King of Tides (The Immortal Iron Brothers #3)

Chapter 34

Arrival

M y stomach rolls and my head is still spinning even after we reach our destination. Ardan places his hands on my hips to steady me as he murmurs in my ear.

“Just breathe. The first time going long distances can be a little jarring. That’s it. Breathe in, breathe out.”

“Queen Billy,” my name is sung as I try to catch my bearings.

I look up to find the little titans rushing toward me. They have gotten taller since I last saw them. Their hair is longer too. One has large blond curls that are bouncing as he runs at me. The other has his locks pulled back into a ponytail.

I squat down just before they reach me and hold my arms out. They throw their little bodies right into me. I squeeze them as hard as they are squeezing me.

I realize how much I’ve missed them as their ocean-breeze scent fills my nose. One of them nuzzles my cheek and sighs deeply. I palm the back of his head.

“I’ve missed you,” he whispers in my ear.

I pull away, thinking it’s Beck, only to find it’s Bourne. He’s the one with the ponytail. His blue eyes sparkle as he looks back at me.

I cup his round cheek and lean in to kiss his forehead. He gives me the brightest smile ever. My heart melts.

“We have to tell you all about Master Kenji. He’s the best. We have so much fun here. All the ladies help us with our training and the food is amazing,” Beck says.

I look up at Ardan questioningly. He gives me a knowing smile. I go to mind-link him, but three others enter the room.

“Ah, you have arrived. Welcome. It is an honor to have you all here. I wish it were under different circumstances, but my home is your home,” one of the men says as he looks around at our group.

I’m assuming he’s Kenji, but he and the other man look as if they could be twins. Ardan mentioned Kenji’s great-great-great grandson—or maybe a few more generations would be here as well. He’s from New York too.

He looks around at the men who have come with us and gives a nod. Ardan has brought along six men. They were all waiting in the basement when we arrived to transport here—each carrying a small bag.

“Your things will be taken to your rooms. Ardan, my warriors will brief those you have brought with you to give them the lay of the land,” Kenji says.

“Dracon, Hudson, you will run point. All of you follow them. Once you are briefed, return to me for your post assignments,” Ardan commands.

The man who spoke looks me in the eyes and smiles. He then bows. I take him in, noting all the details about him.

Ardan mentioned before we left that Kenji takes many forms but upon meeting him, he would take one of two. He would either reveal himself as a smaller, meek old man. Or he would show his true self.

I believe this is his true self. He has long white hair—it looks to be flowing down his back—and a handsome face. He puts me in the mind of that Japanese Instagram model with the long hair and beard. I just can’t think of his name right now.

To be a being as old as dirt, he doesn’t look older than a thirtysomething. He’s well-built and tall as well, maybe six-five, six-six.

He’s wearing loose-fitting black pants and a black wifebeater tank top. It looks as if they just came from training or something. The other male has a bit of sweat dewing on his forehead.

When Kenji locks eyes with me, something in my stomach stirs to life. Not in a sexual way, but almost as if I’ve looked into the eyes of a kindred spirit. As if some part of me knows him.

“You must be Ardan’s mate. I am Kenji. This is my grandson, Amadeus. I believe you are already acquainted with Kai.”

“Hello, it’s nice to meet you all,” I say.

“Yes, beautiful indeed. Kai has had only good things to say about you.”

I look to Kai and smile. She returns the smile, but I note something is off about her. I don’t know her well, but her vibe feels strange.

She’s standing next to Amadeus, but it’s as if she’s trying not to acknowledge him. He’s doing the same. I shrug it off as not my business and turn my attention back to Kenji.

“It’s good to see you, old friend. Thank you for welcoming us in and for the heads-up. This is my mate, Billy.”

“Welcome home, Billy,” Kenji says.

As soon as the words leave his mouth, I feel strange. Something in the words seems to echo around me. Almost like they surround me and then reach into me.

Is this his powers? Is he trying to trick me? Ardan places a hand on the small of my back and moves closer to me.

I immediately relax. Although the feeling as if something has awakened inside me remains.

Kenji tilts his head at me and gives a mischievous smile. I narrow my eyes at him. He’s not the innocent man he wants me to believe he is.

“Perfectly matched. The gods never make a mistake. It is we who alter and break their designs,” he says ominously.

Amadeus begins to shift from foot to foot as if those words were to address him. I’m still mystified that so many generations are between the two. If I didn’t know better, I would think the two were brothers.

Maybe a year or two removed. The only aging factor is the white hair, but I’ve learned that to be common among the merfolk. It’s so beautiful and has such a shine to it.

“I look forward to getting to know more about you. Come, I bet you two want to freshen up,” Kenji says.

“Can we show her the gifts you gave us?” Beck asks, looking to Kenji hopefully.

“No, he told us not to share them. You have to be more disciplined when given secrets,” Bourne says.

“Patience, young Beck. All things come in time,” Kenji says.

“He is in his true form. What does that mean?” I mind-link Ardan.

“ Really? I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Wait, what do you mean? You’re not seeing what I am?”

“As I said, he shows each individual what he wants them to see. I’m getting the old man today,” he replies.

“What does that mean for me?”

“It’s a show of respect.”

“And for you?”

