Chapter 1
Perfection.
Una was perfection personified.
She walked toward me, her blonde hair catching the sunlight like it was spun from gold, her single blue eye fixed on me with an intensity that stole the air from my lungs. Her dress, made of a delicate seafoam fabric, clung to her figure before flaring out like the crest of a wave. Around her neck hung a string of pearls, each one said to be blessed by the gods.
She was radiant. Fierce. Mine.
“Relax, cousin.” Ember’s voice drifted from my left, low and laced with amusement. “You look like you’re about to face a firing squad, not marry the love of your life.”
I shot him a look, but the smirk on his face only widened. His dark eyes sparkled with mischief.
“I’m fine,” I said, leaning toward the dappled shade of a fig tree near the altar. Red heads and sun did not mix so well, and I was already sweating. “This is the day I’ve been waiting all my life for.”
Ember chuckled. “Tell that to five-year-old you when you thought Una was about as attractive as an ashray.”
I laughed at a memory. Una had spent her formative years following me around. With a two-year age gap between us, that was quite a distance when we were young. But it didn’t stop her. And If I remembered correctly, I had reveled a little in her adoration, teaching her to jump kick the head off a snowman, and other such displays of my developing strength.
She never gave up when she wanted something. And today, I was counting all my blessings that I was the thing she wanted.
It was a perfect day. Sunlight spilled like liquid gold across the surface of the ocean. Geckos darted through the low shrubs and up the palace walls. It was a day for beginnings. For promises. For hope. At least, that’s what I told myself.
The sound of music swelled and the crowd fell into a hush. I caught my father’s eye and he gave me a reassuring nod. Several years ago, he had stood in this exact spot and married my mother. Now Aunt Raina flanked his side, her arm tucked in his. And I was happy for them.
Movement caught my eye at the end of the aisle. My heart thudded against my ribs as I spotted Una rounding the corner of the gathered crowd, her feet gliding over a carpet of moss and petals arranged especially for this day. I held my breath. Tried to smile. Was overcome by her utter perfection. By the thought that she wanted me. Forever.
She drifted along the aisle, her arm tucked into her father’s, her face nothing but a beaming smile. Perfect.
I expelled the air that had been trapped in my chest, then inhaled deeply to steady my nerves. The sweetest scent of jasmine filled my nose, and only strengthened the closer Una got. Her scent. One I would never tire of.
“You got this, buddy.” Ember squeezed my shoulder.
I stood at the center of the sprawling gardens, surrounded by the murmurs of the crowd—selachii, merfolk, and humans mingling in a show of unity. Everyone had gathered to witness the most important event of my life: my wedding.
I straightened, forcing myself to breathe as Una approached, Trent accompanying her. She walked with a grace that could charm kingdoms, the eyepatch covering the scar she’d earned in Iceland only adding to her regal ferocity.
When she reached me, Trent gave her a kiss on the cheek before stepping back. Una’s gaze never left mine as she placed her hand in mine, her touch grounding me in a way nothing else could.
“You ready for this, prince?” she asked, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.
“Always,” I said, no trace of doubt in my tone.
Una leaned in and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too,” I whispered into her ear as the minister began the ceremony.
I didn’t hear a word. I couldn’t peel my eyes off my soon-to-be-wife. The way her dress swished around her ankles. Delicate ankles I wanted to press my lips to and trail my tongue along. The way her pale skin shimmered under the sunlight, like she had been dusted in stardust. The way her hair fell over her shoulders, begging me to tangle my fingers into it. When she spoke, her lips curved into an infectious smile. My gaze skimmed over the sparkle in her eye, the swell of her cheek, and the elegant column of her throat. I knew Una’s body like the back of my hand, but today I was taking her in anew.
Perfect.
The ceremony passed in a blur of words and vows, but it wasn’t until I slipped the ring onto Una’s finger—my mother’s ring, a pearl surrounded by tiny diamonds—that the enormity of the occasion hit me.
“I love you so fucking much,” I said, gasping under the weight of emotion that had chosen that moment to land on me.
Una placed a hand on my chest. “Not nearly as much as I love you.”
Lies. But I didn’t have time to protest. When Una looked at me with that familiar spark in her blue eye, the rest of the world faded into nothingness. The soft rustle of the ocean breeze, the distant applause of our guests, the strength of the sun on my face, the geckos circling our feet, the hum of insects in the air—it all dissolved until there was only her. My wife. My Una.
I cupped her face, my fingers grazing the hem of her eyepatch, and tilted her head toward me. Her lips parted, her breath warm against my skin, and that was all the invitation I needed. I didn’t care that everyone was watching. I didn’t even know if the minister had given me permission to kiss my bride. But nothing was going to stop me.
