Goddess of the Sea (11 page)

“I was afraid she would do harm to herself. I am a goddess, but her father is also an immortal, and I could not cause her form to shift without his consent, as he could not have taken her from me if she had been born in human form.” Her eyes glinted with determination. “But I am also a mother, and I could not allow my child to suffer. I wove a spell for her, giving Undine the ability to attain a human body, but only if she could find a human being who would be willing to exchange lives with her.” Gaea stared into CC's eyes. “And I knew you would have need of her aid, as she had need of yours, little daughter.”

“I don't understand,” CC said.

“Your Samhain ritual was heartfelt, and I still heed the call of my children in other worlds, even a world in which I have been forgotten. You pleased me that night, and I touched you.”

CC blushed, remembering the passionate feel of the moonlight on her skin.

The goddess put one perfect finger under CC's chin and lifted her face. “Do not ever be ashamed of a gift from a goddess.” Before CC could respond she continued. “I asked the Fates to show me your future, and I saw your life's thread end too soon in a watery grave.” She sighed sadly. “There was little I could do to aid you, as there was little I could do to aid the daughter of my flesh, but together you could help one another. Thus you are here and she is there.”

“Where is here?” was the first of many questions that leapt to CC's mind.

“Here is a world where gods and goddesses still live.”

CC's expression was puzzled.

Gaea tried to explain. “This cove is of my making, so it is like nothing that would be familiar to you, but beyond here you would find a land your world would call medieval Cymru.” Her arm swept in a gesture meant to include all of the land behind them.

CC felt her face pale. “You're not talking about somewhere in southern California, are you?”

Gaea smiled at her. “Actually, I believe your books would tell you it is the Land of the Britons, or more specifically, ancient Wales.”

“You mean I'm smack in the middle of medieval Europe!”

Gaea patted her hand reassuringly. “There is much that historians left out of your world's texts.” The goddess winked one large blue eye at CC. “Like magic, my daughter.”

“And how do I—”

The angry chattering of the dolphin interrupted CC's question. She looked over her shoulder and her body went numb. The merman had surfaced in the middle of the cove.

“Silence you meddling beast!” he snarled at the dolphin.

Automatically, CC scooted closer to Gaea.

“Goddess Gaea, what an unexpected privilege it is to see you.” His voice had shifted to silk.

“And why would it be unexpected, Sarpedon?” Gaea smiled graciously at him. “This is my cove; it is well known that I come here often.”

“
Your
cove?” The merman's instant sarcasm shocked CC. “I thought the water realm belonged to Lir.”

“That would be true, young Sarpedon, had your father not gifted me with all the waters within this cove.” Gaea's eyes narrowed. “You would do well to remember that water must flow over land, and where you find land, there you will always find my realm.”

“I beg your pardon, Goddess Gaea. I did not mean to offend,” he said, suddenly contrite. “I come to
your
cove on an errand for Lir himself.”

When Gaea didn't respond, Sarpedon hurried on, taking the opportunity to drift closer to the two of them. “My father asks that I escort my sister back to him. Undine has been absent so frequently of late that she has been greatly missed,” he said, and his intense gaze shifted briefly to CC.

“No.”

The word slipped from CC's lips as a whisper. She glanced up at the goddess, who was studying her carefully. Bolstered by Gaea's presence, CC cleared her throat and repeated the word in a loud, firm voice.

“No!”

“You must obey our father,” Sarpedon said between clenched teeth.

“Must she?” The goddess broke into the exchange. Gaea's eyes were wise as she looked from the mermaid to the merman.

“Yes!” Sarpedon struggled to control the anger in his voice. “Goddess, you know that Lir misses his daughter.”

“I know that Lir loves his daughter and would not see her harried,” Gaea snapped.

“I want only to do our father's bidding.” Sarpedon raised his hands, palms open in a gesture of helplessness. CC could clearly see the angry red welts that dotted one palm where his skin had touched her amulet.

