“She trusts us!” He insisted.
“She does, I just worry it has happened far too quickly.” I said, looking up at the shifting waves.
“We aren’t much different.” He waved his hands around, animated. “I mean, look at us. Two months ago if you had told me that I would be willing to go against my family for a girl, Hip and I would be on speaking terms, Ajax would be forming full sentences, and you and Theseus...well.”
I nodded. “You have a point.”
“If there’s anything I’ve learned by watching my parents, it’s that we shouldn’t be judging things by human standards.” Jason hugged himself, pouting. He was so cute when he pouted.
I relaxed as my tension seeped back into the ocean floor.
“When did you get so wise?” I asked, sinking down to sit on the sand.
He smiled before joining me. “I had a good role model.”
We were silent for a while, laying across the sand, staring up at the light reflecting across the shifting waves. It was uncomfortable to be sitting here in my half shifted form. I was getting sand in places where sand shouldn’t be.
Jason cleared his throat and when I turned my gaze to him I saw that his cheeks were dusted pink. “With all that’s happened, I haven’t had the chance to ask.”
“Hmm?”
“What gave it away? That I...you, um…” He broke eye contact and began to swirl his finger through the sand.
I chuckled. “What if I told you that a long time ago, I had realized that you found it very easy to flirt, smile, and be the perfect jock around everyone. Everyone except the people you were actually interested in. Like Ashley Foote in the fifth grade, or whenever Atalanta was around.”
His gaze snapped back to mine, eyebrows raised. “I didn’t realize you watched me so closely.”
I shrugged. “You are also terrible at hiding your boners whenever you stare at me too long. It was easy to put two and two together.”
“And here I was hoping I was a man of mystery.” He said, attempting to be suave and utterly failing.
“Maybe to an outsider, but to me, you’re an open book.”
Jason flopped over onto his side, his gaze focused on me with a distinct intensity. “Percy, what am I to you?”
I stood. “We should be going.”
“You’re not even going to bother answering my question?”
“I shouldn’t have to tell you something you should already know.” I said, staring out into the water.
“But I don’t fucking know!” He stood and swam to block my path. “Am I your assistant, your friend, or am I just the guy with a one-sided crush?”
I clenched my fist. “Jason. You are my Jason.”
He chuckled sadly. "I certainly shouldn’t have expected you to be able to emote properly.”
I cocked a brow. "Emote?”
He turned back towards the shore and waved me off. “Forget about it. Let’s head back.”
I watched as his powerful tail pushed him swiftly back to land. His dark blue and purple scales almost acting as a sort of camouflage in the darkness of the ocean. I felt terrible for causing him so much pain, but his question was just one I was not prepared to answer. Yet.
Letting my own shift overtake me, I followed after him.
Getting back to the shore, I pulled my phone out of my pants pocket and sent a group text out to all of the others.
We need to talk about what to do tomorrow.
Chapter Twenty-One
Theseus
This was it. The sun had set on our time.
Jason and I sat at the dock, quietly watching the sun sink below the ocean waves, setting the horizon ablaze with its light. Calder would arrive any minute now, more than likely accompanied by a squad of capital guards.
Part of me hoped that everything could be resolved peacefully, but we all had our roles to play in what was about to happen.
In the distance, I spotted a shift in the waves, a shimmer of scales and tails.
“It’s time.” I stood, straightening my spine and squaring off my shoulders.
As we suspected, Calder and six heavily armored Mer exploded from the water in their human forms and landed on the wooden dock. The fact that they would expose themselves on land like that spoke volumes of their arrogance.
I stormed forward to meet them, Jason following behind. Calder didn’t look all that surprised that Atalanta wasn’t here, but he did look annoyed.
‘I take it our little made Mer decided to make things difficult?’ Calder said, looking relaxed in his suspiciously dry three piece suit. I’m betting one of his guards was a water manipulator.
I took a deep breath, then firmly said, “She has chosen to stay here, within the protection of Argos.”
‘The laws say she must come before the court council and be evaluated. Matching her with the perfect mates is of the utmost importance.’
“I am aware of the laws, Calder. My family wrote them.” I hissed.
At my words, it looked like whispers started up amongst the guards that Calder brought with him. I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but based on the way they were looking at me, I could take a guess.
One Mer stepped forward and kneeled. After a few awkward moments, the guard looked up at me expectantly.
Jason nudged my arm to get my attention. ‘He apologized for not recognizing you.’
I looked back down at the soldier. “It’s fine, it’s been several years since I stepped foot in the city, let alone made a public appearance.”
His face fell. ‘Forgive me, Sire. I had forgotten about your condition.’
At least he was courteous about it. His comrades, however, stared at me with disdain. “It’s alright.”
Jason nudged me again and nodded towards his uncle.
‘If we can get back to the matter at hand,’ Calder said, looking impatient.
I sighed and crossed my arms, readying myself for the dance that was about to begin. I hated politics.
“First, matching her with possible mates is irrelevant. She currently has five mates vying for her hand. The council must allow a period of six months before presenting her with a new set of mates in the case of her current matches not working out.”
Unmasked and obvious disdain showed on Calder’s face. I wasn’t surprised. Most probably wouldn’t believe the five of us were viable mates. Something that was on a list of pros and cons the five of us discussed last night. All I wanted was to keep her safe, and the city would be safest for her, but I hadn’t considered the consequences. The others were right, if we wanted to keep Atalanta, we wanted to avoid the council.
‘There is still a matter of her evaluation.’ Calder brought up.
I couldn’t show my hand just yet. “If you remember, there is a two month waiting period before a newly made Mer has to be evaluated, and her two months hasn’t passed.”
‘The girl is in danger. A human is hunting her, and as a member of the council, I feel that it is my duty to present the girl with a safe haven.’ He placed his hand on his chest, trying to look fucking noble. The prick could shove the knightly sword up his ass.
I rolled my eyes. "Yet she does not wish to go with you. If she visits the city at any point, it will be her own choice. Her two months hasn’t passed, and you have no right to try and take her from our protection if she doesn’t want to go. So I ask that you and your guards leave.”
‘I would prefer to hear those words from Atalanta. For all I know, you’re simply trying to keep the girl to yourself. And as a concerned member of the council, I have all right to want the girl safe.’