I wasn’t scared, because he had his arms around me and besides, the salt water caressed me like a lover. Alyx’s hands were doing an even better job. I needed to feel him inside me. It wasn’t a want, but a real need. Visions of a different life…a happier life danced in my head.
“I want you so much, Kailar.”
“Then have me.Please…”
He wasted no time in sliding my swim briefs down my hips and then he leaned down, took my face in his cupped hands and kissed me deeply and sweetly. My mouth opened instantly to admit him, and our tongues met in a soft glide.
He pulled his lips away from mine and he cupped my cheek. “The commander’s name was Alyxsander.I’mAlyxsander, darling.Youare the little prince I spoke of. My little prince. Nothing will ever part us again, my love.”
My mind reeled and my body felt like it suddenly exploded with anger. The visions became more vivid…more real. What was happening?
“What are you talking about?”
He was whispering words I didn’t know and moving his hands all over my body. He almost sounded like he was chanting. Strange feelings were washing over me and lighting me on fire. Little sparks were shooting through the air as Alyx murmured old in my ear.
“I’m removing the spell I put on you years ago. The one that made you think you were human. Don’t fight it, love. It’s making you whole again.”
The truth hit me hard as I realized I wasn’t just having visions as he told his story and it wasn’t just a damn love story Alyx had been telling me. It was reality.
Somehow, I knew it and my world crystalized in that moment and then shattered around me.
Everything Adan and I had lost came crashing back to me—first the loss of our dear mother, Queen Beathag and then the betrayal we’d both felt when our father had sent us away to live with strangers. The way I’d felt when Lord Alyxsander—this man in front of me—had abandoned me again and sent me even farther away to the mortal realm. And perhaps worst of all, the loss of my brother Aden—the only one I’d still had that I could count on and cling to!
Alyxsander had sent me away from my brother like I had no feelings, no worth. I’d been really young, but even then I’d had a terrible crush on Alyxsander. I’d believed I was in love with him, and I knew he was my soul mate, though obviously he was still too old for me. I was willing to wait. Obviously, he hadn’t been, and the knowledge of that crushed me too.
I felt fury rush over me as I put both my hands on his chest and pushed Alyx away from me. I watched as his body flew through the air and crashed into the thick glass wall of the aquarium. He slid down a few feet before he launched himself back toward me, almost flying over the water.
“I’ll let you do that once, and then your tantrum ends with my hand against that gorgeous backside of yours, and don’t think I won’t.” He was so angry he was snarling at me, and I wanted to snarl right back.
Suddenly, without warning, my vision felt different and my legs! I blinked in disbelief as I looked down at them or where they were supposed to be, but…
I had no legs. Instead, a fish tail extended below my waist—a glorious riot of colors like sapphire and emerald and turquoise and every color in between. Gills lined the sides of my lower chest. I was floating there in the water, my tail lashing back and forth beneath me to keep me afloat.
That’s when I did what any good hero of a story would do—I felt my eyes roll back in my head and I passed out cold.
Chapter Five
Alyx
When I saw Kailar’s body go limp, I admit I had a moment of pure panic. I had never moved so fast in my life as I did to grab him and take him in my arms. He was breathing air—or his chest was going up and down at least. But new gills had popped out on his sides near his ribcage, and they were twitching too like a fish would do if it were pulled out of water. I lowered him quickly back into the salt water of the pool and did the only thing I could think of to do. I panicked and shouted frantically for my brother, Keion.
He came at a run, our psychic connection so strong, I think he had already been on his way to find me.
“Kailar’s passed out!” I shouted. “One minute he was fine—and then I removed the spell I had on him to make him remember everything. Andthishappened! He had been sitting on the side of the pool talking to me and then I took him in my arms and—well, he got angry at me, and he was like this!”
“Why was he angry?”
“I-I told you! He remembered who he really is. He remembered Adan and how we sent them away from each other. Gods, he was furious.”
“What the fuck, Alyx? Did you think he was just going to forgive and forget? Are you really that stupid?”
I felt my face flaming, but I yelled right back at him. “Well, what the hell should I have done then? Keep lying to him? When he gets his memories back, he’ll know, Keion. He’ll resent us even more. I was going to apologize to him and beg him to forgive me. You see how well that worked out.”
“Should I use compulsion on him? Make him remember who he is but not our part in it?”
“No. I don’t want to keep lying to him, damn it.”
“But maybe just until he’s better?” Keion said. “Stronger? Then we can explain it in…stages.”