CC's head was whirling. She knew that Undine must have been trying to escape from this creature, but she also knew that the mermaid had not confided in her mother about her problem. Well, maybe Undine had spent her life being bullied and hounded by her half brother, but CC had spent the past seven years in the male-dominated United States Air Force. Even before the goddess touched her she knew how to stand up for herself. If this was going to be her world, she might as well get the rules straight right away. And she sure wasn't going to play by Sarpedon's rules. She raised her chin and looked straight in his almond-shaped gray eyes.

“You are a liar,” she said.

“You have been too long away from your home.” He had moved to within only a few feet of CC. His face darkened dangerously. “You have forgotten yourself.”

“Really?” CC said sardonically. “I think I could be gone a lifetime and still know rape when I see it.”

With an abrupt movement, Gaea stood. She spoke with deadly softness. “You dared to touch my child against her will?”

“He tried, but your amulet protected me,” she said before Sarpedon could respond. For the goddess's ears alone she whispered, “I think he's what Undine was so afraid of.”

“Leave my presence, Sarpedon!” The goddess's voice was amplified until it filled the small cove. “And I warn you to keep far from my daughter.”

But instead of being admonished, the merman rose out of the water, balancing on his powerful tail until he towered over CC. Automatically, she shrank back.

“I will have her!” Spittle flew from his lips and his eyes flashed wildly. “My father is Lord of the Seas—you hold no power over me,
Land Goddess
.” He spat the title like it was an oath.

“Foolish creature. Even the Lord of the Seas knows not to evoke the wrath of a goddess!”

Gaea pointed one slim finger at the sandy earth under her feet and made a small, circular motion. The sand stirred. With a flick of her wrist she gestured to the merman. The sand whirlpooled from its damp bed and flung itself into Sarpedon's face, causing him to choke and rub frantically at his eyes. He fell back into deeper water, sputtering and cursing. Then she stretched out her arms, as if she would embrace the cove. When she spoke her voice was seductive and rich with authority.

The goddess pursed her full lips and blew a light burst of air at Sarpedon. Then something amazing happened to that light, almost playful bit of air. It seemed that all the winds in the cove suddenly rushed to join it. The gust struck Sarpedon like a fist, lifting him from the water and hurling him to the coral reef barrier.

“Trespass upon my realm again, and I will destroy you.” The power in Gaea's voice lifted the hairs on the back of CC's neck.
“So have I spoken; so shall it be.”
The air around the goddess shimmered, making her promise a tangible thing.

Awestruck, CC could only stare at Gaea. Her mind could hardly grasp what she was witnessing. The goddess loomed huge and powerful, and CC was overwhelmed by her majesty.

But Sarpedon seemed oblivious to Gaea's power. “Do not forget that Undine is a creature of the seas! She must exist in my realm, Land Goddess!” He shrieked at her before leaping over the coral reef and disappearing into the blue depths.

CC stared after him, shivering with an ominous foreboding.

CHAPTER SEVEN

“YOU were very brave.” Gaea's voice had returned to that of a mother praising her child.

“I don't feel very brave right now,” she said hesitantly, still awed by Gaea's power.

The goddess bent and stroked CC's soft hair. “I am proud of you. There is a strength in you that was lacking in Undine.”

CC felt a rush of pleasure at her words.

The dolphin surfaced, blowing water on the two women and chattering like an upset nursemaid. Laughing, Gaea wiped the drops of seawater from her gown.

“You had better comfort her; she will not leave us in peace until she is assured of your safety.”

Feeling a little shaky at first, CC slid from the shore. Again, she felt that prickle at the nape of her neck that made her think she was being watched.

No, she told herself firmly, Sarpedon is gone. He cannot come within Gaea's grove. She was just being paranoid—and who could blame her? Thankfully, as soon as she was immersed in the water, her fears began to subside. She glided up to the distraught dolphin and stroked the creature's smooth sides.

