Diomere's Exile

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

Nadia opened her mouth and sang a musical, high-pitched song in a series of short, joy-filled notes and turned as Geeta and Jon responded, both in their own Mer forms.

Geeta dove under the water, then jumped up in an elegant arc, a radiant smile lighting her face, her skin now the same milky gray-green as Nadia’s. As she arced through the air, sunlight reflected off the green and gray scales that swirled across the lower half of her body. Nadia smiled, happy to see her friend so energetic. Geeta surfaced after her dive, the gill slits on either side of her neck and ribs fluttering, her eyes shining.

“So beautiful,” Jon whispered.

Geeta’s full lips lifted in a small, secretive smile. “As are you, husband.”

Nadia glanced back to see Jon staring, eyes hungry. She was still amazed that the heartbond had changed Jon into one of her people. The blue and gray of his scales were a dramatic contrast to his dark skin.

Swallowing past the lump in her throat as the couple got lost in each other, she dove into the lake, its crystal-clear depths embracing her like a lover. She cut through the water propelled by the back and forth thrusts of her powerful tail, a transparent third eyelid snapping protectively over each eye. Opening her mouth, she sucked in water which rushed down her throat and out of the gills in her neck and ribs. She zipped through the water faster than a marlin, darting between the separate shafts of sunlight. Surging toward the surface, she jumped out of the water and back in a graceful dive, her arms stretched above her head.

She surfaced as Jon and Geeta swam past, locked in each other’s embrace. Her euphoria dimmed. She’d give anything to have someone to share this part of her life with. She couldn’t help but remember Lord Cyrene and his insistence that she allow him to escort her home. She ignored the soft ache surrounding her heart. No a’mi-fearing Thunoan would ever accept the heartbond of the sacred union or her true self. A quiet voice, deep in her heart, insisted Gregor was different.

Seeking to distract herself from her useless musings, she grabbed the rope from their messy pile of clothing and moved toward the river that disappeared into a dark tunnel across the lake. It made sense that the Gate Keeper of the water element would have a way to get to the sea. The alternate escape route could be very useful as long as their ability to call their Mer form didn’t desert them again.

Why had they lost the ability in the first place? How could they keep it from happening again? Frustration tightened her stomach. Geeta had been hit by it the hardest. Nadia and Jon had watched helplessly as Geeta lost the ability to call her Mer form followed by her healing abilities. Jon had also lost the ability to change forms, but not having been born with the ability, he hadn’t seemed to suffer the same loss of self. Geeta, by comparison, seemed to lose a little more of her zest for life. First her robust laugh, then her ready smile, until she’d appeared a mere shell of the vivacious person she’d always been.

What had the gate done? Was it the presence of a’mi? Her palm burned. She glanced down and realized she’d been squeezing the rope so hard that the rough material had cut into her hands. Easing her grip, she tied the rope together and looped it around a stalagmite protruding from the cave floor near the river tunnel opening. Jon and Geeta, both flushed and bright eyed, surfaced beside her. Their delicate nose slits fluttered wide open.

“If you’re done pawing at each other, I’d like to investigate this tunnel,” she said, voice dry.

Geeta gave her a knowing smile. “Loving, not pawing. Don’t be jealous.”

Nadia rolled her eyes, though a small part of her did envy her friends their bond. “Take the rope as far as it’ll reach, then try to swim back against the current. If it isn’t too strong, we’ll join you and explore the entire length of the river together.”

Jon nodded as she tossed him the rope, which he tied around his waist. He gave Geeta a smoldering kiss and disappeared into the hole.

He began to speak mind to mind in the way of the Mer. “De tunnel too straight. Man-made.” After minutes of silence, he continued. “De current strong, but no difficult. Reached end of rope and still very dark.”

Thinking of the drawings on the walls between the cave with the gate and the collapsed opening, Nadia wondered if her ancestors had carved out the caves and the river exit before the closing of the gates.

“I’m on my way.”

Geeta nodded. “I’ll come, too.”

Nadia waved her toward the surface, but Geeta dove for the dark hole. “Geeta!” Nadia’s heart pounded in her chest as she followed her friend, catching her just as the current sucked them both through the hole into the underground river.

Clasping Geeta’s hand tightly, Nadia met her older cousin’s stubborn gaze. “You’re tired. I won’t risk you’re a’mi failing and returning you to your Sa’i form.”

“I’m fine.” The other woman gave Nadia a reassuring smile. “I promise.”

Nadia swallowed, fear knotting her stomach. “Fine, but stay behind me.”

Nadia swam ahead of her friend, letting the current pull them both. She trailed a hand along the smooth walls. The absolute darkness made it impossible to distinguish anything as they moved along with the current. Only her grip on Geeta’s hand kept her from losing the other woman in the wide river. Just as she was sure they must’ve accidentally passed by Jon, she plowed into his hard chest, Geeta right behind her.

Jon wrapped his arms around them both. For the first time, she was just able to separate the tunnel’s walls and the outline of her friends from the darkness. A pinprick of light marked the tunnel’s end.

Pulling away from Jon, she took the lead toward the light, picking up speed. Her heart pounded harder in her chest. She’d missed the euphoria of swimming at high speed through the water. The pinprick of light grew, lighting the tunnel. She glanced back over her shoulder to see Jon and Geeta holding hands behind her, wide smiles stretched across their faces. Nadia turned and lashed her tail harder, increasing her speed. Just as they were approaching the tunnel’s seaweed draped exit, Geeta’s panicked voice broke into Nadia’s thoughts.

“Nadia!”

Nadia looked back to see Jon and Geeta far behind her, Jon’s legs kicking while Geeta pulled him frantically toward the light.

Nadia whipped around and raced toward him. “The surface. Go! I can’t help you both if you revert to your Sa’i form, too.”

Geeta shot Jon an agonized look, then turned and raced for the end of the tunnel. Nadia looped Jon’s arms around her neck and signaled for him to hold on. He nodded, his face strained with the need to breathe. She turned and raced with every ounce of strength in her tail. Finally, they burst through the river’s exit into the Saimond Sea. Jon’s arms tightened around her neck, nearly choking her, then his arms loosened as he lost conscious. She clutched his arms to keep him from sliding off her back. Nadia’s heart jumped in her chest as she caught his hands and surged toward the surface. As soon as her head broke the water, she pulled Jon’s limp body in front of her, wrapped her arms around his wide chest and yanked her fists up to force the water from his lungs.

“Jon,” Geeta wailed behind her.

Nadia turned him to face her and pinched his nose to breath air into his lungs, then moved behind him to squeeze her fists against his chest again.

“Come on, Jon. Wake up, honey,” Geeta cried, placing her hands against his chest

Nadia knew if she touched Geeta’s hands they’d be hot, her healing a’mi moving into the big man’s chest. Jon began to choke as water spewed from his blue lips. Tears poured down Geeta’s cheeks as she helped hold her heartbonded while he coughed. Keeping her arms wrapped around his chest from behind, Nadia leaned her head against his shoulder, letting her heartbeat slow. Once her breathing had returned to normal, she turned her head to study their surroundings. The coast of Thuno stretched out behind them, dotted with cliffs and dirty beaches. She could see the Port of Volos in the distance. She smiled. They couldn’t have asked for a better emergency escape route.