Xanthus’s home came into view between mountains of surrounding coral. Kyros clenched his fists at the unusual sight. He’d been to his best friend’s home a thousand times, but it never looked like this. Normally, colorful fish abounded and surrounded the building, weaving in and out of the columns. Not anymore. Sharks of every shape, size, and species circled the structure.
He shook his head and growled, “Mermaids.”
Kyros swam toward the entrance. A great white shark cut him off and opened his jaws wide. A low, rumbling growl vibrated in the creature’s chest. Kyros reached for his sword just when Xanthus called out, “Amintah! Let him through.”
The shark didn’t flinch; he didn’t even move an inch.
“Please, Amintah, let my husband’s friend pass.” A sweet, melodious voice brushed Kyros like a caress.
The shark snapped his jaw shut and turned, swimming around back toward the voice. Just as Kyros was about to move forward, the shark’s tailfin snapped back, flicking his nose, causing his eyes to sting. He rubbed his nose as he swam forward.
The shark swam toward a blue-eyed mermaid with her arm locked around Xanthus’s arm. Her black hair floated around her head. Her face was beautiful, and her blue eyes striking. The small, intricate image of a conch shell glowed across her cheekbone. It was below her right eye—Triton’s mark, showing he’d claimed her as his child. Anyone who harmed this mermaid would feel the sea-god’s wrath.
Reaching out, she brushed her hand over the shark’s side as he passed by. “I’m sorry, Kyros,” she said, speaking English. “Amintah is a bit protective of me.”
Kyros narrowed his eyes, scowling at her. What audacity, speaking to a man as if she already knew him! Xanthus needed to teach his wife her proper place.
The light in her eyes dimmed when she saw Kyros glaring at her. She looked back to her husband as her cheeks filled with color.
“Sara,” Xanthus said. “Why don’t you go on in and get us some drinks?”
Her brows pinched together as she bit her bottom lip. “You want… drinks?”
“… in the kitchen, first cupboard on the left.” Sara nodded, turning to swim away. Xanthus snagged her back and pulled her in for a thorough kiss. With the light back in her eyes and a smile on her face, she swam toward the house. Although swim would be a gross overstatement. Kyros had never seen anyone swim quite like that. Actually, his friend, Timotheus, might have—after a rock slid off a cliff and struck him on the head. Kyros chuckled at the similarity.
Xanthus frowned at him, but couldn’t quite hold it. The corners of his mouth pinched down, as he did his best to suppress his smile. “She’s still learning.”
Kyros turned to Xanthus as realization dawned. “No,” he breathed. “She…?”
Xanthus nodded. “… grew up on land.”
“So… Hades. I wondered how you got mixed up with a mermaid when you were supposed to be capturing humans.”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how surprised I was to find her—a daughter of the sea, living on land, with a tail. Lucky for Sara, she hid it well. She didn’t even know what she was. She thought she was a malformed human. But now that she knows the truth, she’s really starting to blossom.”
“How could she hide such a thing?”
“She rode in a chair with wheels and covered her tail at all times. She was quite careful.”
“Why didn’t Triton help her?”
“He wasn’t aware of her existence until recently. But now that he knows of her, he’s extremely protective. Which brings me to the reason I brought you here.”
