Chapter Twenty-Four

Caspian nudged Marin awake. “Come on. You can’t be late.”

Marin grumbled as Caspian poked him in the ribs. “It can’t be morning already.”

“Not quite, but we need to be in the clearing by dawn, remember?”

Marin yawned. “Do we have time to shower?”

“Shower, yes,” Caspian replied. “But if you’re thinking about doing anything other than cleaning up, then no.”

“You should have woken me earlier,” Marin complained.

“I tried, but you were stubbornly sleepy. Besides, even if you could go a fourth round, I’m not sure I could. Go clean up and I’ll make you a quick breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You should still try to eat something.”

Caspian didn’t catch Marin’s mumbled comment, but he could make a pretty good guess as to what it was. He ignored him and headed down to the kitchen. He’d persuade Marin to eat something. He couldn’t fight Urion if he was weak and light-headed from lack of sustenance.

As it happened, it didn’t take long for Caspian to convince Marin to have breakfast. All he had to do was tell him that the quicker he ate, the sooner they would be able to go to the clearing to warm up.

As soon as Marin was finished, they headed out of the door. They were the first to arrive at the clearing. It was still dark, but as the pre-dawn light spread over the horizon, it was bright enough to see by.

They did some stretching and lunges and Caspian drilled Marin on the basics they had covered the previous day.

They hadn’t got through even half of what Caspian wanted before the others began to arrive. Fabian and Delwyn appeared first, followed by Jake and Kyle. Finn arrived shortly after his lovers, still eating breakfast.

Caspian was surprised to see Justin appear as well. The heir to the throne clasped Marin’s shoulder. “Justice will be served this day.”

Marin nodded and gave a small smile.

Medina was the second surprise witness. Although she had been instrumental in helping and seemed to genuinely care for Marin, Caspian had never known her to stand as a witness in such battles before. She wasn’t a goddess who liked getting her hands dirty or watching others doing so.

Urion and the other priests arrived with two minutes to spare. They were laughing and joking, as though this were some kind of game.

“Over-confidence is a weakness,” Caspian whispered in Marin’s ear. “Play to it, if you can.”

Marin nodded and stepped into the center of the clearing. Everyone else, except Urion, moved to the edge, staying outside the area that the arena would cover.

“Shall we get this over with?” Urion said as he swung his long sword in a wide arc. “I have a breakfast date, and it isn’t wise to keep a goddess waiting.”

Caspian wondered which goddess he was referring to. It couldn’t be Mariana, but there were plenty of others who would be happy to invite Urion into their bed. He didn’t care enough to ask.

The arena formed around the clearing and all Caspian could do was watch and hope that Marin came through this alive. He couldn’t lose him again. The thought was unbearable. For the first time in his life, he wished he were human-born, with a god to pray to. “Please don’t take him from me,” he whispered. “I won’t survive losing him a second time.”

 

Marin held the long sword, leaving the short one sheathed at his side. The feel of the weapon in his hand was still strange compared to a spear or a trident. Nearly as disconcerting was the short tunic and belt, the latter being essential to hold the short sword, and the former needed to make the belt more comfortable. Maybe he should have worn clothing during more of his practices, but he had never imagined he’d need it. He put the strangeness out of his mind and faced Urion.

Urion laughed as Marin approached him. He turned around to his fellow priests as he pointed at Marin. “Place your bets now on how long it will take me to teach this creature a lesson.”

“He won’t last ten minutes,” one of the priests shouted.

“I saw him practice with the guards,” another replied. “He’ll be lucky to last five.”

They all roared with laughter as they contemplated how long it would take him to die.

Urion joined them in their jollity. “Which weapon do you think will strike the killing blow? The long or the short?”

His question prompted another round of betting and laughing.

Marin wished he would just get on with it, but he told himself to remember Caspian’s advice. While Urion was playing to the crowd, over-confident and arrogant, he wouldn’t be concentrating on the fight.

Finally, one of the priests declared that all bets were final and Urion returned his attention to Marin. He gave him a flamboyant, sweeping bow.

Marin offered him an abrupt nod in return.

“He can’t even bow properly,” Urion called. “Let’s hope he at least knows how to die.”

Urion swung around at a speed Marin hadn’t anticipated, swinging his long sword in a wide arc. Marin barely dodged the blow.

He cursed himself. He had to make sure he was ready for the next one.

After the initial strike, Urion swung at Marin with rapid speed. He countered the blows with, if not ease, competence at least. Urion moved around a lot, dancing this way and that, while still playing to the crowd. Marin hoped he tired himself out quickly.

