Tidal Magic

by Janelle Peel

  She heaved a string of bubbles, and her spine straightened. “I was there. I saw Titus’s intent as clearly as I see you now. He would have snapped your neck as easily as I can crack open a shell. King Jin saved your life.

  I—” she paused “—we wish to spare his.”

  Stunned, I looked over my people.

  A slow clap broke out followed by a building chant. One word fell from every Mer’s lips.

  “Freedom!”

  Judan grinned as if she’d known the outcome all along. “My Queen, what are you waiting for?”

  Elated, I chuckled then sobered. “Remove the Pacifians and sound the horns of war! We march for the Deep!”

  Bex

  Lila’s awed whisper carried over the cracking ice beside us. “How old do you think it is?”

  Holding back the ocean was no small feat. Gritting my teeth against the strain, I grunted, “Thousands of years, Lila.”

  The Rune Gate was further from shore than I’d expected. Even though it was partially buried beneath the sand, its width spanned fifteen feet or more. What was exposed looked akin to disjointed chunks of dark stone that had been painstakingly placed side by side to form a circle big enough for even Blaze to walk through. Strands of kelp hung in limp disarray and gave it a benign appearance.

  Lila strode to it with her palm raised.

  I hissed, “Don’t. It might suck you inside.”

  She froze mid-step. “True, but I do not sense any magic. Whatever powered it has been gone for a long time. How do you want to play this?”

  “Call the wind. We need to dig it out before we can do anything.”

  Bright light lit her fingers. She lifted them to the sky, and her platinum hair shifted in an unseen breeze.

  Specs of silt buffeted my cheeks with sharp stings as the gale slowly increased. Closing my eyes against the onslaught, I wondered how we were going to move it. The damned thing had to weigh well over a ton. Not even the sea had been able to knock it over. The wind howling inside my ears came to an abrupt stop. Flipping open my lids, I followed Lila’s gaze.

  Dead center in the middle of the Gate a small hole had revealed itself. Squelching forward for a closer look, I paused. Not a hole, a divot. One that was perfectly shaped for the sphere that led us here. Could it really be so easy?

  Lila’s protective bubble snapped into place around her. She nodded once, and her expression hardened. “Do it.”

  My hand shook as I dropped the pearl to the ground. I wasn’t taking any chances. Nudging it with the toe of my boot, I maneuvered it into position.

  Nothing happened.

  Lila snorted. “That was anticlimactic.”

  It sure was. Hesitantly, I waved my hand through the opening.

  No change.

  I wasn’t sure what I’d expected, but it wasn’t this. A growl of frustration rumbled from my chest. “Fuck! Can’t we catch a break?”

  “Maybe you should touch it.”

  I threw her a queer look. “And leave you here all alone? I don’t know how long my ice will hold back the ocean, Lila. That’s a terrible plan.”

  She scoffed. “What other choice do we have? Nat is off visiting her father, and she’s the only one who could poss—” A devious grin settled over her lips. “Never mind. Stand back. I’ve got an idea.”

  “Care to share with the class?”

  Tendrils of silver flames licked up her arms. Dropping to one knee, she dug her fingers into the wet sand.

  The ground bucked in response.

  Ohhhh. She was going to move the earth beneath the Gate.

  Moving back beside her, I patiently waited.

  Her brow furrowed in intense concentration. She took a deep breath, and her tongue slid to one corner of her mouth.

  The Gate shuddered. As pulled by invisible chains, it slowly inched forward.

  Gideon

  The heavy tether around his waist made sitting upright nearly impossible. Straining his arms, he finally succeeded.

  Dark stone greeted his gaze. Skipping from one wall to the next, he stilled.

  Laying in a crumpled heap in one corner was a shape he recognized.

  King Berin’s face was frozen in sheer terror at the time of his demise. Wide stripes lined his throat as if he’d been strangled. The white robe covering his frame was open to reveal a fist-sized hole puncturing his chest, yet there was no blood.

