Maelstrom Page 5

  Elandria bit her lip to keep it from quivering. She knew that she should have run back into her room and shut the door. Being near to Trevain brought all her emotions bubbling up to the surface. She could not help being honest around him, and trying to face the things that she could not face alone. But this time, it was too much. Sionna was dead. She could not talk about it, and she could not think about it. She could not mention the woman’s name in casual conversation, as though nothing had happened. There was nothing she could do that did not make this worse. The gentleness in Trevain’s touch, and his kind and concerned eyes made it worse, too.

  “Oh, Trevain,” she said softly. “I’m not built for this world. I can’t bear any more of this. First Corallyn, then Alcyone… everything that happened to Zuri. And now Sionna. Why are we cursed? Why does this keep happening?”

  “I don’t know,” he answered.

  She could no longer maintain her composure. “I need to go,” she whispered, pulling away and slipping into her room. She closed the door between them, and looked back to her desk where the stack of paperwork awaited her. She was somehow no longer in the mood to sign documents. She was no longer capable. She moved over to the bed, and allowed her body to tumble down into the soft collection of furs. They held her, comforting and enveloping her body in a luxurious way. She tried to calm her breathing, and her racing heart, and go back to forgetting.

  A knock sounded on her bedroom door, interrupting her mental exercise.

  Wrapping the furs closer around her shoulders, Elandria tried to ignore the world outside her head, and seek a peaceful place in her soul where no one could find her. She tried to go to sleep, her own personal form of therapy. Sometimes, in her dreams, Sionna was alive. Everyone she had lost was still alive, and happy.

  The knock sounded on her door again, a little more forcefully.

  Elandria stared at the mountain of paperwork on her desk, feeling guilty for procrastinating with her duties. She just felt so useless and small. Their world had grown so large, so quickly, and she was not sure how to survive in this place anymore. She was not sure how to continue pushing forward, toward some perfect, idealized goal of the way life should be, if it would cost so much to get there.

  She heard her door open, and footsteps on her carpet. She felt someone move into the bed with her and slip an arm around her waist, hugging her close. His warmth seeped through the furs, and into her own body, creating a healing and somewhat soothing effect. All her anxiety, and the pain in her heart, seemed to instantly dissipate. She did not feel completely better, but she felt a great deal more at ease.

  “Elandria,” Trevain said quietly, his breath dancing against the back of her neck. “Why weren’t you at the funeral?”

  She bit her lip in shame. “Because… I am trying to pretend it’s not real.”

  Trevain considered this for a few seconds. “I was hoping that you would say a few words to honor her memory. None of us really knew what to say. You really have a gift for finding the right words in a rough time. No one can give a speech the way you can—that is, when you feel like speaking.”

  She smiled weakly at his praise. “I know that denial is not a very mature way of dealing with demise, but I see no harm in keeping my friend perfectly alive and well in my thoughts.”

  “If you must,” he told her. “Do whatever you feel you need to do. But when you’re ready—just know that I’m here for you.”

  “What did Zuri say?” Elandria asked.

  Trevain drew a ragged breath. “She may be dust in the sea, but what she did will never die.” His voice wavered as he repeated the words. “We’ve gotten through so much together, Elan. This is just one more heartache. Just one more disaster to add to the gigantic list of disasters we’ve endured.”

  “This is the last disaster,” Elandria said harshly.

  Trevain seemed confused by this. “The last?”

  “Yes,” she said. “This is the last disaster, because it changes everything. It is the beginning of the greatest disaster we’ve ever known. The whole world is going to pay for this. Every square inch of every country—every drop of water.”

  “The world is a very big place, Elan…”

  “Visola is bigger,” she responded ominously. “She’s so much bigger. The world is a horrible place, and it deserves whatever happens. It deserves whatever comes next, and worse.”

