Ocean Depths: A Time

By C. L. Sherman

While Callista Sunders recovers in a hospital room from an unexpected accident, hopelessness fills the crack in her heart and only love can repair the fissure. Love is something she never thought she would find outside of her Grandma Anne, her mother, and her twin brotheruntil she met Lord Triton. But now he is missing and Callista fears the worst. All she has is his sigil that she wears around her neck and the hope that one day they will be reunited.
Callista never thought shed be spending her eighteenth birthday in the hospital, but when she receives Tritons journal as a gift, everything changes. While studying it with Grandma Anne, Callista finds a spell designed for time travel. Anne, along with her coven attempt to send Callista back in time to the island they know as Pitcairn. If it works and she survives, Callista will know Triton, but to him, she will be a complete stranger.
In this continuing tale, a young woman must use her special abilities and a time travel spell to find Triton, a merman deity who needs her help, and she, his.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Jan 17, 2017
• ISBN: 9781532012679

C. L. Sherman

C. L. Sherman enjoys San Diego beaches, swimming, her animal friends, gardening, creating art, playing piano, guitar, and writing fiction. She currently lives in Sonoita, Arizona. Ocean Depths A Time is her second book in the series.

Book preview

OCEAN

DEPTHS

A TIME

A Novel by C. L. Sherman

Illustrations by C. L. Sherman

Book Two in the Ocean Depths Series

My soul is full of longing for the secrets of the sea, and the heart of the great ocean sends a thrilling pulse through me.

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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OCEAN DEPTHS

A TIME

Copyright © 2017 C. L. Sherman.

[e-mail]

520.904.4393

9 Smith Creek Ln, Sonoita AZ, 85637

C. L. Sherman is the Illustrator of the Front Cover Watercolor

C. L. Sherman is the Illustrator of five Interior Captioned Watercolors

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

iUniverse

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-5320-1268-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-1269-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-1267-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016920589

iUniverse rev. date: 01/17/2017

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

TIME

PROLOGUE

1 TRITON AND CANDICE’S CODE

2 DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES

3 THE MOON AND THE SUN

4 DAY AND NIGHT

5 WITCHES CIRCLE

6 COMPLETELY NORMAL

7 HOLD MY HEART

8 SPELL WORKING

9 THEIR SECRET

10 TOGETHER

11 ASTRAL MERMAID

12 HER EYES

13 CALLISTA’S BRUSH

14 IT’S TETHYS

15 ENDLESS LOVE STORY

16 LOVE WILL SAIL

17 BLUE WHALE TEARS

18 YOUNG TRITON

19 JUNE GLOOM

20 GRANDMA ANNE

21 THE RIGHT RITUAL

22 SHOP UNTIL YOU DROP

23 TIME AND SPACE

24 TAPPING

25 DISCOVERY

26 HIDDEN CAVERN

27 SUMMER STORM

28 BROKEN GOD

29 A NEW DAY

30 DECISIONS

31 THE LAKE

32 WALKING STICK

33 MORE SECRETS

34 WHEN SHIPS SAIL

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to my family for cheering me on; Jason, Felicia, Sarah, David, Paul, Josephine, Ann, Beth, Rachel and Ian. You’re the greatest! Antonio, Kevin, Chelsea, Lois, and Nicholas, thanks. I’m glad you’re a part of this. To the youngest members of our family, Wesley, Betty Jean, Aiden, and Tamsin, one day you’ll be able to read!

Thanks to Sandra Bredeson of La Mesa CA, the talented photographer who took my picture that’s on the cover of this book series and on my web page, (cherlynnsherman.com/wp/).

Cheers!

Thanks to Linda Beagle, Windy Matthies and Toni McGowan and the many others that encouraged me to write. Thanks to my publisher for all their work on book two!

Book one, Ocean Depths A Darkness, won the 2016 Beverly Hills Book Award Finalist for YA Fiction, the 2016 Mom’s Choice Award Silver for YA Fiction, and the 2016 Pinnacle Award YA Fiction. These awards mean much to me and I really appreciate them, thanks!

Every word of Callista and Triton’s story is an adventure of the imagination, heart and spirit. I’m honored to be the one to tell it.

C. L. Sherman

TIME

What awoke me, I had no clue as I stared into the dark with a feeling of dreadful doom.

The fog off the ocean added to the gloom, as it billowed into this cavernous room.

A cold shiver ran down my quivering spine and all hope and courage that was mine,

Fled. And I was alone, no one would save me. Abandoned, again I was on my own.

In that moment when I couldn’t move or run from my dark, nameless, faceless fear,

I saw him! The Grim Reaper was here, grinning and gazing at me as if we were old friends!

NO! We were foes, he and I. He plundered and killed those I loved. They were mine!

How dare he take them before their time as if they were something on which to dine!

Determined to survive within this hour and not give him one more life to overpower,

Mythical magick had to come from my ancestors one by one to open this stubborn door!

Would it unlock and I push through? When all was said and done, it was what I had to do.

Still, if all else failed and was utterly lost, was Time the key my beating heart sought?

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PROLOGUE

DIFFERENT CREATURES

C andid’s senses were intent on nine-year-old Sara who loved to be out on her own in the vastness of the ocean. Candid was mid thigh in the water, ready to swim out to Sara although the salty sea was dangerous for her as a fresh water nymph. Seeing Sara out there slicing under the waves, and then resurfacing over and over to breathe in a big gulp of sea laced air sent Candid’s heart racing. Sara was like her feisty mother, Clara who was very capable, and independent.

