Seaborne (30 page)
Authors: Katherine Irons
Tags: #Romance, #Paranormal, #Fantasy, #Chick-Lit, #Mythology
“We have to go,” Morgan said. “Echo says that there is a pod of killer whales feeding nearby. We don’t want to be here when they pass over.”
“But you said this is a sanctuary,” she protested, glancing around worriedly. “How could they come here?”
“Killer whales don’t respect boundaries or treaties. If we travel fast, we should reach a way station in less than an hour. We’ll use that to journey to the outreaches of the city.” He took her arm. “You hold Echo’s harness. I’m not fully recovered, but I can keep up with a dolphin carrying a passenger.”
Claire closed her fingers around what were clearly handholds made of some white substance that felt like plastic but obviously wasn’t. The dolphin clicked several times and began to swim through the water, carrying Claire with her. Morgan swam close beside them.
The ride would have been fun if it hadn’t been for Morgan’s mention of killer whales hunting them for dinner; still Claire found the experience exhilarating. They passed through barren stretches of rock and sand filled with human trash and shadowy forests of giant kelp. Claire recognized schools of codfish, as well as enormous tunas and several smaller sharks. Once she saw a manta glide by, but the creature didn’t approach and it was soon out of sight. At intervals, Echo had to swim to the surface to breathe, and Claire caught glimpses of a calm and moonlit sea.
After they descended the last time, Morgan swam close to her, and she saw that he’d drawn his sword. “Not far now to the station,” he said. “We’ll go on alone. Echo can’t use the …” He hesitated. “She’ll meet us at Atlantis. We have to go deeper than is comfortable for her.”
“But surely Atlantis has to be deep,” Claire questioned. “Otherwise, it would have been discovered by ships long ago. How can a dolphin breathe there?”
“Air providers. You’ll see. We just have to leave her now. We’ll be fine. The killer whales are behind us.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
He grinned. “Trust me, babe. I’ve got your back.”
Claire was strangely reluctant to part with the dolphin. Her large and friendly presence had been comforting and she was anxious to know her better. “She’s such a beautiful animal,” she confided to Morgan as Echo swam away. “Are there others like her?”
“Thousands. Some wild, some bonded to our people. You’ll have your own dolphin. My last one passed away of old age last year, and I haven’t had the time or inclination to bond with another. We’ll do it together.”
She tilted her head and tried to decide if he was teasing. “I’ll have my own dolphin?”
“Or, she’ll have you. We’re never sure. They are faithful and devoted. Absolutely invaluable. Better than a horse, because they feed themselves and you too, if you want them to.” He grinned wryly. “The only problem is that they don’t have a long life span. It’s close to a human’s forty years.”
“That seems like a long time to me.”
He shook his head. “You have a lot to learn, darling. An Atlantean’s life span is somewhat longer than a human’s.”
He took her hand and they swam deeper still. The light grew dimmer until she was peering through the darkness at a shadowy world filled with strange shapes and forms. A squid, nearly five feet in length, flashed by. Behind it, in hot pursuit, came a fish sprouting glowing antennae and a mouth full of jagged teeth. Claire shuddered.
“Not to worry,” Morgan soothed. “A klates. It only dines on squid. And the occasional octopus.”
Without warning, a school of eel-like creatures swept around them. Claire threw up her elbow to protect her face and something hard sliced her arm. She cried out in pain as a man carrying a pitchfork loomed ahead of them.
“Get behind me!” Morgan ordered.
She saw the outline of a second man materialize to her left and heard the clash of steel on steel. A bulky brute flung a net at her. It slipped over her head and shoulders and she ducked to wiggle out from under it.
Another assailant rushed at Morgan from the rear and she screamed a warning. He shoved her aside and slashed at Morgan’s right shoulder. Morgan twisted aside and the attacker charged past, nearly colliding with one of the men in front. Morgan’s sword gleamed in the semidarkness, and Claire heard a yelp of pain. The backstabber’s sword fell and drifted downward through the murky water.
Claire dove to capture the sword and the man with the net swam after her. She’d counted at least three—perhaps four. Morgan would have no chance against them. She kicked and rolled, dodging the throw of the net once more. Still, the sword eluded her, but she followed the shining blade in the blackness.
Another squid passed over her head, momentarily delaying her pursuer. Terror made her limbs feel wooden. What if she couldn’t reach the weapon? What if she became lost in the Stygian night and couldn’t find her way back to Morgan? What if they killed him before she could come to his aid?
But then her hand brushed the hilt of the sword. She grabbed it, spun and swam, not away, but toward the man with the net. He threw up his arms to tangle her in his rope but she drove the point of the sword low and felt it pierce flesh and grate against bone. He fell away, and she swam up toward the spot where she’d left Morgan defending himself against overwhelming odds.
When she reached him, one man was floating away, obviously seriously injured, and Morgan was holding off the one with the pitchfork and another with a sword. Claire circled the man with the forked weapon. Seeing her, he crouched and threw it like a fishing spear. Claire moved aside, and the weapon passed and vanished into the darkness. The man pulled a dagger from his belt and swam toward her.