  Trevain did not respond immediately. “You don’t sound like yourself right now, Elan. Maybe you should talk to Dr. Rosenberg. He’s doing grief counseling…”

  Elandria made a sound of disbelief. “Have you seen Dr. Rosenberg lately? The poor man was holding the love of his life in his arms when the CIA shot her in the head. He immediately tried to shoot himself in the head, but Vachlan knocked the gun out of his hands. This is the man whom you think can help me?”

  Releasing a deep sigh, Trevain moved away from Elandria. He laid on his back and looked up thoughtfully. “I’m just trying… to do something. To move forward.”

  Missing his warmth, Elandria turned over to face him. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder, deeply inhaling his masculine scent. She placed a hand on his chest, and instantly felt stronger. She felt like she was sucking the strength and love out of his body, but he somehow had an unlimited amount to give.

  “I gave Aazuria divorce papers,” Trevain said finally.

  Elandria gasped and bolted upright. “How could you? And now?”

  “I want you to stop being ashamed of being with me,” Trevain told her.

  “You idiot!” Elandria said angrily. “You’ll break her heart!”

  “Something had to be done, Elandria. A choice had to be made.”

  “Why?” she demanded. “Aazuria needs you just as much as I do. Just because she’s tough doesn’t mean you can hurt her like this. When she’s already going through so much!”

  “But Elan…”

  “Is this pity?” she asked bitterly. “Are you doing this to her instead of me because you know she can handle it? And I couldn’t?”

  “Why are you always so suspicious of everything I do?” he asked her with a frown, sitting up to look into her face. “I’m not doing this because I pity you. I’m doing this because I love you. I’m choosing you, because I think we’re better together.”

  “Oh, please,” Elandria said with a nervous laugh. “You can’t actually mean that.”

  “I tried to make it work with Zuri,” Trevain told her, taking her hands. “I tried so hard, for so long. I tried everything. But with you, it’s just easy. I feel like it’s not one-sided. I feel like you want to be with me just as much as I want to be with you.” He chewed his lip thoughtfully as he tried to find a way to explain himself.

  “Loving your sister is like sitting at the feet of a statue of a great goddess. She is ten feet tall and cold as stone, and I’m always in her shadow. I’m always small and insufficient. I’m just a man, made of flesh and blood, but she’s so much more than that.” Trevain smiled sadly. “I begged. I waited. I tried to chisel away the marble and get to the woman underneath… but she just shut down, and closed herself off to me. What more can I do, Elan?”

  Considering his description for a moment, Elandria’s lips curved in a small smile. “You’re right. She is like that. Let’s build a statue for her. Let’s put it somewhere prominent, like at the airport—it would be the first thing she sees when she comes home. She’ll freak out.”

  Trevain chuckled to himself. “I like the way you think. She’ll be so pissed—if she hasn’t signed the divorce papers by then, she will after she sees the statue.”

  “We can claim innocence,” Elandria said happily. “Oh my goodness, why haven’t we thought of this before? She deserves a statue! And... and so does Sionna.” Her smile disappeared. “We could put it in front of the hospital.”

  They were both quiet for a moment. “I think everyone will love that idea,” Trevain finally said. “A beautiful statue of Aunt Sio in her classic lab coat.”

&nbs
p; “I will not be able to go to the hospital without dissolving into tears at the sight of her,” Elandria said softly.

  “That’s fine,” he said with a sly smile. “If you get pregnant, you can just deliver at home.”

  “Pregnant?” she asked in surprise. “How would that happen?”

  “I can show you how,” he said, playfully pushing her back down onto her furs. He climbed over her and placed a kiss on the side of her neck. “I could be a little… careless.”

  “Trevain—I didn’t mean—earlier…” Elandria’s eyes darted around in a panic before settling back on his face. Her breathing quickened. “I was just asking about the past. Reflecting. I didn’t mean that I was considering—for the future—I just…” She tried very hard to form coherent sentences. “How would that look? The ink hasn’t even dried on your divorce documents—if she even decides to sign. Divorce is not something that my people do—it is extremely shameful. And you already have a daughter, but she’s missing! Should we take care of all that first? I have to think about this. I have to prepare. The past few years with Mother Melusina, I was barely eating. I might not even be healthy enough.”