I kissed her with a fervor I couldn’t hold back, pouring every ounce of love I felt into the connection. Her hands slid up my chest, her fingers curling into the fabric of my shirt as if anchoring herself to me. I angled my head, deepening the kiss, and her soft moan ignited a fire low in my stomach. She tasted of salt and the ocean, a tantalizing mix of sweetness and strength that made me crave her even more. Her body pressed against mine, fitting perfectly, as if she’d been carved from the same essence as me.
Someone let out a wolf whistle. Probably Ember. Or Ash. I didn’t care.
My hands slipped to Una’s waist, fingers curling around her hips as I held her against me. Her skin was warm under my touch, and when her nails grazed my scalp, I groaned into her mouth. Every nerve in my body came alive, every touch and taste sending a current of electricity through me. She nipped at my bottom lip, a teasing spark that set me on edge, and when I opened my eyes, the fire in hers mirrored my own.
I broke away to catch my breath, my forehead resting against hers. Her eye searched mine, full of the same longing I felt, her lips swollen and glistening.
“You’re mine now,” I whispered, my voice rough with emotion.
“Always and forever, my prince,” she whispered back.
Flashes of golden light spilled out of the windows of the great hall, as if the trident was blessing our union. The crowd erupted into cheers, the sound echoing across the gardens and into the open sea beyond. And because I couldn’t resist, because the day was perfect and I wanted to show the world I was more than ready to take on whatever fate threw at me, I raised my arm and called the trident to my hand. The weapon slammed into me with a loving force, its whispers immediately caressing my mind, easing any lingering tension. I raised the weapon and spun it in a dazzling arc. The crowd gasped as the trident’s glow intensified, sending streams of light into the air that twisted and danced like ribbons.
Una elbowed my ribs and threw a mocking look at the trident. “Already cheating on me?”
“I’ve only got eyes for you.” I kissed her cheek. “But I do have my people to lead.”
“You mean to entertain,” Ember said from my side as he clapped my back. “You’ve become quite the showman.”
Ember was referring to my tours of the great hall where the magical artifacts of Atlantis were kept. Since the tours resumed after the Denizens’ attack, people regularly requested my presence. My people wanted an accessible ruler, someone they could identify with, talk to, even touch. And I had enjoyed getting to know more inhabitants. Sometimes I would pluck one or two unsuspecting guests off their feet and teleport them to the north of the island. And back again. I wouldn’t leave them stranded.
I cocked a shoulder as I looked into the dark eyes of my best friend. “It’s what they expect. We all know Atlanteans don’t like it when their rulers go rogue.” It was a vague reference to the time my mother’s powers had turned chaotic when I’d been kidnapped as a young boy. Both Una and Ember knew me well enough to guess what I was referring to.
Una put a hand on my arm, the one holding the trident. “No one will expect you to entertain today. It’s about both of us today.”
But I couldn’t resist. The trident was whispering sweet nothings, its words almost a physical caress. Over the years, I had learned that the trident was part of me. And I was part of it. That it was an almost sentient being. A long time ago, I’d tried to hang it on the wall and ignore it. But the trident didn’t work like that. And so we had found our way together. It wanted to be used. It longed to be held. And I loved wielding it.
I wrapped one arm around Una and arced the trident with the other, making us float into the sky above the crowds’ heads. People looked up and gasped as I spun Una in a circle to the rhythm of our island’s waves. “I can do both,” I told her as I dipped her in my arms.
The last prophecy came back to me. The man becomes the god. It had appeared five years ago. And I was still very much mortal. The Fountain of Youth still refused to heal me. There were no timeframes on the prophecies, but I was growing impatient. If I became a god, I could protect the people I loved. I could protect Una.
Ember whistled low. Then he flicked his hand and a series of small, fiery disks flew from his palm and into the sky, circling us as we floated in the air, lighting up the gardens, the display a thousand times better than fireworks. Even in daytime.
Una rolled her eye. “You two are as bad as each other.”
I grinned and placed us back on the ground as the crowd broke into wild applause.
“Well, that’s one way to get back down the aisle without everyone staring,” Una said as she smoothed her dress.
“Oh, I think everyone was staring alright.”
“And hopefully not at my underwear.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Now I want to see your underwear.”
She swatted my hand away as I moved to touch her. Before I could engage in my second attempt, a waiter placed full champagne flutes into our hands. After sending the trident back to its resting place, Una and I crossed arms, stared into each other’s eyes, and toasted.
“My prince,” Una said.
“My queen,” I said. “Forever.”
