We arrived in Seattle after a short flight and a mixture of Kain’s calming concoction. I still hated to fly, so I begged him to make me another milk and whatever drink to keep my nerves under control. He’d tricked me when we flew to Florida for Cotillion earlier this year, but this time I requested it. It wasn’t the flying I was so terrified about. It was more like the crashing and burning. And that supposed fact that we were much safer in a car and such? Well, that really didn’t matter when I was up in the air bouncing around at thirty thousand feet.
The driver dropped us off in front of a swanky hotel right in the heart of the downtown waterfront district. The marble building and elaborate chandeliers hanging in the lobby was just a taste of the extravagance that awaited us. Being a clan leader certainly had its perks when it came to traveling. There were four protectors with us, one of them being Palmer, and although Daniel and Marisol wanted to come, we had to leave them behind. When it came to dealing with the Council, you didn’t show up uninvited.
After checking in, we headed upstairs. Our group of suites was almost on the top floor and when I walked in the room, I was momentarily taken aback by the view. It was almost like we lived above the clouds. Surprisingly, it wasn’t raining and the late afternoon sunlight cast shards of orange, pink, and blue over the water and surrounding cityscape.
“I’m going to get cleaned up,” Kain said while lifting his suitcase. We had a two-bedroom suite with my bed in one room and his in another.
I looked at my watch. “Guess I’ll see you in two hours then,” I teased. Kain had a tendency to take three times as long getting ready than any girl would. I still didn’t know what he did to primp himself. It was an ongoing joke between us. I would often tell him that I needed him an hour earlier to make sure that he’d ‘clean up’ in time.
“Ha, ha. Very funny,” he replied before closing the door to his room. I smiled and thought about the time we’d spent together at Cotillion. Since we were playing a happily engaged couple, we were given a cottage with one bed. It had been an interesting situation to say the least, but we made it work. Then his dad died. And then I left him at the altar. I really hadn’t been a good person to Kain and thinking about it now made me feel even worse.
I told him about my planned meeting with Brendan tonight and he listened without comment. Perhaps there was a part of him curious to know how it would work out as much as me. There was friction between Kain and me, and Brendan’s presence had always been a silent thorn in our cohesive ruling relationship. It was our unspoken problem. The topic we avoided like the plague. Maybe after tonight, I’d have a better understanding about what was going on between Brendan and me. Then Kain and I could move our professional relationship beyond this.
I grabbed my bag and went into my room to take a shower and get ready. Meeting with the Council was a formal affair, so I needed ample time for hair and makeup.
An hour later, I was done and Kain still hadn’t emerged from his bedroom. I laughed and raided some of the hotel snacks sitting out by the bar. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror, I took a moment to acknowledge that I looked good today. I’d twisted my blonde hair up into an elegant knot in order to show off the cut of my lilac dress. A halter style in the front joined a T-shaped back, with clear rhinestones sewn throughout. The gold shield attached to my hip served as my only piece of jewelry.
In the few short weeks since my parent’s death, I looked like I’d aged at least five years. Maybe it was the new responsibility. Or maybe it was the increased stress. But regardless, I no longer looked like the insolent teenage girl who ran away for love. No, I looked like Mistress Dumahl, the clan leader who would never do anything so childish.
By the time I finished my third bag of peanuts, Kain stepped into the living room. He wore an expensive dark blue suit that complemented his eyes and hair. His jacket hung over his left arm and I could smell a faint hint of aftershave. When he saw me waiting, he grinned. “Don’t even say it,” he warned.
“Say what? That I’ve been waiting for almost an hour? Or that I was about to leave you behind so I didn’t make a bad impression?” He didn’t respond. I started to strap on my shoes but continued to play with him. “What do you do in there anyway? It’s not like you have to shave anything or put makeup on.” I looked up at his messy bed-head appearance. “Or do your hair.”
“As I said before…this doesn’t just happen.” He emphasized that statement by making a show of running his hands up and down his body like a showcase.
“You’re such a tool.”
“A tool? More like a god.” I nearly spit out the last of the peanut I was chewing. It wouldn’t have been so funny if I knew that Kain Matthew was one of the least arrogant people in the world. He may joke with me, but Kain certainly wasn’t egotistical like his comments implied.
I rolled my eyes and grabbed my sweater. “Let’s go.”
He was still shaking his head as we opened the door and collected our protectors. Conveniently, the Council gathered downstairs in one of the ballrooms. I’d always thought those rooms were reserved for conferences and weddings, but apparently secret merfolk meetings happened as well.
Palmer whistled at me when he opened the door. “Nice, cuz. Going somewhere special?” He was dressed in the standard issue black everything, although tonight they wore suits to hide some of the weapons strapped all over their bodies.
