Into the Deep (9 page)

Chapter Fifteen

We travel at breakneck speed and I hardly have a chance to notice our surroundings. Nerio has definitely picked up the pace from his normally brisk one. Exhaustion is beginning to be a factor, turning my mind groggy. Luckily, my swimming has remained steady. I’m not even sure if it’s night or day anymore.

It’s impossible not to constantly scan, searching for menacing shadows. A heavy ball of anxiety sits in my stomach, giving me second and third thoughts about what the heck I’m doing here. I rushed off into the unknown with a stranger, too desperate for answers to stop and really consider the hazards. The ocean hasn’t exactly welcomed me with open arms. I can only hope things get better once we reach Stavros.

Soon, the waters grow turbulent and dark. The strong, earthy scent of sediment disturbed by the frantic motion of sea is rich on my tongue.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

He glances at me glumly. “It’s another storm, a big one. We’ll have to move slower. These are shallow waters and if the waves are too big, they’ll pound us.”

“Can’t we go a different direction?” I hadn’t expected the journey to the palace to be easy, but this is ridiculous.

“No, my priority is to get you to safety as soon as possible. It’s normally a three-day trip, but we’ve lost the luxury of time.” His firm expression relaxes slightly. “We’ll be fine, just keep an eye on the surface.”

Surrounded by reefs, I begin to understand why Nerio wants to be cautious. The troughs between waves are invading almost to our depth. Above me, the breaking waves throttle the nearest reef with ferocity. Pieces of the coral break off, clouding the water. It reminds me of a carnival ride. The current rocks me and most of my remaining strength goes into swimming straight.

Occasionally, a flicker of lightning illuminates from the sky. The chaos is disconcerting and terror begins to build, filling me from top to bottom. I wish we could hunker down and wait it out like the other sea life seeking shelter in the every available crevice. At the moment, they’re the ones with common sense.

Nerio tenses next to me, his wariness traveling across the water. I follow his gaze and gasp. Two giant shadows swish through the undulating waves.

“Is that what I think it is?” I whisper fiercely, my voice cracking.

“More sharks.” He focuses his glare on me. “Move as fast as you can. They’re searching and haven’t caught our scent yet. The storm may work to our advantage and keep it from them. Let’s go.”

My entire body is limp with fatigue, but I strive to keep up with him, driven by fear. With quick glances over my shoulder, I keep a constant vigil for the sharks. Nothing is there, but it doesn’t calm my nerves. Once we’ve returned to clearer water and I’m fairly certain there are no shadows nearby, I distract myself by asking Nerio questions.

“Tell me about the palace. Keep my mind occupied. Do all mer in the Pacific live there?”

“You’re doing great.” He tosses me a sympathetic look. “Anyway, a large number do, but some live in other settlements. Smaller groups populate the outposts at the edges of the ocean. Many aren’t cut out for the palace.”

Condescension laces his tone. “Sounds as if you’re one of them.”

“I grew up in a small settlement to the north. It’s a dangerous area, being so close to the northern fishing grounds. I wanted adventure,” he shrugs his strong shoulders, “so I volunteered for the guard. Palace life is different. Lots of drama, intrigue, and rules, the same as kingdoms on land.”

I imagine it is. Royals covet their lives of entitlement regardless of where they live. And I’ll be thrust into it head on. I hope my father isn’t a snooty king. “Is anyone aware I’m coming?”

We crest a rise and he explains, “Galina was going to warn Stavros, but otherwise keep it quiet until your arrival. Word has probably traveled. Fish are great at spreading news, especially if it’s about a royal.”

Great, the fish are gossiping about me. An amusing image comes to mind. Then, the scene in front of me silences my thoughts.

Turquoise waters spread out in every direction. We venture down the side of what can only be described as a mountain range. In front of us, a towering volcano rises up off the sea floor, reminding me of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, a large and perfect cone dominating everything around it.

Nerio stops and points. “There it is.”

I’m not sure what exactly he’s pointing at. “The volcano? What about it?”

“It’s the palace, built into the hollowed mountain to avoid detection from the surface. It might not look too impressive, but it’s a wonderful engineering feat. The structure itself is free standing with some of the homes built into the mountain itself. I can tell you’re dying to explore it, but we have to go in the back entrance.” He smirks. “Avoid the gossip.”

The closer we get, the bigger the mountain looms. Wonder replaces my nerves. “And you don’t worry it will be investigated by scientists?”

“So far it hasn’t been an issue. This region of the Pacific Ocean is very isolated and has little human traffic. It works to our advantage.”

He leads me to a crude opening cut into the side of the far slope. Once I pass through it’s as if I’ve entered into wonderland.