Sara was an important link in Callista’s ancestry. Triton and Candid were keeping Sara safe and making her life was as normal as possible after her mother’s unjust imprisonment. One township over, the superstitious clergy were frightened of Clara’s herbal remedies that healed the farming families and their livestock time and again. The Priest in the village Clara lived near had often visited with her, thanking the Blessed Madonna for Clara’s abilities saying they were a godsend.

Triton and Candid worked at keeping their little family out of the limelight, but with handsome Triton being Sara’s uncle that was nearly impossible. She looked very much like him, having many of his and King Poseidon’s mannerisms, except that her long shiny hair was a coppery brunette just like her beautiful mother’s. Clara thanked the gods everyday that Sara didn’t look like Proteus. Her mother was very proud of her and missed her greatly. From her lonely prison cell, Clara wrote daily in a journal that was mailed once a month to Sara.

Sara did spells that raised the hair on the back of Candid’s neck, the power behind them revealing her water witch ancestry. But to Sara it was a natural thing, like breathing. Triton and Candid never told her she’d grow to be a powerful sea witch. What they did say was that what she sent out, would always come back to her, and it was keeping score.

Sara would giggle and say, How come you know that?

Triton would whisper tenderly, We cannot see love but we know it is there.

They would look at each other and say in unison, Some of the best things like love and magick we cannot see!

Sara and Triton took many walks alone, always holding hands and he would speak of secret things with her. She would laugh, but sometimes she’d cry as he updated her as to when Clara would be freed, it being a matter of politics and not justice. Sara’s tender tears would embarrass her, but Triton would hug her fiercely, wanting to sooth her broken heart. She would kiss his cheek and he would lift her on his shoulders as he strode purposely along. His long strides covered much ground while she pretended she was riding a dolphin in the ocean depths.

Their relationship was like Triton’s had been many years previous with young Nehalennia. He had been commanded by his parents, King Poseidon and Queen Amphitrite to step in like a big brother, making her life that much brighter when they were merchildren.

Sara and Triton never shared what they actually said to each other with Candid but she knew Sara would always be the better for it. Sara learned how to shield her heart and mind from any intrusion, even Triton’s. He taught her well and was very proud of her. He never hid the harsh realities of life from her but provided her with ways to cope and even succeed in the midst of them.

Being telepathic was natural for her when the three of them were out in public. Sara would carry on conversations inside Triton and Candid’s minds while humans were talking out loud all around them in the marketplace. None of the people smiling at pretty Sara knew of her telepathic abilities as she asked Triton all kinds of questions about each person they were conversing with when conducting business. Sara enjoyed the roles she, Triton and Candid played within human society. Sara was the star on the stage of her own making. Her audience was the vast unsuspecting humans she lived among.

To her, the world was a place of magick. The complexity of gods and goddesses, changelings, mer, fresh water and sea nymphs, selkies and humans, were the norm. Sara understood that not all who were living and loving on Mother Gaea were enlightened as to the existence of the others. It was not polite to talk about that publically because some might be embarrassed or fearful. She came up with the idea that everyone was like a herd of differing grazing beasts out on the African Savanna. Understandably they couldn’t communicate with each other so she’d say sweetly, We must be silent and smile because we do not want to seem rude or haughty among our acquaintances.

Candid would smile because Sara’s philosophical reasonings sounded much like Triton’s. Even her lovely accent reminded Candid of his. Not only did Triton have a hand in her education but so did Candid, teaching Sara all she knew about the sea, rivers, lakes, lands and human culture beside their own. After all, Sara needed a well-rounded education and must appear ordinary to the humans they were living among.

As for magick, Candid the fresh water nymph and changeling, Sara a partial mermaid and human, and Triton a merman and changeling were a coven of three. They worked spells on the Esbats and celebrated the Sabbats. Triton’s magick came from a male and god standpoint, giving their family coven an eclectic twist. Sara soaked up everything like a sponge. As she practiced her variety of magick, her abilities were very original and potent, of that there was no doubt.

Triton shared with Candid about Callista Ann, Sara’s future relative that had come back in time before Sara was born. Callista met Triton far in his future when he saved her from certain death. Triton always smiled as he recalled their adventures together in his past and Candid knew he silently looked forward to finding her again someday. Candid suspected the future sea witch, Callista Ann would have been very proud of Sara if she could have seen her as she sent out her intent into the ethereal with each full moon Esbat and danced with abandon during the Sabbats.

One day after her studies, Sara asked Triton how to be happy while the three of them were taking a walk along the beach. Triton told her to find her own bliss, not someone else’s and that her heart would tell her what that was. Then she was to invite others to do the same for the betterment of all. She asked him why she should share that, and he said, The magick of acceptance, harming none, and the freedom to find our own bliss is good for all, not just for some.

She nodded and smiled sweetly because it was true.

1 TRITON AND CANDICE’S CODE

I tried to see through the oily blackness, but there wasn’t any light source, just a bleak colorless nothingness. It was so dark in fact that I had no idea which way was up or down. Panic filled me as I tumbled in what felt like angry waves that wouldn’t allow me to surface and take a gulp of life-giving air.

Wondering if I should stop struggling, I heard my dad say within my mind, Callista, KICK, don’t give up my dolphin twin! Why was he talking telepathically to me? Swimming frantically to where I hoped the surface was, I sensed around me, but the vast pool of black water appeared to be everywhere. The more I struggled in the cumbersome water, the more my body felt leaden to me as if I was made of wood.

Exhaustion took over. I floundered, my limbs no longer having the strength to swim. I felt relief that the struggle was over, but at the same time, I was disappointed for failing to save myself. I realized that my life as Callista Ann Sunders was finally over.

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Callista! Can you hear me?

What? But I’d just drowned!