  Shuddering at the sight, Gideon focused on the throne from his vision. It was vacant of the beast from his vision, and dead spiked sea urchins covered every available surface. The legs of the throne appeared to be made of coral, but none that he’d ever seen. Their blackened tips had been sharpened to points. A row of what could only be shark teeth peeked out from atop the seat’s high back.

  His eyes rose to the panel dominating the raised dais. Multitudes of skulls hung in various stages of decay. The biggest by far could swallow ten Mer whole.

  What creature could possibly have such a wide maw?

  Chills skittered down his spine at the thought.

  Movement in a corner drew his attention.

  Slithering through the sand like a sea snake, the purple-hued appendage lifted as if it were able to see him. As it swayed in the air, pink suckers lit its underbelly.

  Mesmerized, Gideon failed to notice the tentacle moving into position behind him.

  It latched onto his neck before he could react. Razor sharp, the cups hooked into his skin with hot pricks of pain. Gasping, he gripped it in an attempt to pull it off.

  A deep bass interrupted his efforts. “I would leave it if I were you.”

  Gideon froze.

  Moving from the shadows, Poseidon settled himself on the throne. “Your blood tastes of gifts I haven’t possessed in centuries, Seer. A delicacy from long ago and one that is quite welcome.”

  Gideon’s mind struggled to process the image. It was like looking at his own reflection.

  Where his own navy-colored hair was chin length, Poseidon’s was braided in tight plaits on either side of his head. Everything else was identical… except Gideon had arms.

  The grip choking the life from him fell away. Undulating across the floor, it slid back toward its master.

  Touching his neck, Gideon sucked in greedy breaths of air.

  Poseidon watched with an amused expression. After a moment, his azure eyes widened. “How… fortuitous.”

  Finished with the charade, Gideon croaked, “What’s that?”

  Rubbing his square jaw, Poseidon mimicked, “What’s that?”

  Gideon glared. “Just kill me and get it over with.”

  Poseidon’s tone mirrored his own perfectly. “Just kill me and get it over with.”

  Before Gideon could blink, Poseidon’s tentacles disappeared. Smooth, tanned arms flexed where they’d previously resided. Rising from his seat, he strode forward.

  Gideon cringed back. “I’ll not tell you anything! Get on with it!”

  The vision took him before he could hear a response.

  Striding confidently through the dark corridors, Gideon watched himself stop at a door. He placed his palm on the stone surface, and it opened with a cracking sound.

  Riva’s cry of relief filtered to his ears. “Gideon! What’s happened? How did you escape?”

  Gideon moved into the dark chamber, and the door sealed behind him. Gesturing to the ceiling, he flicked his wrist, and light instantly blossomed in the small chamber.

  Riva squinted at the sudden illumination. “What are you doing?”

  Gideon lifted his hands soothingly. “I have a plan, Riva. It’s the only way. Do you still have the heart?”

  Her brow furrowed as she struggled to get to her feet. “You know I do.”

  Padding forward he helped her stand. Slowly, he began kneading the tender muscles lining her arms. He loosened his grip, and his fingers trailed to the band at her waist. “Turn around and I will remove it.”

  Briefly, confusion flashed across her face. Pivoting on her heel, she s
hook her head in disbelief. “How?”

  Leaning closer, he inhaled near her crown. A satisfied smile broke out across his lips. His gaze devoured every inch of her bare skin.

  Irritated, Riva muttered, “Hurry up. We need to get out of here.”

  Palming the curve of her hips, he forced her to bend over.

  Her spine went rigid. “Gideon! Quit fucking around.”

  “Hush. I just need better access.”

  Heaving a sigh, she stilled.

  Gideon’s member hardened at the sight of her heart-shaped ass. Shifting closer, he grazed her heat.

  Shrieking, she desperately tried to get away. “Stop!”

  Unperturbed, he tightened his grip.

  “Gideon! Please don’t do this! Gideon!”

  He nudged her thighs open,and his arms shimmered into tentacles. Purple snakes banded around her waist and thighs.

  She screamed as he reared back to impale her from behind.

  Gideon came back to himself with Riva’s cries echoing in his ears. Understanding slowly dawned as he looked into Poseidon’s eyes.

  It had been him all along.

