When we arrived, my sister came barreling out of the house and nearly fell into my arms. At first I thought something was wrong, but then I noticed the smile on her face.
“Marisol, what’s going on?”
“You have to come and see!” She looked so excited and it was really the first time that I’d seen her like that since before my parents died. Well, really, I never saw her happy. She was such an angry teenager.
She pulled me through the front door, past the kitchen, and over to the edge of the deck. Daniel greeted me with a hug and a smile that matched my sister’s. “Okay you two, what’s going on?”
“Look!” Marisol cried and pointed down to the beach. When I followed her gaze, I became overwhelmed with what I saw. Our beachfront property had been turned into a training ground. Several dozen protectors were sparring with others dressed in regular attire. I was about to ask who they were, when one of them caught my eye.
“Is that Julian?”
Daniel laughed. “Oh yeah. That’s him.” I turned to look at my friend who seemed to have gotten over his fear of the selkie. “What? Sure he captured us, but then he saved us. Plus, just look at him.” Julian fought with one of the biggest protectors I had ever seen. And Daniel was totally ogling him. I elbowed my friend in the side.
“Close your mouth,” I said and Marisol giggled. “Geez, Daniel. He’s old enough to be your father.”
“Or my sugar-daddy.”
“Gross. Enough.” But I couldn’t hide my smile. I looked at Marisol. “And what’s got you so happy?”
She grinned and pointed again. “Julian didn’t come by himself. Look at all of the selkies he brought.”
“Marisol’s been eyeing that young one down there. He seems to be equally enamored with her,” Daniel added, but I wasn’t listening. Because if Julian brought other selkies, then that would mean…
“Brendan,” I whispered just as I spotted him flip Palmer over his back and pin him to the ground. As though he heard me, he looked up and met my eyes. I couldn’t breathe. My heart stuttered and my stomach twisted in anticipation. He was shirtless and sweaty, his dark hair hanging loose around his face. And even from the distance, I saw those green eyes that meant the world to me. “He came.”
This time Daniel elbowed me. “He did. And he’s been waiting for you to get back.” I looked at my friend with hope.
“He has?”
“Yes,” Marisol cut in and then sighed. “I didn’t get it before, but now I do.”
“What?” I wrinkled my face. “What are you talking about?”
“She means love,” Daniel teased and Marisol glared. “Your sister has had a change of heart since Quinlan appeared. Or maybe I should say she finally grew a heart.” He jumped away just in time to avoid Marisol’s slap.
“Who’s Quinlan?” I asked.
“The red headed guy. I asked Julian if he was even allowed to be up past curfew, but he assured me he was eighteen and quite capable of handling himself,” Daniel answered.
“Marisol, he’s eighteen! That’s too old for you.”
“It’s three and a half years. The same as you and Brendan.” She did have a point. Who was I to tell her not to follow her heart?
“Just…be careful, okay?” She huffed and crossed her arms in defiance. I was about to say more, but then noticed Brendan walking toward the stairs that led up to the deck. He was coming this way.
“Come on, Mars. Let’s go down on the beach and watch these sweaty boys beat each other senseless.” Daniel wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her away, while she berated him for using that nickname. I didn’t know what happened over the last few days, but I was grateful Daniel bonded with her. She needed someone.
They passed Brendan on the stairs and he smiled politely. That smile. My entire body shook before he got to me.
“You’re back,” he said.
I nodded, not quite able to say anything. He took another step toward me and held out his arms. I rushed to him and wrapped myself around his body.
“You came,” I whispered and started to cry.
He kissed the top of my head and squeezed a little tighter. “I told you I would. When Julian made the decision to back your clan, I knew this had to be it.”
I looked up at him in confusion. “This was Julian’s doing?”
“Yes. He put a call out to all selkies and asked for their assistance. It’s not typical amongst our kind but Julian’s…different.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s kind of like an alpha of sorts.”
“Like wolves?”
“Something like that. He’s a good man. So when he asks for a favor, most are obliged to give it to him.”
“Hmm.” I rested my head back against his glistening chest. “And you decided to join us too?”
“I decided to try and get my life back here.” He pushed me away enough so he could look into my eyes. “I wasn’t supposed to be in Seattle. I told you it just didn’t feel right.”
“And now you’re here.”
“Yes.”
“How does that feel?”
He laughed and kissed me quickly on the mouth. That brief moment of contact sent a wave of shivers tingling through to my toes. “Good, now that you’re home.”
Home. This could be it. I had a second chance at the life I’d always wanted with Brendan, here, in my home. Our home.
“Will you stay here?” I was almost afraid to ask, but his smile helped me relax.
“I planned on it.” He bent forward and kissed me again. Only this time it wasn’t so quick and it wasn’t so innocent. Someone cleared their throat.
“Eviana, you’re needed inside.”
