13. Holter

The infoI was able to gather off the external memory isn't as viable as I'd hoped. All we have is a name: The Mermaid Viability Project. But that's not going to stop me. I'm going to figure out what is going on in the Braesen labs, no matter how long it takes. Dorian domes don't keep information from each other. They sure as hell don't have a cavern full of secret empty labs. But I guess one does.

My years in the military have left me knowing more than my fair share of people in the city. And someone must know, must have the ability to break this code. But the person who would be most likely to get more information from my stolen memory card is Kappler from the Centauri. His name is starting to feel like a curse. While neither Nico nor I have access to military information anymore, that doesn't mean we don't have connections.

I'm sitting on the sofa staring at my block and contemplating who I need to reach out to when Belle comes out of the hallway. I look up, ready to give her a good morning kiss and tell her how lovely she looks, but Nico cuts me off.

"What are you wearing? Like, exactly what are you wearing?" Nico stands and races from the kitchen island to Belle's side. What Belle has on is something grand mermaids would wear for promenade.

"You're not going to—" Nico shakes his head. "No way."

"Promenade? Yes, I am. I mean, I'm just as shocked as you. But Kai explained what it was to me?—"

"How did you even get that corset tied?" I want to rip it right off of her. She's a vision.

She shrugs. "It took some effort, but . . ." But if she had asked us to help, things would not have gone to plan for her. As in stripped naked and spread over the pod bed not to plan.

"Damn block." Nico swears, but not under his breath.

"Like I was trying to say... or rather, as Ophelia said the other night, we are the ones who are stirring things up. We're the ones who are going to make a change. But I can't make a change from here. Not when I can't read your mother's writing. The translator in Zaffiro might be able to, but Eros has other things to worry about. Castor is going to speak in front of the governors today. So yes, I'm going to promenade. Which seems like the most ridiculous thing one could ever do." She smooths her hands down the front of her delicate gold and blue gown. It's cinched under her breasts and flows freely to the tips of her pointed silk shoes. She's even managed to braid her hair in one of the simplest promenade styles. "Is my hair okay? I found a diagram of how to do it on my own, in my culture studies text."

"It looks lovely," I say, crossing the room. I take her gloved hand and give her a twirl, spinning her until she smiles and giggles. "No more of that, or we'll be stripping this off you." I kiss her at the nape of her neck.

She smacks playfully at me. "No. I'm gathering information."

Nico's got his arms crossed over his chest. "What information are you going to be gathering in a shopping district? What styles are coming up? What's the newest hairstyle?"

"Nico! No, just because women—females—like to dress up doesn't mean we're not capable of having thoughts. I need to be seen. We need to show people we're not afraid. Plus, I need to meet more mermaids. Maybe I can find out something useful."

"Oh right, like those two Braesen mermaids yesterday. I'm sure they're not past their basic science levels yet."

Belle crosses her arms over her divine chest and stands on her tiptoes, challenging Nico. "Maybe, but I bet Liora and Elandra know more secrets. If the Braesen males treat them like you did yesterday, those mermen won't think twice about talking around them. Why mind your conversations if you think they don't understand what's going on? And if I give them just a microdose of kindness, I'm betting they will be willing to share it with me."

I grip my stomach. "I still think it was too obviously a setup."

"Yeah, I thought about it some more. You're right. The tea shop and definitely the luncheon were both planned. But why? Maybe someone in Braesen is hoping to get a mate in our pod? I don't know. But this is Kai's idea. And Kai assured me that everyone will be at the promenade today. Because it's a holiday. Apparently, it's quite the power network of mermaids who come out."

I glance over at Nico. His face is as twisted as my stomach. "Belle," I plead.

"I get it, Holter. You're worried about what might happen. But then let's think about what else could happen. I could have a nice stroll. Meet some mermaids and learn some things. Tomorrow, I'm in a tunic with my hair in a messy bun until I translate every last bit of everything we have."

The buzzer for the elevator goes off. My head snaps to the door as I pull out the block to look at the cameras.

"That will be Kai with her mates," says Belle.

I have to contain my grunt. It's tradition to let a mermaid go out with another full pod, especially if it's the sister of someone she's considering mating. And Kai's mates are good guys. Even if she locked two of them in the bathroom the other day. Ellery was on a smaller sub for years before mating Kai. He's a Tinom by birth.

"They're all going?" I ask.

"Yes. That's what Kai said. The whole lot of them are at their wits end because she's pregnant and wants to go out in public. She told them I wanted to go. That's the only reason they're letting her. You know, the Dorian might be more advanced than humans, but there's a lot they can learn from us. Like that kidnapping women is wrong. And we're capable of working."

"There are lots of females who have jobs," Nico growls. "Important jobs. It's just that the numbers don't line up. When you go out, you're going to mostly see males because that's what most of the population are. And I've only kidnapped one female. And it worked out pretty well for me, so maybe there's something to learn there?"

Belle screams. "You're impossible."

"I know. That's why you love me."

She narrows her eyes. "Yes, yes I do. So you can stop challenging me any day now."

"Never."

Belle's fists at her sides relax, and the buzzer sounds again. "Are you going to answer that, or am I?"

"I'll get it." Nico turns to the door.

"Wait here, Belle. I have something I want you to take." I rush back to the spare bedroom. In the corner of the room under a pile of Eros's dirty laundry I find and open his tech kit. He gave me the combination to it the other day. I grab what I need and head back into the living room. When I get there, four of Kai's mates fill the space. I turn my back to them and kiss Belle on the cheek, tucking the tech inside her corset. She twitches her eyes at me.