Triton needs you!

Triton needs me, why? How could I help him as a ghost?

I fought to see who was talking to me while the weirdly heavy water pressed in on me from all sides. Not knowing what to do, I pushed back against it again. Fighting to find the surface, I caught a glimpse of red flame. I couldn’t believe it, I was almost to the surface of the writhing water! It wasn’t a flame, but red colored hair framing a beautiful face!

I yelled above the sound of the loud surf that was pounding on some unknown shore, Nehalennia?

She smiled as she brushed her long curly red hair while sitting on a large rock outcropping. The ocean sent sea spray against it and submerged her mertail every so often. While watching her, I realized I was now floating on the rocking ocean, and quite comfortable, how odd!

Glancing in her mirror as it rested on her merlap, she whispered, Well?

I didn’t know what to say so I focused on her mind and said, Your hair is beautiful?

She turned and smirked at me, No! When are you going to wake up, stand up on your sea witches legs, use your magick and save them?

"Wake up? Save them, who is them?"

Right then I noticed sunlight shimmering on my merscales while I floated on the water. Was I a mermaid?

She rolled her eyes and shook her head as if I was clueless.

At that moment the sun flared so brightly that it washed out my view of Nehalennia on the rock. I closed my eyes from its glare as it tried to pierce my eyelids. I covered them with my arm and yelled within Nehalennia’s mind, Lennia, I don’t understand!

As I waited for her to answer, I heard, Darling?

What? Why was Grandma Anne out here? Her soft voice was right next to my ear! I shook my head back and forth under my arm as I focused on her mind and whispered frantically, How can you be here? Are you a mermaid too?

Gently rubbing my arm that was over my face, I heard, Sweetie, it’s alright! I’ve just pushed the call button.

Moving my arm, I worked at opening my heavy eyelids. Grandma Anne’s bright green eyes met mine, and the obnoxious sunlight was gone. Defused light haloed her face. The faint laugh lines that framed her mouth, plus her cheery dimples made her already familiar face even more dear.

She smiled lovingly and whispered, Callista dear I’m so glad you’re awake.

Looking around me, I saw that Grandma Anne and I were in a room and not on the ocean at all. How we got here, I had no idea as I wondered where Nehalennia had gone. The smell of Grandma Anne’s rose perfume gently hovered about us as her aura wrapped around me protectively. When Grandma Anne moved, my eyes caught a glint of light that bounced off the metal around an overhead light fixture. It seemed to stare down like a cloudy cataract covered Cyclops’ eye. I could just imagine how bright it must be.

Soft beeping sounds flowed around the room as I noticed the pale painted walls around my bed. A clock ticked its way into my consciousness as Grandma Anne whispered, How do you feel Sweetie?

I blinked, trying to figure out how I felt. I had no idea, none whatsoever.

Candice has been taking good care of you, and you’re doing much better after your blood transfusion, Grandma Anne straightened the mound of several pillows between her and me that were supporting my body in a semi-seated position.

What blood transfusion? Who was caring for me? Did she say, Candice? But wasn’t she Tad’s girlfriend? No, that couldn’t be her. I scrunched my face becoming aware of the many voices with their incessant chatter outside this room that were getting louder, and in fact, intrusive. I shivered, feeling a shard of cold flash through me. I reached for the pile of thin blankets that pooled around my waist and pulled them higher up my hospital gown covered body. My gut twisted as panic swept over me and my eyes darted around the room frantically. I really hated hospitals!

Grandma Anne put both her hands gently on the sides of my face and said, Honey, I’m here. Keep your eyes on me. Shall I tell you about the family? Let’s see, so much has been going on. Our house is being remodeled. And Tad…

The voices outside this room became louder inside my head until they competed with Grandma Anne’s to the point where I could barely hear her. I stared at her mouth and didn’t blink as my clear lens slid over my eyes. Oh, that was better. Understanding a few of her words as I watched the shape her lips made, I groaned in frustration. Grandma Anne kept talking, moving her hands as she spoke and I saw the air move colorfully around her as if she was stirring it. Becoming more agitated as the obtrusive voices outside this room continued to assault me, I croaked out loudly, BE QUIET!

Grandma Anne dropped her hands and immediately stopped talking, shock rolling off her like steam at my confusing rudeness. Of course, the voices were oblivious to my outburst. A frustrated tear ran down my face, and I brushed it away. I shook my head, trying to let Grandma Anne know it wasn’t her I had yelled at. And still, the piercing voices shrieked inside my brain. Grandma Anne’s eyes showed her worry and hurt as she reached out and stroked my arm.

A heavy set, kindly looking black woman in a nurse’s uniform immediately opened the door and came bustling in. Were those police officers standing outside my door? How weird!

Grandma Anne stepped back from the bed as the nurse leaned over me and looked in my sensitive eyes. I stared back without blinking as the clear lid stayed securely in place. She raised her hand and held my left eye open, shining an optical light in it.

Jerking away from her, I said in a painfully hoarse voice, Don’t!

My webbed fingers fanned out between me and the optical light. I gasped, realizing I’d shown her my hands. Quickly balling them into fists, I rested my fingers under the blankets on my stomach and shut my eyes, not responding to any more stimuli as I pretended to exit the planet.

A doctor arrived and began quietly talking to the nurse. He did his examination as I continued to be stubbornly unresponsive. After they left, Grandma Anne kissed me tenderly on my cheek and whispered kindly, I love you, my darling Granddaughter.

I barely heard her words above the racket in my mind as a migraine began building across my forehead. I wanted to say back, …and I you. But the door opened and then closed with a sturdy click before I could get the words out. Grandma Anne was gone.