She heard a scream and turned to see Morgan pulling his sword out of his fallen opponent’s side. As he swam toward her, the thug with the knife turned and fled, leaving them alone and victorious.
“Are you hurt?” Morgan called.
“Who was that? And why did they want to kill us?”
“The one with the knife—the one you chased off—was my half-brother Caddoc. He’d like to see me dead so that …” He shook his head. “It’s a long story.”
“And the one you killed?”
“One of his cronies. They all were.” He looked down at the sword in her hand in disbelief. “How in Hades did you manage to—”
She grinned. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Not only was I a member of our college fencing club, but I worked summers at a Renaissance Fair. I was Maid Marian, and I honed my swordplay against Prince John’s villains.”
“A college fencing club and an actress? Against trained warriors? It’s hard to believe.”
Her grin widened. “You didn’t know Richard. He flew me to Italy for lessons with a world champion fencing master. He never liked to do things halfway.”
Morgan grabbed her and hugged her against him so tightly that she thought her ribs would crack. “How many secrets are you hiding from me, Claire? And how was I lucky enough to find you?”
EPILOGUE
A
mong Atlantis’s many splendid palaces, breathtaking temples, glorious halls of state, great amphitheaters, and awe-inspiring edifices of learning, the Place of Joining should have been outshone in beauty. But, in Claire’s eye, this small, exquisite building was a jewel box of perfection and the shining glory of all Morgan had shown her in the city.
mong Atlantis’s many splendid palaces, breathtaking temples, glorious halls of state, great amphitheaters, and awe-inspiring edifices of learning, the Place of Joining should have been outshone in beauty. But, in Claire’s eye, this small, exquisite building was a jewel box of perfection and the shining glory of all Morgan had shown her in the city.
The white marble building stood at the summit of a stepped pyramid at one end of a vast square, and was reached by a series of broad steps. The outer walls of the structure itself were not composed of solid blocks of marble, but magnificent Corinthian columns that cast a pattern of light and darkness on the inner sanctum.
The interior room glowed with light provided by hundreds, perhaps thousands, of tiny crystals set into the marble walls, and the starkness of the marble stone floors was offset by patterns of brightly gleaming tiles forming joined rings. The water here was a breathtaking blue and swirling with schools of tiny multicolored fish and sea horses that brought a smile to her lips and reminded her of flocks of birds.
It was here, in this sacred spot, in the Place of Joining, that the kings and queens of Atlantis had taken their vows of marriage for thousands of years. And it was here, with shaking knees, that Claire waited for Morgan to come and pledge his eternal love and devotion to her and her to him. But before the ceremony could begin, the custom was for the bride and groom each to meet privately with the highest-ranking priestess of the temple to make certain they were ready to take such a momentous step as marriage.
Lady Athena, not only a high priestess, but a member of the High Court and the Council, had already spoken with Morgan, and now it was Claire’s turn. Claire was so nervous that she was trembling from head to toe. She was terrified. What would this great lady ask of her? What would she say? What if the priestess found her less than qualified to marry the crown prince? What if Lady Athena denied her permission to become Morgan’s wife?
When the regal woman with the coronet of blond braids appeared, Claire was even more taken aback. She hadn’t expected someone so young, with features so sweet and appealing that Claire was drawn to her immediately. She didn’t know whether to curtsey or offer her hand, so she waited with bated breath.
The lady opened her arms and smiled, “Welcome, daughter.”
Claire took three steps and found herself in a warm and genuine embrace. “Your ladyship … I’m sorry, I don’t know what to call you.”
“Lady Athena or simply Athena will do.” She clasped Claire’s hand and squeezed it. And when Claire gazed into her beautiful green eyes, she saw that they were clouded with tears. “I’ve heard of the death of your father. I am so sorry.”
“Yes.” Claire nodded. The ache remained, but faded more with each day. Richard seemed far in her past. She hoped she would never forget him, for despite their differences, he had been a good and loving father. “Wherever he is, I hope that he’s safe and happy.”
“He is,” the priestess assured her. “If I have learned anything in my centuries of study in the temples it is that our souls are immortal. Surely, someone as well-meaning as Richard will find happiness.”
“I wouldn’t want him to be alone. There was just the two of us for so long and now …”
“Now you have Morgan.”
Claire nodded. In a minute, she’d be crying as well. “And little Danu. Do you know her? She’s a precious child.”
“Yes, I know Danu and love her as well. She is as dear to me as you are.”
Claire blinked. “Me? But you don’t know me. I’m not …”
Athena’s sea-green eyes looked deep into Claire’s own. “My child, I do know you. Not as Claire, but as
Rhiannon
, the name I gave you when you were born.”
Rhiannon
, the name I gave you when you were born.”
Claire swallowed and clutched at Athena’s warm hand as though it were her lifeline. “You knew my mother? It’s true that I do have Atlantean blood?”
