The guards led her through the expansive palace. Like the room they had just left, the palace was decorated in black, red, and gold. There didn’t seem to be one closed off hallway, or one door. The palace was held together with pillars and that was it.
Which, she realized as she trailed behind them, memorizing the way they had left, made her plan seem more complicated. There were also guards stationed every five feet, all holding spears and armored.
Deimos was close at her back, which gave her little comfort. Slipping away from him was going to be near impossible too. She knew that if it came down to it, he would take Ambrose’s side if it meant keeping her safe and locked up.
She snorted mentally. Yeah. Keeping her locked up was such a great idea.
It took them a total of five minutes to get to her “room.” As they escorted her inside, one of the guards moved to the wall and pulled on a red silken rope. Immediately, crimson curtains fell from the open space and enclosed the room, giving her privacy.
“Wait here,” one of them said shortly. He bowed his head in respect before backing out of the room, leaving her and Deimos to themselves.
She bit her lip, looking around the room. There was a blue-green pad placed in the right corner—their type of bed, she was guessing. Beside it was a nightstand and then across from the bed and nightstand, against the wall that she was near, was a dresser. It looked like it was made out of the same material as the gate, glass-like with a red inner glow.
“Atlanteans are just depressing,” she muttered, swimming forward and sitting on the bed. Deimos stood by the door, arms over his chest.
He nodded shortly.
“Black,” he muttered, casting an impassive eye over the room.
“A lot,” she agreed. How the hell was she going to distract him enough to get out of here? By the time she escaped, Ambrose and the king would have already had their fight—or, Ambrose could already be dead.
Her heart thumped.
She definitely needed to leave, and soon.
The uneasy feeling in her stomach gave her an idea.
“I think I need to take a breath,” she said uneasily, holding her stomach. Mari didn’t think she did very well faking the heaving in her stomach, but it must have been enough. Deimos automatically looked away from her.
“Vomit,” he grated, face twisting. “Disgusting.”
Mari made a gagging sound and watched as he flinched.
As he was looking away, she quickly made her way to the pad, and then slipped out from the curtain that was behind it, sliding along the pillar.
Excitement rushed through her as she took hold of the amazing view. The city was in clear display. From her little sneak-away spot, she could see every temple, plant, and creature. And god, but it was beautiful.
She could easily imagine falling in love with Atlantis.
But right now, she had to save the man that she lo—
Mari stopped.
No. Not love. She forced herself to get moving, even as her heart thundered in her chest at what she had almost made a complete thought. It was way too soon to love Ambrose—hell, she hadn’t met him even three days ago. Ray was still in the forefront of her mind. The betrayal, the anger. She was too hurt to think about loving another man.
Right?
Mari swam several feet down the building, still on the outside. She called on that super-fishy speed she had and tried to go quick enough that the guards keeping watch wouldn’t notice her shooting behind them.
She hadn’t really thought about Ray at all, she admitted to herself. She had been caught up in the adventure, the danger, and...Ambrose. He was consuming every thought she had now. Ray’s betrayal was only a minor sting to her heart—Ambrose was the reason it was beating.
It might be too soon. It might be irrational. It might be wrong. But did she really have to care about that? She had a man that cared for her, a new start at life, and a clean slate. Taking control of the situation and finally having happiness in her life would be the best thing for her.
It’s what her mother would have wanted from her, her father. They had never been fond of Ray. They tolerated him for her, yes, but they didn’t welcome him. He was too tight, too restricting. Only once had her mother warned her not to get caught up with someone she wouldn’t be happy with, and it had turned into Mari not talking to her mother for weeks.
But not because she hadn’t wanted to. It had been Ray that had kept her away from her family. Telling her to give them time, urging her to just put the phone down and stop thinking about them.
It had caused a painful rift in her family. Her brothers stopped talking to her, her father didn’t text her, and her mother hadn’t made an attempt to talk to her.