I groaned, slowly pulling one of the pillows over my face as if that alone could make the pain go away. In desperation I pushed the call button and another nurse quickly came in. She bent over me, moved the pillow and said something that might have been, How may I help you? At least that’s what I thought she said. Her accent sounded as if she was from India as her kind eyes searched my face.

I barely heard my own shaky voice over the barrage of voices in my head, Migraine, a ten.

She nodded and left. I closed my eyes while groaning softly, once again hiding my face under the pillow. After several minutes, I heard footsteps and wheels squeaking against the highly polished floor in spite of the voices in my head. I moved the pillow and opened my eyes to a smiling male nurse that looked like he should be modeling scrubs instead of medicating me.

He went to the side of the room and pulled a stand for bags of fluids next to my bed. As he reached for my wrist, I grimaced. He took a kit from the cart, and I turned away knowing an intravenous feed was going under my skin. When he’d taped over the newly speared area in my wrist, he reached for my other hand, just great. That’s when I noticed the other bag on the metal stand. Super, I closed my eyes. When he was done, he said something in his deep baritone voice, but I couldn’t make it out. I nodded and tried to smile.

He left and soon I began to feel enjoyably relaxed. The voices in my head became softly muddled and my painful headache eased. I closed my eyes, but the door opened again. Whoever it was, I didn’t much care by now.

A female voice whispered in my mind, I need to hook you to the EKG so we can record your vitals on the monitor. Hmm, telepathy from a nurse?

Feeling wonderfully passive, I let her do whatever she wanted as I thought, I like telepathy.

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Slowly I opened my eyes, where was I? Ugh, the hospital. Trying to sit up, I couldn’t because I was strapped to the bed rail, crap! Needing to move a strand of my hair from my face, I bent my head to my hand as I reached the extra inch or two with my long fingers and flicked at the stray hairs. It didn’t help.

I swallowed, my throat was dry, but I didn’t feel thirsty. I must be getting saline. I looked up at the pole with the bags hanging from it, and sure enough, there were three, wonderful! My eyes darted to my arms, and there was another feed in me. I sighed. Well, at least my body didn’t hurt anymore outside of the annoying tape sticking to my skin. All in all, I didn’t feel too bad.

Last time I was in a hospital, Triton had come to visit. I wondered if he was here right now. It would be wonderful see him again. In my mind’s eyes, I remembered our last night together and regretted running from the pool area. That made me sigh loudly in the dark room as I wondered if I could locate Triton.

I began cautiously sensing within the big building. Even if Triton masked himself from me, I intimately knew his blood’s scent. I’d never forget him even if he forgot me. I closed my eyes and began a fastidious search within each room. Feeling a bit guilty as I came upon intimate scenes between people, I’d rush away within my mind to another room. But it was always the same; doctors, nurses, orderlies, the living - some hopeful, some beyond sad, patients healing, others dying, and the recently dead. Still, no Triton.

As the hours passed, I sensed night within the damp, humid air and smelled its coolness. Hearing a nightingale sing outside, I also picked up on the muttering voices whose continuous cascade had never completely gone away from inside my head. By now, I’d sensed every square inch of this building, even the service closets with their cleaning chemicals, mops, buckets, and paper towels, but Triton wasn’t here. Despondency settled over me.

Hopelessness filled in the crack that went down the middle of my heart as it continued to ache. And I knew that only love could repair the fissure. But that was something I didn’t believe I’d ever find outside of my grandma, mother and twin brother. They were safe to love, at least for now.

I tried to sleep, but my mind was in a universe all its own, remaining stubbornly awake. Then it struck me; maybe I should search for Death and ask him to make me a visit. I wouldn’t have the constraint of my messed-up physical body and could find Triton easily if I died. I knew I was being selfish in the extreme, but didn’t care at the moment. Wondering where the Grim Reaper was within this building, I made my senses look for the weakening signatures of the dreadfully ill as a pathway to finding him. At times, it seemed as if he was present as a spirit lifted effortlessly from the confines of their damaged earthly home, but when I tried to get his attention, he vanished.

What I found was sad and heartbreaking, so I didn’t look in one place too long. Knowing I could sense the deceased, I had an innate fear of attracting their attention. I kept myself from dwelling on them in case they had some unresolved issues and wanted the living to help them, especially after me being Ghost Girl at Triton’s estate.

Suddenly, a voice broke into my thoughts, Callista, I’m not the Grim Reaper. But if you keep searching as you are, you may find worse than him.

My eyes shot open, and it was Tad’s Candice! Dumbfounded, I blinked several times as if she was an illusion. My mouth fell open as she smiled at me. Her curvaceous build was in scrubs, no less.

As I continued to stare at her, she cocked her head curiously. Finally I whispered hoarsely, Grandma Anne said you were taking care of me. But I didn’t think she meant you!

Her lips twitched mischievously as she said, I’m a nurse.

I wondered what accelerated program she was in as I whispered, You heard me searching for the Grim Reaper, how?

She smiled warmly at me, Callista, Lord Triton sent me here to help care for you and your family. Like him, I’m not what I seem. I’ll tell you all about it, but first, how would you like some orange juice?

I nodded while she unstrapped my tethered arms, me thinking how ordinary orange juice was. What had she said? Lord Triton? I blinked, feeling confused. Getting me the juice from the little frig in the corner, she handed it to me with a straw.

When I finished, Candice took it and murmured, I have something for you.

Reaching in her scrubs side pocket, she placed a small jeweler’s pouch on my blanket covered lap. I clumsily opened it with shaking hands. The cleansed shiny chain with Triton’s sigil on it slid into my palm.

