snorted. The gyre fluttered erratically as if she were gesturing to their surroundings. “Don’t change the subject. One second I was on the shore of Tabula Rasa, and now this. Why are you here? And where exactly is here?”

  Overcoming the momentary lapse, Gideon tried in vain to view his own body.

  Pitch black greeted his gaze. Dread slithered through his soul. Gods, why couldn’t he see himself? Desperately he sought her light once more. “I believe we are in your body, though I don’t know how. I was with the Pacifian Seer when it happened. I overheard a female named Bex and a male called Skye speaking. What happened, Riva?”

  Her spiraling glow increased. “Fuck! I thanked him!”

  Fuck? Confusion shot through him. “I don’t understand.”

  She groaned. “Never thank a Fae. Never, ever. Lesson number one. I’m such an idiot!”

  Though her words made little sense, he was immediately affronted by her self-degradation. “You most certainly are not. You did run away, putting countless lives at stake, but I highly doubt you knew the repe
rcussions of your actions. What’s a Fae?”

  The current dulled to a dark blue. “What are you talking about?”

  He stilled. What a mess he was making. Attempting a calm tone, he answered her question with his own. “Do you know why you’re different, Riva?”

  A ripple shuddered through her. “Yes. My father isn’t who I believed him to be.”

  “Correct. You hold the heart of the sea. If you don’t return soon, Poseidon will awaken. The Mer will die.” Before he could continue, a sharp pain pierced his brain. Helpless against the violent tug, he screamed in agony.

  Her power flared in response. “Gideon!”

  Riva

  I snapped my eyes open, and the worried shout tumbled from my lips. “Gideon!”

  Silver specs danced inside Sora’s gaze as she scrutinized my reaction. Leaning back, she took my hand in a tight grip. “You’re safe. Calm down.”

  My surroundings slowly came into focus. A single lamp bathed the room, no, my room, in a yellow glow.

  The bed dipped as Bex entered my field of vision with an anxious expression.

  “Hey. How are you feeling?”

  Frowning, I took stock of my body. Everything seemed to be in order. “I don’t know. What happened?”

  Her face shuttered. “You thanked Skye.”

  Sora nodded. “Your magic, Riva. Check it.”

  I hesitated. “How?”

  Bex patted her sternum. “Your well is here. Close your eyes and search for it.”

  Hesitantly, my lids slipped closed.

  The sound of the ocean rolled inside my ears. Pausing, I basked in the cheery gurgle before resuming my task. A shimmering flash drew my attention.

  Bex’s worried whisper echoed from a million miles away. “Do you see it?”

  “Yes.”

  “Describe it, please.”

  Heaving a sigh, I mumbled, “I see gentle waves lapping against an endless beach. The water sparkles in a gorgeous sea-green hue. For some reason it appears to be low tide. The sand is littered with shells that have been picked clean of their bounty.” Moving closer, I gaped at a single white feather as it washed ashore. Confusion colored my tone. “I think my well has birds.”

  Sora’s chuckle rang out. “That’s not possible. If it did, Bex would have made you fly. What does it look like?”

  The delicate plume was far bigger than any fowl I’d ever encountered, yet I had seen it before. The realization sucked the air from my lungs. “It looks like Skye’s wings.”

  Skye

  Settling onto a rotating stool, he glowered at the oak bar. The strange power coursing through his center put him on edge. Grabbing a bottle of whiskey, he poured a few fingers as a distraction.

  Tossing back the shot, he thanked the Goddess Gazardiel was with Lila. As the only other Angel on Earth, she’d constantly sought his attention. If she were to find out he had inadvertently taken Riva’s magic…

  Blaze’s deep bass pulled him from his internal musing.

  “She’s awake.”

  Relief coursed through him. “Good. Maybe together we can figure out how to give her power back.”

  Moving behind the bar, Blaze slid a rocks glass across the polished surface. “What’s it like?”

  Skye sighed. “I’ve only ever yearned for the wind. This is completely different. My skin feels tight and itchy, like I need to put on a gallon of lotion or go for a swim.”

  Blaze smirked. “I don’t recommend the pool. The Retainers are still trying to drain it.”

  Skye grunted, “Very funny.”

  Busying himself with his drink, Blaze lifted a blond brow. “Bex and Kai share a portion of their magic as Mates. Kai can withstand water as a result, but only in small amounts before it overcomes his flames. How much of Riva’s do you think you have?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s too… slippery for me to gauge.”

  Bex’s arrival halted the conversation. Bracing her fists on her hips, she glared. “Come on, Skye. We’re ready.”

  Blaze shook his head. “Play nice, pup. It’s not his fault.”

  Her tone hardened. “I’m aware, but we have bigger issues to deal with. Riva had a visitor while she was unconscious. One of the Mer. How it happened, I don’t know. He said she holds the heart of the ocean. If she doesn’t return to the sea some asshole named Poseidon will wake and kill everyone. Now that Skye possesses her magic, who knows what’s going to happen? Let’s go.”

  Skye struggled to make sense of her words. “Poseidon, like from mythology?”

  Turning on her heel, Bex left without answering.