She knew her parents would approve of Ambrose. Handsome, strong, loyal, perfect, a great kisser with magic hands... She shivered at the last part. Her mother would more than approve of Ambrose, she knew. And if her and her parents got into an argument, he wouldn’t allow her to sit in silent pain. He would force her to work it out with them.
Just like he worked through everything else. If Ambrose had a problem, he fixed it. He didn’t leave others behind and he sure as hell didn’t lie. He could have easily left her in the cave. He hadn’t had to turn her into a mermaid, put up with her, or allow her to go with him everywhere. He didn’t have to protect her and risk his life for her.
But he did.
When she had first seen him in the cave, his face had been hard, as if he had never smiled before in his life. Over the course of their time together, there had been a dramatic change. Not only did he sigh at her, smile at her, or laugh at her. He allowed her to touch him.
After all of the things that had been done to him in that cave, he gave her rights she suspected he never would have given again.
The sound of low voices drew her out of her thoughts.
Several feet away from her were two guards. Their shoulders were covered with armor, and both had a long, sharp spear in their hands.
“Never thought that fucker would come back here again,” the one on the left said. His voice was tinged with disgust.
“Don’t know why Kai would bother protecting him,” lefty muttered.
“It doesn’t matter. H’Sai will have him locked up in no time.”
“I’ll have to get tomorrow off to witness the execution . That bastard killed my sister—I’ll relish every drop of blood that spurts from his dead body.”
Mari slapped a hand over her mouth, muffling her gasp.
What bastards. Anger flashed through her, and the water buzzed around her, heating up with her emotions.
“I—“
Another voice came from the hall, farther down, cutting her off.
“D’Mari?”
She froze.
Then slowly turned around with an incredibly sweet smile on her face.
“Yes?”
“Were you not instructed to stay in those quarters?”
She met the eyes of the guard who had caught her. The two that were in front of her were turning around with pale faces and wide eyes.
“I needed some time to myself,” she said vaguely. Why weren’t they carting her away already? It seemed like the whole palace had heard of their arrival—and none of them seemed happy about it. She forced herself not to do something to the two guards that had been talking about Ambrose.
The new guard’s eyes strayed to her tail, then her face, but passed her. Like he didn’t want to look directly at it.
Realization dawned on her slowly, and she nearly smiled. So they really did think she was a god.
Ambrose had told her at F-Inn to act indifferent and uncaring. Was that how gods normally acted? She’d never met one or heard of one—obviously—so she followed Ambrose’s advice.
Mari crossed her arms over her chest, arching a brow. “I’ll be on my way now.”
She turned on her tail, expecting them to just let her go.
But of course, nothing was ever that easy.
“D’Mari, the king expressed wish that you would stay in your quarters. The ceremony will begin soon, and then you may come out. We…do not wish to offend you while we prepare.”
“Ceremony?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at them. She slowed. For what?
“For the Exiled One,” he answered as if he had read her mind.
“What is going to happen at this ‘ceremony’?” she demanded, turning around quickly. The other two guards, the ones who had been gossiping, backed away from her, fear widening their eyes.
“The execution. He has offended our king by coming here, and offended you as well. It is time he paid for his crimes,” he said harshly. Mari could only stare at him.
“What crimes?” she asked, completely astounded. “Actually, forget it. I need to go. Follow me and I’ll…I’ll turn you into a whale.”
She turned away from them sharply, urgency going through her. She had to find Ambrose. Had to get him out of there. He couldn’t just leave her there, alone, and then watch him die. Had he known this was going to happen?
Mari’s chest tightened with a fear that went soul-deep.
She didn’t bother to listen for the guards. The quick look she had gotten of their faces had told her that they wouldn’t bother following her. She could have laughed that they believed her, but fear for Ambrose held her silent.
The halls were endless. She swam her way down them, retracing her steps from earlier. Thankfully, to her godly speed, she found the throne room in less than a minute. The guards that were stationed throughout the palace were absent—probably preparing to kill Ambrose.
Dread washed through her. God damn it, she couldn’t believe he would do this. Wouldn’t it be easier to kill the king and take back the throne? The guy hadn’t seemed very dedicated in the first place!