Candice went back to the hospital door and locked it. Recognizing that habit, I smiled as I heard the lock go into place and felt comforted. I fingered the necklace, watching the light reflect off it. Hope blew through the crack in my heart.

Candice said in my mind, Here, let’s put it on you, and remember, don’t take it off. It’ll help us locate you wherever you are. You understand that Lord Triton put an important spell on it right? Besides, it calls to his blood and identifies you as a part of the Pacii clan. His family will feel it too, and immediately know you as one of their own. But it will fade out of sight if Lord Triton’s enemies are near, no matter who it is.

I focused on Candice, A part of the Pacii clan?

My eyebrows knit together, not understanding what she meant.

Candice studied me, I don’t understand Callista. If you’re wearing his sigil aren’t you aware of what it means?

Making sure my wall was up, I focused on her as I said in a faltering voice, I, um, don’t remember much. I didn’t want to admit that Triton hadn’t explained it to me because I’d run away.

She reached out and stroked my arm, Oh Callista I’m so sorry. I’ll help you in whatever way I can, but first things first!

Candice took her hand from my arm and closed her eyes as heat radiated from her. I quickly closed mine as the familiarity of what she was doing cheered me. I wondered what she’d look like when I opened my eyes.

Candice’s eyes were the color of bright copper with emerald green edges, wow! Her webbed hands, wrists, neck and face were a soft muted light green just like the color of tree frog flesh! It flashed iridescently with each of her breaths. Her skin set off her beautiful eyes. Her long, lush hair was vibrant with darker shades of green, laced with lime colored highlights. She was breathtaking even though she had two human legs, they being green like the rest of her skin.

Still, in heels and scrubs, she smiled as she focused on me, I thought you’d like my reveal. I’m a fresh water nymph and my name is Candid. Lord Triton wasn’t so sure how you’d take to all of this when the time came for you to know.

She grew quiet as the core of her body heated up. I made myself keep my eyes open, squinting as I watched her color fade back to the blue eyed blond with long legs and plenty of curves. Although she was beautiful, I missed Candid the fresh water nymph immediately.

She focused on me and said, As for Lord Triton, we don’t know where he is. He was taken.

I gasped, "What does taken mean? The letter he left me said he’d gone on family business!"

She blinked, confusion crossing her face as she replied softly, "Taken means kidnapped."

My heart felt like it thudded to an abrupt stop. I choked out, Where’s my things? The letter is in my purse on his mother’s stationery.

As Candice turned away toward the closet, my heart began racing in fear for Triton. She placed my bag on the rolling table, pushing it over my lap. As I opened it, on the top was the questionable romance novel. I shook my head at how it got there because I had no idea. I hadn’t seen it for weeks. Grandma Anne had to be the culprit. I frowned feeling sad for Triton. How could I ever read it knowing he was suffering somewhere? Candice watched me as I stuffed it under one of the pillows behind me in an effort to get it out of my way as I searched inside my purse.

After looking in the four separate pockets for the letter, I finally found it. It was in the last and deepest section, a hidden area within the material of the inner lining. The envelope was neatly folded, and that would be just like my Dad. Even though he was now in ghost form, he had carefully hidden it so I wouldn’t lose it. I took it out and handed it to Candice. She unfolded the envelope and took out the letter. There was a dried bloodied thumbprint on the edge of the vellum, and it was a big one. Candice looked at it and then held it to her nose, I watched her as she blinked, her eyes darting to me.

She whispered, It’s your blood, but the thumbprint is a man’s, and not long enough to be Triton’s.

I chewed on my lip and said in a raspy voice, Do the dead have fingerprints?

Candice stared at me. Shaking my head, I looked down at my hands in my lap. Seeing my small thumbs, and trying to get my emotions to cooperate, I failed miserably. Silvery tears fell and landed on my opened palms. My dad had left me part of him. Candice handed me the tissue box, and I pulled out two of them and began dabbing at my tears.

When I finally stopped crying Candice whispered, Are you okay?

I nodded as I thought about Triton. He hadn’t left me after all, but was in grave danger or worse. Fear worked its way around my heart, trying to get into the raw wound that went down it’s middle. My mind whispered over and over, ‘Tritons kidnapped, Tritons kidnapped, oh goddess, Tritons kidnapped!’

Watching Candice as she slowly read the letter, her brows furrowed, and I wondered how well she and Triton knew each other.

Looking puzzled, she whispered, "This could change everything if it were real. But Lord Triton would never leave you of his own accord, and I have that on good authority, his. Just think about the way he signed the end of this letter, I mean really!"

I blinked at her words. Why was she calling Triton, Lord? The tone of her voice when she spoke of him and her body language showed deference to him, reminding me a little of worship. She glanced at me, a knowing in her eyes. Yeah…she heard that and of course, my wall was down.

Whispering she said, He is you know, right?

I nodded. It had been hard enough to admit it to myself let alone hear it from Candice. The day Tad had come over to Triton’s in a rage over me not wanting to continue in this lifetime had been bad. I thought Triton had been put under a spell and wasn’t caring for me of his own free will. But in true guy fashion, all it took for Tad was a dream and a scuffle with Triton out in the bushes, and he was alright with who Triton was. Goddess, I wish it was that simple for me.

Candice gave me a small introspective smile and patted my arm reassuringly. Shaking out the letter she began to read out loud;

"Dear Callista,

I’m so very sorry for last evening…"

Candice studied me a moment and asked, Alright Callista what happened?

Feeling uneasy over having to tell her anything that private between Triton and me, I chewed at my bottom lip and looked away.

Candice shook her head and said in my mind, Fess up Callista.