“Oh, you know. Just another meeting to decide the future of our kind.” I shrugged. “The usual.”
“Well, dressed like that…I’m sure you’ll get their attention,” Palmer said and slapped me on the back in an awkward kind of way. When we got into the elevator, I leaned over and whispered to Kain.
“Am I dressed wrong?”
He smiled and shook his head. “No. You look fine.”
“Fine?” I didn’t know if that was good or bad. He nudged my shoulder.
“You’ll dazzle them I’m sure.” Okay. I still didn’t know if my outfit was appropriate for going in front of a group of people I desperately needed to impress. But I was out of time because we’d made it to the lobby.
We walked past the restaurant and bar, then rounded a corner to the area with all of the ballrooms. Our meeting wasn’t labeled, but it was obvious which room we were in. Ten protectors lined the hallway surrounding the elaborate double doors where our leaders waited. Sure we had security of our own, but these guys seemed like they were born specifically for this job. Each of them had to be over six feet tall and weigh no less than two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle. Their hair looked all the same, cut into a buzzed military style. In fact, I would bet they were ex-military. Probably Navy Seals. I think the general human population would be surprised to find out how many mermen were part of that elite military force. The stories about strapping bombs to dolphins weren’t entirely true. The government used mammals all right, just not the kind they implied.
The tallest man broke his stance and acknowledged us with a curt nod. His eyes drifted to my dress and then quickly back to Kain. Without saying a word, he opened the door and ushered us inside.
Although the room looked big enough to seat a couple of hundred, only the front portion had been set up with tables and chairs. The tables were in a “U” shaped design that looked out toward the audience. The remaining chairs faced the open space in between as though gathered for a show. In a sense, that’s exactly what this was. I had to perform tonight and my performance was going to be judged.
When we entered the room, all conversation stopped. I had a quick moment of panic when I thought perhaps we were late but then realized we were probably the only guests they were expecting. I was a little surprised to see so many people here. It was my understanding this Council meeting was closed. Yet at least fifty merfolk lined the room in a bunch of little groups. All of them were older than us and all of them were staring. I felt uncomfortable but I did my best not to let it show.
It also didn’t help that my dress was a little inappropriate for the occasion. Most of the women wore two-piece business suits and a variety of tiny hats. It was like having tea with the queen, and my short lilac cocktail dress did little to blend in with the polyester grannies. My hands began to sweat as my stomach twisted like a knotted tree.
We made our way down the center aisle and toward the open area in front. As one, the remaining audience members began to take their seats, filling the front rows first. Our protectors moved to stand at attention along the side of the room, leaving Kain and me under the scrutiny of many eyes. Someone cleared their throat.
“Welcome everyone. Please be seated.” It was an older, gray-haired woman who couldn’t have been more than five feet tall. Her long maroon cloak dwarfed her tiny frame even more, but her voice carried like a true ruler. This must be Mistress Lyonetta. She was famous in a legend kind of way. Her seat on the Council had been won when she was not much older than me and rumor had it that she pretty much ruled the rest of the governing body. Whatever “The Lion” wanted, she got.
Five more Council members took their seats in a dramatic fashion. Three men and two women, all of whom barely gave us a passing glance. I didn’t flinch. It wasn’t like they could intimidate me more.
Kain reached down and squeezed my hand in a show of support. Or maybe he needed the extra comfort himself. I looked up at him as a thousand questions ran through my mind. He shook his head a bit and shrugged.
A door slammed in the back of the room where we’d entered and everyone turned to see the interruption. I couldn’t make out more than a shape, but it seemed to be a taller man and he looked like he was getting dressed. Well, dressed in the official sanctioned Council cloak.
“Ah, Master Forrester. So nice of you to join us.” If I didn’t know any better, I would have guessed that Mistress Lyonetta’s tone held a bit of sarcasm.
“Thanks for waiting, luv,” the guy replied in a perfectly posh British accent. “I told my lady friends I had an appointment to get to, but you know how irresistible I am. They just couldn’t let me go.”
I watched in fascination as this guy spoke to one of the most powerful mermaids amongst us as though she wanted to know about his love life. And the surprising thing about it was that she didn’t stop him.
He hobbled up the center aisle while trying to put on his cloak, mumbling about how he always got tangled in the arm holes. When he reached Kain and me, I nearly gasped at what I saw. He couldn’t have been more than a couple of years older than us yet he was the remaining Council member. There were always seven of them to avoid tie votes but I didn’t know someone else so young had claimed a seat. It was very rare.
A wave of cigarette smoke and alcohol breath wafted off of him. He didn’t seem to be taking his duties seriously, but for some reason no one disciplined him. Once he had the cloak in place, he tugged it down and straightened his shoulders.