Soft light emanates from the stone structure towering above me, giving it a pink glow. The palace is foreign and imposing, so exotic in its weirdness. This one seems to take its cues from the surrounding environment. It also resembles the old Mayan pyramids, with its stepped edges. Round towers rise out of each side, adorned with massive sculptures of sea animals. It’s an imposing building.

If this is the rear, I can’t wait to see the front.

Nerio motions me through a heavy door.

“Marble?” I ask.

“Yes, it’s easier to work with down here because of buoyancy, and it’s used in a lot of structures. It holds the weight efficiently. Most of the exterior is composed of stone slabs, like it would be on land. You’ll notice a lot of similarities. We did learn from the Greeks, after all.”

The hallways are plain, but pretty, smooth and painted with various designs. Nerio ends up having to pull me along whenever I become distracted. Finally, we arrive at a small, empty room. Before I notice Galina, I wonder about the absence of any mer and if it’s good or bad.

When I catch sight of my grandmother, I have no hesitation in rushing forward into her arms. From our first meeting I treasured her acceptance, and her embrace is welcoming after the stressful yet amazing trip here.

She wraps me tight, smoothes my hair, and then releases me. “News has spread of the shark attack. I’m grateful for your actions, Nerio.”

He places his fist to his chest and bows. “To be honest, my lady, I couldn’t have done it without your brave granddaughter. You should be proud of her.”

Warmth travels across my cheeks as Galina studies me. “Is this true?” I nod shyly. “You’re full of surprises. Word is out. Everyone has heard about a mysterious royal in our waters. We can no longer hope to keep your identity a secret. In fact, your father’s waiting for you. I told him immediately when I returned yesterday.”

I swallow hard and my insides twist in anticipation. “I’m going now?”

A sprig of vanity sprouts inside me. I’ve been traveling for who knows how long at a very hard pace and I’m starving. There weren’t a lot of opportunities to stop and eat. All I’ve had is some kelp, which Nerio said would give me energy. Plus, I still have on my pink-starred bikini. Not what I want to wear when meeting a king, let alone my dad.

Galina notices my distress and reaches for me. “Stavros will not care what you’re wearing. He already loves you. After, you can clean up and prepare for a dinner tonight in your honor. We figured it is better to introduce you to the people right away, and in grand form, to put a stop to the speculation.”

She pulls me along and I barely manage a goodbye to Nerio. My thoughts drift to her idea of “cleaning up.” Surely they don’t have showers. From this moment on, I’m truly going to be lost in this strange new world.

Chapter Sixteen

I follow Galina through passageways I can only compare to staircases, except they don’t have stairs. Each one takes us up into what I hope are the more populated areas of the palace. The lower levels are dark and very plain, eliciting a strange disappointment. I had built up all kinds of images of how the palace would look, but this is a bit of a letdown. It’s stark, impersonal, and far from inviting. And still, I don’t see anyone.

“Where is everyone?”

“These halls are not used much as our numbers shrink. The closer we move toward the throne room, the more populated it becomes.” She pauses. “When we arrive, remember who you are. Hold your chin up, shoulders straight, and they will accept you faster.”

Great, add that to the pile of stuff to worry about. I’ve been concentrating so hard on making a positive impression with Stavros I completely forgot about the rest of them. I can only guess a half-human in their presence might cause worry, shock, or outright annoyance.

We round the corner and a grand atrium comes into view. Here is the world I imagined. My jaw goes slack and I press a palm to my gut to ease the quivering there.

The vast space towers at least ten stories into the middle of the hollow volcano and light from the sun trickles down faintly through the water. Balconies open into the space from all sides, their white rails closely resembling coral.

There are mermaids and mermen everywhere. They swim above us and linger in nooks and arched doorways. It’s impossible not to stare. The mer are as diverse as humans—all ages, size, shape, and color.

Bare-chested mermen are adorned with small amounts of jewelry—rings and cuffs and hoops in their ears. Most wear their hair long, a ridiculous cliché, but others have smooth, bald heads painted with dazzling and intricate designs. I even notice a few wearing makeup on their cheeks and lips, like the mermaids accompanying them. Far from what I expected, especially after meeting Nerio, who is masculine in comparison. While there are some who are muscular, their bulging biceps showing strength, the range between hard abs and flabby stomachs is normal. The exotic body art isn’t.

My attention turns to the females. Many don’t wear anything to cover their painted and decorated breasts, but they act as if it’s perfectly natural. Which, in their world, it obviously is. Torsos sport intricate designs, similar to tattoos, and, in cases, covering every free inch of skin, reflecting the colors of their tails. The lack of clothing focuses the attention on accessories, more abundant than their male counterparts. Enough jewelry to make anyone drool adorns wrists, necks and belly buttons, and their hair.