I let out a slow breath and whispered, Triton revealed himself to me as a merman while we were in his indoor pool. But he had a hard time controlling his passion, fearing he’d drown me. I ran away from him to my room and barricaded the door after I locked it. Oh, Candice, I over reacted. I should have stayed just out of his reach, and then we could have talked.

Candice laughed incredulously while saying in my mind, Talk! Are you kidding me? Even in his shape-shifted form, he wouldn’t have been able to stop from making wondrous love to you with all of his merhormones still raging inside him. If you were somewhat experienced, you would have had a fabulous night of lovemaking together. But I don’t think you’re up to that yet. Can you blame him for being worried, and in his merbody, no less? Drowning of non-merpartners has happened you know! I think you did the right thing. Don’t you understand how powerful he is? All he’d have to do as a merman is breach the water high enough to nab you if you were anywhere within, oh let’s see, ten to twenty feet from the pools edge. You would’ve been an easy target for him to reach. After all, with King Poseidon as his father, what can you expect?

I blanched, unable to speak.

Candice cocked her head, sensing my fear and whispered, I’ve had some very close calls with Tad. It’s hard not revealing my true self to him when in his arms, and I’m not related to the Pacii clan! If Tad ever kissed me in a river or lake as he does on land, I might accidently end his life too.

I shut my eyes for a moment, not wanting to know this about my brother and Candice.

I heard within my mind, Callista?

I opened my eyes and frowned.

Candice continued, You’ve met his parents right? Don’t you think Queen Amphitrite is beyond beautiful and amazingly gracious? King Poseidon is very much the persona of royalty and a god. When he lets his guard down, which isn’t often, he’s charming besides being incredibly handsome. All females, no matter what their station in life stammer in his presence like fools, even the most stoic. When he speaks, females become effectively mute. Many males wish they could stop the chatter of the opposite sex just like the King. She smiled, a faraway look on her face.

What? I shook my head slowly, I didn’t…well…um…

Then I thought of the statues and paintings of King Poseidon in Triton’s home where he had always seemed stern and not one to be trifled with. It was true, his mother was beyond gorgeous.

I glanced at Candice as she frowned, Have you forgotten? No, you wouldn’t forget, there’d be far too much security, pomp, and circumstance as they made their entrance. Even if it were just a small family affair between the four of you, there would be a full group of guards looking on, within the palace walls or at the Pacii estate. You don’t shape-shift yet, so…

Shape-shift yet? I interrupted Candice and then swallowed nervously as I thought about her words. So when was that going to happen, and how would I control it? I couldn’t even control a sneeze!

Candice saw the fear on my face, rubbed my arm, her endorphins filling me as she whispered, I wouldn’t let that bother you. If you do begin to shape-shift, I’ll teach you how to control it. No worries!

Feeling panicky over the thought of that, I closed my eyes and took in several grounding breaths, trying to gain some inner balance like Grandma Anne had taught me. Well, at least I wasn’t having to deal with being an outright shape-shifter and worrying about Triton’s disappearance at the same time.

One thing I knew, Triton’s parents hadn’t been at the Pacii estate in a long time. Them needing guards would make it so Triton couldn’t introduce anyone to his royal family on a whim.

Remembering the oil painting I saw of them at the estate, they being in the palace on their thrones deep within the sea, I couldn’t imagine King Poseidon anywhere else. I bet he’d never been in a bathrobe sitting at the food bar with his laptop open reading the daily news while eating sardines and crackers for breakfast. In fact, I couldn’t imagine him anywhere at the Pacii estate. He belonged in that throne room in the ocean depths. But Triton’s mother, I could see her standing next to the Roman column in her grand and opulent suite looking out the sliding glass doors toward the sea with a kind and gentle smile on her face.

I shook my head at my thoughts, then whispered, I think we ran out of time, and his parents are very busy running the Kingdom.

She nodded, her eyes full of understanding, Um hmm.

Will you get me a bottle of water, please? I needed a distraction. Besides my mouth felt like I was chewing on cotton, even after the orange juice.

Candice went back to the small refrigerator and took out two, Here Sweetie. She placed one bottled water on the table, and took the lid off of the other and handed it to me.

Focusing on me, she read the next line;

You will never know how hard this decision is for me that I had to make regarding us, but I know you will see this is our only option. We must not pursue a relationship as I’m putting you at risk.

I felt sadness wrapping around me like a cloak as she whispered, "This is a code letter, it isn’t what it seems. This is one of my gifts, Callista. Lord Triton knew you’d show it to me, and I’d explain it to you. After all, he assigned me as your primary caretaker if anything happened to him. The night he was taken you were injected with more of Proteus’s DNA, blood and a paralyzing agent found in jellyfish. Wanting to protect you, he’s used the word pursue because he didn’t want you pursued by his enemies, and your only option was to be cared for by us."

Chewing on my lip, a sliver of new hope pierced my despairing heart.

Candice gave me a kind smile as she whispered, Don’t worry Callista. Lord Triton will be found, and you’ll be reunited.

Did I believe Candice’s words? Thinking back to the last night I’d seen Triton, I wondered if we had any relationship left. He being a god, and me, a mutated human, whatever that was.

I sighed, then whispered, I was horribly thirsty so I drank the bottle of water that was by my purse, saw the letter, read it, and started shaking. I fell to the marble floor and the funny thing was, the only thing that hurt was an injection site in the crook of my elbow.

And the ache in my heart.

Moving the sleeve of the hospital gown, I looked at the welt as Candice watched me. Gently reaching for my arm, she saw that it was red, swollen, and ugly. Placing her two fingers on it, her healing energy felt somewhat like Triton’s.

