17. Kaden

Chapter 17

Kaden

I guide Sasha quickly out of the bibliotheca, noticing the blush creeping up her cheeks. Her shyness about being caught is sexy as fuck. For me, I don't give a shit who sees us; my focus is solely on my little mermaid and bringing her pleasure.

We stroll away on fast steps, the sun beating down on my head and shoulders. I can't get enough of it in my skin, its warmth chasing away darkness deep inside me, even if the breeze is cold.

"Okay, well, let's not do that again," she clarifies, staring up at me with a lopsided grin.

"It's going to happen again," I confirm. "We're in the honeymoon stage of our fated-mate connection, where we're going fuck each other's brains out."

I grin, already growing hard at the idea.

She rolls her eyes. "Well, I can't exactly lose my privileges to the bibliotheca if I need to keep researching. Guess I can go in there with a disguise."

"Don't worry," I confirm. "If we get kicked out, I'll just build you your own library. A grand one with all the books you could ever want."

She glances over at me, trying to hide her reaction but failing.

"You always surprise me with what strange thing you're going to say next," she murmurs, shaking her head with a small smile. "Anyway, I'm parked over there. I just want to get out of here." She lifts her chin toward a parking area to my left, past a line of short shrubs and benches on the sidewalk.

"Good, you'll give me a lift home."

She nods.

My thoughts are back in the library, with me balls-deep in her pussy, in her mouth. I picked up that primal power inside of her again, raw and untamed. It's a sensation that curls around my kraken, which tells me it's definitely a fated-mate bonding, yet it's so much more. Captivating and wild. Like she's hiding a part of herself, and it's leaving me fucking confused to make sense of why she's coming across that way.

I turn to ask her as we enter the parking area when I catch a flash of movement. Something deliberate emerges from the rear of the car we're passing. Call it paranoia, but unexpected movements set me off, and instinct takes over.

I push Sasha behind me and lunge at the barrel of a man charging our way, the glint of a blade in his grasp. He's taken by surprise, not expecting my aggressive response. I slam into him, shoulder first, jamming him against the car, snatching his wrist, snapping it with a twist until the blade falls to the ground. He groans, the air rushing past his lips.

"Wrong move, asshole," I growl in his face, holding him by the throat as he cries from his injuries.

Out of the corner of my eye, someone else moves toward Sasha from my left.

Fury blindsides me, and I slam a fist into the man's gut in front of me. He tumbles over on the ground, moaning.

Effortlessly, I swivel with rage at the second man, sneaking up behind us, thinking he can take advantage of the distraction. I close the distance to Sasha and her would-be attacker in a heartbeat, but she's ducking and throwing out her leg, slamming it across his shins.

The guy pinwheels forward, and I snatch him by a fistful of hair before he completely loses his balance, pulling hard.

I drive my fist into his chest. A gush of air expels from his mouth, and he gasps for air. Sasha rises behind him, knocking him in the back of his knees so he loses his stance. In that same second, while I hold him, she wrenches his arms back, cuffing them in seconds.

"Who the hell are these idiots?" she snarls, and fuck me, but seeing her in warrior mode has my cock throbbing.

I shift my attention to the whining guy on the ground who hasn't moved.

The second asshole's upper lip curls back. "We're never going to stop coming for you," he snaps, practically spitting the words.

I growl, "Heard it before asshole. Now listen?—"

"Fuck you, you have no idea how many mercenaries there are, how?—"

"Do you want a blade in your temple, or are you going to fucking listen?" A grunt reverberates in my chest with my frustration.

Sasha studies me, her forehead furrowed, and it's clear she has dozens of questions. But my focus is on the mercenaries in front of me.

"Go and tell all your little fucking buddies that I'm no longer playing nice. Cross my path again, and I'll be leaving a trail of dead bodies." Though I'm convinced Asher is already doing that. So, I can only imagine how many of these rats would be on my heels if he weren't eliminating some of them.

The man's eyes go round, then he glares my way. I like his tenacity, but this isn't a battle he's going to win.

I shove him with my foot to the ground to be with his buddy. "Stay down if you know what's good for you." Snatching Sasha by the hand, we move past them, my ears alert for their approach.

Sasha's eyes are on me as she leads me to her vehicle, her expression hardened.

"Wanna tell me what the hell that was about? Since when do you have mercenaries on your tail? Those assholes won't relent until you're gone."

I shrug. "I'm not afraid of them, but I'm fucking annoyed with their constant interruptions and bothering me."

She raises an eyebrow. "So, what's going on?"

"Apparently, moving into the House of Gold and Garnet is prohibited."

