Chapter 15

Fifteen

S ebastian stopped his horse on the shore, able to see Elric in the water atop a dolphin, and several heads that from this distance looked to be the sea nymphs. Merrow included.

“Call to your daughter,” Sebastian told Dee, getting off the horse. “Tell her in your mind that I want to talk to her.”

“It is dangerous for me to do that,” said Dee. “If there are other sea nymphs in the water, they will hear my thoughts.”

“So? What is wrong with that?” He reached up and helped her dismount.

“I don’t want my husband to hear my thoughts. If so, there will be trouble.”

“Your husband is dead,” Sebastian reminded her.

“Not that ogre, King Sethor. I mean my real husband, Nereus.”

“Who?”

“He is known on the other side of the portal as Old Man of the Sea.”

“So, he’s an old man, then.” Sebastian nodded. “I promise, if he emerges, I won’t let my men hurt him.”

“Hurt him?” She laughed. “You’d better pray he doesn’t come through that portal. Because even though he is six thousand years old, he is more powerful than any or all of your army.”

“Six thousand years old?” Sebastian laughed, thinking she was jesting. Then, when he saw the serious look on her face, he knew she wasn’t. “All right, just call for Merrow and I’ll take it from here.”

“She already knows you are here and is calling for you to come to the edge of the water.”

“All right. I will,” said Sebastian, not feeling threatened in the least. He walked past his army, his captain of the guard stopping him.

“My king, I see the Blackseed brothers here.” Farrimond drew his sword, the sound of metal ringing in the air. “Shall I command the men to attack? We could take them out easily since I don’t see too many of their magical women with them.”

“I agree. Attack right away.” Drell rode up on his horse to join them. “It is your big chance to take over their kingdoms. Their armies are not with them and we have a fighting chance. Do it, now.”

“Nay! Wait,” said Sebastian.

“Whatever for?” asked Drell. “I am your advisor, and I tell you to attack. Your uncle always listened to me, so what is your problem?”

“My uncle is dead,” said Sebastian. “So tell me, where did your advice really get him? Now everyone, stay here. Don’t approach us, and don’t come to the shore unless I command it.” He took Dee by the arm and they trudged down to the water’s edge together.

“Mother!” Merrow cried out from the water, holding on to a pier.

“Merrow. Daughter!” Dee ran to the water’s edge, kicking off her shoes and wading waist deep into the sea to be near her daughter.

“Merrow! I need to talk to you.” Sebastian hurried after her. But by the time he got down to the shore, something was happening. The water swirled and huge waves thrashed back and forth. The sea became suddenly rough as if there was a bad squall spat up from nowhere. He looked upward but there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was the oddest thing he’d ever seen.

“Merrow, come quickly.” Melite stuck her head out of the water. “We have a problem.”

“What problem?” asked Merrow.

“I’m sorry, but Father read my mind and knows what happened to Mother and that she is here. He is furious. He has just come through the portal and is seeking revenge.”

“Oh, no!” Merrow looked back at her mother. “It’s happening, Mother. I’m sorry. But a war is about to be fought over this no matter if we like it or not.”

“A war? About Sethor marrying Dee?” Sebastian couldn’t understand this. “Just explain to him that Sethor is dead. It’s over now. There is no one to exact revenge upon.”

“He said he’s going to kill Sethor’s successor,” said Nerites, their brother, sticking his head out of the water next.

“This is bad,” said Merrow, looking really afraid. “I’m so sorry, Sebastian. It wasn’t supposed to end this way.”

“End? Sorry? What are you talking about, Merrow? I can fight off one man, don’t worry. I can take care of myself.”

“Mayhap a man, you could,” she told him. “But not my father.”

“Because he’s a sea nymph?” asked Sebastian. “I hardly think he is dangerous since he can’t leave the water.”

