Poseidon (Contemporary Mythos Book 5)

We stood in front of the Crane, Crane, and Wallace Law building in New York City. I donned the one dress jacket and pencil skirt I owned, styled my hair, and fished my black stilettos from a black hole in my closet.

“I cannot believe Zeus, King of the Gods, is practicing law,” I mumbled, folding my arms.

Poseidon put on a dress shirt and slacks but refused to tie his hair back, stating his brother would have to get over it. He opened the door for me, ushering me inside. “You don’t want to hear other cover jobs he’s had through the years. Trust me.”

“You’re right. I don’t. Is he at least a good lawyer?” I held my clutch in one hand and grabbed Poseidon’s hand with the other.

“Unfortunately, he’s the best this side of the country.”

“Why, unfortunately?”

“Because he’s a damn criminal defense lawyer,” Poseidon grumbled, pressing a hand to my lower back and guiding me to the front desk.

“What?” I snapped, prepared to spout unending questions when a woman my height with cropped brown hair approached us.

“Are you Mr. Vronti’s three o’clock?” The woman twirled her hair as she scanned Poseidon’s arms and chest.

Sliding in front of my soon-to-be-again husband, I flashed a charming grin. “We are.”

“So, you’re his brother, huh? The apple most certainly does not fall far from the tree. I can see the resemblance.” Ruth bit her lip, leaning to the side to peer around me.

“Just what I love to hear,” Poseidon mumbled.

I took one of his arms and wrapped it around my shoulders.

The woman cleared her throat and adjusted her wire-rimmed glasses. “Right this way, please.

Poseidon’s mouth pressed against my ear. “Defending your territory there, Starfish?” He grinned into my hair.

“You bet your ass I am.” I playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

Chuckling, he curled a hand over my hip as we followed the woman.

“I’m Ruth, Mr. Vronti’s assistant. He said he’s been looking forward to this meeting all day.” Ruth offered a warm smile over her shoulder.

“I bet he has,” Poseidon said through a cough.

I bit the inside of my cheek. “You always get so feisty when you know we’re going to be around your brother,” I whispered.

“He brings it out of me.”

“Here we are.” Ruth opened her hand to an awaiting meeting room. “Do either of you need any refreshments while you wait? He should only be another minute or two.”

“Water?” I hovered by one of the rolling chairs nestled against the long glass table.

“Of course. Bottled okay?” Ruth’s perky nose perked even more when she smiled.

“Perfect,” I answered before taking a seat.

Ruth scurried away, letting the glass door click shut behind her.

I sat straight, folding my hands in front of me first on the table, dropped them to my lap, and then back to the table.

Poseidon slid his large hand over both of mine and raised a brow. “Relax. It’s going to be fine.”

Nodding, I flattened my palms on the table. “I’m actually looking forward to the look on his face.”

Poseidon snorted, and we both stiffened as the door swung open.

Ruth trotted in, setting two bottles of water in front of us. “I swear he should only be a few more minutes. He’s in a meeting with the prosecution over his latest big case, and it’s gone over the scheduled time. This happens often.” She gave a reassuring smile before bouncing on her heels and exiting.

I blew out an exasperated breath and slumped in my chair, resting my head on the back. “He hasn’t changed a bit.”

“I highly doubt his punctuality ever will. He likes to make people sweat.” Poseidon leaned his forearms on the table, swiping one of the bottles into his grasp.

“Oh, that has already started.” I plucked my jacket’s collar. “Thank Olympus, I’m wearing a jacket over this blouse.”

“How many times did you practice your speech in the mirror when I dropped you off last night?” Poseidon’s eyes gleamed at me as he sipped from the bottle.

“Only twice.” I crossed my arms in a huff. “Okay fine. Four times.”

“Want to practice? I can pretend I’m him.”

I scrunched my nose. “Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want you even pretending you’re him.”

Chuckling, he tilted his head back and finished the water.

I stood, moving to a corner of the room, pinching the bridge of my nose, and going over in my head what I planned to say to him.

The door cracked open, and I froze with my back to it.

“I’d say I’m sorry I’m late, but then I remember the company,” Zeus said as he entered, smirking and closing the door.

“How’s it going, asshole?” Poseidon said.

Why hadn’t I turned around yet? My heels were clearly glued to the floor.

“Eh. Things are bound to turn around eventually. Who’s the babe?”

I clutched my hands at my chest.

Poseidon cleared his throat.

Rolling my shoulders back and wiping any evidence on my face that my nerves were on overdrive, I turned on one heel.

Zeus had a smug grin on his face, but it morphed into shock and anger when he locked eyes with me. “What. The fuck?”