  Thick tentacles wrapped around Gideon’s throat once more. Pinned to the ground, he could only stare at the one pointed directly at his heart.

  Faster than he could track, it latched on and burrowed beneath his skin.

  Chapter 17

  Bex

  We managed to drag the Gate to the cove, but my well was running dry.

  Stumbling onto the shore, I fell into Kai’s arms. “Goddess, I’m so tired.”

  His chuckle vibrated against my chest. “You did well.”

  Lila trudged up beside us. Dark bruises of exhaustion stood out beneath her star-flecked eyes. “Let’s never do that again.”

  The ice broke apart behind us with a tremendous crash.

  Twisting inside his embrace, I watched the ocean bury the Gate once more. I would need sleep to perform the feat again. And food. Damn, I was hungry.

  Before I could voice the thought, Jin’s face broke through the surface.

  Grinning like a cat who ate the canary, he threw me a saucy wink. “Bex!”

  Lila grunted, “Ooh, look who it is. Where’s your annoying sidekick?”

  Collin popped up beside Jin. Smirking, he rumbled, “Did you miss me, Lila?”

  Frowning, she shook her head. “Not really. I see you’re not dead. How did your mission go?”

  Tipping his chin, Collin gestured behind him.

  A shape rose from the depths. My gaze was immediately drawn to the large topaz dominating her crown. The gem had been carefully threaded in between her abalone-colored braids. Teal scales flickered across her temples in the light of the setting sun. Twin pink starfish barely contained the globes of her large breasts.

  Stroking past Jin, she navigated around the lingering chunks of ice dotting the water. “Well met, Bex. Wolf Fae and sister of my sister.”

  My jaw dropped. This beauty was Riva’s sister? Holy shit!

  Lila chuckled. “Close your mouth and greet her, Bex.”

  Cheeks heating, I stuttered, “Uh, hi, Luna.”

  A knowing grin graced her lips.

  Glancing behind her, I asked, “Where’s Titus?”

  Her aqua eyes tightened briefly in pain. She overcame the slip, and her tone hardened. “He is of no consequence. Jin has filled me in. My army is ready. Where do we find Riva?”

  Locating others of our kind was the one skill I still hadn’t been able to master. Kai had tried to teach me on multiple occasions, but it never worked.

  Kai’s jaw brushed against the top of my head. “Skye left in search of Riva. I assume by now he has found her. Just a moment.”

  Luna’s brow furrowed. “What is he doing?”

  Pride swelled through my chest. “He’s tracking Skye.”

  Kai’s grip on my waist tightened. “Skye is northeast of our location. My Mate requires food before we can begin our journey.”

  A strange sound emitted from Luna’s throat. Near instantly a small female appeared beside her. “Judan, fetch our supplies. We will break our fast before continuing.”

  Judan nodded once. “Yes, my Queen.”

  After a fresh meal of oysters provided by the Mer, we were ready to move.

  Luna watched my shift with a stunned expression. “What strange magic you possess.”

  Shaking out my ruff, I flared the frosted tips of my wings.

  Lila settled herself on my back. “Pretty amazing though, right?”

  Collin smirked. “One day I would like to see what you can do, Lila.”

  The sound of Lila’s teeth grinding filtered to my ears. If that cocky Mer didn’t watch himself, she was going kick his ass.

  Skye

  Try as he might he couldn’t gain access to the castle. The Mersharks patrolled the waters with military-like efficiency. There were no gaps in their ranks.

  Chills broke out across his skin. Were they inside as well? Could they walk on land?

  He shuddered at the thought, and his attention was drawn to a lone figure exiting the castle. Relief flickered through Skye’s veins. Could it really be? Had Gideon managed to escape?

  Inaudibly, Gideon moved through the barrier holding back the sea. Ink spilled through the water in dark clouds and distorted Skye’s view.

  Straining his eyes, Skye called upon Riva’s power buried inside his chest. The current obeyed and cleared the plume.

  Skye immediately wished it hadn’t.