We drank, and as I tipped my head back, my gaze flicked to a figure watching by one of the stone columns. Bay. Una’s brother. He stood with his arms folded and a disapproving look set on his face, his short swords crossed over his back like he was on duty. Sanctimonious bastard. He was all about the blacks and the whites and none of the fun. He was taking his apprenticeship under Ford far too seriously. If he was going to be the head bodyguard of the royal family, he was going to have to learn to like me. At least a little bit.
The band struck up and I gave Bay no more thought. I placed our empty flutes on a nearby table and guided Una to the temporary dance floor that had been assembled on one of the lawns. The golden hues of the late afternoon sun stretched across the gardens, casting a warm, honeyed glow over the crowd. The soft murmurs of conversation faded as the first notes of music floated through the air. I rested my palms on Una’s waist and prepared myself for our first dance as husband and wife.
She looked up at me, her beautiful blue eye shining with something that made my chest tighten. Love. Admiration. A spark of playful mischief. Her eyepatch matched her dress and only added to her fierce beauty. It had become so much part of her I couldn’t imagine her without it. The wind caught the loose strands of her golden hair, and I had to remind myself to breathe.
The music wove through the gardens and we began to dance. I curled my fingers a little tighter around hers as I guided her. Her dress shimmered in the sunlight, each step catching the light as if the ocean itself had blessed the fabric. I spun her, and the material flared like waves cresting the shore.
“You’re better at this than I thought you’d be,” she teased.
I smirked, pulling her closer. “The trident makes an excellent practice partner.”
The song shifted into a quieter melody, the violin carrying an ache that made the moment feel even more intimate. I leaned down, my lips brushing her ear as I murmured, “You know I’d do anything for you, right?”
Her hand tightened on my shoulder. “I know. That’s one of the few things in this world I really do know.”
“Nautalun—”
“Too soon.” She placed a finger over my lips. “And not on our wedding day.”
“Agreed.” Nautalun was one of the Denizens I had killed five years ago. She was known for her spells of seduction, and I had fallen prey to it. Thank Vorago Una had forgiven me.
After placing a soft kiss on her lips, I twirled her once more, her laugh echoing between us. When she returned to me, I slid my hand up her back, holding her as close as I could, her head resting against my shoulder. The music slowed, the final notes lingering in the air, and I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in her familiar scent of salt and jasmine.
“Forever, Una,” I whispered, just for her. “I’m yours forever.”
We ate. We drank. Everyone came to offer their congratulations. My father shook my hand and wrapped me in one of his bear hugs. Una’s parents wore beaming smiles. Coral, her youngest sibling, trailed along behind Ash and Cyra, her big blue eyes never leaving Ash’s handsome face. Until it was her turn to wish us well. She was Una’s spitting image. All wild blonde hair and compact muscle. She had none of Una’s confidence, but she made up for it with smiles and warmth. She was the nicest damn person I knew.
“I’m so happy for you two,” Coral squealed and threw her arms around both of us, refusing to let go as the line of people behind her grew alarmingly long. Ripple, her pet sea otter, danced across her shoulders and cooed at us. I took that as a sign of his approval. “If only Vorago could see you now!”
“Vorago does not need to concern himself with one marriage,” I said.
“But you are the best couple in Atlantis!”
Una laughed and squeezed her sister’s arm. “You’re just saying that because I’m your sister.”
Coral shook her head vehemently, causing Ripple to flee her shoulders and slink down her dress. She tucked loose strands of blonde hair behind her elfin ears as she looked up at us with wide blue eyes. “Nope. I speak the truth. I’m an oracle in training and I know things.”
I laughed and kissed her cheek. “Oh yeah? What kind of things?”
She tapped her temple with mock seriousness. “Deep, prophetic, mysterious things. Like…that Una is totally going to be the bossy one in your marriage.” She grinned up at me, eyes twinkling with mischief.
Una scoffed. “Like that was ever in question.”
Coral giggled, then sobered slightly, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “And I know something else.”
I arched a brow. “What’s that?”
She hesitated for a second, the shift so small I might not have noticed if I hadn’t known her so well. “That you two will do great things together. You’ll change Atlantis for the better.” Her voice softened. “I know it.”
Something in the way she said it made my chest spasm. Maybe it was the conviction in her tone, the utter belief she had in us. Or maybe it was just Coral—full of light, full of unwavering optimism, seeing the best in the world even when it didn’t deserve it.
“Thank you,” Una said, pulling her into another hug. “That means more than you know.”
Coral beamed. “Just don’t forget me when you’re ruling the world, okay? I expect a nice little island of my own. With unlimited sunshine and fruit trees.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” I teased. “You’ll be too busy keeping us humble.”
