Despairing Tides (Fate's Intent Book 12) (31 page)

Chapter 59

Seth

“What are they doing?” My father asked when Jinx walked back in without them and went behind the bar.

He poured a glass of rum and looked over. “What women do best.”

“Talking?” Darius wondered.

“Exactly.” Jinx smiled then downed his drink.

He was pouring another glass and we all looked at each other, wondering what to say.

“So?” I began. “You have a wife and she’s a lot more than a little pregnant.”

Jinx laughed as he brought his glass up to his mouth. “Yeah, so? Why does that seem so weird?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because we were under the impression that you didn’t like women.”

Jinx laughed as he picked up the bottle of rum with his glass and walked around the bar. “Yeah, I remember telling them not to tell anyone who I really was but I didn’t think they would actually take it that far and exploit my personal life with everyone to get away from it.”

“So, you have actually been with men?” Rory asked like he were disgusted.

Jinx’s eyes shifted. “I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable.”

“Then you have.” Rory went on, pushing his plate of food away from him.

“Oh, grow up. Honestly, it isn’t much different between the two. I mean, with women you’ve got all of the emotion to it and that’s probably the worst part. They want to know when they’ll see you again and if it was really good for you, when you should meet their parents. With guys, it’s so much more casual. We smoke, we drink, we laugh, they surely don’t want to bring you home to their parents but if they have a sister, they won’t mind whoring her out to you unless, of course, she gets pregnant then you’ve got to marry her and then it makes the casual hook ups between you more complicated. It’s just messy. Overall. If you allow that in the first place. Messy.”

He was talking really fast but we started to understand it.

“Is that what happened to you?” Dirk asked. “Kieleena is some dude’s sister you’ve been with?”

Jinx sighed and downed a glass. “I’m really sorry if I made any of you uncomfortable. That just kind of spilled out.”

“Don’t worry about it.” My father said, not feeling at all out of place like how Rory was acting. “It seemed like something you’ve been dying to get off your chest.”

“Nope. I really don’t feel that much better whatsoever. In fact, it might be worse.” He downed another glass of rum.

“Easy there, Jinx.” Troy said. “Are you feeling all right?”

Jinx nodded as he poured another glass. “Yeah, fine. I’m great.”

“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because you seem a little—edgy.”

“Well, just wait a couple months and you’ll see what I mean.” Jinx said as he downed that glass of rum.

“It’s not happening to me.” I had to point out.

“You still have a pregnant woman to deal with. It’s a demanding job. Prepared or not.”

It was curious how he was behaving and I was sorry that I had to ask. “Do you even love her?”

“What are you talking about? Of course I love her. The story is much more complicated than what I just blurted out.”

“Then tell us?”

“Tell you.” Rory said, standing. “I’m going poolside.”

“Don’t fall in and drowned.” Jinx said, jokingly.

Rory shrugged it off and left.

“So, tell us.” Bryce said, leaning forward like he was interested in the story too.

“If you think you’re that badly inclined to know but you can stop me if it gets too uncomfortable.” I looked around but no one seemed like they were going to stop him. He was ruler of a country that we’ll now remain at peace with, we wanted to know him. “Okay. Well, this started after my school days. I don’t even want to begin to express what that was like but Cadence, Naomi and I kind of drifted since I was first to leave a couple years in advance over them but our lives were really just taking separate turns anyway so it was okay. I actually met Kieleena before her brother and to shorten the weirdness, they’re not technically from the same gene pool, okay? She only had a mother, he only had a father and the two kind of got together and married but we were all adults by then so it didn’t really matter.

“Um, I was on and off with her for a few months until the marriage happened and I met her new brother. I don’t want to cross any boundaries by saying this but he and I nearly instantly connected better than I ever have with her. It was difficult to explain it to her but she didn’t completely freak out or anything. She became okay with it and it wasn’t like I stopped being with her. It just became less frequently when I started to split up my time between them.

“It’s still weird sometimes now that I married her because it was the right thing to do socially but I still try to make my time equal. I don’t do the favoritism thing and they both completely respect that but Kieleena has been getting most of my attention these days basically due to the pregnancy. I don’t even like admitting that at all but it’s most likely true and I just keep feeling like this baby is going to pull me more towards her than I already am.”

“I’m sure it won’t.” I said.

“And I’m sure it will which makes it all the more stressful.”

“Well, you’ve kind of been out here for a while.” Bryce said. “With sailing around the world and everything. Where is he?”

Jinx hesitated and took another drink. “You mean right now? This exact, momentary second?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s—sailing the ship.”