  Blaze slid another cup across the bar and tapped the bottle of whiskey. “Better take that. It might be easier if Riva is able to relax.”

  Figuring he was right, Skye nodded in appreciation.

  Gideon

  Gran’s expression radiated with extreme disapproval. “You were not to intervene!”

  Pacing a line in the sand, Gideon threw up his arms. “I had no choice! How could I have known I wasn’t supposed to touch you during a vision? Where the hell were you?”

  Inhaling a ragged breath, she blew it out through her clenched teeth. “I was the conduit. Her magic was too strong for me to pull you back. I’m dying, Gideon. I almost lost you.”

  Her admission cooled the irritation churning inside Gideon’s veins. “What did you see?” he asked her.

  Gripping the side of the hammock, she seemed to shrink in on herself. “Riva shares the heart with another.”

  Gideon froze. “How?”

  Tiredly, she sighed. “It’s not important. Come closer, child. It is time.”

  Moving toward her, he stalled. “It can’t be. I don’t know anything yet!”

  Lifting her hand, she smiled. “You will.”

  Golden light flared from her palm and headed straight for him. Unable to dodge the blow, Gideon braced for impact.

  The wave of heat rolled over him with a salty kiss.

  A thousand images passed by in the blink of an eye. Struggling with the onslaught, Gideon dropped to his knees under the pressure. His head felt like it would explode. Sweat beaded along his brow. Gripping his skull, he frantically tried to shove the vast amount of information into a corner of his mind.

  The vision took him before he could succeed.

  Clad in a fluttering white robe, an unrecognizable Mer swished through a set of dark gates. Disdainfully, he sneered at the crumbling remains before him. He took a breath, and a ringed sonar tone emitted from his throat.

  As the pulse spread, dark shapes began sliding through the shadows.

  Unconcerned, the Mer moved confidently up the palace steps. Schools of fish skittered out of his way in silver flashes. Tipping his chin, the Mer glowered at the water-filled entryway.

  In response the hall before him emptied with a dull roar. His legs formed as bubbles popped into place to seal the doorway and windows. Torches lit the corridor and bathed the stone floor in a gray glow.

  Continuing on his course, he stopped at a blank wall. Placing his palm on the rough surface, he whispered, “Open.”

  The rock split with a crack.

  A purple tentacle wrapped around the Mer’s chest and pulled him inside.

  Panting, Gideon came back to himself sprawled on the sand. “Gran! Something’s happened!”

  He got to his feet, and his knees wobbled but held. “Did you hear me?” Swaying in exhaustion, he made his way to the hammock.

  A perfect indent marked where she had been.

  She was gone… and Poseidon was awake.

  Jin

  Collin snored softly beside Jin as the seafloor passed by below their fins.

  Nudging the ocean with a tendril of his magic, Jin pleaded for the gentle current to keep them on course. Continuing on while conscious was not an option. As it was his lids were like heavy weights. Each time they slid closed he had to pry them open with sheer will alone.

  The Pacific was a tricky realm, and not one he’d
dared to navigate before. It was madness, but they didn’t have a choice. Without Riva, life as he knew it would cease to exist.

  Ever so slowly the flow approved his request.

  He zipped through the water, and his thoughts revolved around what he had seen.

  Berin was possessed. By what, he didn’t know. His home was in shambles. The only consolation was that his people had fled on Adrik’s order.

  Images of his corpse flitted by.

  Shaking his head, he banished the recollection. Gods, he was tired.

  The creak of a dolphin’s call drew his attention.

  Nearly fifty strong, their smooth shapes arrowed through the sea. Led by a young, white-sided female, the pod passed by without incident.

  Confusion lit through him. What were they doing so far from their normal hunting grounds?

  His gills stilled. The plan had been to swim west and then south. They needed to go around the large continent separating them from the Pacific.

  Did they know a shortcut?

  Excited by the prospect, he begged the current to alter their course.

  Riva

  Eyeing the amber liquid, I took a cursory sniff. The overwhelming notes burned my nostrils and made my eyes water. Wrinkling my nose, I hissed, “What are you trying to do? Poison me?”

  Bex laughed. “No. It’s whiskey. It’ll help settle your nerves.” Winking once, she downed her drink in one go.

  Sora blew out a breath from her seat on the wingback. “Are Gideon’s words reliable, Riva?”

  My fingers tightened on the small glass. “He seemed genuinely worried. If my people are in danger, I must return.”

  Skye reclined against the wall with a frown. His mismatched gaze skipped over the vacant spot on the bed beside me before meeting mine. A red tint lit his sculpted cheeks, and he looked away.

  Sora fidgeted with her braid. “First you need your power back. Once that’s done we can discuss whether or not it is wise to send you home.”

  Padding to the large window, Bex pulled aside the curtain. The Moon peeked out from behind the clouds and cast her face in a silver shadow. Her hair shimmered for a brief moment before she tucked the wayward strands behind her ear. “I don’t want her to go.”

  My chest pinched. I felt the same, but I couldn’t endanger my family. “I know, Bex. But it won’t be goodbye forever.”