She grinned. “Damn straight.”
The line of well-wishers behind her started to complain.
Moby, Una and Coral’s other brother, plucked her from the courtyard in front of us and planted her at a table a few feet away. Ripple scampered after her, snatching dropped prawns from the ground on his way. Moby threw a wave of apology behind him, but was quickly swallowed by a group of fans. He was Atlantis’ biggest movie star. The production company had been established a few years ago and he’d played roles in every single film produced. And he was only nineteen. Coral settled at the table next to Ash, already talking his ear off and batting her eyes at him. She was all motion, and energy, and life. I couldn’t imagine Atlantis without her in it.
Uncle Dylan came by with Aunt Marina and they offered their congratulations. Followed by my dad’s cousins and my grandparents until I felt like I’d been standing there for an hour hugging and kissing and shaking hands and I was bored out of my mind. But one person hadn’t come by, and his absence was glaringly obvious.
When the crowd thinned for a second, I glanced at my wife. My wife. “Your brother really does have a problem with me.”
Una shook her head. “He’s just…serious.”
“I’m serious,” I said. “He takes it to a whole new level.”
She took my hand. “We all have our scars to bear.”
“What scars? He wasn’t anywhere near the fight with the Denizens.”
“He comes from a family whose parents are on the High Council and senate. A sister who is an oracle. A brother who is a movie star. That’s a lot of pressure. For all my siblings.” Ever the empath. There was a reason Una was the guardian of the orb of Spirit and Soul.
I raked a hand through my hair as a sigh escaped my lips. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m not used to people…holding me at arm’s length.”
She patted my chest. “It’ll keep you grounded.”
“Why do I need to be grounded?
The man becomes the god.
“So that trident of yours doesn’t fly you off to space never to return.” She laughed, but there was an edge to it.
I circled my arms around her waist. Throwing my head back, I glanced at the stars winking above. Then frowned. The constellation that depicted the trident was…different. The three stars that constituted its left prong had shifted, like it had been bent somehow. The constellation had first appeared when I’d returned home from defeating Zale. I’d come to rely on it, to take it as a sign that all was well. But now…
Something is wrong.
The internal thought filled me with dread.
“Look at that.” I pointed to the constellation. “Does it look different to you?”
Una stroked my cheek. “Everything looks different to me now.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.” I lifted her chin so she was staring at the sky with me.
“Maybe it’s a blessing from the heavens,” she said. “Either that, or we’ve both drunk too much.”
I chuckled, but the unease that had slithered into my stomach remained. I gave the constellation one last glance. Still bent. Still out of place. Maybe I had drunk too much.
Ignoring the spike of concern burrowing into me, I returned my attention to my wife. “Enough about family and tridents. Today is about us. It’s time to shower you with affection.”
“I think I like that idea.” Una trailed a finger down my arm, a seductive smile flickering over her lips. I responded immediately.
Suddenly, I was tired of the wedding, the people, the music…and I wanted Una all to myself. I’d had her countless times, but I never grew tired of her naked body. Of the way her skin felt under my fingertips. Of the way her hips rolled when she straddled me. Of the taste of her exquisite center. Always the ocean, salt, and jasmine.
I wanted her now. Now.
I took her hand and tugged her toward the palace steps.
“Gal…”
I threw her a wink.
“We can’t.” She tried to yank her hand out of my grasp. “People will know.”
“So? It’s our wedding. We can do whatever we want.”
A fire lit in her lone blue eye. “What about the cake?”
“They’ll wait for us.”
I started moving again, and this time she followed, her pace increasing as she lifted her dress so as not to trip on it. We made it to the top step at the same time.
“The great hall,” we said in unison, then let out a breathy laugh.
As we approached the guards stationed outside the vast room and opened the doors, I said, “Don’t let anyone in.”
The one on the left smiled. “Of course not.”
The one on the right winked. “Congratulations.”
“Thank you for protecting the artifacts during the wedding.” I gave them a curt nod before I shut the door.
Una headed for the little alcove around the corner, but I tugged her back into the center of the room near where the Power of the Sea hovered atop its plinth. The six smaller orbs surrounded the Power of the Sea and pulsed with their individual lights. Couches and chairs were positioned nearby in front of a cold hearth. The trident lay in its brackets above the mantle and The Mermaid Chronicles sat in a glass case in front of it. The heart of the room.
“Not here,” Una said, her face half amused and half horrified.