The hair is captivating, too. Some is dyed in vivid, unnatural colors or shaved completely and the heads decorated in foreign designs. I could be staring at a circus or a band of gypsies instead of mermaids. It’s a feast for the eyes.

It’s difficult to process the sights because I’m also aware of them gawking and whispering to each other. Not normal staring either. It’s the kind that involves conversations stopping and tasks forgotten. Simply put, manners are left behind. Openmouthed mer track my every movement and I remember Galina’s advice. Fixing my stare straight ahead, I hold my head high, as a true princess would.

This only causes me to be distracted by the hall itself again. Vibrant murals depicting ocean life decorate the higher walls. Up the middle of the space rises an obelisk. The tall stone spire is covered in carvings and the base is encircled by sea flowers and anemones.

I struggle to keep up with Galina and not be left behind. We approach a huge set of richly decorated double doors off the main atrium, which must be the throne room. My grandmother pauses and offers me an encouraging nod. Two guards pull them ajar and not even their duty stops them from ogling. We swim past and I’m dumbstruck by the scene before me.

The room is magnificent—two stories tall, ancient, and built like a fortress. The polished floor spreads out, the same soft pink in the rest of the palace. Pink shouldn’t be a manly color, but seeing it here gives it a masculine feel. To each side of me, rows of statues line the walls. Each is a merman, and occasionally a mermaid, with an array of expressions. Some are fierce and others timid, but, regardless, they are all breathtaking.

Finally, my gaze rests on the thrones themselves. They appear to be intricately embellished with coral and adorned with seashells, but this is not the time to investigate. My attention falls on the man sitting at the front.

If my palms were able to sweat, they would. So many worries prance through my mind—from whether or not he’ll accept me to what his voice sounds like. I wonder if he’ll sense how imperfect I am and my thundering heart goes into overdrive. Pity from him will hurt worse than any of the other I’ve dealt with.

Mom didn’t do Stavros justice when she described him. He’s easily the most handsome man I’ve ever seen, his presence exuding power. Gray streaks his thick, black hair and his familiar ice blue eyes settle on me as I pause inside the door. A golden crown sits atop his brow, accented with seashells and pearls that shimmer as he cocks his head to the side. His rugged face stares down at me. I’m intimidated, until I recognize kindness in his gaze, as well as love and acceptance.

He grasps the sides of the throne, his knuckles white in the effort, and his shoulders are as rigid as the surrounding walls. I sense he’s having a hard time holding himself back. After studying me for a while, he raises an arm and motions me forward.

When I hesitate, Galina encourages me by subtly pushing from behind. Steadying my nerves, I swim up and stop couple feet from him.

“My daughter,” he breathes out reverently. “Oh, how I wish I’d known about you. I only have to peer into your face to know that you’re mine.”

There is some lingering anger in his tone when he speaks and I have no idea what to say in return, so I wait be inspired with an appropriate reply. My eyes prick and I’m thankful no one will notice I’m tearing up.

“I’m happy to be here, thank you.” The words sound too formal and I wince inwardly. “The palace is cool.” I flinch again. Nothing is coming out properly.

His eyes crinkle at the edges, as if he understands and forgives my awkwardness. Inch by inch my limbs loosen and the invisible rod keeping my spine stiff disappears.

“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you wish, Zoey. I’m grateful for the chance to know you.” He moves his hands, tapping against his tail, fidgeting. “I’d like a chance to make up for all our lost time, to ensure you feel at home here.”

One of the doors open and a guard peeks in. “Forgive me, King Stavros, but you asked to be alerted when the envoy was here.”

Stavros nods once and the door closes.

With regret, he says, “I wish I had more time, but I must meet with the Atlantic envoy. Galina will show you where you’ll be staying and I’ll see you at dinner.” He pauses, adjusting his crown. “You are so beautiful.”

His words light me up and most of my doubt disappears. At a loss for words, I manage to smile at him as Galina guides me to the door.

We’re out in the atrium again, amongst the curious merpeople, but I don’t really pay attention. That was my father. I’m not sure what to make of him after less than ten minutes, but I wish I’d been less awestruck and managed to say more.

Galina watches me expectantly and I say, “He’s tense. It’s not because of my presence, is it?”

“Oh, my sweet girl, no. It has nothing to do with you. We’re under a lot of stress lately. You’re a bright spot. I’m the one he is cross at. I kept a huge secret from him and it will take my son a while to forgive me. Family is sacred to him and I betrayed it.”

I let that digest as she adds, “Pay no attention to that. I’ll show you to your room.”