“Think again,” said Dee, nodding at the swirling water before them. Up rose a man with long, white hair and an even longer white beard. His chest was bare. Instead of a tail like the girls, this man had the body of a sea serpent! He was huge. Nereus held a shell-like horn of some kind in one hand and a long pointed three-pronged trident in the other. The end of his tail slapped the water, and it looked like a sharp spike.

“Merrow, this is your father?” he asked in a low, steady voice.

“Yes, Sebastian. It is he.”

“I don’t know how to fight a…a…sea serpent, or whatever he is.”

“He’s not a sea serpent, Sebastian.” Merrow looked at her father and then back and him. “However, he is shapeshifter, so I would advise you and your army to run.”

“Run? I have never run away or backed down from a fight in my life and don’t intend to do so now. I will never ask my men to do so either.”

“He’ll turn into a land creature and hunt you down,” said Dee. “Take my daughter’s advice. Please, go back to your castle before you are hurt or killed.”

“I can fight him, don’t worry. Merrow, I promise I will also defend you and your mother and sisters.”

“There is no way you can do that, Sebastian,” Merrow answered, making him think that she thought of him as less than a king or a man with good fighting skills. What did he have to do to prove to her his worth?

“You don’t believe in me, Merrow. That hurts right here.” He thumped his balled-up fist against his chest. “I can see that you don’t think much of me as a man, a soldier, or a king.”

“Stop saying that, Sebastian. It’s not true,” she cried. “I wish you would stop caring what others think of you once and for all.”

“Well, I had really hoped you’d have feelings for me like I do for you.”

“You do?” she asked, her brows arched and a smile slowly spread across her face. “Of course, I have feelings for you, Sebastian. I don’t know why you’d even think that I didn’t.”

“I love you, Merrow, and came down here today with your mother to ask you to help her get back home. I am sorry for the mistakes of my uncle and I will do anything I can to make things right.”

“I appreciate that,” she told him.

“That’s not all,” he continued. “I also came here to ask you to stay in Mura with me.”

“Stay here?” The idea seemed to surprise her but please her at the same time.

“Merrow, will you marry me and be my wife?”

“Oh, Sebastian!” she cried. Her smile was wide but then it slowly disappeared. “I wish I had known all this before. Mayhap it would have made a difference. But I feel my father’s wrath and I am afraid there is no stopping him now.”

“Say something to him about us. Explain to him that we want to stay together,” said Sebastian, hoping that Merrow really wanted to stay.

“He’s read my sister’s mind and already knows what happened with my mother. He will never let one of his daughters stay and marry a human from Mura after that.”

“Then let me talk to him, Merrow.” Sebastian knew this might be his only chance. “I’ll get him to change his mind. I’ll calm him down.”

“Sebastian, there is no changing Father’s mind once it’s made up. I’m sorry, but you are only fooling yourself if you think you can stop him.”

“Then I’ll fight him if need be.”

“No, you don’t understand. There is no way to stop him or to fight him and win.”

“Why would you even say such a thing? Don’t you have faith in me, Merrow?”

“Of course, I do, Sebastian.” She released a heavy breath. But you are only human. You have no power to go up against my father in a fight.”

“So he’s a sea monster. I’m not going to let that fact stop me.”

“He is more than just that,” she told him. “Sebastian, my father is a god of the sea.”

Sebastian felt the heat lodge in his throat and almost choke him when Merrow told him her father was a god. Leading an army of men was one thing. Fighting those with magic was a little more challenging. But to go up against a god was nothing more than a suicide mission. How was he going to remedy this extremely messed-up situation?

“Sea god? Merrow, why didn’t you tell me this about your father sooner?”

“I didn’t see the need,” she answered, looking up at him from the water with those big, round eyes.

“What do you expect me to do?”

“Pull back. I expect you to return to your castle with your men and not even try to fight him. I will try my best to reason with my father.”

“Nay. I won’t run from a fight, even if he is a god.”

“Why not?” asked Merrow. “Because you are afraid your advisor and your men will think of you as weak? You shouldn’t care what they believe, especially since it isn’t true.”

