Calista raised her glass to her lips. They had only exchanged courtesies until this moment, but she became eager to start implanting the suggestions of rebellion.
“Again,” Calista said, “I am pleased that you have journeyed here straight from Council. I know that could not have been an easy decision to go against Queen Tethys.”
“It was, in fact, incredibly easy,” Namiso said. “After her display at Council, then before and during our meal, I believe most of us will make this decision. The queen and king of the Crosaicaea Region of Water Babies may not attend, but you know they do not involve themselves much outside their region.”
Calista smiled. “They may have it the best of all of us. I do not know many merfolk who would be upset if their merform included the ability to and emit the cries of and transform into an infant human.”
The group chuckled softly and graciously.
“No, I should think not,” Namiso said. “Their battles with humans are quite easy in that regard.” She drank from her glass once more. “At Council, you spoke of your father and his ideas to create a better world for merfolk.”
“Perhaps, too much.”
“Your father was often outspoken at Council, as well. It sometimes requires a steady voice, a strong heart, and steadfast resolve to initiate change.”
Calista dipped her head. “You honor me, good queen.”
“No, it is you who honor us. For too long, Queen Tethys has stood by in her rule and watched us suffer. She does nothing to assist us. I may be quite a few cycles older than you, but I also recognize the truth when it enters my ears. You spoke well at Council, and as many of us discussed that night in private, we listened.”
Calista shifted her attention to Namiso’s sub-mate. “King Tamesuko, what are your thoughts on Council?”
He raised his head abruptly, as if someone kicked him into the conversation. Calista knew it was unusual to ask a sub-mate of his thoughts, but she wanted to impress upon them both that action was required.
He turned to his queen. “Permission to speak freely, my queen?”
“Permission granted,” Namiso said, curiosity tingeing her tone.
Tamesuko looked at Calista and steadied his breath before speaking. “I believe you are correct in your view of our current situation. We have spent too much time at the surface and enraged the humans, who now actively seek our destruction. We cannot hide as easily as other merfolk. We must find refuge in our queen, and if Queen Tethys will not provide it, someone else might. I would like that someone to be you, Queen Calista.”
Calista feigned shock. “I am but a new queen to the Region of Arelia. I am not even welcome at Council due to the state of my region, the demise of which falls upon my mother.”
“It will not take you long to restore your region,” Namiso said. “We are here to resume our trades, but more than that, to ask that you challenge Queen Tethys on Silent Night.”
Calista’s heart pounded against her ribcage, and excitement flooded her veins, but she did not let it show to Namiso and Tamesuko. She could sense Jergen’s enthusiasm and knew he could feel hers. “To challenge the queen on Silent Night could result in my death,” she said. “How will I propagate change if I return to the sea?”
“We believe you will not fall,” Namiso said. “We will not let you. If it happened, though, your death would permeate the Kingdom, and all others will follow you in challenging the queen.”
We will not let you, Calista thought. Those words secured her more in the decision to challenge Queen Tethys than anything else in her four-cycle rule.
“I will need the approval of my sub-mate,” Calista said. “I will not chance leaving him queen-less so early in my reign if he does not agree to my challenge.”
Jergen played his part, slipping off his seat and kneeling before Calista. He slipped his fingers under her hand, tickling her palm. “My queen, I will never live without you, but I will not have to. I believe in you as much as Queen Namiso and King Tamesuko. You will not fail in a challenge on Silent Night. You have my support.” His lips pressed against her knuckles, and he bowed his head.
“My good sub-mate,” Calista said. “Please rise and be seated beside me.” After he did so, she said, “Queen Namiso and King Tamesuko, I accept your request. I will challenge Queen Tethys on Silent Night. But, I need the support of the other regions to do so. Should I succeed, I do not want any merfolk still loyal to her and her reign.”
“You shall have as you desire, Queen Calista,” Namiso said.
As if on cue, Kaspar entered the Great Hall. “My queen and king, I do not wish to intrude; however, Queen Thaladora and King Damarion of the Region of Stamutonia of the Melusine Merfolk have arrived.”
Calista rose from her seat and nodded to Kaspar. “Please, have them join us, and bring more elixir. I believe it will be a late night of discussions.”
T he next twenty-seven cycles passed quickly with much planning, conspiring with other queens and kings, and the resume of trades with the Region of Arelia. Calista assembled councils of her own to handle trades and the restoration of the law of Arelia, but they still came to her with decisions she alone could render.
On the morning that Calista and Jergen prepared to leave for Silent Night, they were met at the gates to Arelia by their entire region, lining the road. Cheers escorted them to the front gates which adorned the hatch of the airlock, and Calista stopped before her guard could open them.
Turning to the people of her region, she raised her hands to her sides, palms up. “I will not let you down, good merfolk of Arelia. We have the support of all regions, which I owe to the work of my loyal region, and Queen Tethys is not anticipating a challenge.” She folded her hands in front of her, at her waist. “She is not expecting our region to appear at all for Silent Night, as it would violate her rule. This will provide me a much-needed advantage. Arelia will prevail.”
“All hail Queen Calista!” Jergen shouted.
“All hail Queen Calista!” came the response from her subjects.
The gates to the airlock hatch opened, and Calista and Jergen entered with her guard. As the water flooded the room, they shifted into their merforms. Confidence unlike any before filled her, and they commenced their travels to Caethas without stopping.
After they reached Caethas, they shifted in the airlock and made their way to Sachiel. He jumped back at their presence, another sign that Queen Tethys did not expect them.
“I-I’m sorry, Queen Calista, but Queen Tethys has ruled that you are not allowed at Council or Silent Night.”
“Good Sachiel,” Calista said, stepping up to him until she was inches from his dour, unremarkable face. “We will indeed enter Caethas on this Silent Night.”
Without looking away from Sachiel, Calista saw Raen and Oshurus move to his sides, as if anticipating a disruption. She stifled a smirk.
More Kickass Werewolf Reads
Dive into our collection of free werewolf romance novels—where fierce Alphas, daring heroines, and heart-stopping twists await. Every story burns with forbidden desire, loyalty, and destiny. Don’t wait—here’s a world where love bites hard and nothing is stronger than the call of the mate.
Leave a Reply