In between poking fun at his lack of fighting style, Urion also managed to slip in a few jibes about his taste in men. His insults about Caspian bothered Marin far more than the ones directed at him.

“You do realize you’re only the latest in a long line of many men he’s fucked?” Urion asked. “You’re nothing special. Just another willing body to warm his bed.”

Marin jabbed at Urion with his sword, but he easily stepped out of his reach.

“Did I hit a nerve?” Urion sneered. “For someone who is supposedly avenging the death of his lover, you seem awfully touchy about Caspian. Still, I suppose it can’t be helped.”

“What can’t be helped?” Marin asked, even as he silently scolded himself for rising to the bait.

“You’re mer,” Urion said. “Everyone knows you’re all sex-crazed and ready to spread your legs for anyone who asks. Tell me, Marin, which of them fucked you better—Calder or Caspian?”

Marin screamed and charged at Urion, heedless of the sword which swiped at his arm, drawing a thin line of blood where the edge of the blade caught him. Dimly he realized that if he had called the fight to first blood he would have lost, and it would all be over now.

Urion quickly regained his balance and pushed Marin back.

“You aren’t the first mer he’s had,” Urion continued. “He had as many of those as he had Atlanteans. You don’t think you’re anything special to him, do you?”

Marin growled and swung his blade with as much force as he could. “You talk too much.”

“Does the truth bother you, or are you simply incapable of carrying on a conversation and fighting at the same time?”

Urion turned to seek the approval of his priests for his latest attempt at a joke. Marin seized the opportunity to kick his legs out from under him. The idea was good, but unfortunately Urion was steadier on his feet than Marin had anticipated. He barely stumbled and suddenly was paying far more attention to his opponent.

“I see someone has been teaching you some dirty tricks,” Urion said. “Was it Fabian? That traitor never did know what a fair fight was.”

Marin snorted. He unsheathed his short sword as they slowly circled each other. “If what I did wasn’t allowed, I’d have been struck down. As for fighting fair, how fair was it when you killed Calder and those other mer?”

“They should have left the city when they were told,” Urion snarled. “I was simply obeying the orders of my goddess.”

“You murdered not only Calder but other mer, ones who had left the city or hadn’t even been there.”

“The mer don’t deserve to live in the ocean. You’re all unnatural creatures and we will rejoice on the day when the last of you dies and your species is extinct.”

“That’ll never happen,” Marin replied. “My people will thrive long after you’re dead.”

“Your numbers decrease every generation. Maybe I won’t live to see you gone, but it’s only a matter of time and every true Atlantean will celebrate.”

“Your people are gone,” Marin reminded him. “Scattered around the world with no knowledge of their heritage. Atlantis is just a deserted island. Even the humans exploring it don’t truly believe what it is, not even the ones who are descended from the Atlanteans. They have forgotten, your people are forgotten and so is your goddess.”

Urion screamed in rage and came at Marin with both swords raised, a move leaving him dangerously exposed.

Marin thrust at him with his short sword, but instead of sinking the blade into the priest’s chest, it only grazed his ribs.

Urion fell to the side in apparent shock at Marin drawing his blood at all. He stumbled on a piece of uneven ground and landed on his back. He had dropped his short sword when he’d clutched at his chest, but he still had a firm grip on the long one.

Marin kicked his arm aside, wishing he’d put on some footwear for the first time in his life. He dropped down onto Urion’s chest and wrested the sword from his hand, tossing it well out of reach.

He could hear cheers of encouragement from behind him, but he didn’t let himself be distracted. He couldn’t hear Caspian’s voice in the cheers, but he refused to turn around and see.

With his short sword in his hand, Marin glared down at Urion. For the first time, Urion looked at him with something other than contempt. He didn’t think it was fear—maybe surprise.

“You won’t kill me,” Urion said. “You haven’t got it in you. You’re weak just like your lover was.”

“Calder was not weak,” Marin snapped. “He was the bravest merman I ever knew.”

“He was a fool and you’re an even bigger one.”

Marin pressed the blade of his sword against Urion’s throat. His hand shook and he thought for a moment he might drop the weapon altogether.

Urion chuckled. “What are you waiting for? You wanted a fight to the death, didn’t you?”

“I did… Do.”

“You don’t sound so sure,” Urion replied. “Didn’t anyone tell you that if you declare a battle a death match, you can’t then change your mind partway through?”

“I know that.”

“Ah, but you thought you’d be able to go through with it. You’ve never killed anyone in your life, and you aren’t going to kill me. You don’t have the guts.”