Candice whispered, The jellyfish toxin made you incredibly thirsty so that you’d drink water which activated the paralyzing agent. Did you take a shower too?

I nodded. She continued, That didn’t help either, as it began the process of numbing you. Were you clumsy while bathing?

I blinked at her words, Yes.

She took her finger off my wound and examined it. It was closed, looking healed except for a slight bump.

Wanting to change the direction of the conversation, I said, I liked your reveal. Can you do it again?

Candice smiled happily, Really?

I nodded, Please.

She began to shimmer in front of me. When the air between us cooled, our eyes met, and she smiled. Her shape-shifting form was oddly comforting.

I whispered, Can Proteus shape-shift?

She said softly, No, his mother was full mer, and he took after her. His gift is that he can morph as a sea lion, seal, dolphin, and a whale, but not for long. Beyond that, masking himself is his specialty. He couldn’t have been the one who put his DNA in you.

I thought through her words and relief flooded me over the fact that Proteus couldn’t shape-shift as I continued to admire Candice, thinking how stunning she was. Tad was lucky to be her assignment; he’d flip once he saw her as a fresh water nymph. So Proteus could morph as a dolphin. I remembered the dolphin near me before we’d surfaced in the cave under Triton’s estate after my accident. Fear sneered at me as I thought about going surfing and wondering if Proteus would be there, lurking among the waves.

Candice looked at me and frowned, What is it Callista?

I whispered, "Tell me about masking. Are there different versions of it? Triton shielded me from his god signature and the chaos of too much information coming at me. I understood that to be a kind of masking. In my dreams when I was a mermaid, I used a type of masking to hide when I needed too. I know Proteus does something different and I think I’ve dreamed about it because I never noticed him until I saw him.

She looked pensive and whispered, Yes, there’s several versions of it. As for Proteus, he can mask himself so effectively that even King Poseidon would have a hard time telling the difference between him or a sea lion. His tell when he morphs is a slight blue sheen that is very hard to detect unless one is looking squarely at him. He can only morph as sea mammals for short periods of time because it excessively drains him. His other ability is that he can mask himself to seem like any creature or plant even though he physically doesn’t look like it. That gift is very rare and came through his mother’s line.

My mind went back to the afternoon of the accident. Triton gave me his breath so I could go under the ocean until we surfaced in the cave under the Pacii house. Right after that I was injected with the stonefish venom and Proteus’s DNA. Had Proteus masked himself as the rock wall we were by and injected me? Had he morphed into the dolphin that swam with us for a few moments after we ducked under the writhing water going to the cave opening? Does that mean whatever Proteus holds can be masked too, such as a harpoon or a syringe? Then I wondered why Proteus could mask himself in my dreams. How did my subconscious know this? I shook my head in amazement as I felt Candice sensing me. Clamping down on my conjectures, I needed private time to think things through when I didn’t have an audience.

I whispered, "Let’s keep reading the letter. Can we leave out calling Triton, Lord when referring to him? Would that be okay?"

Candice snorted softly and whispered, I understand. That must have been something when he finally revealed who he was behind his shape-shifting. We’ve adopted the term shape-shifting from you, as changeling sounds like we’re Fae. She chuckled.

My eyebrows went up. So were fairies real too?

Candice’s eyes kept whatever secret she knew as she smiled innocently at me and said, "Shape-shifting explains a very complicated ability to the modern mind better than changeling. Anyway, no problem, I won’t refer to Triton as Lord."

Thinking about the night we swam together in his indoor pool, I whispered, When I first saw his complete transformation, I was awed. I didn’t know if I should giggle, worship, or scream. I chose to giggle, and he was all right with it. I think he was relieved.

Candice nodded, saying, He’s never worn his crown with ease. But that’s part of his charm. Her eyes had a faraway look to them and I wondered what she was thinking.

2 DIRE CIRCUMSTANCES

C andice straightened the letter again because it had fallen at the folded seam before she began reading;

Please forgive me if you can. Time and again my presence in your life has put you in dire circumstances. Last night was just another example.

Candice focused on me, This is pretty simple, Triton regrets horribly all the sufferings you’ve gone through because of the bitter enmity between him and Proteus. Even though you and I know Triton and Nehalennia innocently fell in love, still the implications have been enormous. If something happened to King Poseidon, Proteus along with his espoused wife, Nehalennia was the next in line to rule alongside his stepmother, Queen Amphitrite.

I wondered how anything could happen to King Poseidon, being he was a god. I whispered, Tell me about Proteus’s mother.

Candice shook her head and frowned, She was a breathtaking and wise oceanid and nereid, but died after being speared in what was assumed to be a hunting accident. She never claimed her immortality from King Poseidon. Why? No one knows, that being a very painful mystery in the royal family.

Remembering my dream of Proteus hitting me with the spear, I put my wall up and looked out the window at the sea while I reached up and held Triton’s sigil in my hand.

Candice whispered, Callista?

I looked back at her saying, Sorry, go on.

She gave me a small smile and continued, After time passed, King Poseidon courted the Goddess Amphitrite and wedded her. She gave birth to Prince Triton, later Princess Rhode and after that Prince Arylan. Personally, I’ve wondered if Queen Cyrene’s death made way for Triton, Rhode, and Arylan, but that’s only speculation on my part. King Poseidon could have had a freaking harem if he wanted, but he was never one to explore excesses as some royals do. Although, it’s rumored that his couplings with Queen Amphitrite in the ocean depths gives Mother Gaea an abundant and healthy dose of needed life force.

I looked up at the ceiling tiles and let out a tense breath, not wanting that rumor in my head. When I looked back at Candice, she seemed far away, as if her thoughts had transported her to another time and place.

