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“I gave her the keys to the kingdom that belonged to her.” My voice was firm. I wanted everyone to know the kingdom belonged to her by birthright.
“Semantics. Who gave who what is not really that big of a deal to me. What is a big deal is that my brother has a wife! A wife who single-handedly stole the heart of every Atlantean in the span of a day. Her fans couldn’t wait to see her again, which is why there’s an enormous feast in the dining hall prepared by the women of the city. Come or don’t, it is your choice.” Wiggling her fingers in goodbye to the both of us, Kosta sashayed her way from the room, fins streaming around her.
I thought that my heart would burst with pride. Food was a precious resource in Atlantis. We risked our lives to hunt for meat and to gather food from the wilds of the ocean. We had more gold, crystals, and precious stones than we would ever be able to use. Food was much harder to come by, and that made it our most valuable resource.
It was a rare occasion for an Atlantean to feed anyone outside of their immediate family. Royal balls were the only time there were large feasts, and those parties were few and far between.
The fact that our people wanted to share their food, to provide for their queen, was the ultimate honor. This was their way of showing their acceptance of her as their ruler, and I wasn’t going to miss it for the world.
“When Kosta said all the Atlantean women had cooked for me, she didn’t actually mean all, right?” Zosi’s voice squeaked at the end.
Sitting up quickly, I stared at her as comprehension slowly dawned on me. She was afraid. I laughed. Not a little chuckle, but a full-blown belly roar. I laughed until my side ached and tears leaked from my eyes.
“Is my big, tough warrior scared of something?” I teased, using a voice reserved for cute pufferfish and small mer-babies.
Zosi narrowed her eyes at me, her mouth thinning into a narrow line.
“Oh! She is afraid! My beautiful bride is afraid of a party.” There was no way I was going to let her live this down—not anytime in the foreseeable future.
Trying to look fierce, Zosime scowled but ended up laughing as well. She launched herself at me, and I caught her with ease. With a quick thrust of my tail, we surged off the bed and up toward the cathedral ceiling of the royal bedroom.
Holding her against me, I swirled and spun, dancing to the rhythm of the sea and savoring the feel of her body moving in tandem with mine. This was one of those memories that I would remember for the rest of my life; a perfect moment frozen in time.
“Are you ready for breakfast, Maridákia?” I placed kisses up her neck, wanting nothing more than to spend the day in bed exploring every inch of her body. Perhaps after breakfast, we could return to our bedroom and share a lazy day together.
I didn’t mind sharing my mate with the other men, but I also wouldn’t mind having a day with her, all to myself. The men were due to arrive back before evening, so if I hurried, I would have several more hours alone with Zosi.
“Do we have to go to breakfast?” my little temptress whispered, her hands trailing to places that were eager for attention.
I needed her to understand the full importance and symbolic meaning of this gesture from the people of Atlantis and how strong their desire to spend more time with her truly was.
Concentrating hard and ignoring my body’s demands, I explained our customs to her. Once she grasped the situation, her chin lifted, and she pushed back her shoulders. One would think she was going to war instead of to a feast in her honor. Regardless, she was ready to face the room full of spectators.
Grabbing a comb from the nightstand, she quickly brushed through her long dark hair, braiding it in a single thick plait that traveled the length of her back.
“Come, my love. If I must do this, then you must be at my side for support.” Her voice was powerful, not a tremble or sign of nerves to be heard.
Linking her arm through mine, she lugged me down the corridor toward the great dining hall. The swim wasn’t long, and soon, we were taking in the sight of the brightly-lit breakfast feast.
We entered the long dining hall. Bouquets of brilliantly colored corals and anemones decorated the table. They were living works of art. Shattered pieces of the Atlantean stone, what humans now called Orpati, sat in vases around the room, casting it in a beautiful blue light. Fish of all different hues darted around the room, keeping the mer-children busy as they chased the fish away from the food. Crimson and violet crabs dotted the golden columns, the small pests providing yet one more splash of vibrant color to the grand room. I tried to imagine the room before it sank to the bottom of the sea, but in my mind, nothing could have been as beautifully alive as the room spread out in front of me.
The moment we swam out of the shadows of the hallway, everyone in the room froze, their eyes locked on us. The sounds of clinking pottery, clattering silverware, and excited chatter ceased. It was so quiet I was pretty sure I heard the crab nearest me release a tiny fart. We had long given up trying to keep them out of the castle, and now we just looked at them as brightly colored and often amusing decor.
I cleared my throat, prepared to announce Her Majesty’s arrival. Zosi’s sweet, husky voice cut me off, “There is no need for long introductions. You know who I am, and I have met many of you. Yesterday, you invited me into your homes and allowed me to enjoy time with your families. Today, I’m happy to have you visit my home. I want to thank every one of you for the warmth you have shown me since my arrival in Atlantis. I hope I will be the type of queen my mother was, for that is the queen you all deserve.”
A broad grin spread across her face. Clapping her hands, she shouted, “Now, let’s eat this bountiful feast!”
There was enough food to feed the entire Ancient army of Atlantis. I ate until I felt sick, and I talked until my throat was sore. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched as my queen flitted from one guest to the other, gracefully moving up and down the long table that ran the length of the dining hall.
Zosime made sure that every guest knew we appreciated them and that she was happy to see them. It surprised me to find that she remembered every name and insignificant detail about each person’s family.
If I had any doubts about her abilities or her place as Queen of Atlantis, watching her now would’ve squashed them all. Atlantis was beyond lucky to have Zosime returned to the city where she belonged.
I just needed to be patient. Right now, I had to share her with the people of Atlantis. However, if things went my way, I would have her to myself for at least a few brief hours. I smiled as I thought about everything I intended to do to her.
Smiling and waving goodbye, we finally made our escape. After swimming out of earshot and into the darkened hallways, I allowed my shoulders to relax. “That was the longest breakfast I have ever attended!” I was so full I wasn’t sure I could swim.
“That was breakfast, brunch, and lunch,” Zeno grumbled.
