A small gated wall separates the dwellings from where I stand on the steps. In between the gate and me, there are people working in what looks like a garden. They all turn to look at me. The same as inside, they are all half-naked men. I slowly step backward until my back bangs against the door. Their curious gazes slowly creep up and over my shoulder. As one, they bow to the ground while arms snake around my waist and hot breath tickles my ear.
Oh shit!
“Not in Kansas anymore are you, Rubi Murphy?” Zephyr’s voice sends chills down my spine.
Dots dance in my vision. “I’ve never been to Kansas,” I whisper.
His chuckle follows me into the blackness as, for the first time in my entire sad existence, I faint.
Watching Rubi slip into unconsciousness wrenches a muscle in my stomach as much as it makes me want to chuckle. I'd spent years in the human realm, yet none of the other females there had come close to catching my attention like this one does. Her ways of matching our dispositions are amusing. Who would've thought by giving her a little push, Zan would've sent her running? Sure, she seemed a little skittish and quite possibly confused as to where she is, but I didn't think she'd rush straight from the Keep and then faint in my arms.
The conversation at the table didn't go nearly as well as any of us thought it would. Even if I did get a good laugh out of it and her nearly killing Zale in the process. In her shoes, I don't think I'd jump to conclusions about my saviors’, or possibly captors in her mind, sexuality. I know she doesn't mind our half-dressed state because I've caught her heated gaze on all three of us more than once. On Merrick too, and surprisingly that's the only one that got under my skin. I trust the man with my and my brothers' lives, but watching him touch her sent a furious flame racing down my spine.
No female has ever stepped within the barrier, so we're all playing a learning game here. We've just got to be careful not to scare our little catch away before we figure out how to win her. Zanthus is worse than ever in one of his foulest moods, taking it out on Rubi instead of one of us like normal. If she turns out to be the one thing that'll help us break this curse, I'm never going to let him live it down, and I'm certain I won't be alone either.
"Take her up to the top suite," Zale sighs. Who knows what's going on inside that head of his, but my brother's eyes are glued to her when she's in the room. So, they can both claim they're not affected and be lying through their teeth.
Toting her like she weighs nothing because she practically doesn't, I lead the way up the stairs to where Zale instructed. It's always been one of my favorite rooms in the whole Keep. My mother lived in it every time we were here, which meant so did I. Since being cursed, I've not stepped foot inside, deeming myself unworthy since we were unable to save her along with the rest of our people.
I freeze right outside of the door and my grip tightens around the small female in my arms. With my brothers on my ass, I have no choice but to go inside or risk having them ask questions. Stepping over the threshold is comparable to shedding an outer layer of skin I didn't even realize I had. The room is different than I remember. Furniture has been rearranged, and all of the girly colors my mother used to love so much have been replaced with a darker theme.
"Is it just me or has this room changed?" Zale asks us, looking around.
"Think it's the Keep?" Zanthus huffs.
I watch Zale shrug on my way to lay Rubi down on the giant bed against the wall. This definitely wasn't here before. Mother slept in the King's suite across the hall with our father while using this as a recreational room.
Turning my attention to Zale, I find his attention back on the creature lying dead to the world behind me as he thoughtfully mutters, "If the magic of the Keep is already responding to her, that may be a good sign. It's never taken to anyone but us. Well, and Merrick, but that's only because he's got a pinch of royal blood."
"What do you think it means?" Zanthus asks, undeniably intrigued at this point.
Zale sucks in a deep breath and lets it out again. "I'm not sure. But it's best we don't get our hopes up just yet. At least until Merrick and I can do some research."
The last is said as he turns away to stare out across the balcony. Which is the exact point a soft murmur comes from behind me, alerting us to trouble stirring. Lying down next to her, I toss an arm around her middle in comforting gesture right before she buries herself into me.
For the second time in the past twenty-four hours, I wake up in an unknown location. The pillows and sheets are just as soft as the first time. Honestly, the only differences I can tell with my eyes still closed are the lighting and the warm arm wrapped tightly across my abdomen. It gives me the feeling of security and all I want to do is snuggle further into it. A deep chuckle in my ear lets me know I've given in to my desire. The sound sends a reminder of events through my head and a shock through my spine.
I jerk upright in bed.
Zanthus straightens at the door, and Zale, standing at an open balcony, looks over his shoulder. Zephyr sits up from beside me and rubs a palm soothingly over my back.
"Where am I?" I whisper demand.
Zephyr kisses my cheek before he gets up to follow Zanthus out the door, blonde and brown hair swaying across their backs. Neither of them even acknowledges the fact I asked a simple question.
Zale doesn’t move from his position at the balcony as he starts talking. "Do you believe in myth and legends, Rubi?"
I nod, but his back is still towards me. "Some," I answer quietly.
"What about magic?" he asks.
I want to laugh, but I know that he's serious. Instead, I say, "Are we talking sleight of hand in Vegas magic or lock you in a padded room because you’re crazy kind of stuff?"
His composure slips for a moment as I see a small lift in his cheeks. "More like mysterious and ancient magic.”
"Considering the circumstances and what I think I saw outside, I can't say that I don't," I admit. “That or it’s a possibility that I’ve actually died and am in my own twisted version of heaven right now.”
Zale chuckles as he nods his head. "It’s good you’ve got an open mind, but I will go ahead and tell you that you’re not in heaven, Damselfish. Hopefully, that mindset will help you understand my story a little easier, though."
Twisting to lean against the open door that leads out onto a balcony of some sort, he folds his arms across his chest. "What would you say if I told you we are a race of mermen?”
He gives me a moment to process his confession, but when he realizes my response will not change from slack-jawed shock, he continues, "Centuries ago, we were powerful merpeople. Our magic was the greatest of this realm. But with all power comes greed and corruption. The magic used us as much as we used it, turning us all into monsters. Our father tried to conquer other clans, and it brought rains of hell down on our heads. One of the other clans had a ruler as strong as our father, but he was much crueler. He began to steal females from their homes and from rival clans, swearing the world would never see heirs to those in power. He attacked us at our weakest when our father’s army was off doing his bidding. They slaughtered most of our men and captured all of our females. The army came back to the carnage and went mad, especially after seeing the bloody mess that was left of their ruler. Twenty thousand swam to rescue our people. Only three thousand made it back."