The table stilled. I could hear rasping breaths and heartbeats.
“And what is that?” Brennan asked hesitantly, because it was clear that Amphitrite wanted him to. She was waiting for it and so was everyone else. I sighed because I already knew the answer.
“His mistress,” she snapped, glaring at her husband before she turned on her heel and stalked away. The entire table stayed frozen until she had disappeared from sight and then normal activity resumed once more as though nothing had happened.
I couldn’t help but giggle at Brennan’s astounded gaze. He had so much to learn. So many of the gods had mistresses, lovers, hidden agendas. There were a few that were loyal and true, but I could count them on one hand.
“Someday, you’ll meet Harmonia and Cadmus,” I told Brennan quietly, changing the subject. “They are quite normal and you’ll like them. They are completely devoted to each other and you’ll never meet a lovelier person than Harmonia.”
“And they are?”
“They are our saviors!” Poseidon snapped, his eyes crackling. “Do you know nothing of your own history!?”he boomed.
I rushed to soothe him. “My apologies again, Poseidon. I have not fully explained everything to Brennan. And as you know, since those events were so recent, they have not made it into mortal history books.”
“Mortals do not believe in us anymore, anyway,” a child down the table chimed in. I glanced down at her. She was right and more was the pity.
“Why don’t you do something to change that?” Brennan asked, switching his gaze from Poseidon and then back to me. The god of the sea looked at Brennan as though he had lost his mind.
“Why should we care?” he asked humorlessly. “The mortals are of little consequence to us. We go on about our lives, they go on about theirs. We all serve our purpose. It matters not if they believe or do not believe.”
I shook my head. Poseidon really had a negative outlook on life.
“As I was saying about Harmonia and Cadmus,” I turned my attention back to Brennan. “They are a breath of fresh air. She is the goddess of contentment and peace and it is true. She saved all of the Olympians, including my mother. Hades and the Fates had imprisoned them in the Underworld and she fought to free them. She lives there now, with her husband Cadmus and their little girl Raquel. They live in a fascinating replica of Olympus in the Isles of the Blessed. Perhaps you will meet them when they are visiting the Spiritlands.”
“You will depart for Atlantis as soon as you are finished eating,” Poseidon thundered and strode from the room.
Brennan and I looked at each other. “What the hell was that about?” he asked incredulously. “Was it something we said?”
The little girl who had spoken earlier piped up again. “Do not worry, son of Apollo. My papa explodes like that fairly often. My mama says he has a horrible temper. He doesn’t like to talk about Harmonia. Mama says it is because he’s embarrassed that he allowed himself to get trapped by Uncle Hades.”
I smiled at her. “Thank you, little one. We shall try to not let it alarm us, then.”
She nodded and continued munching on her fish. Brennan made quick work of the rest of his plate and we sat silently, waiting to see what would happen. We didn’t have to wait long. Within a few minutes, Adelpha appeared in the doorway.
She was dressed in a floor length white satin gown, skin tight and with a slit to her thigh. Her flaming crimson hair was piled on her head and her green eyes sparkled becomingly, perfectly accented by a thick emerald necklace and earrings. I couldn’t deny that she was a beautiful girl.
“Are you ready?” she asked us pleasantly, her eyes fixed on Brennan.
He nodded. “We’re so… underdressed. Are we attending something formal?”
She shook her head as she laughed, a tinkling sound not unlike breaking glass.
“Of course not, darling. I just like to dress up for guests.”
“Yeah, guests of the male persuasion, “I muttered beneath my breath. Brennan glanced at me, laughter in his eyes. Apparently, he was learning to hone his supernatural hearing. He laughed and then helped me from my seat.
“We’re ready when you are,” he told Adelpha, his hand on my arm.
“Then come with me,” she purred, slinking to his side and grasping his other arm. “Trust me, you’re going to enjoy this,” she whispered into his ear. I sighed as we walked from the room.
Chapter Eleven
Atlantis was magnificent.
I stood from the balcony of our room and stared out at the expanse of city sprawled in front of me. It was absolutely, breathtakingly incredible. Like the rest of Poseidon’s underwater kingdom, it was encased in a strange invisible bubble, protecting it from the depths of waters above it.
It was quiet and colorful with bronzes, golds and silvers glinting in the watery light. Exquisite, brightly colored homes lined the streets, well-dressed civilians bustled here and there, perfectly manicured flowers and plants adorned the walkways. It was truly a sanctuary and it was no wonder that it was Poseidon’s favorite place in the world.
His mistress, Cleito, oversaw the palace here and she was as beautiful and bubbly as Amphitrite was plain and mousy. It was clear why Poseidon preferred to be here, rather than there.
“What are you thinking?”