Her thoughts cut off when she threw open the door the throne room.
Completely empty.
She shot toward the large throne, then found the pillar they had gone through. There was no sign of a door, or latch, or anything. Swallowing, thinking she had memorized the wrong one, she waved her hand out.
It passed through the pillar, the marble wavering as if it were a rippling pool.
“I feel like I’m going to Hogwarts,” she muttered to herself before squeezing her eyes shut and walking into the marble.
She met no resistance, but an odd feeling passed over her.
Mari slowly opened her eyes, looking around her.
“Holy. Shit.”
She had entered into a large, breathtaking room. The ceiling was luminescent, forming a dome above her head. Her jaw dropped as she stared around her. Glistening like hundreds of little diamonds had been embedded into the walls, it was one of the most magnificent rooms she had ever seen in her life.
And Ambrose was somewhere in here…
It was the thought of Ambrose that took her out of her stupor.
There was no sign of another door, so Mari touched the wall. Maybe it was like the marble out there, just an apparition at one part. It was the only thing she had to go by, so Mari brushed her fingers over the glittering wall, a thrill working it’s way up her hand as she did.
It was like the magic of the room was flowing from the wall to her, invading her senses. Mari was so distracted by the sensation that she almost missed the wavering of the image when her hand passed through an empty space.
She had to stay focused. Ambrose’s life was on the line.
Mari passed through the wall, and was greeted to the gothic version of what she had just been through. Instead of blinding white diamonds, the corridor she entered was bedazzled with red and black stones.
She walked through it, feeling unease creep through her.
The corridor went on for forever. Mari didn’t know how long she was in it, swimming her way through it as fast as she could. After a couple of minutes, she almost decided to turn around, thinking that there had been another entrance and she had taken the wrong one.
Mari stopped moving completely, holding her chest against the panting and the unease that was slowly growing with each breath.
She had to turn back—there was no way that she was going to get to the end of the tunnel. After the pillar and wall trick, she was beginning to think that this tunnel was a trick as well.
Hissing. There was something hissing.
She whipped around, fear catching the scream in her throat and holding it back. She scanned the dim tunnel, heart pounding, palms beginning to heat.
“I’m going insane,” she muttered to herself, swallowing down the anticipation. “Freaking stupid emo fish need to get a hold of themselves.” The Atlanteans, as a race, needed a make over. With flowers and rainbows and blues and pinks. There was so much darkness that she was choking on it.
She froze when she heard it again.
It was closer. A small orb of light began to form.
Déjà vu struck her for a second, making her frown.
“Akrina?” she asked, moving forward slightly.
The little ball shot away from her, and she glowered, following it. “Akrina,” she whispered, reaching out a hand. “What are you doing? Get back here!”
Mari was just about to touch it when it disappeared completely, leaving her in the dim light of the tunnel. The gems in the wall gleamed at her mockingly. Frustration made her sigh.
“That little shit…” she began.
“…too late.”
Mari’s ears perked up. Kai?
She moved forward quietly, trying to be as soundless as possible. Only a couple more feet and the tunnel ended abruptly. Mari hid behind the edge of the exit and peeked her head out of the door, narrowing her eyes as she took in the surroundings.
The room that the voices came from was oval. Sitting on the outskirts of the almost court-like room were four large chairs that were occupied by four terrifyingly beautiful creatures.
All four of them had white as snow hair, glowing red eyes, and...the same tail that she had. Exactly the same tail. The red down the sides, the double-fin...the only thing that she didn’t have, that they did, was the hair and the tattoos. Two woman were on the right side of the dais, and two men were on the other.
Shock held her still, entranced. The water around them sizzled with their power, drawing Mari into them. The aura of danger and age that surrounded them called to her, rushed through her like a physical need. She forced herself to stay still, to look away from them.
“You honestly think that the people will accept you as king again?” H’Sai hissed, taking an aggressive step towards Ambrose.