  “Relax, sweetheart,” he said with a grin. “I was just teasing you.”

  She scowled at him. “That was unkind.”

  “I couldn’t resist. You’re just so adorable when you get all flustered,” he told her, placing a light kiss on her nose.

  “I was not flustered. Just concerned about your lapse in judgment. You are very young and very foolish sometimes, husband.” Smiling as she said this, she reached up and undid a button on his shirt.

  “That’s why I surround myself with such wise women,” he responded. He began sliding the strap of her dress off her shoulder. “Where would I be without the fine guidance and worldly knowledge of you and your sister?”

  Elandria made a face. She spoke under her breath. “You’re a pussy.”

  Trevain’s eyes widened. “What did you just call me?”

  “Nothing,” Elandria said, turning away with a small smile tugging at her lips.

  “Elandria, I’m pretty sure I heard you say…”

  “That’s right,” she said, glaring at him. “You’re not man enough to handle Aazuria. Don’t blame her for that.”

  “I’m man enough to handle you,” he growled, slipping his hand under her dress.

  “Are you?” she asked, tugging on his belt. “Show me.”

  Chapter 5: She Cannot Wait

  “I would have felt more comfortable if Vachlan was with us,” Aazuria said as their sleek nuclear submarine approached the compound.

  “I’m offended,” Naclana said. “Am I not good enough?”

  Aazuria smiled weakly. “Vachlan had been scouting this place for weeks before Sionna was killed. We were planning on launching an attack together.”

  “The last I heard, Vachlan’s out of commission. Didn’t he try to evacuate the city in the middle of the night for no reason?” Naclana asked.

  “Yes,” Aazuria said with embarrassment. “Among other strange behavior.”

  “I’m sorry that I don’t have his résumé, but at this point in time, having me around might be worth more,” Naclana said. “He might even be a liability.”

  “I know,” Aazuria said, nodding. “I am happy to have you here with me. I just never thought Vachlan could be a liability. I have difficulty considering him anything but an asset—or an adversary.”

  “Well, Vachlan wanted to launch an attack. Let’s try my methods first. Hasn’t there been enough bloodshed recently?” Naclana asked. “Just trust me. From what I know of Leviathan, this is the best way to approach the situation. Calmly, and respectfully, without any show of aggression.”

  “Naclana, this is a really big risk,” Aazuria told the man. She studied her cousin carefully, taking in his long dark hair, which was woven into dreadlocks. For centuries, he had served only as a messenger in Adlivun, but after Corallyn’s murder, and Aazuria’s abduction, he had taken a greater role in matters of state. Although he and Trevain did not always get along, Naclana had been of great service to the country’s administration. “I’m just not sure that you’re experienced enough in military operations to be helping me guide this mission,” Aazuria admitted. “I don’t know how comfortable I am with putting you in danger like this.”

  “For shame, cousin,” Naclana said with a pout. “I thought we could enjoy spending some quality time together.”

  Aazuria sent him a nervous look. “Quality time is all very well, but I would prefer that it not end up being the last time we ever get to spend together. Or the last time that we spend breathing.”

  “I really believe this will work.” Naclana frowned. “What’s wrong, Zuri? I thought you liked this idea.”

  “I did. I guess I’m having second thoughts now that we’re almost here. Oh! Is that the compound? By Sedna, that place is huge.” Her voice wavered a little as she looked through the thick glass windows of the submarine. There was a giant stone megalith that extended from the floor of the Ionian sea, all the way to the surface. “I never knew about this part of Helike.”

  Naclana smiled, moving to her side to view the fortress. “According to research from land-dwellers, combined with our own historical data, there was a huge war here in 373 BC. The Atlanteans managed to sink their Greek opponents into the sea and drown them all. They rebuilt that citadel from parts of the ruined city, as a way to gloat about their victory. Since then, it’s mainly been used as a refuge in times of great need. It’s one of the Mediterranean’s best kept secrets. In 2001, the land-dwellers stumbled upon some of the underwater ruins of Helike, but this castle was located in such a cleverly camouflaged way among the islands, that they had no idea it was here. And neither did most of us, in Adlivun and Oceanus.”

