Surrender to the Sea (Lords of the Abyss Book 4) (3 page)

“
I
should make
arrangements to go home.” Laurel came out of the bedroom to find Brutus sitting on floor pillows by a low dining table.

“Did you sleep long enough?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you. I don’t know how I will ever repay you for what you did for me, but I think I should contact my country to get that paperwork going. I’m not sure exactly how this will work, but anything related to the government seems to take a long time. I don’t want to be a burden on you after you’ve already done so much for me.”

“You are not a burden,” he said. “Don’t worry about such things right now. Sit. Eat. I brought you food. I was concerned when you did not come out last night, but it looks as if the rest has done you good. Your skin appears to be less blue.”

She’d slept all night? All she remembered was lying down and slipping into what felt like a coma. After all the man had done, she didn’t want to be rude. Taking a seat on the cushion that he’d gestured to, she waited to see what his dining custom was.

“Eat,” he ordered, pushing the tray toward her. Apparently, there was little dining custom.

The fruits did not look familiar, but she guessed the meat strips were cooked fish by its texture. She was so hungry that she didn’t even mind the odd combination of flavors. After several bites, she noticed Brutus was watching her mouth.

Laurel dropped her hand and licked her lips. She self-consciously brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. On the one hand, she was grateful to this man for saving her. On the other his focused attention as she ate was unnerving, and she wanted to sink into the cushions to hide. Being a woman of natural curves, ravenously eating in front of an incredibly hot-sexy-gorgeous male model superhero type was, well, disconcerting—which in itself was a weird feeling because she happened to love her body. “So, what do you do when you’re not saving damsels from the ocean?”

“I am a warrior.”

“Military?” That made sense. The man had the build of a fighter and the stoic disposition.

“Hunter,” he corrected.

“Ah,” she nodded in understanding though she wasn’t sure what the difference really meant. Did he mean fisherman? He was on the ocean. Navy, perhaps?

Laurel waited for him to say something. He didn’t. Instead, he stared at her with his stoic expression and studying eyes. At any other moment, she would have been afraid, but this man rescued her, provided her with medical attention, and now fed her. Despite his stern look and big physique, she wasn’t frightened.

“Your home is lovely.” Laurel was a natural talker and liked conversation over silence.

“It makes for a fine place to stay when I am at the palace.” His intense eyes didn’t waver.

“So you stay somewhere else when you’re not visiting the palace?” She picked up a slice of fruit and slowly ate it to keep her hands busy. The gesture seemed to please him, and he relaxed his expression some. Is that what he waited for? Making sure she ate?

“Of course. I have a home in the country. All hunters do. I share it with my brother, Demon.”

“Bachelor pad?” she teased, smiling. Demon? Brutus? Either their parents had a strange sense of humor, or they were nicknames. He only looked confused. “Never mind.”

“You lost a child?” Brutus continued to watch her closely.

Laurel stiffened and released the piece of fruit she was holding. It wasn’t something she normally told people about. “It was a long time ago.” Then before he could ask more, she pushed to her feet. “Thank you for the food. I should start filing the paperwork to get home. Can you point me to where I need to go?”

He arched a brow and pointed to the bedroom door.

Laurel needlessly followed the gesture.

“If you prefer to shower…” He moved his finger to indicate another door.

“I prefer to know why you don’t seem to want me to start the paperwork to go home.” Laurel crossed her arms in front of her. The soft material of her shapeless gown pulled tight against her chest, and she instantly dropped her hands to her side. He said nothing. “Well?”

“I do not know what to say.” He turned his eyes toward the door and tensed as if he might make a run for it.

“Try the truth.” Laurel endeavored to stay calm, but this situation was just off enough to concern her. They saved her, but acted as if they inducted her into a cult. The white, shapeless gown didn’t help the impression she was getting.

“I’m scared you’ll scream at me,” he said.

That took her by surprise. This giant man was worried she’d scream at him?

Scream. At. Him.

“And become hysterical.” Slowly, Brutus stood. “Perhaps you need Aidan. I will retrieve him.”

Laurel placed her hands on her hips and gave him her most stern expression. “I need to know what you’re hiding from me. I demand you tell me everything or I most certainly will become hysterical and scream at you.”

Oddly, that threat seemed to work.

“I am Merr. You will call me a sea creature, or sea monster, or a merman, and you are now trapped in the Merr underwater country of Ataran. Which is why you are breathing air and not drowning at the bottom of the ocean. I am told it is confusing, all our names here. Perhaps Atlantes is one you are familiar with? Atlantes is the entirety of our underwater continent. The land is Ataran. This city is Atlas.” Brutus eyed her as he edged his way around the table. He stopped between her and the doorway leading out of the home. “Well, we have a butcher named Atlas, too, who actually lives in Atlas, and that can be confusing if you don’t know him. So you could technically go to see Atlas in Atlas for meat.”