“I’m the Prince of Atlantis. The Trident Wielder. The guardian of the orb of Snow and Ice. I have the power of cryo-aquaism. You are an oracle and the guardian of the orb of Spirit and Soul. If we want to consummate our marriage in the middle of the great hall, then that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
Una giggled. The most adorable sound, and it warmed every corner of my heart.
I placed a hand on the small of her back. “I take it you’re in agreement.”
She nodded, a hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. “You are brazen, Gal Waters, but I kind of like it.”
The mischievous glint in Una’s eye set my blood on fire. Her laughter melted into a soft, breathy anticipation and her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue that made her utterly irresistible. I wasted no time closing the space between us, my hands finding her waist and tugging her against me. Her body molded perfectly to mine, soft where I was hard, welcoming where I was blazing with need.
Her lips parted as I kissed her, her taste still as intoxicating as the first time. My tongue teased hers, and her quiet moan sent a thrill racing down my spine. The room’s glow—soft blues, greens, and reds from the orbs—cast her features in ethereal light, but there was nothing otherworldly about the heat growing between us. It was raw. Consuming. Somehow different now that we were married. Good different.
Una arched into me, her fingers weaving through my hair, pulling just hard enough to cause heat to flash over my skin and a tightness to coil in the pit of my stomach. She tugged on the tips of my ears, a playful torment that got to me every single time. It made me abandon all thought and give into my most base needs. The coil in my stomach threatened to unravel.
I trailed kisses down her neck, sucking on the tender spot below her ear. Her head tipped back, her breath hitching as I slid my hands along her sides, over the curve of her hips, and to the small of her back.
“Gal…” Her voice was low, breathless, and it spurred me on.
I spun her around, pressing her against me so her back met my chest. My hands roamed over her, her warmth searing through the fabric of her dress. I brushed my lips against her ear. “Let me take care of you, Una.”
She gasped as I slipped my hands beneath the hem of her dress, my fingertips grazing her thighs. The fabric slid up, pooling around her waist as I bent her forward. Her palms braced against the edge of the plinth that supported the Power of the Sea, and for a fleeting moment, the juxtaposition of our intimacy against the room’s sacred artifacts sent a thrill of defiance through me.
Una shivered as my lips skimmed the nape of her neck and then the length of her spine. I coasted my hands over her hips, dipping my fingers past the waistband of her sheer panties, and cupped her. I teased her with light touches that made her whimper, my thumb circling her clit in the way she loved, my fingers poised at her entrance. She shifted, her body pressing back against mine in silent invitation.
“You’re perfect,” I murmured, my voice thick with need as I ripped her panties away. I undid the zip on my trousers and let my boxers drop to the floor. A low growl escaped my throat as I freed my erection, so hard, aching with need.
I guided myself to her, my hands firm on her hip, holding her steady.
“Gal…” she breathed and shuddered when I positioned myself at her opening. The heat of her enveloped me, her sharp inhale matched by my own guttural groan.
I pushed into her welcoming warmth, savoring every tiny contraction of Una’s that spasmed around me. When I was fully inside her, I released a long sigh of relief. How I craved this feeling far more than I should. Needed it. How could one person love another so completely? If anything happened to Una, I would simply cease to exist.
As I began to thrust inside her, each stroke gaining speed, Una’s back arched with each movement. Her hands gripped the plinth, knuckles whitening as soft moans spilled from her lips. The way her body responded to me unraveled every last thread of control I possessed.
“Gal,” she gasped, her voice trembling with both need and pleasure.
I tightened my grip on her hips, my movements quickening, more purposeful. Each thrust drew a cry from her lips, her body meeting mine with equal fervor. The world around us blurred, the soft glow of the orbs turning into streaks of light in my periphery. The only thing that existed was her—the feel of her, the sound of her, the way she called my name as if it was the only word she ever needed.
Her body tensed, a shudder rolling through her as she cried out, her release triggering my own. I buried myself deep, holding her against me as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over us. Our breaths tangled, fast and uneven, as silence settled over us like a shared secret.
As I pulled her upright, I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. Her hair was damp against her neck, her body still trembling in my embrace. She leaned her head back against my shoulder, a satisfied smile tipping her lips.
“You really are brazen,” she murmured.
I kissed her temple, my chest still heaving. “And you love it.”
“I do,” she whispered, tilting her head to meet my gaze. Her eye shone with both mischief and tenderness. “But next time, maybe somewhere a little less…public?”
I grinned, brushing my lips against hers. “We’ll see.”
It was then I caught the new spark of light in the room. Amid the soft glow of the magical orbs, it could have been missed. But my stomach clenched when my gaze landed on the glowing pages of The Mermaid Chronicles. A new prophecy was coming.