He took one quick glance at Kain but then met my gaze with force. I couldn’t help but stare into his deep brown eyes that seemed to glimmer with hidden promises. Day-old stubble covered his face and the short brown hair on his head stood up in all directions. In a nutshell, he was one of the most handsome guys I had ever seen and I thought there were a few of those in my life already. Master Forrester smiled down at me and winked.
“Well hello, luv,” he whispered. I thought I might blush. “Why don’t you and me leave promptly after this affair and have a drink?” Now I know I was blushing. In front of everyone. One of the other Council members cleared their throat.
“Graham, would you please take your seat so that we can get started.”
Graham winked at me again and made his way toward the empty chair at the end of the table. I followed him with my eyes, unable to comprehend whether or not having someone like him on the Council would be beneficial to my case.
“Mistress Dumahl, may we call you Eviana for the purposes of these proceedings?” Mistress Lyonetta asked.
“Yes.”
“And Master Matthew, may we call you Kain?” It seemed like such a formality.
“Yes.”
“Very well then.” She directed her attention to the audience. “As requested, we agreed to open the meeting to clan leaders and top advisors today so we can have an open dialogue regarding the current situation.” A few merfolk shifted in their seats at the atypical routine. Mistress Lyonetta focused on me. “Eviana, we have been briefed regarding your recent capture by Lucian Sutherland, but I understand there has been a more recent incident. Will you please explain?”
I sucked in a deep breath and looked at Kain for support. His tiny smile was all the encouragement I needed and soon my pounding heart calmed. In a few minutes, I finished telling them what happened at my school and how we suspected that Lucian was involved.
“But we don’t know it was him for sure,” said one of the male Council members.
“No, Christopher we don’t. However, I think the letter is all the proof we need.” Mistress Lyonetta declared. “Plus there have been the other incidences.”
Kain and I looked at each other in confusion. If this wasn’t the first time Lucian Sutherland had challenged the Council, then I was afraid we were in over our heads. Or we’d been really lucky to escape with our lives.
“We don’t know he was at fault with those either,” Christopher continued. Apparently Lucian had at least one alley in the room.
“Master Harrison’s and Kiyomizu’s untimely deaths were in fact ordered by Lucian,” one of the female members yelled. “He all but gloated about it in his letters!” I saw Kain tense next to me at the mention of Carissa’s slain uncle. Lucian had been murdering those who got in his way for the past several months. Again, I realized how lucky we were.
A few people began yelling from the audience. I heard shouts like, “He’s killed others, too!” and “How many more have to die?” followed by “Why aren’t you doing anything?” With that last question Mistress Lyonetta slammed her tiny palm down on the table with so much force I thought it would break. She stood quickly and raised her hands asking for silence.
“We are doing something about it. That is why these two leaders are standing here in front of you.”
An older man rose in the back of the room and yelled, “Leaders? These two? They’re barely out of diapers. I certainly hope you have something better than this!” His attitude made me forget I was scared to death to be in front of these people and I turned to respond. Kain’s hand on my shoulder stopped me, although someone else beat me to it anyway.
“I do believe you should hold your tongue, you cheeky old fool. They have both been appointed by their clans and by their birthrights. Besides, we could use some more young blood in these dreadful political meetings,” Graham finished with a smirk.
The old man opened his mouth to argue some more but the look on Graham’s face stopped him cold. For some reason, this playboy Council member yielded a great deal of power. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t intrigued.
I looked back at the members and earned yet another wink from Graham. This time, Kain noticed and I swear I heard him groan.
“Enough of this,” Mistress Lyonetta continued. “Bring them in.”
At once, all of the Council’s protectors began to move around the room with some of them leaving it entirely. A few minutes later, the crowd doubled. Human after human filed through the doorways without saying a word. They all walked in a trancelike state and made their way to center of the floor in front of us. Mistress Lyonetta was still standing and I soon realized she was the one controlling them. But where were they coming from?
As though answering my silent question, an entire wedding party shuffled into the ballroom and stopped in front of the Council. They were celebrating in the next hallway if I recalled the sign in the lobby. Mistress Lyonetta had just taken control of every human downstairs in the hotel.
For a full five minutes, people came to her. They never spoke and never looked around. They simply walked in and knelt like an obedient dog. The floor grew crowded and soon the humans nearly piled on top of each other. When the doors finally closed, Mistress Lyonetta had summoned about at least a hundred and fifty people.
The remaining merfolk audience members moved to the edges of the room in order to allow for more space. By the looks on their faces, I think they were a little frightened of what they witnessed. Considering Kain and I had known very little about compulsion and how it was used, I guessed a demonstration of this magnitude was pretty rare. I know I’d only ever seen one person do this before. And now I feared I knew what was coming next.
“Eviana,” Mistress Lyonetta declared. “Show them what you can do. Take them from me.”