Laurel opened her mouth and the closed it. No sound would come out, which was probably for the best since her mind was reeling with thoughts.

“Most women who come here are concerned with the fact we’re mermen. There is the question of compatibility. But you don’t have to worry. You will become a mermaid in time.” Brutus didn’t move from his place blocking the door.

“A mermaid?” Laurel waited for the punch line. It had to be coming. Any second now…

“Aye. I mean, yes. We are trying to update our language with the new words Cassandra and Bridget have taught us. They say it will make us more understandable. But, yes, a mermaid. Unfortunately, we will have to drown you first.” He looked somber, and yet she still waited for his laughter to indicate he was joking.

“You mean a metaphorical drowning? A baptism and rebirth into your cult, erm, culture?”

“No. Drowning is very real,” he said. “But yes, it is like a rebirth.”

She started to chuckle and then stopped. “Tell me you’re joking.”

“I am extremely serious. But we only drown you when you are ready,” he assured her. “I would never drown you without your permission.”

Laurel didn’t know what to do, so she merely stared at him.

“You appear of a bad color again. Perhaps I should tell you the rest of everything later. For now, I will fetch the healer.” Brutus rushed to leave and then stopped. “Are you going to swoon? I can catch you first if you wish and then go for the healer. I wouldn’t want you to hit your head on the floor. Or I can retrieve Aidan so he can answer your surface worlder questions better than I.”

Seeing he expected an answer, she mumbled, “Aidan.”

“As you wish. Do not faint and hurt yourself,” he ordered. “I will return.”

Laurel swayed on her feet not feeling well. She watched him leave before letting go of a slow breath. “Merman in the lost city of Atlantes.”

L
aurel jogged through the hallway
, trying to get as far away from Brutus as she could. Oddly, she didn’t feel panicked, not like she imagined she should be after being told her new host wanted to drown her and turn her into a fish. The numbed lack of emotional reaction did not take away her common sense. Drowning was bad. Survival was good. Sexy man was crazy. Away from crazy man was essential.

The sound of laughter caught her attention, and she gravitated toward the voices. Cautiously she neared an archway. There had to be someone in the palace who could help her find her way home, and there was a familiarity to the noise—the hum of a group of friends punctuated by adult laughter and a child’s squeal.

“You spoil them,” a woman said, though her scolding tone hardly sounded upset.

“And why not? Children are gifts and should be treated as such,” a man answered. “Listen to their laughter. That is the sound needed in this palace. They will not always be young, and I wish to hear their laughter as long as the gods will allow it.”

“As long as they still stay grounded in reality,” the woman insisted. Laurel was relieved to detect the Americanized accent. “I will not have my boys become entitled brats. I love them too much for that.”

“Spoken like a true mother, Lady Bridget,” the man said. “I will leave reality to you, and you will leave the spoiling to me. It has been decreed, and you shall not defy a royal order.”

“Spoken like a true king, your majesty,” Bridget teased.

The king? And Bridget, the woman who was teaching the locals new words?

Laurel peeked into the room. A small gathering stood around a pool. Their legs blocked her view of the water but she heard children laughing. She wasn’t sure if the Ancient Romanesque clothing was a party theme or part of island culture. Althea and Brutus had on similar garb. The men wore togas, their strong bare legs showing from beneath the short skirts. The women had longer dresses made from an organza type fabric, which shimmered in the light when they moved.

“King Lucius,” a young child called, “watch!”

A man turned at the shout. The king was young and in fine shape, not at all what Laurel expected of an island king. She saw his profile from beneath the veil of his light brown hair.

Laurel inched into the room. The hard stone of the hallway floor continued across the open area. Mosaic depictions of sea creatures were crafted into the wall tiles, reminding her of Moroccan architecture she’d seen. The glaze made the light shimmer over the surface, giving life to the fake water.

A splash sounded. Bridget laughed and clapped her hands. “Well done, Gregory!”

“Douglas, your turn,” the king said. “Then William.”

Soon the others were also clapping. Bridget glanced in her direction, and her smile slipped a little. She glanced at the pool in worry and then hurried forward.

“Hello, you must be Laurel. Brutus and Althea have told me about you. I am Bridget. Welcome to Ataran.” Bridget lifted her hand as if to gesture Laurel’s attention away from the pool and her children. “Are you lost?”

“I’m looking for the US consulate,” Laurel said. “I lost my paperwork in the shipwreck, and I need to—”

“Oh, well, I can…” Bridget began, lightly touching her arm to lead Laurel away from the party.