I turned to see Kain standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and a strained look on his face. I swallowed and looked up at Brendan. “I think I’m going to be tied up the rest of the day, but can we talk at dinner?”
His green eyes stared straight into my soul and if I didn’t know any better, I would’ve thought they held a hint of something other than excitement.
“Of course. I have much more training scheduled for today anyway.” With one last kiss on the forehead, he nodded to Kain and bounded down the stairs. I watched him the entire way with so much longing, and happiness, and a thousand other emotions that I thought I would explode. Kain made another noise.
“I’m coming,” I grumbled. Walking to him, I noticed that he looked really bad. “What’s wrong with you?”
He snorted. “Come on. I’ll explain at the meeting.”
“What meeting?”
“The one with our advisors. You guys weren’t the only ones attacked last night.”
“What?” But he wouldn’t answer me, so instead I chased after him through the house and to the conference room where we held all of the important events and meetings. Maybe I should have returned some of his phone calls on the plane. Now I was walking into something that I was completely unprepared for. Most of these merfolk were just waiting for a reason to get rid of me, and not having a plan at a time like this would give them the excuse they needed.
Kain pushed through the double door entrance and proceeded to walk to the far side of the room where he picked up his cell phone and punched in a number. The rest of the area was filled with a dozen powerful members of our clans, all of whom were pacing, screaming into their phones, or a combination of both. My top advisor and uncle, Andre, sauntered up beside me.
“I’m glad to see you’re okay.” The look on his face told me he was actually being sincere.
“Thank you.” Turning my attention back to the room, I asked, “Can you please fill me in? What else happened?”
“It seems as though Lucian coordinated several attacks last night. First, there was yours. Then he broke a dam along the Mississippi and flooded one of the major organic farms owned by the McCormick clan, and then early this morning he launched a financial attack.”
“A financial attack?”
He nodded. “It started in Europe while our markets were closed so by the time the exchange opened this morning, almost half our money was gone.” I looked at my uncle with confusion. “Lucian crashed the stock market and most of our larger investments have been reduced to nothing.”
“How is that possible?”
“Apparently, he’s been working on this for a while. Three major European banks closed their doors today, causing their American branches to crumble. All of them are contributors to our fund.” He ran his hands over his face and through the few pieces of hair he had left. “This was no coincidence.”
“No, it doesn’t appear to be,” I said.
With so few merfolk left in the world, a trust fund had been set up in each country to aid in times of emergencies, like when we needed to cover up our existence. I remember hearing a story as a child about an aquarium that claimed they’d captured a mermaid, which of course sent a panic through all of the clans. Someone had, in fact, been captured and it took a small fortune to straighten out that mess. I’d also heard Hollywood made a movie based on that incident.
As I scanned the room to see those who were much older and wiser lose control, I realized now was the time for me to show everyone that I was meant to lead my clan. Mr. Wallace, Kain’s second-in-command, walked up to him and started pointing at a bunch of papers while waving his hands around. I witnessed the tension in Kain’s shoulders, but when he turned to face me, I noticed how he maintained his composure on the outside. He waved me over and I excused myself from Andre’s side.
“What do you think?” I whispered to my counterpart.
“It’s a mess. We need to get everyone in their seats and focused.” He sighed and rubbed his neck. “Were you able to speak to Graham?”
At the mention of his name, my heart squeezed. I was beginning to hate that I reacted that way and I hoped Kain hadn’t noticed. “Yes, and we’re both in agreement that we should honor Lucian’s request for a meeting.”
Kain lifted his eyebrows and looked down at me. “Really? The Council has agreed to that?”
“Well no, not yet. But Graham was going to convince them.” Kain snorted but I continued. “And I’m going to go, too.”
Instead of freaking out like I expected, he only stared at me some more. He studied my reaction as I waited for his. Finally, he took a deep breath. “Okay. Now we just need to convince them.” He waved his hand around the room and I inwardly cringed. It was time to show what I was worth.
Kain cleared his throat and began to speak. “Everyone. Please take your seats so we can get started. We have much to discuss.”
Two hours later, we finally got around to the attack at Jeremiah’s house. I told them what happened and how Graham had fought off the ratchets with his water control. They were stunned into silence as I told my tale. When I finished, I worried I may have said too much.
“Master Forrester has that kind of power?” my uncle asked in awe.
“Didn’t one of Lucian’s followers just sink a cruise ship?” an older female from Kain’s clan asked.
“Yes, they did. They killed most of the Shannon clan,” Mr. Wallace confirmed. My stomach twisted with pain. They had murdered Lily and her family.
Suddenly, the room went quiet and everyone turned to glower at me. I didn’t understand why I was a subject of their scrutiny. “What?” I finally shouted.
“Wasn’t Master Forester on the east coast with you?”
“Yes.”