“Surprised to see me?” I raised my brows.

“You’re damn right I am.” He cut his glare to Poseidon, pointing at me. “What is this all about, Don?”

“What the Tartarus does it look like? She’s back. We’re together again.” Poseidon pushed off the table, standing and tensing his arms.

Zeus rolled his eyes and turned away from us. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. Can a King god catch a break?”

Mustering every ounce of courage surging through me, I crossed the room, standing directly behind Zeus. “I want my Queendom back. My immortality. All of it.”

“Oh, do you?” Zeus whirled to face me, looming over me like the rain clouds he commanded. “Tough. Shit.”

His words jarred me, making my brain fuzzy. Shaking it off, I stood my ground. “Yes. I know I failed on my responsibilities thousands of years ago. But banishing me to the stars? Making me watch my family gradually forget about me? Don’t you think it was a tad, I don’t know, harsh?”

Zeus’s left nostril bounced. “You got off easy, Amphitrite because you were my brother’s wife. Would you like to know what happened to other gods who failed me?”

“Zeus,” Poseidon growled, stepping toward us.

“Don.” Zeus pointed at him, lightning sparking from his fingertips and flashing in his eyes. “Don’t even think about it.” He cut his glare back to me. “I gave you chances. Twice, in fact. You didn’t heed my warnings.”

“Zeus, please.” Resorting to begging made me nauseous. “We’ve both changed. I won’t turn away from my true duties again. He showed me Atlantis—the state our oceans are in. I can fix all of it. And I want to more than anything.”

The lightning fizzled away, and he lowered his hand, his gaze faltering to the floor.

“You know there’s no one more fit for this than her. Stop being so godsdamned prideful.” Poseidon’s chest heaved.

Zeus clucked his tongue against his teeth. “It has nothing to do with pride. The decisions I make are for the betterment of the universe. It has nothing to do with me.”

“I will not fail this time, Zeus. I won’t.” My throat bobbed, thinking of Rhode. “I can’t.”

A scowl distorted Zeus’s features as he shifted his gaze from me to Poseidon and back again. He played with one of the “Z” cufflinks on his shirt, his jaw tightening.

“Amphitrite. If I do this, and you fail again, I will make certain there is absolutely no way you can come back. Do you understand?” Zeus’s cheek twitched, a hint of a gleam in his eyes.

“I understand.”

Zeus turned his head at Poseidon. “This is on you if she fucks up.”

“She won’t.” Poseidon shook his head.

My heart soared at Poseidon’s words while at the same time raced with the intimidating god king standing toe-to-toe with me, holding my fate in his palm.

Without asking if I was ready, Zeus gripped my shoulder and closed his eyes. My back arched as the familiar power surged through me, intertwining with my bones and pulsing into my veins. Ocean waves crashed against my mind, the rough texture of shark skin brushed my fingertips, and the salty scent of the sea settled around me. Once Zeus’s hand fell away, reality trickled in like raindrops on a boat deck—collecting little by little until I stood in the meeting room as myself, as Cordelia, but so much more. My very pores coursed with power, begging to be free after being suppressed for such a long time.

Zeus’s glance turned toward the window behind us, where New Yorkers scurried on the sidewalk. “Are we done here?” He cracked his knuckles, tossing a piece of ambrosia to Poseidon, the glowing orange crystalline substance landing in his palm.

“I wouldn’t dream of asking anything else of you, brother.” Poseidon clenched the ambrosia in his fist, glaring at Zeus.

“Good. Take her to Atlantis, I want that situation fixed today.” Zeus headed for the door.

I ported in front of him in a shimmering sea spray that matched Poseidon’s. “Wait.”

Zeus thinned his lips. “Oh, is there something else I can do for you, your highness?”

“Rhode. You can help us find her.” I pressed my fingertips against the glass behind me.

“What makes you think that?”

“You’re King of the Gods. Surely you could—”

Zeus bent forward, bringing his face closer to mine. “I’m not all-powerful. Gaea sure as Tartarus made sure of that. I can’t help you. Now move.”

I gulped, pushing my hands so fiercely against the door the glass cracked. “No. I must find her.”

Zeus’s eyes dropped to his damaged door, and he sighed, dragging a hand through his dark, neatly trimmed short hair. “Talk to Kairos. He won’t be able to take you to her but may be able to tell when she is.”

I blinked, half expecting him to put up more of a fight. Zeus was…different. An older version of him would’ve made me grovel at his feet to gain my Queenhood back—and he would’ve toyed with me, possibly for days, before eventually doing it as a favor in exchange for something else. But now, he only hesitated because he was concerned I wouldn’t do my job.