“I’m a king, Merrow. I lead my men into battle all the time. I will fight to the end, and you will never change my mind.”

“Then you’ll die by the hand of my father.”

“Then so be it. At least I’ll die doing what I was meant to do.”

There was a loud noise and the waters parted even more as the sea god moved closer to the shore.

“Where is the man who stole and defiled my wife?” boomed Nereus’ voice, so loud and powerful that it shook the land. “I also want to see the man who kept my daughter, Merrow captive. I will kill him.”

“Nay, Father, stop it,” cried Merrow, but the sea god was too angry to heed her words.

“My king. Shall I command the army to attack this monster?” Farrimond was behind him, ready for a war.

“Yes, attack him, my king,” ordered Drell. “Do not hesitate. We need to fight him right now.”

“Nay. No one uses a weapon unless it is on my order.” Sebastian took a deep breath and stepped forward. “Nereus, God of the Sea, I am King Sebastian Ravenwolf of Macada Castle. I am the man who held your daughter. We need to talk.”

“You will die for what you did!” Nereus shot a bolt of lightning from his hand. Sebastian raised his sword and prepared himself for the pain he was sure would follow.

“Nay!” Darium Blackseed ran to him, holding out his hands and using his fae power to control the weather. A strong wind blew the fiery bolt to the side, hitting a tree instead of Sebastian.

“Thanks,” said Sebastian, looking over to see not only Darium, but also his brothers, their wives, and the Blackseed boys’ mother with them as well. “I didn’t expect that from my enemy.”

“We’re not enemies,” said Zann. “We’ve been trying to help the sea nymphs and have no desire for a battle.”

“What’s this?” bellowed Nereus. “Some of you have magic?”

“Yes, Father, they do. So leave them alone,” said Merrow.

“I will just have to call upon more of my powers then.” Nereus threw another firebolt directly at Sebastian. This time, Sebastian deflected the flame with his sword, diving to the ground and rolling, putting out a stray flame that caught his clothes on fire. He was near the shore now and Merrow pulled herself over to him. She was in her sea nymph form and couldn’t walk on land, still being a creature of the water.

“Sebastian, are you hurt?” she asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

“Nay,” he answered. “Merrow, take your mother and sisters and go through the portal. That is the only thing that might keep your father from killing everyone. No one deserves to die over this.”

“I won’t leave you,” she told him.

“You must,” he explained, getting to his feet. “It is the only way.”

As Nereus fought against the Blackseed brothers, their mother who was an Elemental of the Air used her powers as well. So did the witch, Medea. Sparks shot everywhere. The sky darkened and black clouds loomed overhead. Wind whipped around them and Nereus started sending high waves to the shore, causing Sebastian’s army to retreat. Some of his soldiers were pulled into the water and fought for their lives.

“I don’t agree with that plan, Sebastian,” Merrow continued to fight him with her stubborn actions.

“Merrow, he might be right.” Dee ran to her and hunkered down next to Merrow. “Nereus has a mean temper. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. Mayhap if his family is returned to him, he’ll back off and leave Mura forever. We need to try. It is our only chance.”

“I’m not sure,” said Merrow.“Besides, you are human now, Mother. You will drown trying to go through an underwater portal.”

“Not if you and your sisters give her the breath of life while she swims,” said Sebastian. “The way you did to me, Merrow. You remember.”

“Yes. He’s right. It will work. I’m sure of it.” Dee stood up and put her hands over her head, waving at them, trying to attract the attention of her husband. “Nereus, it is me. Your wife. Please, stop torturing these poor people. They had nothing to do with what happened to me. That man is already dead.”

“What?” Nereus stopped throwing fire bolts long enough to listen. “Doris, I want you to come home.”

“I want that too, husband. But how can you still desire me when I have been forced to marry and couple with a human, therefore turning human myself?”