Marin faltered and a moment later Urion had bucked him off his chest and rolled on top of him, squeezing his wrist until he let go of his weapon.

For a second or two Marin thought this was it, then Urion seemed to hesitate.

“I’ll be damned.”

“What?” Marin whispered, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what it was Urion had seen when he’d looked at him.

“You have different colored eyes.”

“Yes, I know. What of it?”

Urion glanced behind him, in the direction where Caspian stood. “Our goddess spoke of another who had your eyes. He’s the reason the Atlanteans were banished. She studied him when Caspian requested he be made immortal and curses the fact that she didn’t kill him then, before he destroyed our people.”

Marin shivered. He wasn’t sure what his face revealed, but it seemed to be enough for Urion to guess the truth.

“You!” Urion jumped up and dragged Marin to his feet, yanking him across to the edge of the arena, where Caspian stood watching. “Is it true?” he screamed at Caspian. “Is this creature the one?”

Marin struggled to release himself from Urion’s grip, but the hand on his arm was like a vise.

“This pathetic excuse of a fighter is what you chose over your own people?” Urion yelled. “Is he that good a fuck?”

Caspian’s glare was icy as he looked at Urion. “That’s none of your business.” His gaze softened as he turned to Marin. “I love you.”

Marin choked back a sob. “I’m sorry, Caspian. I’m so sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“But I failed. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill him when I had the opportunity. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you when I had the chance. I love you.”

“How sweet,” Urion sneered. He pulled Marin in front of him and pushed him against the barrier surrounding the arena. “Take a good look at him, Caspian. Was he worth it?”

“Yes,” Caspian whispered.

“Maybe I should find out for myself,” Urion suggested. “I normally prefer to bed the fairer sex, but this creature is so pathetic, he’s barely even a man.”

“No!” Marin struggled as the memory of his last hours as Phoebus returned in a rush. Trapped with the barrier in front of him and Urion behind him, he screamed in panic, hitting out blindly.

Not again. Please, not again!

Urion grabbed at his crotch and Marin twisted and squirmed as he tried to free himself.

Marin was dimly aware of Caspian shouting but he couldn’t make out the words. All he could focus on was Urion behind him, pressing against him, the stiff rod at his arse. He didn’t even know if he’d lost his garments or whether they had been pushed aside by Urion.

“No!” he screamed again.

Suddenly he fell forward, the barrier gone. He stumbled toward the ground, but didn’t hit it. Caspian caught him and they sank onto the grass together.

“It’s over now,” Caspian said. “It’s over.”

Marin choked out a sob and buried his face in Caspian’s chest, gasping in gulps of air as he tried to calm his racing heart.

Finally, he drew back and chanced a glimpse over his shoulder. Urion lay on his back, a scorch mark in the center of his chest. His eyes were open, unseeing. “He’s dead?” Marin asked.

“Yes.”

“But how?”

“My father,” Caspian explained. “As I explained to you before you issued your challenge, he oversees all battles such as this one.”

“I don’t understand,” Marin said.

“Urion broke the rules of fair combat,” Caspian continued. “The moment his taunts about fucking you became an actual intention to violate your body, he sealed his own fate. My father struck him down with one of his lightning bolts, his life forfeited.”

Caspian helped Marin to his feet. “Come on. Let’s go home.”

“What about…?” Marin gestured to the body.

“His fellow priests will see to the funeral arrangements. All you need to do is come home with me and let me sort out your arm.”

“Let me deal with that,” Medina said as she approached. With a wave of her hand she cleaned away the blood and sealed the wound so neatly that it wasn’t even visible.

“Are you supposed to do that?” Marin asked.

Medina smiled. “An injury suffered while seeking justice for your murdered lover. I would dare any god or goddess to tell me I have no right to heal it.”

“Thank you,” Marin said.

“You’re welcome.” Medina bit her lower lip, shrugged and spoke again. “By the way, Marin, you’re right about your trigger.”

“What do you mean?” Marin asked.

“Did you just pry into Marin’s mind?” Caspian snapped at the same time.

“Occupational hazard,” Medina replied to Caspian before turning to Marin. “You have Phoebus’ memories, as well as his heart and soul. Now that you have accepted he is a part of you, you also have his mating trigger, in addition to the one you had already.”

“How do you know that?”

Medina smiled. “I’m the Goddess of Love, Lust and Carnal Desire. It’s my job to know. I could hear you wondering about it before the battle, but I didn’t want to distract you—at least not any more than you already were while you were checking out Caspian’s arse. I thought you might like to know, rather than waiting for the solstice to come around.”