Had Hera leaving him rocked his world more than he let on?

“Thank you.” I squinted at him as I stepped aside.

He snarled under his breath, whisking open the door. “Uh-huh.”

“Zeus, are you—” I reached forward but curled my fingers back. “Are you alright?”

He paused with a stiff arm on the door. “Nothing Hermes can’t look into for me.” His jaw tightened. “I will expect double the work from you.”

And with that, the King of the Gods prowled to his den as the mortal lawyer.

“Are you ready to finish this, Starfish?” Poseidon stepped to my side, dragging his finger over my cheek.

As a mortal, his touch electrified my skin, but as a goddess, it positively melted it.

“She’s calling to me, Seid.” I beamed up at him, wrapping my arms around his waist, and after ensuring the blinds were closed, I ported us to the shore.

The waves lapped against my bare feet, whispering to me, beckoning me, asking me to heal it.

“Do you remember what to say, my love?” Poseidon pressed a hand to my cheek.

Even though it’d been eons ago, I remembered saying the words to him for the first time like it happened yesterday.

“I claim the Seas and its King, as he claims me.”

He kissed me, making circles on my cheeks with each of his thumbs. Water launched around us, shooting geysers toward the skies. A watery swirl encompassed me, returning my original white robes, my trident, and finally…my silver seashell crown with three petite points. Poseidon slipped the ambrosia in my mouth and kissed my brow. A spark of light blasted through me, traveling to each neuron, tearing them apart before fusing together, binding them for eternity.

Immortality. I’d forgotten how bittersweet it felt—forever finality.

“My Queen,” Poseidon whispered against my skin, taking my hand with the ring he’d given me in his and stepping back.

He appeared in his golden armor in a gusting wave—shoulder pieces, gauntlets, grieves, bare chest. His golden pointed crown gleamed atop his dirty blonde hair, and he kissed my ring.

“Let’s go restore our home, Cordelia.” He held his hand out, encouraging me to walk to the water’s edge.

Closing my eyes, breathing the life that vapored around me from the depths of the ocean, I took my first step home. A sonic wave blasted over the surface, pulsing into the sky. Poseidon stood at my side but didn’t touch me. Not yet. He let me re-familiarize myself on my own terms. With each step I took into the water, my trail glittered and glowed, warming to my touch. Once the ocean reached my hips, I twirled my hands, casting dew from my fingertips. Inch-by-inch my legs disappeared, replaced by a teal mermaid’s tail. I dove in, turning to wait for Poseidon to follow me.

He grinned, circling his hand around himself, producing a golden tail. “As I told you. Like riding a chariot.”

I flipped my tail, out-stretching my hands for him to take them. “I don’t remember the way to Atlantis, Seid. Show me?”

Interlacing our fingers, he made us barrel roll around one another, our tails brushing.

“We’ll take the scenic route. The sea, the animals, all of it—can you feel how much it missed you?”

With every swipe of my arm through the water, it pushed back like an embrace.

“Yes,” I breathed out.

He tugged my hand, and swimming side by side, led me through the ocean, our crowns gleaming and glowing bright like a beacon for all aquatic life—an announcement that both the King and Queen had returned. Fish of all varieties circled our arms and tails, sea turtles brushing our arms as they passed. A pod of dolphins appeared from below us, squeaking their excitement, begging me to play with them.

Poseidon squeezed my hand and jutted his chin. “Go on. Keep following me, and they will too.” He smiled at me, urging me to swim with them again with a nudge of his elbow.

With a jovial laugh, I swam between the six dolphins, matching every stroke of their tails by flapping mine. Two moved on either side of me, urging me to hold onto their dorsal fins. Grinning, I wrapped my hands around them and with the brute force of two of them together, they catapulted me toward the surface, causing me to breach. The moon above beamed down at me, making my scales shimmer before I flipped backward and dove, re-joining Poseidon at his side.

“It’s amazing seeing you like this again.” He trailed his fingers over my tail at the flare of my hips.

I shivered against his touch. “It’s amazing feeling like this again.”

“We’re almost there. Can you sense it?” Poseidon produced his golden trident, readying to battle off any creatures that could be lurking.

Producing my silver trident, I curled it against my arm, closing my eyes to feel Atlantis’s pulse. At first, it was weak, but after pouring all of my power into it, the steady rhythm like a mighty bass drum vibrated in my chest. I flew my eyes open and there in front of us, with no need to reveal this time, was Atlantis.

I wasted no time, reaching for the first pile of debris. The shambles glowed and pulled back together, sealing with a beam of blue light.