“I don’t care if you are no longer a sea nymph. We can be together on land. You know that. Now get home! You have fifty children to tend to.”

“Come, Mother. Melite, Galene and Nerites will help you through the portal and give you breath underwater so you won’t drown.” Merrow held out her hand to assist her mother into the water.

Merrow’s siblings popped their heads up from under the water.

“It will be odd to leave here after so long.” Dee looked back at Sebastian.

“You need to go. To be with your family,” he told her. “Dee, I can never apologize enough for what my uncle did to you. I am so sorry. If I could change the past, you know I would.”

“King Sethor is dead now, so it no longer matters,” said Dee.

“I say it does. You will pay for the dead man’s mistake, King Ravenwolf.” Nereus shapeshifted into a huge bird with sharp talons, a curved beak and scales on his wings instead of feathers. His eyes flashed red with anger.

“Nay, Father. Leave Sebastian alone!” shouted Merrow.

“Go, Merrow! Now. And don’t look back.” Sebastian lifted his sword, ready to fight, knowing this wouldn’t end until he died. That is what the sea god wanted and all Sebastian could do now was to give him his fight while Merrow and her family got through the portal that would take them home.

“Merrow, hurry,” called out her brother. “The portal is already starting to close. We need to get through it before it’s too late.”

“Come, Mother. We will help you.” Galene swam to the shore, reaching out to take her mother’s hand. Dee took a step into the water, but stopped and looked back at Sebastian.

“I know you and Merrow are meant to be together,” she told him. “You are a good man and will make a wise, fair and just king. I have no doubt you would have protected her as well as made her very happy should she have stayed. I am so sorry things have to end this way.”

“I want more than anything to make your daughter my wife,” he admitted. “Mayhap if I tell Nereus that, he will change his attitude toward me.”

“Nay, don’t do that. It might make him even angrier. It’s too late.” Dee shook her head as she sank down into the water. “My husband will not pull back. Once he starts shapeshifting, it means his anger is out of control. He won’t stop until he feels his wrath has been carried out. I am so, so sorry.” With that, Dee took a deep breath and dove under the water. Merrow’s sisters and brother went with her. Still, Merrow stayed, staring at him from the water with tears in her eyes.

“Did you really mean that? That you want to marry me?” she asked him.

“Yes, I do,” said Sebastian, swiping at Nereus as the big bird shrieked and dived down, trying to catch him in his sharp talons. Sebastian hit the ground, rolling, stopping at the edge of the water.

“Sebastian!” Merrow swam over, worried for his safety. The bird swept back up into the sky while Sebastian’s army drew their weapons. The Blackseeds continued to use their powers against Nereus but they were no match for a god of the sea. Nereus made a huge wave hit against them, landing them all in the water, pulling them out to sea as they tried their best to swim back to shore.

“Goodbye, Merrow.” Sebastian reached out and cradled her chin, kissing her sweet lips for the last time. “Never forget me.”

“I won’t leave you.”

“You have to. I don’t want you to see me die.”

“I need to stop my father.”

“You’ll only make him more furious. Now quickly, go. Swim back through the portal. It is the only thing that might make your father stop attacking us.” He took her hand and kissed it, getting to his feet. Slowly, he let her hand slip from his.

“My king! Behind you,” shouted Drell.

Sebastian turned to see that Nereus had shapeshifted into a dragon now, flying through the sky breathing fire.

“Can this get any worse?” mumbled Sebastian. “Retreat!” he called to his men. “Save yourselves. Go back to the castle.” Sebastian would fight to the end, but there was no need for his men to die as well. Nereus wanted Sebastian to pay for his uncle’s horrible acts and there was no way out of this now.

“Nay, you must tell them to fight,” yelled Drell from atop his horse, doing nothing to assist any of them. “Kill the creature. Kill the Blackseeds. Take the kingdoms of Mura for yourself. That is what your uncle would do.”

