Akamaii’s eyes softened, and for a brief second, I thought she was going to rescind her decree.“Then be off, say your good-byes, and meet your mate at the boundary of our territory. She will be waiting, I am sure.”
Nalu apparently hadn’t had any such delusions about the queen’s determination. Without a pause, he bowed deeply in her direction.“Thank you, my queen.”He straightened, turned to Lelas, and kissed her lips briefly.“I will see you shortly, my mate.”
He paused as Lelas said something to him privately.
“I will not debate. You are my heart. My home.”With a few powerful thrusts of his tail, he turned and sped away, his mocha skin and sapphire scales glinting in the sunlight.
Maybe it was selfish, but no way was I going to try to talk Lelas into staying with the Scarus. She belonged with the Chromis tribe, pure and simple. She belonged with me—with or without her mate. Though I had to admit, asked for or not, Nalu had just earned my blessing.
Akamaii once again waited until we were fully alone to continue.“My words are meant for the four of you alone, and Nalu, when you wish to tell him.”To my surprise, she addressed me.“It seems that you are not able to direct your words to whom you wish?”
It took me a moment to realize she was asking me a question instead of just stating a fact. I nodded, somewhat abashedly.“Very well, then. For you to be allowed to hear what I have to share, I must have your commitment that you will remain silent. Not only in this chamber, but until you have completely exited the Scarus territory and there is no chance for your words to travel farther than you intend.”
That was a small request, although one that would require more restraint than she had reason to assume I would possess.“I give my word.”I glanced around the massive chamber once more, for some reason expecting to see another mer hiding amidst all the human treasure that was spread through the space. There was none. In the absence of all the mers, the vast number and variety of fish was more apparent, and part of me expected the queen to command them to leave. She did no such thing; instead she launched into her story with no more qualifications.
“A few millennia ago, I am uncertain of the exact number, the mer tribes lived in peace with each other. I am sure there were common disagreements and such, but no more than would be typical in any individual tribe or family. At this time, all mers were like us and the Synchi. None were immortal, but we were plentiful—an ever-growing and developing species.”
Akamaii paused and looked toward Therin, possibly seeking affirmation or attempting to judge if he was aware of these facts or was going to challenge them. He did neither. Despite our increased time together, I wasn’t sure if the stoic mask he wore was hiding his distrust or simply his surprise. While there had been a lot Therin hadn’t told me at the beginning of our relationship, since the onset of this quest, there had been nothing he hadn’t been transparent about. If he’d had any inkling mers hadn’t always been immortal, he would have said so.
Satisfied she was going to get no greater response, Akamaii continued.“Over the centuries, many of the details have been lost. I know not specific names or places. That does not change the truth of our history, however.”
She paused again, swiping a long, stringy lock of hair behind her ear, maybe forgetting she no longer had the thick mass of hair she’d had when she was younger. She leaned forward slightly, putting weight on her arms as they crossed to rest on the curve of her tail.“I do not know how the discovery came to be, but the knowledge of immortality was imparted to one of the tribes. I do not know if it was an entire tribe or a solitary mer that discovered what would lead to the destruction of our people. Either way, the result is the same. A bargain was struck and our fate was sealed.”
At this, she looked around the chamber, eyes darting all over the place. After a moment, I followed her gaze and realized she was checking each entrance, making sure no Scarus lingered about, though since she was directing her thoughts only at us, I wasn’t sure why it mattered.“I hesitate to tell you the true source of the immortality, but it may impact the success of this quest, which is imperative to my tribe. Though the Scarus are aware of the betrayal and that vampires were somehow involved, they are not aware of the specifics. While I would like to believe none of my tribe would give in to temptation that comes with such knowledge, I cannot take the risk. It is only passed on from queen to queen, and even then, it is the determining factor in the choosing of the next successor. I have passed over my own daughter and her daughter. Both fine Scarus, mermaids I believe I would be able to trust this secret to, but belief is not enough. It was not until Ewalani came of age that I had certainty that it would be this third generation of my womb who would not have the slightest temptation.”
She searched the room before speaking again. Even as she did, she didn’t look at us but kept her gaze roaming the chamber.“Somehow, it was discovered that drinking from a vampire provided immortality. I do not know how such a discovery was revealed or who stumbled upon such an abomination, but that is the way of it, I suppose.”
At her words, something tickled in the back of my mind. Seeing the vampire in the woods outside of Finn’s home all those months ago, threatening to kill Finn’s nephew unless I let him kill me. I couldn’t figure out why he wanted me so desperately, what made me so special. Later, I realized it was my mer blood, but that still didn’t explain why he’d wanted it so. Even so, even without all the puzzle pieces connecting together, it was enough to know that Akamaii’s story was true, and that it really was the key to all of this.
Akamaii paused in her search of the room, zeroing in once again on Therin, judging his reaction.“It is said that the elders of the tribes met to discuss making a bargain with the vampires. I know not why, but the monsters were willing to let the mer drink from them and share in their immortality. For a price, of course. The mers had to sacrifice fifty of our own kind to their bloodlust as payment.”
Therin’s composure faltered for the first time.“That cannot be. No mer would allow another of our own to be slaughtered for their personal gain.”
The queen seemed satisfied with his reasoning, trusting this truly was unknown to him.“It was not only for their personal gain. How do you think the rest of your tribe and offspring gained immortality?”
At this, Therin and Lelas both flinched, the implication that their long life had been paid for by the lives of others truly sinking in.
“And not just the Chromis.”Akamaii turned toward Wrell, pleasure in her features as she cast her words toward him like stones.“Every tribe save the Scarus and Synchi partook. Including the Volitan.”The venom in her tone was scathing. The change in her demeanor toward Wrell was all-consuming after his implied threat toward her great-great-grandson. Her eyes narrowed as she refused to remove her gaze from Wrell. “Your tribe was the one in charge of rounding up the allotted mers to be sacrificed. I am certain that is a surprise to no one. Least of all you.”
A cloud had crossed somewhere above in the outside world, casting a shadow over Wrell’s face, blocking his reaction, if any showed. I doubted he would distrust any accusation made against the Volitan tribe.
Lelas broke in, tentatively.“You are saying all of the other tribes came together and offered fifty other mers to the vampires in order to have immortality. How did your people and the Synchi avoid such a disgrace?”
The queen gave her a withering glance, the first negative reaction she had offered toward Lelas, as if she’d let her down by not figuring out the answer to her own inquiry.
“From what has been passed down, both the Synchi and Scarus were close to going to war with the rest of the tribes, which, at the time, would have been suicide, as all the tribes were relatively equal in number. Both we and the Synchi took the deal that was offered.”She motioned around the chamber with her withered hands.“Our own territory and the promise to be left alone.”
Lelas’s brow furrowed.“Is that not the same thing as the other tribes? You were willing to sacrifice the other mers as long as they were not from your tribe and you were guaranteed your own safety?”
I was shocked at Lelas’s blunt accusation, and the queen bristled.“It is not I who sit before you immortal and forever young.”
Lelas hesitated slightly as the price of her life hit her once more.“I was not the one who made this bargain, my queen.”
Akamaii smiled derisively.“Nor I.”
Fourteen
SONIA LIU
