Page 65 of Poseidon's Island Flower

We flew through the streets. That’s what it felt like. Cy wasn’t even kicking his feet. The current was moving us, and it pushed us in the direction Cy wanted. I knew because Cy’s hand was stretched out like he was reaching, guiding the current.

Who was this guy?

After the time we’d spent together, I wasn’t sure if I knew him. He’d kept this wicked secret to himself, and now he was sharing it with me!

Like, he knew freaking people living under the water. If there were people with bottom halves like an octopus, what about mermaids?

Mind. Blown.

But what else did he need to tell me? I mean, this was pretty huge in itself.

Once we reached the edge of the city, we stopped at the rising wall of the crater. The wall of volcanic rock rose enormously tall and would take time to swim over. But that wasn’t what Cy had in mind.

Cy moved, waving his hand over a deep divot in the stone like removing a piece from a puzzle, and a boulder came toward us and rolled away. As it rolled, an air pocket emerged from the cave behind it, throwing large amounts of bubbles in our faces.

I fought, not understanding what was happening because the bubble around my head popped and now I could feel water seeping around my neck. I closed my eyes, waiting for the sea water to flow into my mouth and lungs, but it didn’t come. Cy grabbed me and pulled me to his chest until the loud sounds of rushing air and water faded.

When I pulled my head away from his chest, instead of the water surrounding us, drowning me, we were both standing knee deep in a cave. The surrounding air was heavier than the air above the surface. Like thick humidity, but…heavier.

As I searched around the cave, I saw steps that lead to an open room that had mattresses with hundreds of pillows lying around them. Sheer fabrics in purples, blues, greens, turquoises, and golds hung around the padded area. Trays of grapes, raw fish, cheese, bread, bottles of wine along with silver candles sat on trays that were easily accessible no matter where you sat. Then I saw the cooler I brought on the boat for our lunch.

How in the hell?

I shouldn’t be surprised.

I stepped away from Cy, folding my arms over my chest. My breasts rose, creating some ample cleavage. Cy did his best to look away, but he was already sporting a tent in his pants.

“I need answers,” I muttered. “I knew you said you were different, but this–” I waved my hand over the oasis of comfort. “This is getting ridiculous. How can you talk to dolphins, make friends with a kraken, and wave your hand around and then current goes where you want?”

Cy rubbed his hands together, folding them and pressing them to his nose. I could hear his heartbeat from here. He was nervous, and I wasn’t exactly helping. He was showing me as much as he could of this beautiful place, but let’s face it, speaking was not Cy’s strongest attribute.

He'd just showed me a whole new world beneath the sea. It was all like a dream, and yet he still couldn’t talk about it. What more could he tell me that was making him so nervous?

I thought I was taking this particularly well. I just saw a damned half octopus man thing and didn’t wig out too terribly. So, I should demand some answers!

I’ve told him most of my secrets.

Right, most. I still haven’t told him I rolled all over his bed and sniffed his pillow.

I thought of Koma. When he was fourteen years old, I tried sleeping in my room for the first time since our parents died. But that night he snuck out. When I woke at two a.m., I was mortified to find his bed empty. I stayed up all night waiting for him to return. And when he did at five a.m. I scolded him. Didn’t hear what he had to say, and he looked just like Cy did right now.

Insanely guilty, but with the best intentions.

Once I let Koma speak, he was in tears when he pulled the bag from behind his back and showed me he had gone out and got my favorite food at a twenty-four-hour grocery store in town. I was too busy raising Koma, making sure he would grow up as normally as possible, and I had forgotten it was my birthday.

Inside the bag were all my favorite breakfast foods. Koma was going to cook breakfast for me and there I was, yelling at him.

I had to remember Cy didn’t know any better, or at least I didn’t think he knew better. He was much like Koma in that aspect. He was trying to surprise me and here I was, getting frustrated.

But this was some epic shit!

There was an octopus thing! He moved water! There is a freaking city at the bottom of the ocean!

Breathe.

“Come here, Poseidon.” I opened my arms to him. His puppy dog eyes raised, and he rushed toward me. His embrace was warm, and he trembled, holding me. It didn’t matter if he was taller than me, he needed my touch, and I craved his.

I ran my face across his chest, feeling the coarse hair tickling my skin. He hummed into my shoulder, his wonderful sea breeze scent calming me.

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