“What I tell you here and now must not go beyond these walls. Do I have your solemn promise? It will not be a secret to Morgan. I’ve already shared it with him, but no other must know the truth.”
“Of course,” Claire agreed. “I swear I won’t say anything. Please, tell me if you know anything about my birth mother.”
Tears overflowed the green eyes and sparkled on her cheeks as she took Claire’s palm and pressed it to her belly. “I carried you here in my womb, my darling. And because I was too cowardly to admit that I had fallen in love with a human and bore his child, and because I was afraid for you, I gave you to him to raise. Richard was your biological father.”
Claire’s eyes widened in shock. “You? You’re my mother? You gave birth to me? And Richard was my father?”
Athena nodded. “I knew you would come back to me in time. We Atlanteans are drawn to the sea always. But I have thought of you every day of your life, wondered how you were, and if Richard was a good father.”
“He was.” A knot that had held tight beneath Claire’s heart for as long as she could remember came slowly undone and she threw herself into Athena’s arms. “My mother? You really are my mother?”
Athena held her tightly. “Yes, my beautiful child, I am, or I was. And I would like to be again, if you can forgive me for abandoning you.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” Claire whispered. “But why didn’t Richard come to you in the sea? Why did you remain apart if you loved each other?”
“I loved him. I think I still love him. Perhaps that’s why I’ve never taken a husband among my own people. But I wasn’t as strong as you, Claire. Our love wasn’t as powerful. It’s why I know you will make the right wife for Morgan… . And the right queen for our kingdom in the far future.” Athena stepped back and wiped the tears from her face. “But you didn’t come here to see me lose all my dignity. You came to be married, and your bridegroom awaits.”
Claire nodded, too full of joy to speak.
“Are you certain that this is what you want? Marriage among Atlanteans lasts a long, long time.”
“Yes,” she managed. “I … I love him.”
“And he loves you.” Athena hugged her again and kissed her cheek. “So we will begin again and try to get this mother-daughter thing right. And if you will allow me, I’d like to be a grandmother to Danu, as well.”
“But you said no one should know.”
Athena nodded and her eyes reflected the sadness in her voice. “There is always a price to pay for cowardice. You cannot call me
mother
or publicly acknowledge our relationship without risking a great deal for all of us. Mostly me, I’m afraid. But no one will think it strange if we are the best of friends. After all, I’m a woman without children of my own. It’s natural that we might become close, because everyone knows how fond I am of Morgan and of Danu.”
mother
or publicly acknowledge our relationship without risking a great deal for all of us. Mostly me, I’m afraid. But no one will think it strange if we are the best of friends. After all, I’m a woman without children of my own. It’s natural that we might become close, because everyone knows how fond I am of Morgan and of Danu.”
“Yes,” Claire agreed. “If you think that’s best.”
“It is. It would be too … difficult for me to reveal the truth now. I would lose my place on the High Council and my seat in the court, and I am silly enough to believe that I am often the voice of reason among those esteemed nobles.” She squeezed Claire’s hand again. “But if you would humor an old woman, could you say it just once, so that I have something to treasure in my heart? Could you call me mother?”
“Yes, yes, Mother.
Mother
. Thank you.”
Mother
. Thank you.”
“No, it is I who thank you, my daughter. You’ll never know how many nights I dreamed of hearing those words from your lips.”
“Lady Athena!” Morwena called from an antechamber. “Danu and the bridegroom are getting anxious. Will you be much longer?”
“No.” Athena winked at Claire and placed a slender finger over her lips in a bid for secrecy. “We’re ready for you.”
And then Morgan was striding into the chamber, and Claire had eyes only for him. How magnificent he was in his golden kilt and vest and high-laced sandals. His beautiful eyes glittered with excitement, and he was smiling at her as if she was his heart’s desire. Upon his head, he wore a thin circlet of pure gold.
Vaguely, she was aware of Danu and Morwena, Orion, and Alexandros, as well as the king and queen and a few other witnesses. But for her, during this short and beautiful ceremony, there was only the man she loved more than life itself.
Claire’s hand trembled as Morgan slid a crystal ring on her finger and swore eternal faithfulness to her. Then he took her hand in his and Lady Athena bound their wrists together with a single braid of apple-green seaweed and recited the ancient ritual that made them man and wife. And finally, Danu came forward with a cushion bearing a coronet of crystal set with diamonds, and the king himself placed it on her head.
“You can kiss him, now,” Danu urged. Everyone laughed but Claire and Morgan. Again, he filled Claire’s heart and mind and world.
They kissed, and Claire’s joy was beyond anything she had ever dreamed of. Her happiness overflowed as Morgan took her hand and led her out to the portico, and the cheers and well-wishes of thousands of Atlanteans rang in her ears. “I love you,” she murmured breathlessly.
“And I love you,” he replied, “and I always will.” Then he clasped her hand and they stepped forward. “Be brave,” he whispered. And raising his voice, he declared, “My friends, my family, my fellow Atlanteans, I give you the light of my heart, my beloved wife, the Princess Rhiannon.”
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