"Eros sends his love. I'm sure he'll want to hear everything you learn later."

Belle's smile breaks out. "Of course he will. I'm sure you'll all be enraptured by everything I have to say."

Damn, our female is so smart. The device tucked safely next to her breasts will record everything that's said around her within a five-meter radius. It's the finest the assholes on the security council have to offer.

"Don't have too much fun." I nod at Ellery at the door. "Perhaps you can introduce Belle to some mermaids from Tinom. Or you Dar, you could introduce her to some females from Permula."

Dar laughs. "Like our mate is going to let us introduce Annabelle to anyone. Have you ever been to one of these things, Holter?"

"No." He knows I haven't. Unmated geminae don't socialize in the same way.

"Consider yourself lucky. But Annabelle, I know Kai will introduce you to anyone you want. Just let her know."

Belle smiles. I can see that she's nervous. Almost as nervous as Nico is furious. I'm half expecting him to come out here with the Poseidon trident and kick all of Kai's mates out of the apartment.

"You're sure about this, Little Krill?"

She reaches up and kisses him on the lips. "I'll be home for dinner. Kai said these things don't take too long."

"You'll be home for lunch if we have anything to say about it." Dar laughs.

"Soon." Belle kisses me. Her lips brush tenderly against mine, and I'm a half second from throwing her over my shoulder and taking her to the bedroom when she pulls away. She squeezes my hand. "You're not invited." She points at Nico and then me. "Understood?"

"Yes." I'm smiling, but I don't mean it.

"I go where I want," Nico growls back.

"So do I," Belle says and closes the door.

Nico brushes past me on his way to the bedroom.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm following them."

I go after him down the hall. "Nico, give her some space. You think a good ten of Kai's fathers aren't going to be there? There will be so many Drakos males around them there won't be any space to walk. She'll be safe."

"Drakoses are Glyden."

"Exactly, safe," I add.

"Our lobby, the symbol of our dome, was attacked. No one else is as much of a symbol as Kai."

I freeze. In a way, he's right. But we need to give Belle this. "Fine, we can go, but not now. We'll go and collect her in a while. Let me show you something first."

Nico pauses but then nods. "What is it? I thought you only acquired a name from the Braesen tech."

"Yes. But this?" I hold up the signal notification for the Centauri. They're in range and not cloaked. He takes it from me.

"They're off the coast of Florida. In light cloaking." Enough to keep them safe from human detection, but not enough to keep them out of our own. Or the Vikings. "They've surfaced."

"They've got to be transferring the women."

"Have you messaged them?"

"No. Do you want me to contact Broderick, or do you want to do it?" I ask because Broderick's the new commander of the Centauri. The one who replaced Nico.

"You do it. He likes you better."

I shrug and walk down the hall to the communication terminal in the other corridor. There's nothing else in the room. I sit in the chair, and Nico hovers over my shoulder. I should tell Nico to cod off, but it won't work. And Nico's right, Broderick does like me better. A short time after Broderick took over as a first officer, he came to me more than once trying to understand Nico. The first time, I laughed at him, told him there was no understanding my older brother. The second time, I realized Broderick's a deep kind of male who needs to understand people on a deeper level—he wanted to understand Nico's motives. After that, we had long conversations about more than just Nico but about life and what he wanted and what it was like growing up as the youngest of ten males with no sister.

Do you have the human women? And I need to talk to Kappler.

I put it all out there. If they're about to dive again, I might not be able to contact them for a long while.

If I tell you that, I'll have to kill you. I can hear the laugh in Broderick's voice as he types. He's joking, but I understand the sentiment.

It's not the first time today my life has been threatened.

Just once? Nico's falling behind. Shit, I miss him. He understood my relationship with Nico. I glance over my shoulder and raise my eyebrows at my brother.

"Get him off the small talk and back to the main point," Nico growls.

"I'll let him know you said as much." Is there any way we could talk to the females or Kappler?

Despite being the best at electronics and fabrication on the ship, Kappler hates blocks. He hates anything that can track him. So having Broderick get him is the only thing we can hope for.

It's a few minutes before we hear from Broderick again. Kappler says go to hell. But then I told him it was for Annabelle, and he changed his tune. He's on the ship's messaging system now. I just left him there.

Thanks.

Yeah, you're welcome. It's fucking weird on board without you two here.

I bet, but you're keeping everything afloat, I'm sure. The females?

Have a good day. Lose my number.

That's all he's going to tell me. Yeah. Have a good one.

I want to kick myself for even asking. Instead, I turn to my military-grade computer. I open up a channel to Kappler.

"Asshole. What do you want?"

I take a long moment before I answer. "I need a favor."

"Of course you do. You always need a favor," Kappler says.

"It's for Annabelle's newest mate, Eros Herod."

"That's what the squeaky new commander said."

"Broderick has been on board the Centauri as long as you," I say.

"Not as commander."

"Right. So, Annabelle's mate's sister is missing, and we think she might have been taken by the Kraken."

"No fucking way. Kraken don't steal mermaids. At least, not anymore." He scoffs.

Not anymore.Not anymore is the time before the truce. Before there were half-blood Kraken-Dorian living in the city with us. Before they started "helping" us by ferrying us across the oceans on their ships that can travel four times faster than ours. They're smaller, but when you need to get somewhere and you can't wait, taking a Kraken ship is the way to go. They guard their technology, locking it down so tightly that no Dorian has ever seen one of their engines. Still, they are having the same population problems as us.

"Can you look into it?" I ask.

"I will."

"Marina Herod."

"I'll be in touch." The signal goes dead.

I glance over my shoulder at Nico.

"That's all we can do for now."