“Thank you,” Marin said. “And for your help in getting Urion here.”

“Yes,” Caspian added. “Thank you for everything.”

Medina smirked at him.

“Yes, for everything,” Caspian repeated. “Even if your intentions were not always good, I know that without your interference I would never have known what it was to truly love someone.”

Medina smiled and vanished without replying.

Marin looked around the clearing. Urion’s fellow priests were still lingering some distance away and his own supporters were keeping back as well. He nodded his thanks to Fabian and the others, but he didn’t want to be around them right now. He could see how pleased they were for his victory and he suspected they would want to celebrate his triumph.

Cheering and partying were the last thing Marin wanted right now. His memories of Phoebus and Rafe were too near the surface of his mind.

Caspian seemed to understand what Marin needed without him having to say a word, and he soon had him tucked into bed.

Marin yawned widely, only now realizing how tired he was. “Aren’t you coming to bed?”

Caspian shook his head. “You need to sleep properly.”

“Will you hold me?” Marin asked. “I don’t want to be alone right now.”

Caspian sat on top of the covers and opened his arms for Marin to crawl into. “You’re safe now,” Caspian assured him as Marin closed his eyes and let himself relax completely for the first time since he had lost Calder.

 

* * * *

 

Caspian left Marin to sleep and headed downstairs. He nearly didn’t see the goddess sitting on his sofa.

“Cari, what are you doing here?”

“I grew tired of waiting for you to come and see me,” his sister replied. “Now that Marin’s quest is over, you have no more excuses to avoid me.”

“Marin had nothing to do with my staying away from you,” Caspian said as he walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink. He didn’t bother offering one to Cari. He didn’t anticipate her staying long.

“Why don’t you ask me why I stripped you of your powers?” Cari asked.

“It was the decision of the pantheon, not just you.”

“I had the deciding vote,” Cari reminded him. “If it weren’t for me, you’d still be immortal.”

“I know.” Caspian gulped down his whisky and poured himself another. He would probably regret it in the morning, but right now he didn’t care.

“Damn in, Caspian, why don’t you shout at me or something?”

“I don’t see the point of giving myself a headache and it would wake up Marin.”

Cari rose and joined him at the bar, perching on one of the stools. “You could at least offer me a drink.”

Caspian planted a glass in front of her and poured her a whisky.

“You know I don’t like that stuff.”

Caspian rolled his eyes and went to find her a beer. “That’s all I have. If you want something else, you’ll have to conjure it yourself.”

Cari took a drink and turned on the stool to face him directly. “I saw you age.”

“In a vision?” Caspian asked.

“Yes.”

“I suspected as much. It doesn’t make it any easier to accept. You know as well as I do, the future can be changed. You made the decision to bring about the vision you saw, without even telling me about it. It never even occurred to you that I might not want to grow older.”

“You were happy in my vision.”

“I was perfectly happy as a god,” Caspian reminded her.

“That’s highly debatable.”

“I was.”

“You drifted through life without any sense of direction. The only time I ever saw you really happy was when you were with Phoebus—until my vision, that is.”

“You saw me happy with Marin, didn’t you?”

Cari nodded.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because you and he hadn’t worked things out together and I didn’t want to risk changing things by giving you information that might alter your future.”

“What makes you think that telling me now won’t change things?”

“You and Marin are together now.”

Caspian studied the dwindling contents of his glass.

“Caspian, what is it? You are a couple, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Calder’s murderer is dead now. Marin doesn’t need me to train him any longer.”

“I’m fairly sure that’s not the only reason Marin spends time with you.”

“Isn’t it? My relationship with Marin consists of training and sex.”

Cari gave an unladylike snort. “Well, that’s more than your relationship with Phoebus entailed. I’m pretty sure that was all sex.”

“No, it wasn’t,” Marin interrupted from the foot of the stairs.

“How long have you been standing there?” Caspian asked.

“Long enough to hear an awful lot of rubbish from both of you,” Marin replied. “Do you really think that all we have between us is training and sex?”

“Well…”

Marin turned his glare on Cari. “And how dare you say that the only thing between Phoebus and Caspian was sex.”

“She does have a point,” Caspian said. “It’s not like Phoebus and I had much in common.”

Marin stalked across the room. “How can two beings who have lived so long be so ignorant?”

Cari stared at him, open-mouthed, but Marin didn’t give her chance to say anything.