“Nay,” spat Sebastian through gritted teeth. “I will no longer listen to bad advice.”

“I am your advisor. You must listen to me, my king. I know what is best.”

“We see what your advice has done. I will not let my men or any of the Blackseeds die because of the past stupid choices of my late uncle.”

Drell was about to protest again when the dragon’s talons knocked him from the horse. Then the dragon breathed fire, killing Drell, burning his body instantly.The dragon flew back up into the sky while Sebastian ran over to find only charred remains of his advisor.

“My king, is he—” Farrimond ran up and stopped abruptly, staring down at the burnt mess.

“He’s dead, Farrimond. As will be the rest of us soon. I command you to guide the army back to Macada Castle now! Close the gate and take your posts inside the fortified walls. Protect my kingdom and everyone in it.”

“I will, my king.” Farrimond bowed. “But what about you?”

Sebastian looked back up to the sky. The dragon was still breathing fire, about to attack the Blackseeds, who were now emerging from the water after having been swept to sea by Nereus’ wave.

“It is me who Nereus wants. I will stay and fight, but first I must see to the safety of the Blackseeds.”

“You’re going to stay and risk your life for the lives of our enemies?” asked Farrimond. “I don’t understand.”

“No matter what happens to me, I want you to promise me that you will make sure everyone at Macada Castle knows that the Blackseeds are no longer our enemies.”

“They’re not?” asked Farrimond.

“They are here risking their lives to help us. They are allies now. Make sure no one ever forgets that from this day on. Now leave! Here comes the dragon again.”

“I will do as you command, my king. But let me stay to protect you. Or at least let me send over your squire to help fight for your life.”

“Nay. Take Hitch with you and don’t let anyone turn back. This is my fight. Even if it ends my life, which it probably will. Now go!”

Farrimond ran off, doing as ordered.

Sebastian heard shouts from the Blackseeds, seeing that the dragon was about to burn them all to a crisp the way it did to Drell.

“Nay! Leave them alone. It is me you want,” shouted Sebastian, running down the shore to save his new friends. “Come get me, you bastard!” Still holding his sword, Sebastian reached his arms up into the air, sacrificing himself for the good of so many others.

The distraction worked. The dragon flew toward him, forgetting about the Blackseeds. It swooped down from the sky directly overhead. Sebastian prepared himself for the burning fire that would end his life. Instead, he felt the sharp claws of the beast digging into his flesh as it grabbed him and lifted him up into the sky and then flew out to sea.

“Aaaaaah!” he cried from the intense seering pain. He swiped at the dragon with his blade, managing to slice the dragon’s stomach. The dragon shrieked and pulled back, causing Sebastian to drop his sword. It fell into the sea with a splash and disappeared.

“I did nothing to hurt your family,” he yelled to the dragon. “That was my uncle who did horrible things but he is dead now, so has paid for his mistakes. All I wanted was to marry your daughter, Merrow. I love her and want to live out the rest of my life by her side.”

With Sebastian still in his clutch, Nereus in his dragon’s form shapeshifted, turning back into a sea nymph. They hit the water hard, going deep below the surface. Nereus still held on to him, pulling him deeper and deeper under the waves. Sebastian held his breath but realized he would run out of air soon.

Then the sea god released him, and a booming vibration traveled through the water. Nereus in his sea god form shot back up to the surface, leaving Sebastian alone beneath the dark, deep surface.

He was running out of air quickly and had never been this far down in the water before. It was much too far to swim to try to make it to the surface. He would never make it there before he drowned.

That’s when he saw colorful ripples of water swirling in a circle up ahead. There was an opening. The portal! He could see Melite and Galene giving their mother the breath of life, pulling her along with them. Their brother, Nerites stood at the side of the portal. It seemed to be closing quickly. Then he noticed Merrow, swimming along behind them.

I love you , Merrow , he thought in his mind, hoping she would hear it since it was the last thing he’d ever convey to her before his body perished in the sea.