“Lady Bridget, did you…” The king turned to them, and his smile dropped. He glanced first at the pool and then the women, prompting the others to do the same.

“You’re not watching!” a young boy shouted from the water.

At their troubled expressions, Laurel found herself backing away from them to look in the water. Three small figures moved beneath the surface. The blue and green of their swim trunks revealed their location. Suddenly, one of the children came up for air, practically leaping above the surface. Shocked, Laurel realized the colored swim trucks were actually long tails. The child’s green lower half twisted in the air before he landed with a loud splash.

“Mermen,” she whispered. The second boy shot up from the water, his blue tail twisting as the other boy’s had. He was followed by the third whose tail was color-split down the middle—half blue, half green. They both landed at the same time with hard splashes.

“Who was the highest?” a boy demanded, before saying, “Hey, who’s she?”

“Mermen,” Laurel repeated, breathing heavier. On top, the boys looked to be humans around ten years old, maybe a little younger—except for the small fins jutting out from their forearms.

Bridget came forward. “I know what you must be going through. It’s all right. Everything can be explained.”

“Mermen.” Laurel jerked away when Bridget tried to touch her.

“Yes, mermen, but I assure you it is perfectly—”

“He said…” Laurel moved closer to the pool to prove this was happening. Perhaps the tails were fakes? They could be fakes. That made sense, right?

Bridget attempted to block her view. “Please, my sons don’t understand about the adjustment mortals go through. You will be their first new arrival. Please, don’t…”

Don’t what? Traumatize
them
? Frighten
them
? Laurel was about to laugh when she saw the motherly pleading in Bridget’s eyes. Even though her motherhood had been brief, she understood the desperation in that expression.

A pang of regret and sorrow hit her. Despite her pounding heart and tumbling thoughts, she managed to nod. She whispered, “This can’t be real.”

“Where is Brutus? He should have taken you to Aidan first,” Bridget said. “I know what you are going through. I was once new to this place. No one here wants to hurt you. They wouldn’t have brought you if they had another choice. They only save those condemned to death.”

Laurel didn’t know if she was waiting to pass out or wake up.

“How much has he told you?” Bridget asked.

“Lady Bridget?” the king inquired.

“Your majesty, this is Lady Laurel.” The woman stepped aside when the king joined them. “Lady Laurel, King Lucius.”

Laurel looked at the pool, seeing the three young merboys glide around like dolphins in a water show. She heard voices but didn’t pay attention to the words as a caudal fin flapped out of the water to splash the adults standing along the side. The boys giggled mischievously when a redheaded woman yelped and jumped back.

“Is she under euphoria?” the king asked.

Laurel blinked slowly and focused her attention on him. “I should make arrangements to go home.”

“Where is Brutus? Shouldn’t he be watching her?” King Lucius moved to the archway to peer down the hall as if that would answer his question.

“I want to go home,” Laurel repeated. “I won’t say anything. I just want to go home.”

“Help me out, Lady Cassie!” a young voice demanded.

The redheaded woman leaned to grab the boy’s hand to help him from the water.

“Oh, no, don’t—” Bridget started to yell, only too late. Her son playfully pulled the woman into the water with them. All three boys laughed mischievously. When the woman surfaced, surrounded by the bulk of her gown, a green tail had transformed where her legs had been.

The tails were not fakes.

“Oh, that’s it, you’re in trouble now,” the woman yelled, swimming after them to give chase. Despite her words, she didn’t seem too upset by the boys’ mischievous play.

“What is at home?” Bridget leaned over to force Laurel’s attention away from the children splashing in the pool.

“Are you married?” the king said, a little too eagerly.

Laurel frowned and shook her head. “No. Marriage is overrated.”

It was an automatic response, one she’d said several times since her divorce. Very little about that marriage had been good, except for the ending. A bad marriage made it hard to consider even trying it again.

“I don’t understand,” the king said. “You are exquisite. I think you would rate very high in a marriage.”

“What—?” Laurel started to ask.

“Make sure the boys don’t drown each other,” Bridget broke in. She gestured that the king should go. “I will bring Laurel to see Aidan.”

“As you wish, my lady.” The king bowed and turned to the boys.

“They can drown?” Laurel inquired.

“No. He’ll just make sure they stay out of trouble.” Bridget threaded her arm through Laurel’s. “Now we can speak without his hovering on your every word. Single females are a very rare commodity here, and you will find the Merr men are as clueless as human ones when it comes to feminine ways. Single men like the king will be eager to spend time with you, which brings me to Lord Brutus. What did he tell you about your situation?”

“That you wanted to drown me and make me a mermaid.” Laurel stiffened at the reminder and tried to pull her arm from the woman’s light hold.

Bridget let her go. “Oh, no. Tell me he didn’t say it like that.”