  “So, this is the stronghold that kept the Leviathan safe from the Clan of Zalcan,” Aazuria mused as she squinted, studying the edifice. “This is why everyone else was conquered, but he remained untouched. That structure is stunning. No wonder he managed to fly under the radar.”

  “We were never conquered, either,” Naclana reminded her. “Most parts of Adlivun are rather defensible. Especially the limestone labyrinths…”

  “But it was close. Several times,” Aazuria said. “We lost a lot of good people while defending ourselves. If not for Vachlan screwing over the Clan, and feeding them misleading information… If not for Marshal Landou waiting a little too long to execute his plans… we would have been taken. We were definitely high on their hit-list. We just got lucky.”

  Naclana lifted an eyebrow. “Don’t be humble, Queen Aazuria. We did not just ‘get lucky.’ You led us to victory—there’s a big difference.”

  “No. I didn’t know what the hell I was doing,” she whispered, touching her fingertips to the glass. “Just look at it, Naclana. It’s incredible. I wonder if there are more island-fortresses like this around here. And worldwide, there must have been hundreds of other underwater homes that weren’t touched… the oceans are so massive. They simply can’t be monitored or tamed—and their people are the same. We’re all free, and government doesn’t really matter, does it? Why do I even bother? What do I work so hard for? I can’t make anything better for anyone.”

  Naclana placed a hand on his cousin’s shoulder. “You seem a lot less confident than usual. Is everything alright?”

  “I just feel so stupid,” she told him. “Faced with something like this. It’s so old and magnificent. How could I not have known about this place? I don’t know anything about the water, after all. Who am I to act like I run things? Who am I to collect taxes and make all these big decisions? I don’t command the water. I don’t own all of it. I’m so insignificant. I’m nothing.”

  “Aazuria, what’s wrong with you?” He gave her shoulder a little shake to try to reset her to default. When she did not seem to notice, he frowned. “We all love you. Your people want you in charge—we need you. You’re not a controlling tyrant. You’re not doi
ng anything wrong.”

  “I feel like I’ve done everything wrong,” she said softly.

  The submarine came to a stop at the entrance to Leviathan’s stone castle. Immediately, thousands of sea-dweller guards began to swim out of the castle. Aazuria’s eyes widened. There were so many men that she was reminded of bees swarming out of a hive due to a threat. It did not help that the armor worn by the men was black and yellow. The warriors were all well-geared, and toting advanced modern weaponry.

  “At least they seem friendly?” Aazuria said, turning to her cousin for reassurance.

  “I can’t really tell what’s going on under those hornet-helmets,” Naclana said with a shudder. He cleared his throat and smoothed his jacket. “At least you’re secure inside this sub. I’ll go out and announce your presence, and if something happens to me, you can still get away safely.” He turned to the helmsman and captain. “Have your men be ready for anything, Captain Jove.”

  “Yes, sir,” said the submarine driver. “We are always prepared.”

  “Naclana, are you sure?” Aazuria asked. “Anything could happen. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Naclana said as he approached the airlock. He gave her one last suspicious look. “Do you want to tell me what’s bothering you quickly, before I risk my skin, or should I throw myself into the beehive?”

  “Go ahead and announce me,” she told him with a sad smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll get myself together before I have to meet with Leviathan. I’m only overwhelmed by the scope of the water—not by the scope of the man.”

  “Of course not. My cousin doesn’t get overwhelmed by mere mortal men!” Naclana declared, clapping her on the back.

  “Don’t I?” she asked, with a grimace.

  He looked at her with worry. “It’s Trevain, isn’t it? What did he do this time?”

  “We’re sitting at Leviathan’s front door, Naclana. Let’s focus on the mission before you pick apart my brain. Besides, that’s Dylan’s job.” She nudged him gently, sending him into the airlock. “Go! We’ll talk later.”