“He wants me to be at ease. He’s giving me the appearance of dominance in the situation.”

“Is that a good thing?”

He laughs in my head. “This is Kenji. You will never know until he wants you to. This is normal. He has not started with his tricks yet.”

“What did Beck mean about the ladies?”

“You will meet them,” he says with a smile in his voice.

Ardan

“You are hostile toward me, brother. What has brought you here like this?”

“I fell into Billy’s past. I found her in the presence of one of yours. She has been dragon-touched in a past life. You were working for my father back then.

“What is your role in all of this? Why is my mate reacting to you?”

“Is it your mate reacting to me? Or is it her spirit reacting to home? What you see is never what is happening. What you feel will confuse you more. It is what you know that will lead you to answers and none of us know anything,” he replies.

I turn on him swiftly and grab him by his shirt. I throw him against the nearest wall. Thankfully they are all solid on this level. Otherwise, I would have thrown him through it.

“Don’t give me your riddles. I am not one of your puppets to dance around. When it comes to my mate, you don’t want to test me,” I snarl.

“Dear old friend, you would think I were a nefarious character,” he says as he reaches to pry my hand from his shirt. “I am an old man with too much time on his hands. I trust you to remember there was a long time when my familiar roamed freely.

“You would have to be more specific on the time. When was she touched? Are you absolutely sure it was my dragon? My brother, too, had dragons who roamed freely.”

I narrow my eyes. My mind goes back to Billy’s words. Would he really compromise the stone to play one of his games?

“Is this all a game? Did they truly come for the stone?”

“You and I both know the consequence of placing your stone in danger. I would do no such thing. I think we have been apart for too long. You are questioning my friendship, my loyalty, and my character.”

I take a step back and pull a hand down my face. I think for a moment. Kenji still has access to step through to the gods.

Although he is my friend, I have always engaged him with caution. However, I know him well enough to know he would never compromise his position or access. He holds favor with them, but if my stone were taken because of his games, they would not hesitate to reprimand him, which could lead to his access being denied.

“Perhaps you are right. Forgive me. Billy is everything I’ve waited for. I know you mean well, but don’t fuck with her. I have no tolerance for her being hurt. Not even for a second,” I say.

“I am here to help, my friend. As this involves your feelings, consider allowing her to train with my assassins. I can feel her powers are still somewhat locked.

“Training here will only ensure she’s never hurt. Take this as my gift, old friend.”

“I will think about it. Her training is being interrupted by our presence here,” I muse.

“I am at your disposal. Now, about the boys.”

“What about them? Have the transformations started again?”

“No, not that the perpetrator hasn’t tried. They’re just unable to get by me. I want you to consider this.

“One can be happy of mind but not of heart. My illusions are dealing with the mind. Those boys still need someone to attend to their hearts.”

That figure in the visions comes to mind. What if whoever is trying to access the boys succeeds in getting by Kenji and taints their hearts because that’s what I’m failing to address.

“When I am not guarding the stone, I will spend more time with them.”

Kenji sighs. “You are already spending yourself thin. Besides, you and I both know the way of the water titans. It’s a mother’s love that cures their hearts. Why don’t you allow Billy to do it?”

“She is not ready. Her fears will confuse them.”

“Will they?” he asks and tilts his head to study me. “Or are your fears getting in the way? You can feel her love, but that’s not enough. You fear the titans will reveal motherhood is unwanted.”

I work my jaw as his words hit their mark. I will be as patient as I need to be with Billy, but I have not fooled myself into believing all her fears will be healed miraculously and she will want to have children of our own.

“I still know you well, my friend and I can see through her. Her heart is not as fragile as you think it is. Nor is she as indifferent to love as you believe.

“She is capable of great love and compassion. It is no surprise she is the mate of Ardan. Ardan, the passionate one, the one of desire and enthusiasm for life.

“The high achiever. It is time you allow others to hold your burdens with you. She can’t show you what you don’t show her.”

“What is it I’m not showing her?”

“Trust. You don’t give trust, Ardan. You would rather do things all on your own than give your absolute trust. You have entrusted those boys’ care to me, but you reach out more than a mother sending her cubs off to school for the first time.

“You do know I have work that needs to be done. If you want me to do something, allow me to do it,” Kenji says and rolls his eyes.

He is right though. I have been placing my attention on everything. I may delegate tasks, but then I micromanage.

Billy is my mate. I’m supposed to share my burdens with her. She was designed to bring me balance. Allowing her to help me doesn’t take away her independence. It does the exact opposite.

It also takes some of the pressure off all the things I have on my plate. A demigod can be overwhelmed too. I never complain because it’s in my nature to just go with the flow.

But if I’m honest, since the boys came into the picture, I’ve been finding it harder to surf through my duties. Finding my mate has only added to my responsibilities, but I should let Billy help as she’s been asking too from the beginning.

She put her life in danger for those boys. I can trust her with helping them. They already seem to have a bond with her.

“Ah, you know what I know now. You will make adjustments. This is good.”

“I will consider what you have said. Not everything is as simple as you make it sound.”

He waves me off. “It is. You will make adjustments. I am happy you are here. Come, you haven’t seen the upgrades I have done. Time for tour.”