Dirk leaned forward against the table with a surprised yet delighted voice. “Miles?!”

Everyone turned their heads to the windows to look at the helm. Miles was just standing there holding it, making sure the ship remained on course east.

“Can you stop looking? He’s mine.”

Dirk laughed. “It’s just funny. I wouldn’t have guessed you and him.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. He just seems more dominant than you.”

Jinx started to look insulted. “Excuse me? I’m the captain here, got that? Me. Not him. Me. I run the show. I say what goes. They may share me but I don’t share them, get it?”

“All right.” Dirk said, trying to keep in his laugh. “Forgive my incompetence, your highness. Won’t happen again.”

“Good.” Then Jinx laughed too. “Sorry.”

“No. I get it. It’s okay.”

“Pregnant women make me stressed.”

“Well, speaking of.” I looked out the window and saw Cadence and Ruby walking up into the upper deck with Kieleena. “That must be her.”

“It is.”

“Wow—she’s—hot.” Dirk smiled.

“Well, no one should have to just settle.” We smiled and they walked in. “I didn’t think you were ever going to come out of there.”

“I said I would.” Kieleena smiled as they walked over.

“Well, meet everyone else.” Jinx said. “There’s Bryce, Seth, Dirk and their fathers Troy, Zayden and Darius. Everyone, this is my wife Kieleena.”

“Hi.” We replied.

“Hi.” Kieleena smiled and walked closer, holding her stomach. It was obvious she was very pregnant. I was almost afraid it was going to fall out at any moment if she remained standing. I haven’t exactly been around a pregnant woman before. “You don’t know what an honor this is, having you all here in the flesh. I’m feeling flushed. Is that normal?”

“You get used to it.” Ruby laughed from beside her.

“We return the honor, Kieleena.” My father replied. “Would you like to sit?”

“Probably should.” Cadence and Ruby sat down next to each other and Kieleena slowly sat next to Jinx while sighing. “Well, I can already tell it’s going to suck trying to get up.”

We laughed, trying to be quiet about it.

“Can we get you anything?” Troy asked.

“This thing out of me would be great.” Kieleena smiled. “But I’ll settle for some food.”

“Yeah, sure.” Jinx said as he got up. “I’ll throw something together.” Kieleena smiled as Jinx walked back towards the kitchen to get her something to eat.

Just then, one of the sailors came rushing into the galley looking for Jinx. “Where’s the captain?”

“He’s in the kitchen.” My father answered, sending the sailor running through the galley.

Everyone looked at each other and wondered what was going on then Jinx came out of the kitchen with a plate of food in his hand closely followed by the sailor. “Here.” He placed the plate in front of Kieleena and headed to the door with the sailor. “I’ll be right back.”

“Wait! Where are you going?”

“I’ll be right back.” Jinx shouted back to her. “Don’t worry, they won’t bite!”

“Unless you want us too.” Dirk smiled. Kieleena looked over and smiled back. “Except for them.” He pointed to my father and I. “They could actually kill you.”

I hit him in the arm. “Shut up. No one will do it.”

“I don’t really think that’s up to you.” Dirk replied.

“That’s okay.” Kieleena smiled. “I’m going to pass anyway but I’ll never forget your offer.”

Bryce laughed to himself. “Oh, I don’t think any of us will.”

I laughed too but looked out the window. The sailor that had called Jinx was going below deck and Jinx went to the helm, talking to Miles.

He was pointing to the bow of the ship like they were looking at the ocean in front of us but their conversation really didn’t seem happy. I was hoping they weren’t fighting about something non-ship related. I heard it in Jinx’s voice when he told us the story; he cared about him.

He actually spent the rest of the day away from us and that night, we put Meg’s body in a lifeboat and let Cadence say goodbye. I was sad for her while she clung tight next to me. I mean, she was her mother even if I hated her.

Dirk assisted with the fire and Cadence copied my gift and was the one to light up the boat with it. It was slowly drifting away from us and she cried on me right up until the waves took it completely and we could no longer see the fire. It sunk and Meg was finally gone from us. It was time to move forward.

In three days’ time, we made it back to Seni and said our farewell to Jinx just for a time. He would be coming to the wedding that was to take place in another week and we would see him again then. Rory too but he travelled back with us and used the portal to get back to Kalu. He didn’t want me running him there again and we had a nice laugh about it.

