16. Kellian

CHAPTER 16

Kellian

K ellian was a man possessed. Kyeria sat on the bed, devoid of clothing, looking as sweet as the honey of the southern edges of The Hollow. He was stunned by her beauty, her copper hair was falling loosely around her shoulders, long enough to waterfall over her curves.

"You are so beautiful." His voice came out raw. A blush creeped up her neck and cheeks and she began to shy away, to cover her stunning body. He felt a smirk growing, and shook his head.

"Don't you dare cover yourself." Her eyes were bridging on stubbornness, her emotions so plainly on her face. He loved that about her, wearing her emotions clearly, feeling everything so deeply. He had spent so much of his life learning how to even his emotions, to be calm. To use his face as a mask. But Kyeria, his Kyeria, sat on the bed, her cheeks red, eyes hungry.

"Lay back," he said. She listened immediately. "Give me your hands," he said softly, leaning over her, taking them and pinning them above her head. He held her by her wrists with one hand, the other drifted down her side, slowly, so slowly.

"Every piece of you must have been made by the goddess herself, you are utter perfection." His hand glided over the curve of her hips and he raised himself back up, dropping to his knees and taking what was his.

It took two nights to enter into the isles, another till the sun was half high when they arrived at the Golden Isle. Grim instructed them to stay below deck first, wanting to survey and enter the isles as only him and his crew, so as not to raise suspicion. The waters were calm as the ship navigated the narrow seaways between high rocks and the cliff sides of the isle. Kellian had read about the Golden Isle, flown over it even. But this close to it, it was mesmerizing. The cliff sides glimmered golden in the sun, covered in a golden gem that reflected the light between each rock and cliffside, illuminating the entire valley of sea in gold.

Kyeria and Inaya peered out a window. They had spent many of the hours Kellian and Kyeria were not holed up in their room together. Kyeria was quick to give her love to those who wandered. Inaya was a floating soul, like Kyeria had been. They both fostered such a great purpose for doing more than only the life that the gods and goddess had dealt to them.

Kellian stood, arms crossed leaning against the opposite wall, watching through a porthole below deck. His skin itched to fly through these lands. To shift and be fully free. Kyeria peered back at Kellian as if sensing his mood shift. He sent her a reassuring nod, notioning he was fine and she went back to whispering to Inaya and giggling together by the window.

"I've never seen anything like this." Kyeria motioned to the golden stones glowing on the cliff sides.

"I guess they named it the Golden Isle for a reason." Inaya shrugged. "I would love to take a few of those home with me though." She smirked.

"That would be a very bad idea," Kellian spoke up. "They are protected by the Goddess Lux, who watches over and blesses the isles, but it is told she had a special affinity for this Isle in particular and the Mer below them. Best not to anger her."

Inaya's eyes widened. "And rightly so. I did not know these were the Goddess Lux's lands." Inaya looked fearful, which was unlike the woman he had observed the last few days. While Kellian knew some history of Lux, he did not know it all. A sudden dread passed over him as they passed through this land. Coppery hair shone under the golden light and Kyeria smiled, holding up her hand to the light, it danced through her fingers. Sparkling as it went.

"Lux is Luna's sister," Kyeria said smiling. "We are welcome here." She nodded at Kellian. He wondered if her magic was what made her feel safe here, if she could sense the safety or if it simply relied on the Goddess Lux being the sister to Kyeria's own mother Goddess Luna.

After some time the ship pulled to a stop, and an old man shouted down to them, "All clear."

They walked up above deck. Kyeria's entire body shifted, her shoulders loosened, and as if wholly possessed began walking past Kellian to the edge of the ship, where the plank was pulled out and resting on rock that was the perfect height to walk across onto the hillside of the golden isle.

"Kyeria," Kellian shouted out in warning of the unknown. But she took another step then another until her bare feet hit the soil. Small flowers erupted around her, and he swore the sky above them opened up, shining light directly onto her. A silent hum fell around them and Inaya gasped next to Kellian.

"Who is she?" she asked.

"Our salvation," Kellian replied.

The three followed Kyeria onto land. Kellian pushed a pair of boots into her arms.

"We have to trek across," he said, looking sorry for the need for her to not be touching the soil. She nodded and slipped on her boots.

And they began their trek. It was a short but steep walk before the path twisted and headed down and down, and meeting them quickly they passed an area where vines grew so thickly they couldn't walk through. The thick forest surrounded them. Kyeria reached out, and the vines pulled open like a curtain. Kellian would never not be in awe of her. They continued and rounded a large open faced cliffside with golden stones exposed. Inaya reached out and let her fingers hover over them.

"Hmm," she muttered to herself. Grim glared.

"Do not get us killed," he seethed through his teeth. Inaya simply rolled her eyes.

"Through here." Grimm guided them and a lagoon was revealed. Rocks jutted out in the middle of the water and glimmering tails and endlessly long wet hair tangled around bodies. The Mer.

"Isla," Grim greeted and dropped a knee bowing low. The rest followed suit. The one with the golden scaled tail and golden hair waved, her smile bright.

"Grim, darling," she said after swimming to them in a second and emerging from the water onto the rock nearest them. As she sat on it, the light and glow of the golden rocks illuminated every single one of her matching golden scales.

"Your Highness," he replied. Her eyes snapped to Kellian next, purple eyes meeting his.

"An honor to meet a Guardian. I did not think it possible, even in my long life." She bowed her head every so slightly in a sign of respect. Kellian had heard of the Mer, but never met any of them. The Isles were ruled on their own, answered to none of the main kingdoms. Similar in a way to The Hollow, they functioned on their own, removed from the rest of the world, only fabled lands to most.