Another round of silence. Why were looking at me that way? Finally, it hit me. “No!” I swallowed hard and forced my body to calm down and speak like an adult. “No. Graham would never do something like that. He couldn’t have. He loathes Lucian. Plus, he’s a Council member.”
“And apparently a very powerful one,” my uncle added. I glared at him.
“Was he with you the whole time?” one of my female advisors asked.
“Yes.” I tried not to blush thinking about some of the time we spent together. “Well, most of the time. I didn’t keep tabs on him when I was working with Jeremiah.” I didn’t think it would be a good idea to tell them about his nights away. No one said anything. “Come on! Graham wouldn’t do that. He’s on our side!” I walked around to the head of the table and rested my hands on the back of an empty chair. “In fact, he’s speaking to the Council on our behalf right now, trying to convince them that ignoring Lucian will only mean more murders.”
“They won’t negotiate,” someone said.
“Graham will make them,” I countered, sure he would come through.
“Even so,” my uncle continued, “you most certainly will not be meeting with him.”
“Excuse me?” I asked with every bit of attitude that I had.
Andre stood. “We know he’s asked to speak to you and the Council. We will not allow you to meet with him and jeopardize our clan any further.”
I sucked in a breath. I was in charge here and right now my uncle was doing nothing but belittling my power in front of the very people who shouldn’t see something like this. “You do not get to make that decision for me, Andre.”
“Eviana, please…”
“Mistress Dumahl,” I interrupted and the entire room stopped breathing. My uncle stared at me until he finally lowered his head.
“Mistress Dumahl, I strongly advise you not to meet with him. It is no doubt some sort of trap and we simply cannot risk it right now.”
“Then I will go with her,” Kain said as he rose.
“What?” Mr. Wallace shouted.
“We rule our clans as one, therefore we will face Lucian as one.” Kain walked around to the other side of the table opposite me and I watched in awe as everyone in the room focused on him. He’d grabbed their attention instantly and no one argued with him. A part of me seethed with anger, but I managed to keep that buried deep down inside. “He’s asked for a meeting, most likely to negotiate some terms. I think the past twenty-four hours have shown us how his reach stretches far beyond the few clans in the United States that support him. He has a world-wide following and if we don’t at least hear him out, I am afraid for what will happen next.”
“But it’s too much of a risk,” my uncle said lightly. Even he wouldn’t be too argumentative with Kain.
“It’s one Eviana and I are willing to take in order to secure the future of our clans.”
“Do you know where he wants to meet?” one of my advisors asked Kain. No one looked at me right now and it nearly sent me over the edge. I’d just spent several days with the shunned Jeremiah Williams in order to strengthen my power so I could better protect my people and this was how they treated me? Damn them.
“No, but I’m sure we’ll know soon.”
“What if it’s a trap? You certainly can’t walk in there with an army of protectors and selkies with you.” There was no hiding the disgust when my uncle mentioned selkies. “Besides, that isn’t going to be enough.”
Kain looked up at me and for some reason, I knew exactly what passed through his mind. “We have the water,” I said quietly.
“What?” Mr. Wallace snapped.
I looked down at him. “We have more than just those brave soldiers training outside right now. We have someone in our clan who has just as much control over water as Graham. We also have some friends of the aqueous persuasion.” I smiled at Kain and got a wink in return. He encouraged me to go on.
“Eviana…” I glared at my uncle. “I mean, Mistress Dumahl, can you please enlighten us?”
I pointed to Kain. “Your own clan leader has an amazing amount of control over water.” Everyone turned to look at him in surprise. “And,” all of the heads whipped back around to face me, “I think I can get the water sprites on our side.” At least I hoped I could.
“No!” Most of the advisor’s gasped the same remark.
“Yes. I know one very well and I bet he’ll be able to gather a force much greater than what Lucian already controls.” I noticed how none of them seemed to be surprised at their existence, even when I’d mentioned the ratchets earlier. Apparently, they only told the extinction story to children.
We spent the rest of the day in that meeting room arguing and discussing potential strategies. Kain and I needed most of that time to convince them to let us go to Lucian’s meeting. Around four in the afternoon, we sat in on a conference call to the Council. Adele was the only one who spoke, but couldn’t help smile when I heard Graham’s accented quips in the background. They had agreed to negotiate. Well, really, they agreed to hear Lucian’s demands assuming he would have nothing to offer them.
Regardless, it was progress. Adele said she would contact Kain and me as soon as the arrangements were made and a location had been agreed upon. With a few parting words, I made my escape but realized it was much later than I anticipated. Kain was staying in the guest house, so we planned to catch up in the morning once the rest of our advisors gave us a few minutes alone.
But for now, I had another date. When I rounded the corner leading into the kitchen, relief flooded through me when I saw Brendan waiting. Tonight, I would no longer think about Lucian, the Council, or anyone else. Tonight was reserved for my gorgeous selkie.