Upon our return, the girls gave us the most unusual news. It seemed Cadence wasn’t the only one that was pregnant. Naomi and Lana were too. Bryce was excited immediately but I think it took Dirk a few more seconds to own the idea. It was another laugh we so desperately needed and of course he was all for celebrating it. They were actually the first ones up to bed that night and we began another period of waiting before the wedding.

The girls were very excited about it, even Lana and she’s already been married to Dirk for a couple years. You couldn’t tell by the way they acted though. I guess she was just looking forward to the world knowing she belongs to him. She always liked everyone to know that.

As for me, the day couldn’t come sooner either. Every time I saw Cadence, I just felt like she was glowing with a beautiful radiance. She was carrying my child but you’d never know of the hardships she recently been through. She truly was strong and always carried herself with a great amount of pride. It’s why I loved her and why I would be honored to call her my wife.

Chapter 60

Dirk

The night of Summer’s Comet was upon us and everyone was getting ready for the night’s events—the women mostly. All I had to do was get dressed and show up.

The ballroom was being transformed into a white oasis with everything decorated in white and crystallized to resemble tales of Summer’s Comet. White sparkling draperies cascaded around the climbing windows and white flowers of all kinds accented every open space. The fires illuminated everything in an array of light and set the mood for the perfect evening.

Everyone we knew was beginning to show up right on time and this was the first time everyone was together. Jinx arrived first to begin early with the celebration. It seemed Kieleena had the baby during our days apart so she accompanied him and the women of the palace just couldn’t get enough to have a baby around. It was weird.

Soon after, Vera, Rory, Trever and Oren all came from Kalu and completed the list of guests of honor. Other royals came also but it was just a courteous invite for the big wedding.

The unions of us, the Great Seni Fighters and Kalu Assassins were finalized publically and was just as short as my first marriage to Lana. It was the best part. Now came the after party where everyone waited for the historical arrival of Summer’s Comet. The music was playing and all of the guests were having a great time laughing and sharing in the joys of just being together.

It was fun for a while and very loud. I could hardly hear the person next to me and that might have been why I never heard Lana leave. I saw her instead, walking through the crowd.

“Lana?”

She obviously couldn’t hear me but I followed her out of the ballroom or tried to while I was being congratulated along the way. I tried being as polite as I could but all I really wanted to do was find Lana.

When I finally made it out into the main hall I looked around for her. “Lana?”

There was no answer but out of the corner of my eye I saw a shadow move upstairs and quickly started to follow. I raced up the stairs and saw Seth’s door open all the way down the hall. I went to it and Lana was inside his private bathhouse, hunched over the sink.

“Lana? Are you all right?”

“I said I’d be right back.” Her voice was low and weak.

“Oh, I must not have heard you with the noise. What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing. Just my stomach.”

I put my hand down on it, hoping nothing was wrong. “What about it?”

“I’m fine.” She assured me as she put her hand over mine. “Just an upset feeling, that’s all.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

She smiled. “Speed up time.”

“I wish I could but even I have to wait.”

“You don’t want to?”

“Who does but these things take time and it will give me the chance to prepare for it.”

Lana laughed as she turned around and faced me. “What’s to prepare? I have faith you’ll be a great father.”

“Yeah, like mine has been?”

“Dirk. Don’t say that. You know he was there for you when you needed him.”

“Not every time. Maybe now but he was gone a lot when I was young.”

“Well, it won’t be like that for us because we won’t be separated like they were. We’ll be here, together. It’ll be fine and I know I’ll really believe that just as soon as I’m past this sick stage.” I cracked a smile to her words and I think she was just trying to get me to. “Now, come on. I’m fine now. Let’s get back down there. I need you to have some more drinks for me.”

“What?” She dragged me through Seth’s room to the hall and it was hard just to pick up my own feet. “I think you’ve had enough.”

“But I’m not feeling it yet!”

I just sighed as I continued to walk down the hall with her. We made it back into the ballroom just in time for the arrival of Summer’s Comet. Everyone was either gathering by the windows or going outside to watch as the night sky was lit up with the light reflecting from the comet. When it finally reached our view everyone was in dismay. It was more beautiful than the stories told and its glistening tail stretched out behind it like the mane of a horse, blowing in the wind. It passed over the palace only moments later and made the perfect night complete.

Just as soon as it was gone out of sight, the guests started to head home and our honored guests settled in their rooms for the remaining of the night.

It was almost the perfect ending. Lana was still feeling ill so we didn’t exactly get to celebrate privately but I still held her in my arms and I still enjoyed every second of it. She was officially mine forever in the eye of the public and now we didn’t have to hide it.