Kai was between them, looking more fed up than worried. Ambrose had a more stoic look on his face, and she couldn’t have been any prouder.
Then she realized what he had said.
Again?
Ambrose had been king once?
“You betrayed us, killed our families, and ruined our city,” he continued, the sneer that overcame his features twisting the withering flesh. “What makes you think you would be welcome here?”
“When the gods sent Mari to me,” Ambrose said, as easily as if he were explaining what he breathed. Mari’s heart fluttered, her stomach following.
“And how do you know that for certain? What kind of ‘sign’ is that, Ambrose? A rotten one, if you ask me. The second you sunk Atlantis, we lost loyalty in you. Don’t expect to get it back.”
Ambrose sunk Atlantis? Mari’s head reeled. He couldn’t have—Ambrose wouldn’t do something like that, it just wasn’t him.
“Ambrose,” one of the females intoned.The low, emotionless voice sent a shiver down Mari’s back. “Why do you not tell him what happened? You stay silent and let this man slander your name. Why?”
The way she asked it made Mari think that she already knew why. Ambrose’s jaw clenched in response, and he remained silent.
“What are you talking about? All of Atlantis knows what happened!” H’Sai shouted, stomping his tail against the ground furiously. The silken robes on his body quivered with his rage.
“Tell us, Ambrose,” the other female demanded, her body shifting in the seat. The move was so elegant, and so smooth, she seemed to move with the water and not against it.
“You already know,” he said, voice hard.
“Ah, but H’Sai does not,” one of the males said, his eyes taking in the scene with indifference. Did none of them know how to show emotion? The whole time, their faces were rock hard and unmoving.
“What don’t I know?” the annoying man asked. Mari had disliked him from the start, but now she wanted to throttle him. How appealing it was for her to just reach out, wrap her hands around his throat, and just shake him till his old fish heart stopped working?
Way too appealing.
“That Ambrose didn’t sink Atlantis,” Kai muttered, scrubbing a hand over his face and groaning. His shoulders fell back tiredly and he looked at H’Sai as if he were the most boring creature in the ocean. “You’re really fucking stupid if you think that Ambrose, after all he did to protect Atlantis, would turn around and destroy it. What kind of step-in king are you?”
H’Sai sputtered, then looked at Ambrose and Kai indignantly. “I kept Atlantis going for two thousand years—much longer than he has!”
“Is that all you can think about? This little cock show you have going on with Ambrose? Atlantis is dying. I can feel it, you look it, and the gods know. What kind of work did you do while Ambrose was locked up? You might be my friend, but I’m loyal to the heir.”
H’Sai stared at Kai with wide eyes, betrayal shining in them.
“I can turn it around,” he said, even as Kai shook his head, running a hand through his long golden hair. “Sorry. No. You can’t. Even if you had had the chance, you wouldn’t have bothered. I tried to get you to take control for years, but you wasted the time on your throne. Now that Ambrose is back, things can finally be done. We haven’t advanced at all with you.”
H’Sai opened his mouth to speak, but one of the Atlanteans in the chairs spoke up, their voice resonating through the room. “Ambrose will have his throne back willingly or by force. What do you prefer, H’Sai?”
Mari saw the same shock she felt on Ambrose’s face.
H’Sai was silent, staring at Ambrose with a brewing hate that she could feel from her spot.
“Force. He can have the throne by force.”
The gods nodded as if they knew what he was going to choose.
“So be it. A week from today will be the fight to see who is worthy of the throne.” Then, dismissing the king completely, they turned to Ambrose. “We suggest that you spend time getting to know your people. Soon, the story of how Atlantis fell will be spread all throughout the city.”
Ambrose stared at them.
“Take Mari with you...and look out for Ceto. She is waiting for her chance to attack. We figured you would want to take care of her yourself, though.”
She saw Ambrose tense and her stomach dropped. That bitch was still tormenting Ambrose, despite how far they had gotten.
Mari swore that when she saw Ceto, she was going to kill her. No if, ands, or buts—that goddess was going to get god-smacked.