Finally she whispered, After Nehalennia’s disappearance many helped to look for her for over a year. King Poseidon’s clan, Nehalennia and Njorth’s twelve sibling sisters and their parents; King Aegir and Queen Ran were included. But no trace of her was found. No one knew if she died, was alive or in hiding.

Coming over to my bed Candice rested her hand on my arm and I felt her energy filling me as she said softly, Eventually, the Crown had to assume she’d passed, and gave up the search. Proteus grieved the prescribed amount of days for Nehalennia and then went back to his life as if nothing had happened.

I whispered, That doesn’t surprise me!

Candice’s eyes jumped to my face, and I saw a fleeting moment of bitterness there as she said, Triton told me later that his mother noticed that Proteus only half-heartedly joined in the search for Lennia, and then only when it suited him. Meanwhile, Triton continued to look for her for many years after everyone else had given up hope.

I sat up straighter and said, Wow! So are you saying he was obsessed over her disappearance?

Candice patted my arm and sat down as she said, He never had any closure, no one did. But you’ve been good for him. He needs to care, protect and nurture, it’s in his nature to do so, and he’s lost without it. I worried about him often, thinking he was mentally unstable as he continued to look for beautiful Lennia. And I wasn’t the only one.

Mentally unstable? I cringed, how could that happen when gods could heal themselves?

Candice’s eyes darted to my face, she frowned for a moment then whispered, He says he still senses a signature very similar to hers and is completely baffled by it. If I express doubt as to it being a living entity, he vehemently states that it isn’t a dead signature. He also mentions it’s partially masked. What can I say to that? How can anyone prove anything in regards to a ghost?

I shook my head, I don’t know. That’s a hard one!

Candice nodded, Tell me about it! So, as it stands, Proteus would rule the whole freaking Kingdom with Triton’s mother, Queen Amphitrite. But only if something happened to the King and he wasn’t able to rule. There must always be female and male rulers over the oceans. Queen Amphitrite would remain as the ruling goddess unless Proteus wed another bride. Then she’d step down as Queen, and do the work of a Princess. If something happened to Proteus’s new Queen, Princess Rhode would be the next female to take up that duty. Then Princess Amadahy with Prince Arylan, her husband would be next to help Proteus. If something happened to Princess Amadahy…

Candice’s voice trailed off and her eyes darkened. I waited for her to finish her sentence, as I gloomily noticed Triton wasn’t mentioned.

Candice blinked and whispered, Triton will never rule, not here on Mother Gaea. Because he bedded Nehalennia, he gave up his honor and his place in the succession as royalty. Some say he tried to take Proteus’s position as firstborn by that act. To some, he’s still suspect, just like we suspect Proteus.

My mouth fell open, and I shook my head at how wrong that assumption was.

I said rather loudly, Candice you know that isn’t true! Triton befriended Lennia because he was told too. Just because he fell in love with her when they matured didn’t mean he was plotting to overthrow his father’s Kingdom!

Candice said quietly, I know. Raising her index finger to her lips.

I let out a tense breath and said softly in her mind, Sorry, but Proteus was influenced by Njorth! He kept telling Proteus that Nehalennia was too immature. Every year when she sought him out, Proteus ignored her at Njorth’s prompting, and her heart was broken over and over again.

Candice’s eyebrows creased and she blinked.

I continued trying to keep my voice low within her mind, Triton found her when she was seventeen near the shores of Pitcairn Island. She climbed on an outcropping of rock being devastated that Proteus had rejected her again. She was hoping to be discovered by the sailors who she suspected would abuse her, and end her life. It would be on their heads and not her own. Triton saved her and comforted her.

Candice said nothing, her face going neutral but her eyes swirled as if a storm was brewing inside her. After a minute or two, I continued, So what’s up with Njorth that he kept Proteus away from his own sister? What’s he trying to do, keep Proteus to himself? I frowned in frustration.

Candice sucked in her breath as silence filled the air between us.

In my mind, I heard, How did you find this out? Did Triton tell you this about Nehalennia and Njorth?

I wondered if I should tell her about Lennia’s mirror. She started pacing the room just as Triton had done in the safe room quarters. Watching her, I whispered, In vision form, Nehalennia revealed some of the problems with her brother and Proteus’s lack of interest in her. I also saw the love that had blossomed between her and Triton. Triton confirmed it was all true.

Candice passed by my bed, a worried look on her face. After watching her walk back and forth a couple of times more, I whispered in her head, The relationship between Proteus and Njorth is just conjecturing on my part. But it seems odd to me that if a family line is as fertile as you say King Poseidon’s is, wouldn’t Proteus be eager to bed Nehalennia? He wasn’t celibate was he? So is he gay?

Candice stopped abruptly, turned and stared at me. Softly I heard in my mind, I don’t know! Of course there’s no proof. The royals must continue the female to male bonding to ensure the fertility of Mother Gaea. Their mutually forceful life transfers help power her core.

I whispered my thoughts out loud as I remembered Grandma Anne’s Sabbat celebrations, It’s like the athame dipping into the chalice, bringing male and female abundance into the witch rituals. It’s never chalice to chalice or athame to athame.

Candice stopped and stared at me before whispering in my mind, "Oh my goddess, Callista! Witch-girl that you are, do you think Njorth has been the instigator of this turmoil in King Poseidon’s family all this time? This is huge! I have to think about this. Don’t breathe a word to anyone, it’s treasonous, and heads are going to roll. Males can pick males, females can pick females, but not in the ruling class because their leadership is over a fertile planet, not a sterile one. That’s the outcome of same-sex coupling.