“Keep going. I’ll keep a lookout and alert you if I see anything.” Poseidon curled an arm around my waist and kissed my forehead before swimming up to gain an aerial view of our surroundings.

I continued to work my way around the ruins of our city, pulling it back together, rejuvenating it, giving it life and purpose again. With every completed structure, the building would sigh as if in relief at my healing touch. It’d been so long since I used my powers to this magnitude, the effort was exhausting to the point of almost falling limp to the ocean floor.

A loud growl vibrated off surrounding buildings, followed by several giant black tentacles wrapping around structures and crushing them. A pair of large glowing red eyes appeared from the shadows, its bulbous head sleek with slime.

The Kraken.

“Fucking Tartarus. Keep going, Cordelia. I’ll fend it off. We need to get that beacon working,” Poseidon yelled, twirling his trident and cradling it in the crook of his arm.

The sight of the monstrous squid may have jarred me—terrified me as a mortal. As a Queen, I sneered at its presence and readied my trident at my side. Lifting my hands, I continued to heal my fallen city, fighting the urge to collapse. Using the trident’s hilt, I pressed it against the ground—leaning on it, touching, and stroking each piece of rubble.

Poseidon roared, swinging his trident and stabbing one tentacle before yanking it out to impale another. Tendrils of black blood clouded surrounding waters, and the Kraken’s wails shook the sea bed like an underwater earthquake. The glow of the creature’s red eyes pulsed, and it launched two tentacles into Poseidon’s stomach, throwing him into the building I’d been mending, destroying it again.

“Honey, I’m trying to repair Atlantis?” I yelled out to him, swirling my hands to bring the fallen pieces back together once more.

Poseidon grunted, the Kraken’s tentacles wrapped around him, squeezing him. “I’m so sorry sweetie, I’ll be sure to ask the Kraken if it wouldn’t mind tossing me in the other direction.” With a snarl, Poseidon stabbed through the underside of the tentacle and the creature let go.

Zooming horizontally through the water, Poseidon aimed for the Kraken’s neck, using the trident and his arms to choke it. All of the creature’s tentacles wiggled, writhed, and swung in frantic movements. Poseidon leveraged his feet on the creature’s shoulders, pushing away and leaning back. With gritted teeth, he growled, pulling harder and harder before yelling.

With the last building healed, I used the ounce of strength I had left, flicking my tail to meet with the Kraken face to face, my silver trident gleaming in my palms. The creature glared at me, darting its tentacles, trying to wrap around my waist. I sliced to the left, cutting off one tentacle, stabbed to the right, skewering another. Rolling my neck, I pulled energy from the ocean, replacing only a fraction of what I’d used up repairing Atlantis. Throwing my arms out at my sides, trident in my grasp, I pulsed an echo through the water as soon as Poseidon let go of it. The pulse traveled in ringlets until catapulting into the Kraken, flying it fathoms away, the darkness consuming it and swallowing it whole. My shoulders slumped, the trident falling limp in my hands as I leaned against a pillar, out of breath and woozy.

“Are you alright?” Poseidon’s hand caressed my arm.

“I’m fine.” A weak smile fluttered over my lips. “Just not used to exerting that much power anymore.”

Poseidon smiled, curling one of my arms over his shoulders while one of his wrapped around my hips, supporting me. “I’d forgotten how incredibly badass we are together in a fight.”

“Shame on you.” I smirked.

“It looks better than it ever has, Cor.” Poseidon swam us in circles, marveling at what I’d created.

“There’s one final piece, Seid. But I’ll need your help.” I held my hand out to him.

Grasping it, he kissed my knuckles, and swam us to the highest point of the tallest building. We each took a side, and holding our tridents with two hands, we slammed the hilts down in unison. A bright beam of blue light flew high, serving as a road map for any worthy of its glory to find Atlantis. A blue holographic dome of hexagons formed over the city, sealing it tight.

Poseidon hugged me to his side and we beamed at the light shining at the city center again.

“Well, well. Look who got her power back,” Skylla’s slithery voice echoed off the stone buildings around us.

Poseidon and I turned in unison, readying our tridents at our sides.

She’d already been inside before we sealed it off.

“Skylla, wait. I can help you now.” I held one palm up, spreading my hand wide.

I hadn’t a clue how I would help her, but Poseidon said I could…

“No one can help me. You’re lying in an attempt to save your own skin.” Skylla’s dragon head tentacles flapped and snapped.

“You should be worried about your skin, Skylla. You’re lucky she hasn’t already skewered you where you float.” Poseidon spun the hilt of his trident in his grasp.

Closing my eyes, I called to my power, keeping my hand outstretched in Skylla’s direction. What could I do for her? How? As if answering my unspoken pleas, my magic settled an answer over my mind like water droplets.