Brennan emerged from the adjoining sitting room of our suite and rubbed my shoulders, leaning around me to kiss my cheek softly. I still felt sizzling jolts of electricity when he touched me, but I had learned to handle it… and enjoy it.
“I’m marveling at the beauty here,” I admitted, turning to face him. “I thought I had seen everything… the Spiritlands, the Underworld and everything in between. But Atlantis… well, Atlantis rivals all of it.”
“Agreed,” Brennan replied, staring past me at the beautiful scenery over my shoulder. “I’ve never seen those other places, but it is hard to imagine that there is anything in the world that is more beautiful than here. Except for maybe you.”
He shifted his gaze again, this time to stare into my eyes. I was mesmerized once again by the flecks of amber and gold within the warm depths of his. No wonder Adelpha was interested. Brennan was as breathtaking as our view.
“Thank you,” he grinned and I scowled. I had forgotten, once again, that he was mastering his abilities and could read my mind. He had heard my unspoken compliment.
“So, what do we do now?” he asked seriously, rubbing my forearm slightly.
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “I think we probably should wait here until I hear from my mother. Supposedly, it isn’t safe for me to go to her. Something must be going on that I don’t know about yet.”
“Hmm. So we have to hang out in paradise and get to know each other,” Brennan sighed melodramatically. “I don’t know if I can handle this punishment.”
“As long as part of your punishment doesn’t include Adelpha, we’ll be okay,” I warned him, only half joking. I didn’t like this other side of me, this jealous, slightly insecure side. But I had never felt such strong feelings for someone before. I was still processing how to handle it.
“Sweetheart, she doesn’t even begin to compare to you,” Brennan reassured me, lifting my hand to kiss it lightly. As his warm lips brushed my fingers, a tingle ran down my spine and I shivered. He stared at me, waiting.
“And now would be the time where you said that no one can compare to me, either,” he prompted.
I smiled. It was good to know that he needed assurances from me, as well. This whole soul mate thing had apparently caught us both off guard.
“It’s true,” I told him with a grin. “No one can compare to you. Not the earth, not the sun, not Zeus himself.”
He glared at me. “Not exactly the sincere, heartfelt moment I was looking for.”
“Okay, okay. I’m serious now. There is only you. From the moment I saw you, I knew it. No one else in the entire world can compare to what I feel for you.” I smiled. “Is that better?”
“Much,” he smirked, apparently appeased. He dragged me to him and kissed me gently. “I love you, you know. Don’t laugh. I feel like I’ve known you for a thousand years.”
“You have no idea what a thousand years is,” I replied. “But I do. And trust me, I wish I’d been with you for each one of them. It feels unfair that we’ve only just found each now, like all of that other time was wasted. But we have eternity together now.”
He looked uncertain. “Only if Zeus will allow it.”
I nodded. “True. Only if Zeus will allow it. But I think I know how to manage that.”
Brennan looked interested. “Do tell, shortcake.”
“Harmonia. Remember the story that I told you- about how she saved the Olympians? That includes Zeus. He owes her… huge. And she happens to owe me, too. Sort of.”
“How is that?” he wrinkled his brow. “I thought I heard someone at the table whispering that she was the Chosen One or something like that. How does the Chosen One owe you?”
“Don’t look so surprised!” I swatted him on the arm. “When I was still in the Underworld, I found her daughter before she did. I kept Raquel safe until Harmonia could find us. I just know that if we asked her to plead your case to Zeus, she would. Technically, she has already repaid her debt. She chose to stay in the Underworld so that I could leave. But I just know that if I asked her for help, she would give it. She knows what it is like to love someone and lose them. I have faith that she wouldn’t want to wish that on me.”
“That sounds like a great plan,” he nodded. “But first we have to handle this mess that you’re in. We can secure my immortality later. I can’t even believe I just said that,” he shook his head. “A few days ago, I would have never believed any of this. I was just a normal guy, living in a normal town, going to a normal school, dating normal girls. I was going to be a dentist, you know. And then I met you. And now nothing will ever be the same.”
“Well, you certainly won’t need to be a dentist,” I chuckled. “And I’ll just tell you right now that I’m not a ‘normal girl’.”
He threw back his head and laughed, a sound so rich that it seemed like melted chocolate drizzled in caramel and honey.
“No,” he agreed quickly, soaking me in his sunny gaze. “You are most certainly not a normal girl. But compared to you, normal girls are boring. Very, very boring.”
“Well,” I gave him the once over. “I do come with baggage. Wouldn’t you rather not have a crazy, psychopath chasing you?”
He pretended to consider that, cocking his head thoughtfully. “Perhaps. But the benefits outweigh the negatives. It’s sort of nice that you can conjure anything from thin air. And you’re kind of cute, too.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Would you like to explore Atlantis or stand here and continue to flatter me so smoothly?”
He seemed outraged. “What? My silver tongue isn’t working on you?”