"Wait," she says, studying me as the sun hits her face. "You entered this House without approval first? Hell yeah, they're going to keep coming for you, except…" She lifts her gaze, tapping a finger to her chin. "No, in fact, they shouldn't anymore. It's well known that the moment you find your fated mate, you automatically get residence in the House they live in. That means you are now a citizen of the House of Gold and Garnet." She grips her hips and leans on one leg, looking proud of herself. "You're welcome," she says sarcastically.

I'm well aware she isn't happy about accepting our fated-mate connection yet, but she'll come around to it.

"Well, try telling that to those fuckers who haven't gotten the news."

"Yeah, I guess it's a gray area on how to let them know…"

"Easy," I state, exhaling loudly. "Something I should have already done. I'll pay the king a visit and get it sorted."

She bursts out laughing. "You think you're going to just walk in to see King Kaspian? You've got a rude awakening coming."

Frustration rips through me. Sasha is strolling ahead of me while I glance back to see the two mercenaries across the parking area, going in the opposite direction, one still with hands cuffed behind his back. Smart choice.

"Come to think of it," Sasha purrs, her voice smooth like silk. "I may have a way for you to see the king."

I shoot my shoulders back, rushing to catch up to her as she gives me her most appealing smile.

"Go on," I state as we reach her small white vehicle with four doors. As she unlocks the doors, I eye it, convinced that no way in hell I will fit inside.

"You see, my best friend has three fated mates who have an in with the king. They are half-gods themselves, so perhaps they can arrange an audience for you with King Kaspian. But we'll need to ask them first."

"Good," I state, smacking my hand on the roof of the car more out of finality. It sounds louder than I intended, and her eyes blaze with incredulity.

"Well, then, let's go there now and get that resolved," I clarify.

She almost chokes on her laughter as she gets into the car. I open my door while she pushes my seat back for more legroom. I somehow manage to climb in, pressed in like those sardines in cans, and I hate it already. As I shut the door, feeling compressed, I lean an arm on the door, the other on the middle console as she starts up the engine.

"They live in Finland, another country. We need to fly there," I say.

"All right, then let's arrange this. We'll go together."

Her gaze flashes something my way.

"All depends on if I can get time off work, but I'll ask my boss. And the only reason I'm contemplating this is because I've been dying to catch up with my friend, Billie. Haven't seen her since she left South Africa and moved in with them. Plus, I'm dying to meet her twins."

I nod, shifting uncomfortably. "You need a bigger car."

"This is a work vehicle, so I don't exactly get a choice."

"Fine, but we won't drive in this one anymore. It's too small for me."

She gives me a long stare. "It looks cute seeing you all cramped up in here."

I lower my window for air. "Cute isn't what I'm going for. How am I supposed to get out fast if I need to fight someone?"

She chuckles. "Noted."

As we drive, I can't help but notice how natural it feels to be around her, even in these mundane moments.

"So, Billie," I say, trying to distract myself from the tight confines. "Tell me about her."

"Billie's amazing," she squeals. "She's fierce, independent, and has this way of making you feel like you can conquer the world. I've known her for years, and we lived together in South Africa. She's been like a sister to me, looking out for me."

"Sounds like someone I'd like to meet," I admit, my thoughts returning to Asher and if he's found his fated mate yet. Or is he still having fun destroying mercenaries? I'd consider him a close friend… I don't have many I trust back in Tartarus, so to hear Sasha talk so fondly of a friend has me confirming that with Sasha by my side, she will be my closest friend.

"Oh, she'll love you," she says with a grin. "She has a thing for big, brooding guys."

"If she's your friend, then she's mine, too."

As we drive farther from the library, I reach down and pull out a scrunched-up paper, which refused to flatten when I unfolded it from my back pocket, smoothing it out on my knee.

"Let's read this properly now…"

Sasha gasps, half swerving across the road in the process. "Did you rip that out of the archive book in the library?"

"Yep. We needed it; they didn't."

"We are gonna get thrown out now for sure and fined." She shakes her head, clearly struggling to stay straight on the road.

"You're cute when you're paranoid," I tease, enjoying the slight flush that colors her cheeks. I lean back in my seat, hearing a sudden crunching sound as my seat slips back a bit.

She cuts me a sharp stare and exhales heavily. I can't help it if I'm too big for this vehicle.

"You know, back in Tartarus, I used to spend my spare time solving murders. A hobby I enjoyed and was damn good at."

She laughs. "Your hobby was doing detective work? Why?"

I shrug nonchalantly. "Keep myself busy."

"Okay, so what else does the article say? Anything useful?"

Lifting the page, I scan it quickly. "Only thing that's of importance is the last line that says this is the third attack in as many weeks."

"So, it was happening in North Norway, too. The sailors were right. How good would it be if we were still in the library to check other dates," she states sarcastically.

Lowering the article, I glance over at Sasha. She's concentrating on the road, her hands clutching the steering wheel a bit too hard.