“Skylla, I can’t make you a sea nymph again, but I can make you a different creature. Though I can’t promise you still won’t crave flesh. Perhaps it won’t be purely of the human variety.” I kept my hand up, ready to use my power on her the moment she agreed.

“Another creature? What would be the point? All creatures of the deep are monstrous and vile.” She snarled, curling two of the dragon heads to her chest.

“I can make you a mermaid.” I felt Poseidon’s eyes tracing over me.

Skylla scoffed. “A mermaid that craves flesh. Absurd.”

“I’m giving you one opportunity to be transformed, Skylla. After today, the offer no longer stands. Would you rather be a mermaid or a half-woman, half-octopus with dragon head tentacles who sounds like a dying sea lion whenever she speaks?” I glared at her.

Take the deal.

The dragon heads hissed, rotating and gyrating as if they understood they might soon not exist.

Skylla frowned, petting one of the heads with the delicacy of touching a house pet. She lifted her chin and slowly shook her head. “No.”

I blinked, dropping my hand at my side before raising it again. “No?”

“Your offer isn’t for me. It’s for you. No doubt, to make yourself feel better. You want to help me?” She urged the dragon heads forward, their mouths billowing fire. “Fight me.”

Fighting wouldn’t solve anything even if I did have the strength in me.

“I won’t. Let me help you, Skylla. It’s not only about relieving my conscience. It’s about undoing a wrong. What can I do?” I made my trident disappear, holding my palms up at her.

“Cordelia, what the Tartarus are you doing?” Poseidon growled and swam to my side, pointing the golden prongs of his weapon at Skylla.

“There’s only one thing you can do to make me happy, sea queen.” She threw her hands to her sides, unleashing the ten black claws. “Die.”

Welcome back, Cordelia. Welcome back, indeed.

Skylla screeched and darted forward, Poseidon darting in front of me to block her first blow. I closed my eyes, splaying my hand to pull some of the water’s energy into myself—temporarily revitalizing me. Refusing to stab her with my trident accidentally, I clapped my hands together, causing a shockwave to travel through the water and catapult into Skylla. She flew into a nearby building, crumbling it again, making me grimace.

“Seid, whatever you do, please don’t kill her.” I grasped Poseidon’s elbow, looking at him pleadingly.

His jaw tightened before he gave a curt nod.

Skylla let out a blood-curdling scream, her dragons hissing and baring their teeth. She swam toward us, and I swirled my arms, kicking up a water tornado that made her freeze in place, spinning. Every time she tried to escape, I’d push my hands forward, creating an invisible water wall.

Poseidon smirked at my side, his grip tightening on the trident’s hilt.

“You’re trying to best a pair of sea gods who can hold their own against the Kraken even, Skylla. Do you really think you can win?” I frowned, ignoring the exhaustion pulling at my brain.

Skylla growled, snarled, and screamed as she continued to try and escape from my swirling water.

“Either let me help you or leave, Skylla. I can’t let you destroy Atlantis again.” I clenched one fist, making the spinning stop, but holding her in place.

“Just kill me.” The words came out of Skylla’s throat—strangled.

Witnessing her anguished expression made a lump form in my throat. “I can’t do that. It’s not the kind of goddess I am.”

The dragon heads pulled back, their mouths clamped shut and Skylla’s shoulders slumped. “Put me down.”

Doing as she asked, I lowered her to the ground and gently pulled my hand away, allowing her free movement. “I am truly sorry for what I did to you. We can’t allow you to stay in Atlantis, but you can have whatever place you wish to make a sanctuary under the seas. And you will be safe.”

“I’m unsure if I’ll ever be able to forgive you, Queen, but I do accept your offer of sanctuary.”

I nodded to her, a knot forming in my gut. “Then pick the place, and we’ll do it. Poseidon will put a shielding spell over it.”

Skylla cut her gaze to my king.

Poseidon went silent for a beat before he slammed the trident’s hilt against the seafloor. “It will be done. You have my word.”

Skylla bowed her head with a scowl, her tentacles curling through the water, pushing her through the dome shield into darkness before disappearing.

“I’m sorry.” Poseidon placed a hand on my back. “I can’t imagine that’s the kind of closure you hoped for, sweetheart.”

“It’s not, but I shouldn’t have expected she’d forgive me. I’m at least happy to know she’ll be safe, wherever she ends up.”

He kissed my temple. “We’ve done the illustrious Zeus’s bidding. What do you wish to do now?”

I rested my head on his shoulder and sighed. “There’s someone I need to see. And I hope…he wants to see me.”