Page 63 of Poseidon's Island Flower

Am I making this up? Am I dreaming right now?

I’d dreamed strange things this week, including having the merman in my bed last night. This wouldn’t be the first time I’d dreamed something unreal.

I pinched my thigh.Nope, I’m not dreaming.

I kept my eyes on the forest, but there was too much to see. I had to break away. How could a place like this exist?

But the ocean was vast. One could easily miss something in its sheer size. But a place so large? That orb of light concealed it. What the hell was that thing? A force field of some kind?

Could there really bemermaids?

Down the rabbit hole I go.

Homes were organically shaped into large shells, conch, clams, and some were made entirely of coral. They all had sea anemones on top of them blending them into the ocean floor. The coral ones were much more brightly colored and much more flamboyant than I had ever seen snorkeling off the coast.

Large pearls lined the streets and shelled lanterns that stood on spiraling coral posts illuminated the ocean floor. This place should be a place of darkness, being so far beneath the sea, but it was far brighter than the daytime sun.

Cy kept his gaze on me as we hovered over the street. I wanted to ask him to tell me what this place was because the government did not know about it.

If they did, there would be hundreds of ships keeping people away. They would haul the beautiful treasures of this city to the surface to study and pick at it piece by piece until nothing was left.

A sudden urge to protect it all filled my heart. I wanted nothing to happen to this heaven in the sea.

Cy smiled, pulling me further into the streets we couldn’t stand on. What was the point of the streets, anyway? You had to swim? The white concrete was mixed with white shells that were free of any sand or vegetation. In fact, the pathways looked well maintained, and the city didn’t look like it has been abandoned for long.

“What is this place?” I asked, finally. “Is it a city that fell into the ocean?” How could a place like this even exist?

Cy just smiled and pulled me through the abandoned underwater city until we reached its center.

From here, you had the perfect view of a brightly lit palace on top of the crater. King Trident’s palace had nothing on that beautiful intricate coral structure that grew into the side of the volcanic rock. Marbled columns and elaborate statues I couldn’t make out stood tall and proud. Spires made of spiraling shells and windows with brightly colored glass donned the highest towers. Better yet, whales, dolphins, and fish circled the giant castle.

“This is where I work,” Cy said nervously. If he had a shirt on, I’d expect him to be pulling on the collar.

He pulled me closer to him, and we hovered next to what I could only describe as a fountain. Parts of this town looked like it didn’t need water, while others looked like it did.

The apartments that were five stories high had doors with small patios on the outside, but no stairs to climb to get inside.

“Is this Atlantis?” I blurted.

That’s it. That is the only logical reason.

Cy threw his head back and laughed, his hand squeezing mine tightly, so I didn’t float away.

“No, we are not in Atlantis. There is a nation of Atlantis, but it does not reside in this ocean.”

My eyes bugged out of my head. “Then, can you explain what this is, please? And how do you know?” If I was sitting down I’d be bouncing in my seat. This was absolutely amazing!

I adored how Cy blushed, how nervous he would get, how his hands searched for mine for reassurance, but right now I needed answers, or I was going to explode with excitement.

Before he could speak, a dark shadow hid the light from the rock street lamps and I glanced upwards, expected to see a large fish floating by. But that wasn’t what I saw.

It was half human, half octopus with long dark hair and lips spread so wide you could see all of his pointy teeth!

“Oh, my god!” I screamed into the bubble and clawed around Cy’s shoulders.

Cy barked in laughter, my legs straddling him and wrapping around him like a baby koala.

It was an octopus with a face! A face! No, half octopus, with a human upper half.

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