Page 53 of Unmoored

The cave did not crumble, but when Commander Adri was satisfied with the destruction, he turned back to us and nodded, and we began the journey back to the Talassian Capital.

37

DRAYA

Upon our return, Cordelia and her team whisked Prince Inaki away while the rest of us headed to the Queen’s residence within the walls of the volcano.

The Queen was perched on the edge of her throne, the pointed look on her face betraying the anxiety riddling her body. Commander Adri took his usual place to the left of her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He looked exhausted, with dark circles under his eyes and a melancholic slouch to his fins and tail, but he kept his posture straight and his expression still.

Maki floated to my right and Hazel to my left, her unbound hair drifting aimlessly against the water. Something about her demeanor had changed in the last few weeks, and she no longer looked like the frightened, emaciated specimen I rescued off the coast of Akala. She had transformed into a beautiful, strong, Talassian woman, with determination and a sense of vitality written all over her face.

Pulling my attention back to the present, I could have cut through the tension in the room with a knife. I worried about the conversation ahead, but I mirrored Commander Adri by placing a hand on Hazel’s shoulder. She had given so much for our Prince and our people, and my jaw clenched at the thought of the Queen dismissing her loyalty.

“I must extend my utmost gratitude to all of you for bringing my son home,” The Queen said grimly. “I understand the journey was not easy.”

“It’s our pleasure, Your Honor,” Maki announced, “With the help of Cordelia and her team, we believe he will make a full recovery.”

“One can only hope,” she said, turning to face Hazel. “Miss Emerson, thank you for your assistance.”

Hazel bowed her head slightly, acknowledging the statement without a response. I couldn’t blame her for not speaking, as the Queen hadn’t exactly been kind or welcoming to her.

“And,” The Queen started again, “I must apologize. While I’m sure you understand why I wasn’t fully trusting when you arrived, you’ve proven your ancestry and your allegiance to the Talassi. You’re welcome to make yourself at home here, and I’d like to offer you full Talassian citizenship should you decide to stay.”

Hazel’s eyes snapped to mine for a second. “Thank you, Your Majesty,” she said, her body tensing up as her gaze leveled with the Queen’s. “I’ll need some time to think about it, as my circumstances have changed drastically since I was brought to your city.”

“Take whatever time you need,” The Queen said, thenturned to me. “And thank you, Draya, for not leaving Miss Emerson to die when you first found her years ago.”

I nodded, waiting until her attention moved elsewhere before letting my mind wander. Finding Hazel had changed my life drastically, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t incredibly happy about it. She provided the intel needed for us to find Prince Inaki, a mission we had been working on since before I was old enough to become a Talassian Warrior, and in the process she’d proved herself to be a formidable friend.

Though calling her a friend made my mouth taste bitter. She was far more than a friend to me. I’d never felt this way about anyone, and knowing she could choose to return to her previous life as a human hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I wanted to keep her here, to bring her to my cottage and build a dry wing where she could live in peace. When she grew sick of being underwater, I’d bring her to the surface and watch her thrive under golden rays of sunlight and dance across moonlit beaches. I’d even accompany her to the human coastal towns and cities if she wanted.

The dream of our lovely future together hit me like a raging current – I wanted this womanforever. There was no doubt in my mind that she was the only one on this planet that I’d desire this deeply. I wanted to mate her, to make her my partner in life and in death, to bond myself to her for the rest of our days.

We were eventually dismissed from The Queen’s presence, and the daydream continued playing in my head as I escorted Hazel to her chambers.

The moment we stepped into her room, her grip on myhand fell away. Gone was the stoic, unyielding force who stood her ground against her spineless father. In her place was a detached, hollow shell of a woman, eyes lined with silent tears as her gaze trailed over the floor before us. As soon as the door clicked shut, she collapsed into my arms. She trembled against my chest, and my hand found its way to the back of her head, stroking her hair as we stood in a desperate embrace. After a moment, I gathered her body and moved us towards her hanging bed.

“No!” She immediately tensed up. “We are kind of… filthy! Can we please wash up before getting into bed?”

I couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh, wrapping her legs around my waist as I moved us into the washroom. We quickly undressed, and I warmed the water to the steaming temperature I knew she liked before lowering us into the bath. I kissed her forehead, then allowed myself to shift back into my full Talassi form, my tail engulfing the outer perimeter of the pool.

“Are you well?” I asked, lounging against the step in the side of the pool and adjusting Hazel so she was straddling my hips and tail. My eyes searched her face, trying to find any sign of pain or discomfort.

“I am,” she said, kissing me gently before nestling her head against my shoulder. “I have quite a lot to think about.”

Her distress bothered me, but I hadn’t the slightest clue how to help her. In truth, I wanted to be selfish and tuck her away in my cottage forever. No part of me wanted to let her go back to the human world, but she had to know that she wasn’t bound to the Talassi. Not by her bloodline, nor the Queen’s offer of citizenship.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” I offered, the words burning like acid as they crawled out of my throat.

She said nothing for a moment, the soft weight of her body nestled against mine soothing some aching part of my soul. I wrapped my arms around her, lightly caressing her skin with the tips of my claws in the way I knew she enjoyed.

“I could take you back to England,” I said. “Not Whitethorn Bay, unless you wanted that. I could bring you to London, and help you start a life in the city. You might like New York, too, if you want something more. Or the coast of Maine, though the landscape may feel too similar to Akala.” I didn’t know why I was offering all of these things. She belonged here with me, I knew it in my soul.

“I don’t know what I want to do, if I’m being honest,” she sighed, wrapping her arms tighter around my torso.

“And that’s all right,” I replied, sensing the unease in her voice.