  Midnight blue, the creature’s hair fluttered around his sculpted cheeks. A violet-hued tentacle rose of its own accord and pushed aside the stray strands. Three more tentacles undulated from where his arm should be. The four on his left tightened their grip on a crudely woven sack. Thick muscles lined his broad chest before narrowing to a V at his waist. The scales lining his hips matched his hair before fanning into black stripes along his tail. He hefted his load higher, and a low vibration emitted from his throat.

  This was not Gideon.

  The sonar rings spread like wildfire. Pressure began building against the walls of Skye’s mind. Gritting his teeth, he waited for the crescendo to pass.

  Every Mershark stilled and turned toward the imposter.

  A sadistic smile split Poseidon’s face. “Come, my pets.”

  Eagerly, the Mersharks snapped their maws at one another and heeded his call.

  Poseidon’s snake-like appendages made short work of the sack’s bindings. The empty bag floated for a moment before drifting to the sandy path.

  Skye struggled to process the scene his eyes provided.

  Held aloft by his throat, Gideon’s face was frozen in sheer terror. His skin held a waxy quality as if it were devoid of blood. Bits of bone stuck out at odd angles from a round hole inside his chest. Human legs adorned his lower half where his tail should reside.

  Gideon was dead.

  The purple tentacles tore Gideon’s body apart with ease. Poseidon tossed the pieces upward, and his green gaze lit with a satisfied expression. “Soon, my pets. Very soon this world will be ours. Then, we will feast.” Kicking his tail, Poseidon disappeared inside the castle.

  Overcoming his shock, Skye slipped past the feeding frenzy unnoticed. Though he knew he needed the distraction, his heart pinched with the loss of life. Who would raise Gideon’s niece now?

  Riva

  Kena stopped speaking mid-sentence.

  Pressing my lips to the crack, I whispered, “Kena?”

  Only the soft scuffs of her feet echoed back. Her door slammed closed a second later.

  Figuring she’d been summoned, my mind repeated her words on an endless loop.

  She’d been down here for months.

  How Berin had managed to fake her death and transport her was beyond comprehension. Unfortunately, she couldn’t recall a single detail. One moment she’d been in the Arctician castle preparing to receive Jin, and the next she was shackled here.

  The band around her waist made sw
imming nearly impossible, but she managed. Every time she attempted to leave the castle, the Mersharks herded her back inside. As long as she was quiet, they left her in peace.

  Starving was not an option, but thankfully the ocean-filled halls were ripe with fish. It was up to her to provide for herself. If she wasn’t hunting she was exploring.

  Hungry for any insight, I picked her brain for hours and pieced together a map. It was then her story took a disturbing turn.

  Over time an alien presence took up residence inside her thoughts. She’d find herself in rooms with no knowledge of how she arrived or what she’d been doing.

  She became convinced something was controlling her.

  When the water retreated from the castle things went from bad to worse. She awoke with legs, but circular contusions marked her skin. No matter how hard tried she couldn’t recall how she’d been injured.

  On the same day, a group of Mer arrived. Each wore the same heavy band around their waists. She recognized many of them as Arctician.

  Excited to no longer be alone she began peppering each newcomer with endless questions.

  None were answered.

  Their eyes held a glazed look as they busied themselves repairing the castle. Their flesh held the same injuries as hers.

  The last blackout happened just before my arrival.

  It appeared she’d been in the middle of preparing a meal. Confused, she stared at her blood-stained hands before seeking the source. Artfully arranged on a shelled platter was the heart of a Mer.

  Terrified by the revelation, she ran as fast as her weak legs could carry her.

  A loud keening screech echoed through the halls in her wake.

  Rounding the corner to her cell, she slammed into someone. Her momentum caused her to fall backward. Pinwheeling her arms, something slippery latched onto her shoulders.

  She froze at the sight.

  Purple tentacles slid across her skin. Fresh blood trailed in their wake. The presence invading her mind increased to an agitated roar. The pressure became so intense she passed out.

  The next thing she heard was my screaming.

  I did my best to fill her in on the gaps. She seemed intrigued by Tabula Rasa and the people I’d met. The creature she’d run into had to be Poseidon. What I’d assumed to be bites on her skin were marks from his suckers. Apparently, he’d been feeding on her.