“Hey, I'm fine,” she said aloud. “Gaea got rid of him. He can't hurt me here.”

We feared for you, Princess
. The dolphin nuzzled CC, then turned and bowed its head reverently at Gaea.
Thank you, great goddess, for protecting our Princess
.

Solemnly, Gaea inclined her head and acknowledged the dolphin's adoration.

CC could see the shapes of the smaller fish timidly hiding around the clumps of bright coral.

You can come out now
. She coaxed and was delighted to see them respond by wriggling up to her. With one arm draped over the back of the dolphin, she petted and soothed the frightened fish.

“Sarpedon was correct about one thing,” Gaea said.

“What?” CC's attention had been focused on the delightful fish, but the goddess's words sent a chill through her body.

“I cannot protect you there.” The goddess pointed to the seemingly limitless expanse of ocean. “And you cannot live forever in this cove.”

“But what am I going to do?” CC knew the goddess was right. How could she live her life in this small cove? It was the equivalent of being trapped forever in an apartment. No matter how luxurious or wonderful, she would still be trapped.

“We will do what we must to keep you safe,” Gaea said.

“Which means what?”

Gaea studied the girl who inhabited her daughter's body. She had strength, yes. And she was outspoken and brave. But did she also have wisdom? Perhaps the child had a kind of wisdom that was foreign to this world; but perhaps that was the kind of wisdom that would be needed for her to survive the tests that were sure to be ahead of her. The goddess made her decision.

“There is only one answer. I must take you from the sea.”

CC eyes widened in surprise. “But I thought that was the problem. You couldn't take Undine from the sea without Lir's permission.” Then an idea came to CC. “So why can't we get Lir's permission now? You said he loves Undine. Doesn't that mean that he wouldn't want her own brother to rape her?”

“Sarpedon is Lir's child, too.” Gaea's expression was grim. “Perhaps Lir has given his permission for your mating.”

“Ugh, that's disgusting—brother and sister mating.” Just the thought made CC feel sick.

“Gods and goddesses do not view these things the way humans do,” Gaea said simply.

“You think it's okay that he wants me?” CC was shocked.

“Never,” Gaea said firmly. “But only because you have rejected him; thus, he has no right to you. Understand that relationships are different between the gods.”

“I'll take your word for it,” CC muttered. “So we can't go to Lir. How do I get away from Sarpedon?”

“There is a way, but it may prove difficult.”

“Is it worse than being raped by Sarpedon?” CC asked.

“Only you can answer that question, little one.” The goddess began pacing back and forth along the shore as she explained to CC. “I can gift you with a human form, but it will not be permanent. You will still be tied to the seas.” She gave CC an apologetic look. “Your body will long to return to the water; it may even be painful for you. And you must return to the waters and your mermaid form once each third night, or else you will sicken and die.”

“Well, I suppose that's better than being trapped in this cove forever,” CC said doubtfully.

The goddess stopped pacing and spoke earnestly to her. “But there is a way to make your human form permanent. You must find a man to love you and to accept with a full heart that you are a daughter of the sea, as well as that of the land. Then even Lir cannot break the bond of true love, and you will be gifted with your human form permanently.”

“Oh, Gaea,” CC groaned. “I'm not very experienced with men. Actually, they treat me like I'm a little sister.” Then she added quickly, “And where I come from that didn't mean they wanted anything romantic to do with me.”

“The handsome young pilot on your transport desired you.”

Gaea's words cut into CC. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered Sean's sweetness. “Yeah, and look what happened to him.”

“He was living his destiny, child.” Gaea's tone was soothing. “It was not your fault; he was fated to die on that journey. He did so heroically. You should honor his memory.”

“He was going to die anyway?” CC asked.

“Yes. You did not cause his death. His life's thread had run out.”

At Gaea's words CC felt a weight of guilt lift from her. She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer of thanksgiving for Sean's bravery. When she opened her eyes she met the Goddess's gaze with a clear conscience.