AllFreeNovel
Share Us
1
Annabelle
There’s yelling coming from down the hall, the docking auditorium, and each step on the marble floor clicks. Acid rages in my veins, burning in the back of my throat. I don’t want to go back to the ship or the docking auditorium. I quickly glance over my shoulder at where I left Nico. Pulled away from me for bringing me here. For mating me. The hallway is empty, of course. The guards took him through the other door. There’s only one way to go, toward the commotion. Around the corner, Castor stands in front of the closed door. His golden brocade suit makes him appear royal.
“Annabelle. Come.” He reaches his hand out to me.
I swallow hard against my tight throat. But I give him my hand, and he places his over the top of mine. The noise swells in the room, and I swear I hear someone say my name.
“They don’t deserve your attention. Pay no heed. Nico should have been more forthright about his arrest.”
It wasn’t a question, but I nod my head anyway.
“Right, well, I’ll smack him around a bit when I see him. Remind him that a mated male doesn’t leave his mermaid out, big things like that. That’s not how pods behave.”
“I don’t have a pod.” I’m keeping the tears at bay. I’ve had lots of practice. Nothing got my uncle going more than seeing tears on any of us.
“Two people are the start of a pod.” He pats my hand and, with his other, opens the massive door. “Don’t look at any of them.” With a straight back, he guides us into the room.
“Where are you taking me?” I whisper. The crowd has thinned out, but there are plenty still standing around talking, holding goblets of a clear liquid.
“To my mother’s apartment. But first I’m taking you to the main Glyden Dome. It’s something you really have to see.” He gives my hand a squeeze and opens the door.
I crane my head around the room. “Holter,” I whisper to Castor.
“He’s on a mission to find Alder. It’s weird he didn’t show up,” Castor whispers and maneuvers us through the room.
As hard as I try not to look at the surrounding crowd, it’s hard not to. They’re staring. Did they know I had to come back through this door? Even thinned, there’s still a massive amount of people, both on the upper level and in the area around the golden pathway. They have champagne flutes in hand, and there are servers roaming the hall with trays of food. None of the food is recognizable to me. The weight of everything during the ceremony kept me from looking around at my surroundings. This room is larger than a hockey arena, beyond huge.
Three tiers, and each section has a different color scheme to match the domes. The colors are consistent with the stripes on the crewmen’s uniforms. But the seats are empty now. A few are still gathered at the edge of the balcony. Over and over again, a woman is surrounded by lots of guys. The railings shine with gold. The whole room is over the top, including several massive chandeliers. I’m gawking, I know it, and Castor gives me a hurry-up nod.
“Castor.” A man dressed in head-to-toe gray steps in front of him.
“Robertos.” Castor inclines his head and then steps us around the male.
“Drakos. I’m going to need to talk to you.”
“I understand.” Castor stops. “I would like to take Nico’s mate to my mother’s apartment. She’s going to be under her care.”
“And not your care?” Robertos’s eyebrows dart up.
Castor makes a noise in his throat. “That’s what I said. Nico is my best friend, and Annabelle is his mate. I’m taking her to the main Drakos penthouse. She’ll stay in my sister Kai’s old suite until Nico and her get a pod apartment of their own.” He turns to go.
“After Kai, she’s now the highest-ranking female in the dome. And as far as Arabel—”
Castor cuts Robertos off. “Annabelle.”
“As far as Nico’s mate goes, she’s going to need a new pod. There are lots of eligible mermen in Permula who would love to make a new pod with her. You would be able to watch her closely. With a newfound alliance between Glyden and Permula, my son could bridge the gap. And my daughter could help you in your bid to be king.”
I want him to tell the guy to take his daughter and shove her where the sun doesn’t shine. But Castor makes that noise again and nods, his face devoid of emotion. “We need to go.” I’m not sure who he’s telling it to, Robertos or me. Either way, his hand is on my arm again, and we move out at a more reasonable pace.
We’re heading for the back wall but not before I catch the eye of Ophelia, Castor’s mother. She smiles, and I try to take it as a good sign.
The room is as deep as it is long, and as the clear glass window of the docking platform reflects back the massiveCentauri, the far wall has to be at least two hundred yards or more. One hundred and seventeen smoots—gad, I’m a geek. Better to occupy my brain with odd measurement conversions than picking my nails. It’s strange to feel like I’m suffocating in a space bigger than a stadium. I’m gripping Castor’s jacket so hard I know I’m making it wrinkle, but I can’t help it. My nails are sinking into the fabric. I want to go back there and tell Robertos what I think of him and his children. But my comebacks always come too late.
A server with bright blue eyes darts to Castor’s side. “Kelp wine for you, Mr. Drakos?” She flashes her eyes over me. “Arabel Portsmouth.”
“It’s Annabelle. And now we are leaving,” Castor growls at the server.
