The Pure One -✔- Book Two of the Phoenix Trilogy

Chapter 18 The Mermadian Queen

The moment Marcus' lips sealed with hers, Venus forgot everything, especially how scared she was. Her heart rate increased rapidly but it was not because she's nervous. No, all the feelings were gone except for one. . . Love.

Their bodies were soon enveloped by the water. But their kiss didn't end there as she felt Marcus shove the breather into her mouth using his tongue. The oxygen device created and worked with magic to let them breath underwater. All they have to do was store the candy flavored elixir inside their mouth. It tasted like bubble gum. Soon enough, breathing under the sea was as easy as breathing on land. The magic served as an invisible screen barrier that kept the water out and only oxygen passes through their noses. They create air bubbles when they exhaled, only one problem though, they must keep their mouths closed. Meaning, they could only communicate through sign language.

Venus eyes were assaulted with bright white light as she opened her lids. The source was coming from a crystal castle a mile away from them. A long red hair caught her attention from her side and when she turned to see what it was. It wasn't an it rather a who, she was awed by the sight of Daphne. She didn't grow a tail obviously but her body was covered with luminous scales and her hair were like floating with a mind of their own--very long and fiery red. The water made her look so ethereal, so beautiful and so captivating.

"Like what you see, Vee?"

She was startled to hear the Siren's voice inside her head.

"Wicked! How'd you do that? Can I do it too? With them?" She asked like an excited kid, pointing to their confused group mates who were each giving them different hand gestures asking the same question, what?

"I'm just explaining to Vee here, that. . ." Daphne's hypnotic voice ringed to all of their minds this time but she stopped abruptly when all the their men companion including Amelia, started to move towards her direction in a zombie-like daze. They crowded the siren like she was their goddess. Venus automatically tagged and pulled Marcus.

"Oh! I forgot that it's my domain. Nobody could resist my charm here." D giggled and then added, "I release all of you.

They all seemed to be waking up from a dream when they gave Daphne and each other confused looks as to why they were all beside D but she just shrugged her shoulders and giggled some more. Amelia glared at her while Venus rolled her eyes but smirking nonetheless.

". . . As I was saying, I can talk to all of you at the same time or individually. But, you cannot talk to each other, you can each talk to me instead and I will pass the message." Daphne continued her interrupted explanation from earlier after her giggling spree, of course.

She was replied by a series of okays, sure and cool but a certain answer stood out.

"Oh-kay." Amelia's voice inside her mind was distant and somewhat lost on her own world. It was so unusual for her to be so timid since she always have a bubbly personality.

"You okay?" D asked her worriedly.

"Um, yeah? Don't worry, I'm just a lil' bit preoccupied." The shifter answered with uncertainty but Daphne chose to let it slip for the meantime. She will ask her again after the quest. For sure, it's something to do with her demon cousin and the daze which clearly emphasized her of being a man rather than a woman. Though, in Daphne's opinion, being hypnotized by a Siren wasn't connected to being a man or a woman since it applied to both. Venus was just one of the exceptions because of her powers. The girl was oblivious of how powerful she is, Daphne was well aware since only a very powerful being could resist a royalty like her in her own domain, heck, not even Masters would be immune to her in underwater.

"Okay, guess I'm taking over the Captain's post from here since I'm the only one who can communicate to all of you. Anyway let's go." Daphne said then lead the swim after she got their nods of approval.

The swim was slow and exhausting so they were running out of energy fast aside from Daphne who swims faster than a fish, encircling them creating bubbles all over the area. She obviously missed her home, they all hear her laughter inside their head. Oh well, at least one of them was enjoying the swim.

The moment they were almost at the glass wall partition of the kingdom, mermadian guards---clad in sea-shells armour from top till the tip of their tails---appeared all of a sudden and stopped their advance. Sad to say, mermadian were equipped with magic defence against Sirens hypnotic powers, quite unsurprising really, given the fact that their clans were mortal enemies ever since their kingdoms separated. Daphne was well aware of this fact so when they seized her upon seeing her presence, she told them to let the guards have her especially when Rufus tried to defend her. She told them that it was their only way to be able to have an audience with the queen.

The guards shoved them, one by one, into the small opening of the glass wall. There was not a gate in sight. The walls opens up to anyone it allows to enter, needless to say, it was impossible to get in without permission. It made them realise that Daphne knew this would happen to her all along but still she came. Even though, there was a big possibility of her being injured, attacked and worse killed on sight. Phoenix must be watching over them since the guards seemed to be. . . Expecting them?

Inside, they found out that it was not just a glass wall but a doom - like partition that encloses the whole kingdom, protecting it from any kind of intrusion. A perfect defence protection that they learned from the guards who willingly informed them that it was from the Pearl's magic. Right at that moment, they knew that the Pearl they seek would be something not easily acquired. It's very powerful.

They were lead into the only rock walled, cavern like room made of colorful sea-shells and in the middle of the big room stood a gigantic clam. It was opened, adorned by soft cushions and pearls, the edges had gold trimming, and it's emanating a subtle glow that made it look so magical. They were all startled when a horn was blown, another merman appeared with his upper part dressed in a sleeveless shell vest, announcing suddenly the upcoming entrance of the Mermadian Queen. He vanished just as fast as he appeared, after his announcement.

They saw a glimpse of blue hair first, a very long and beautiful bright blue hair that covered the whole body leaving the blue tip of her tail peaking every now as she slowly swan towards the clam in the middle---her throne. Soon, she sat on the cushion and her hair slowly parted to reveal a very beautiful woman with pointed ears like a pixie, her brows, lashes and eyes are as blue as her hair and tail. Her whole upper body was covered by scales. She looks like a human blue fish! A beautiful one at that. The Queen raised her hands up and the heavy stone doors closed then the water dissipated. She gave them a smile showing her all razor sharp pointed teeth and said, "I've been expecting you, seekers of the Pearl. I am Queen Scalia and congratulations, you were the first seekers that successfully passed our cliff dive. . . Alive."