"What happened with your mom? I notice you're more angry than emotional when she's mentioned."

She stiffens, her grip tightening further. There's no response at first, and I don't push her. We've all been broken in this fucked-up world, left with scars we bear until our dying breath. A world of pain we learn how to tolerate, but if I can ease hers somehow, then I'll do what it takes.

Finally exhaling loudly, she murmurs, "Thing is, I never saw her transformation into a siren coming. Maybe I was too young to notice any signs, or maybe she just hid it from my dad and me really well. It happened when I was very young, during an argument between my parents." Her words are shaky. "Things escalated so fucking fast…" she continues, her voice cracking.

I place a hand on her arm, hoping she knows I'm here for her.

"Then, in the snap of a second, she became someone else… She turned on my dad… That day, I lost them both. Lost my childhood, lost it all."

The weight of her words thickens the air in the car. It's as though I feel the raw wound she's carried all these years. I squeeze her arm gently. She must have witnessed her mother murdering her father, and that stings hard.

"Sorry you had to go through that."

She nods, eyes still on the road. No tears, although I suspect she's done her fair share of crying over what her mother did.

Silence beats between us until she whispers, "Thanks," as though that's all she can manage.

I admire her strength and begin to understand her tenacity, her fighting back on everything. She's learned to deal with the loss and the pain by building a wall around herself.

No words needed, I hold her arm and keep her company as she drives me home.

The article in my lap suddenly flutters from the open window. I snatch it before it flies away, my gaze dropping to the image of the ship docked at the harbor. My gaze narrows as I notice a figure standing nearby, as if accidentally caught in the image. I blink, unable to believe what I'm seeing.

No fucking way.

I inspect the grainy image more carefully. That's Lilia from my grandfather's visions, the blonde, her beauty spot above her lip, talking to him about growing his business… his partner in his business.

If this article is around fourteen years old, then there's a chance she's still alive today. Fuck, she lived thousands of years since my grandfather lived in Norway. A sense of anticipation floods me that perhaps this is the clue I've been seeking.

"What's got you hyper-focused on the article?"

I lift my attention to Sasha, and my thoughts fast-forward.

"This woman in the photo, my grandfather knew her, and she might know more about why he got tossed into Tartarus."

She squints her eyes to look at the photo, then back at the road. When she pauses in traffic, she grabs the page and studies it closely. She runs the tip of her finger over the woman, her brow creased.

"Could it be?" she mumbles to herself when someone suddenly honks at us from behind. She flinches, shoves the article at me, and is driving once more. "I-I think I met that woman the other day when I was down at the docks. I swear it looks just like her."

"Are you certain?" I stiffen.

"Pretty sure," she says, her voice filled with conviction.

"She was in Norway the other day. So, if I can find her, then I can find out what the fuck happened to my grandfather." And how I ended up losing my parents, my childhood… and most importantly, who the hell is responsible.

Sasha nods, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. "Then let's find her now."

"Fuck, love your determination." My hand falls to her thigh, my fingers grazing her skin, but my adrenaline is for vengeance. My sweet little mermaid's scent still lingers in my nostrils, her tight, wet pussy still a memory on my cock.

"You helped me, so I owe you one."

I grin to myself, well aware that she owes me nothing, but I'll let it slide.

I lean back, my mind buzzing with the eagerness to finally find my answer to my grandfather's imprisonment.

When we finally arrive at the docks, the salt tang of the sea fills me, and I take several deep inhales, craving to dive into its depths. But for now, I get out of the car and head down to the docks. Boats bob in their berths, with only a handful of dock workers loading fish into an oversized container.

I track after Sasha, who's hurrying down the farthest dock, but it's empty. No ship in sight. I grind my back teeth, instantly knowing we missed her.

"Shit," Sasha murmurs. "It's gone. Hold on." She strides over to a nearby dock worker, a burly man sorting through nets. Tense all over, I march to another group of workers, drawing the article from my pocket.

The two men turn in my direction, their expressions questioning me for interrupting their conversation.

"Do any of you know this woman?" I ask, shoving the photo forward.

Both of them stare at it, then shake their heads.

"Never seen her."

"Me, neither."

Exasperated, I march back to Sasha, unsure if those fuckers are lying or not, but I don't want to cause a scene right now. Sasha's coming my way, her expression dropped, and I sigh heavily.

"No one's seen her or remembers the boat banked here the other day. I mean, a lot of boats come and go through this port, so it rings true that they might not remember her." She runs a hand through her hair. "But I'm sure she'll show up again. You've got a lead to follow, at least."

She touches my arm, and that earlier anticipation has morphed into frustration. But she's right. It's my first real clue, and I'll stalk the docks until she returns.

I'll find Lilia and the truth. No one hides from me.