"I am Kellian, Guardian to The Hollow and heir," he greeted. "We have ventured here to ask your favor to help save our kingdom, to keep our borders safe from those who mean us harm." Kellian squared his shoulders and he bowed.

"If you would be so inclined, we, the Hollow, would in return owe a favor to the MerKingdom or a personal favor for you, Your Highness."

"Enticing offer, I must say." Isla's voice was like silk, sliding over him. He knew the Mer, like the Sirens, possessed a melodic magic. Known to sing sailors to their deaths in long ago lore. But Grim had made a deal long ago, his ships safe from the long nailed grip of the mer, in return for trade.

"Why is your kingdom in danger, young prince?" Isla asked, her purple eyes narrowing. While Isla looked young, he doubted she was younger than a century old. Mer did not age, and they outlived most beings on this continent.

"There is a beast, made of shadow and nightmares that is consuming the magic that fuels our borders," he explained. Grim stirred next to them.

"And the Captain could not help you? He is rather adept with the shadow world," she sneered. Grim crossed his arms, shadows twirling around them.

"It is not the same," Grim said sternly, "as you well know, Your Highness."

Isla ran a long finger nail down her cheek. "I suppose."

They all stayed silent and unmoving, awaiting her words. Kellian knew the Mer to be fickle in agreeing to help if it did not also benefit them. But offering a Mer princess a personal favor from another to be king, Kellian hoped it was enough.

"And you, young prince, will you fulfill the favor?" she asked, her gaze calculating.

"As long as I breathe." He nodded.

"And if you do not, it goes to the next in line. The favor is not fulfilled till it is fulfilled, no matter the time it takes," she said sternly. "Your lives are so fragile and short," she laughed. "Be it you or your great grandchildren, the Galanis line shall owe me a personal favor. And I shall bring you what you ask."

"We need a Merstone. For a potion that will help us rid the land of the Beast." Kyeria stepped forward. Kellian held himself back from wanting to step in front of her or shuffle her behind him. This innate, extreme feeling of needing to protect her invaded every cell of his body.

"Then, one Merstone you will have." Isla nodded, facing Kyeria. "You are a child of the trees, are you not?" Isla asked, her full attention now on Kyeria.

Kyeria nodded. "I am. From the northern lines. My mother was from NorHaven." The Mer's eyes went wide, her mouth opening,

"Yes." Isla's voice was only a whisper. "I can see that clearly."

Kellian peered at Kyeria, his Kyeria, in awe of her grace and power she carried with her.

"I, then, Isla, Princess of the Golden Sea, freely give you, child of the trees, a Merstone." A gleaming green stone appeared in her hand. She held it out looking to Kyeria. It was out of reach, but Kyeria smiled and reached out her own hand, magic bursting from it, and the wind carried the stone to her, gently landing in her palm.

Isla's eyes shifted to the others. "Be safe on your way. My sisters will not harm you or your ship on the journey out. You have my word." She nodded before one last lingering glance to Kyeria and slithered back into the sea.

"Well, I can cross off meeting a royal Mer off my list of things to do in my free time," Inaya announced after a minute of silence.

"Can I see the stone?" she asked Kyeria, who held it out.

"Do not touch it." Grim's hand gripped Inaya's arm. "Only the one to whom it was given freely may touch it, no one else." His voice was stern and dark. Kellian knew the lore well. Mer were slippery creatures, and a Merstone could only be given freely. There were particulars to the rule of magic surrounding them. It could not be touched by anyone but the one it was given to, lest be cursed as if you stole it from a Mer yourself. Bound to lose all sanity.

"I have to be back to my ship in three days, and deliver this one where she needs to go or face a bigger headache," Grim announced, jutting a thumb at Inaya who glared. The shadows had slithered back into his brother's arms. Kellian tried to not focus on the glaring fact that both his siblings possessed manipulated magic. They began walking, Inaya falling in step with Kyeria and walking ahead. A fierce grip clasped on Kellian's arm.

"Kel," Grim said lowly. "I have—" He paused. "I have never seen a Mer bow to anyone, even in words, and Isla just made her intention clear. Kyeria possesses a great magic, more than maybe you know. Be careful," he insisted. "I wouldn't want anything to befall you, brother, even after all the moons that have passed. I will never wish you ill."

Kellian looked at his brother, really looked. His eyes were so similar to their mothers, his shadows a direct reaction to his emotions, and they were swirling around his arms. Kellian nodded.

"She is of an ancient magic, one tied to the Hollow, as myself and Aura are."

"What do you mean?" Grim asked.

"She is dragon bound." Kellian's brows creased. "The dragon claimed her, nearly killed her, but she is to be the first rider the Hollow has seen in a century."

Grim silently took in the information, his shadows slowing. "That is—" He paused. "Interesting," he finished. Kellian smirked.

"And she is mine."

"Yes, brother, you have made that fact abundantly clear." Grim rolled his eyes and patted Kellian's back. "I have my hands full as is. Not to worry." He smiled, a rare smile, even Kellian had not seen often. Grim did not have a happy childhood, of this Kellian knew, but his father forbid any bastard children to reside in the castle. So Grim was raised by his respective father. Kellian and Grim would sneak out to run through the village or when Kellian taught him how to fist fight, taking back lessons he had learned and bringing them to Grim to teach him by the next day.

But that was a world away, and in front of Kellian stood a man, as dark and moody as the sea. One who had made many decisions to get him where he was today, the pirate lord, the privateer who had kings wrapped around his finger. The dark shadow that no one would dare cross.