“Do you really believe that Phoebus—I—would have been prepared to give up my fins just because Caspian was a good fuck? That I would have given up my family and the sea for nothing more than sex?”

“Er…”

Caspian cringed at Marin’s fury.

“And you,” Marin rounded on Caspian. “We’ve barely trained in months.”

“No, we were too busy having sex.”

“And talking,” Marin snapped. “Getting to know each other again, properly.”

“I suppose.”

Marin sighed and all his temper seemed to vanish as quickly as it had appeared. “You suppose? Oh, Caspian, what am I going to do with you?”

Cari placed her empty bottle on the bar and rose. “I should probably leave the two of you to talk. Caspian, I’m sorry I didn’t speak to you about my vision before I cast my vote. Please believe me that I only wanted to try to bring about your happiness.”

Caspian nodded and, after giving his sister a quick kiss on the cheek, she vanished from the room.

“What did she mean about her vote?” Marin asked.

“It’s not important. I’m sorry we woke you. You should probably go get some more sleep. I know you didn’t get much last night.”

Marin shook his head. “I’m not tired.”

“But—”

“And I don’t need mothering. I had enough of that from Calder.”

Caspian gaped at Marin. He had never heard him say anything even vaguely critical of Calder before.

Marin chuckled and shook his head. “Don’t look so surprised. Calder and I quarreled, just the same as any couple does. Our relationship wasn’t perfect. No relationship ever is. Surely you know that.”

“I suppose I do, but you never said anything before to indicate that there were any sort of problems between the two of you.”

“Why would I?” Marin asked. “Our quarrels were generally of short duration and soon forgotten. His overprotective streak didn’t stop me loving him, just as yours doesn’t stop me from loving you. You and Calder are very similar in that respect, though with one rather large difference.”

“What’s that?”

Marin smiled. “Calder would never have let me face Urion, not under any circumstances. He would have been furious at the idea of my challenging him. He’d probably have locked me up in the darkest dungeon of the palace to keep me from fighting him at all.”

Caspian wanted to disagree, but he suspected Marin might have a point. Calder had been protective of all the guards under his command and Marin most of all.

Marin wrapped his arms around Caspian. “Thank you for having faith in me. I know you didn’t want me to fight him.”

“Watching you in the arena was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. The thought of losing you scares me so much.”

“You’re not going to lose me. It’s all over now.”

Caspian led Marin over to the sofa. “So, how are you feeling?”

“I don’t know,” Marin replied. “I thought I’d feel different with Urion dead.”

“You thought you’d feel better,” Caspian said.

Marin shrugged. “I wanted justice for Calder.”

“You have it. Calder would be proud of you.”

“I know. I just never really thought I’d defeat him. I was prepared to die, but I’m not sure what to do now that I haven’t.”

“What we do now is live our lives, the best way we can,” Caspian replied. “And let’s not waste any more time with doubts.”

“I don’t have any of those.”

“You’re sure?”

Marin nodded. “Yes.”

“Then you’ll live here, with me? You’ll have the conveniences of modern human technology but with the ocean and your people just a short swim away.”

“You thought of everything when you decided to live here, didn’t you?”

“You’re mer and you’re never happier than when you’re in the ocean. I won’t take that from you. I should never have asked it of Phoebus, and I won’t ask it of you.”

“You’re wrong,” Marin whispered as he leaned closer.

“What about?”

“There are times when I am happier than when I’m swimming…when I’m in your arms.”

Caspian smiled and pulled Marin closer. He kissed him slowly, careful not to be too forceful, cautious not to scare him off. He didn’t need to be told that the memories of Rafe and Urion were recent enough to be disturbing.

“I love you, Marin,” Caspian whispered.

Marin smiled at him. “I love you too.”

“I’m sorry I never told you how much I loved you when you were Phoebus,” Caspian said. “I was a fool.”

“I won’t argue with that,” Marin said. “But it’s in the past. Besides, even though you never said the words, I knew you loved me, even back then. I wouldn’t have agreed to give up my fins if I had doubted it. Now, I know it’s early, but how about we have some lunch?”

“Okay, what do you want?”

“Something edible,” Marin teased. “There may be a lot of reasons I love you and want to be with you, but your cooking skills have nothing to do with it.”

Caspian laughed and the two of them headed into the kitchen in search of food. He wondered whether it was a scene like this that Cari had seen in her vision, but he supposed it didn’t matter. She had always said that no person should know too much about their own future, and he found he agreed with her in that regard. He and Marin had a future together, and he intended to make the most of every single day.