“He very much did,” Laurel said. “I think I’m in shock. I should be having a panic attack right now. I should be trying to run away. I shouldn’t be talking to you.”

“They call it euphoria. It’s an adjustment period when coming to live here. It’s not intentional, but a byproduct of the dive down. All I’ve had to go off of are accounts by those who have gone through it and my own experience, but no real evidence as data is very limited. I have a working theory that it is related to generalized barotrauma and that the atmosphere of Atlantes keeps it from being fatal. Everyone is affected differently and for different time periods. This whole dome acts as a decompression chamber.”

Laurel eyed the woman. She was as crazy as Brutus. But then, she just witnessed merboys, so maybe she was as delusional as the rest of them.

“Generalized barotrauma. Decompression sickness,” Bridget clarified. “Also called the bends?”

“That thing divers get when they come up to the surface too fast?” Laurel frowned. Out of everything she’d heard and seen that day, it made her feel better to have a medical explanation. “Did I go that deep underwater that I’m affected by the bends? I thought that was only something that happened if you dived really far down.”

“We are pretty deep under the surface.” Bridget sighed. “Brutus didn’t explain that to you, did he? What do you remember about your accident?”

“Being in the water. Being tossed into the air. Falling.” She looked around the pristine hallway. “Waking up here. Sleeping like I was in a coma and then being told I was to be drowned. And apparently mermaids are real.”

“We prefer Merr. Yes, in order to change you have to drown. It’s not as horrible as it sounds. Well, I mean, drowning isn’t fun, but it’s over quickly. At any rate, Brutus should not have led with that information, and he should have mentioned that it is your choice.”

“Then I choose not to drown,” Laurel said. “And I want to go home.”

“Perhaps we should see Aidan first.” The woman again led her down the hall by her arm. They passed two men standing guard over a rock slab leaning against the wall.

“My lady,” the darker complexioned one said. He left his post to join them. Both guards had on short, white togas and a green cloak draped over one shoulder that was held in place by a sun brooch.

The blond guard hesitated but soon followed. “Lady Laurel, it is good to see you again.”

They had kind smiles and expressions that appeared a little too hopeful.

“Ignore Brennus,” the dark-haired guard said, “my lady, you would not remember our meeting as you were not awake at the time.”

Laurel stiffened. Why were men being brought in to see her sleep?

“What Vitus means,” Brennus put forth, “is that you were not conscious at the time.”

“I think they both mean you were fresh from the sea,” Bridget explained. “They guard what is called the surfacing area. It’s where you came into the palace. You would have been unconscious.”

“I don’t know if Lord Brutus mentioned it, but I am Vitus. I have asked to be able to court you.”

“As have I,” Brennus said, elbowing Vitus back. “When you are ready for suitors, of course, my lady.”

“Of course,” Vitus quickly added with a return nudge as he attempted to take Laurel’s full attention. “You look well. May I call on you tonight?”

Laurel didn’t know what to say. She looked at Bridget for help. Were the mermen fighting over her?

“I don’t think the lady is taking suitors.” Bridget shooed them away, and they obeyed reluctantly.

“You will think about it?” Vitus called after the ladies.

“She is even more beautiful awake,” Brennus told his fellow guard though his whisper echoed just enough that Laurel heard it. She glanced back. Both men grinned at her.

“Ignore them,” Bridget said. “Unless you are interested in one of them? Then by all means, accept their attention. Both are good men with strong reputations.”

“Not really looking to date,” Laurel answered. “Just want to get home.”

B
rutus was not
sure if his reveal went well. Laurel didn’t scream or cry or faint, so that had to be an indication he’d handled it appropriately. His new ward gave the impression of being a smart woman. Surely the blunt approach was best. At least, it was better than trying to think of lies as to why she couldn’t contact her government. He was not one for lying.

Rushing through the halls to find Aidan, he almost tripped over his own feet. The man was always in the collections room, cataloging and organizing the treasures brought back from the ocean. Well, more accurately, he was always in the collections room unless he was in Althea’s home trying to pretend they weren’t lovers.

Whenever they returned from a shipwreck, Brutus and the other hunters sent scavengers out to the location to bring back artifacts. The items were clues as to how the world above had changed. Aidan cataloged his findings and sent small scrolls to the surrounding countryside with stories and drawings for the population to wonder over.

“Aidan?” Brutus frowned as he poked his head into the large rectangular room. Inside were rows of long tables overfilled with recovered artifacts. Aidan had been complaining he was running out of storage space. “Aidan?”

Why wasn’t the man cataloging? It was in the middle of the day.

Thinking of Lady Laurel, Brutus paused. If he had a woman waiting for him, he probably wouldn’t want to play with rusted fishhooks either. In fact, he might never leave his home again.