Heads or Tails (20 page)

Bane’s head lifted, his expression horrified.

‘Enough!’ Ivyanne threw her hands up, glaring at Grace with irritation before turning back to her uncle. ‘What point
are
you trying to make? Or were you just shooting for mutiny?’

‘Well you know how I love a scene…’ Tristan walked around the table, not taking his eyes off the queen. ‘But my
point
was, that these women don’t know me
half
as well as you do, and yet they have more faith in me than you. They see not only my reputation, but the proof to to the
contrary.
’

‘And it doesn’t help the fact that rumors have you hung like a-’ Bane cut in, who’d clearly snapped out of stupefaction and was back to his usual comic self. A self Lincoln wanted to slap.

‘
Rumor
?’ Adele giggled. ‘Hardly.’

Price looked from her to Tristan, and then frowned. ‘How do you-’

‘That too!’ Tristan cut them off, looking annoyed. Adele looked relieved and Lincoln gave her the finger with a ‘Now-he-knows-you’re-a-ho smile.’ She looked away.

Tristan came to a stop in front of Ivyanne. ‘You see it too, and
you love me
. The only reason why Lincoln’s allowed to kiss you, and I’m forbidden from laying a
hand
on you, is because you know that with
me
, you won’t be able to stop at
one
kiss.’

Lincoln wanted to punch him, but he felt rooted to the spot by the look on Ivyanne’s stricken face. Was Tristan
right
?

‘I’m not discussing this in a room full of people!’ Ivyanne snapped. ‘In fact, I’m not supposed to be thinking about this at
all.
Ardhi, remember? I have other things that I need to focus on that are a priority over
your
damn pride!’

But Tristan shook his head. ‘Leading a body of people demands that you be able to focus on more than one thing at a time, and I believe that you can do that, my queen. You’re just digging in your heels because you’re afraid to make a choice that will hurt somebody.’ He took her hand. ‘I’ll give you some more time to decide Ivyanne, because I want you to be clear about what you do. But if you can’t decide within the month that
I’m
the one you want-if you can’t be as certain of me as
these
women are…’ he shrugged. ‘Then you truly don’t deserve me, and I’m walking away.’

Don’t walk! Run!
Lincoln jeered him silently.
Now!

Ivyanne’s mouth fell open. ‘You’re seriously going to give me an ultimatum
again
? After what happened
last
time?’

‘A month.’ Tristan said quietly. ‘To say what you already know and are keeping from us all.’

‘Just to be clear, this is
his
bright idea, not mine,’ Lincoln said, needing to speak up, needing to defend her, and prove that
he
was willing to wait.

Tristan looked at him. ‘Fair enough friend,’ he said softly. ‘But it’s of little consequence what you do. It won’t change where
I
stand.’

Ivyanne’s brow furrowed. ‘Tristan if this is about what you saw last night-’

‘It’s about so much more than that,’ Tristan insisted. ‘If you only knew, your head would spin.’

‘Why? What did you see last night?’ Price piped up.

‘Lincoln and Ivyanne, kissing,’ Garridan said quietly, entering the room at last. He looked up at Lincoln. ‘Which, as a guard was out of line young man. Tristan’s my flesh and blood, but I’ve given you an equal amount of faith. I’m disappointed to hear that you crossed that line while on duty.’

‘Well I’m sorry,’ Lincoln said to Garridan, feeling his cheeks heat up. ‘But loving her only makes me a better guard, because I’d lay down my life for her.’ He turned to Tristan. ‘Plus, you say this like you’re the
only
guy in this boat,’ Lincoln pointed out. ‘I’m suffering too, you know, but I’m dealing with it for
her
sake.’

Tristan’s eyes narrowed. ‘I
saw
just how you’re dealing with it,’ he snapped. ‘I should
be
so lucky!’

Lincoln frowned. ‘Calm down. I’m just saying that I know how you feel.’

‘You don’t,’ Tristan countered, looking back at Ivyanne. ‘But you
will
.’

‘What’s
that
supposed to mean?’ Lincoln demanded.

Tristan snatched Ivyanne into his arms and had his lips locked on hers before she’d let a cry of alarm escape. Lincoln saw her fight him off, but Tristan wrapped his bulging arms around her and crushed her against him, slanting his mouth against hers hungrily.

Lincoln had never seen Tristan with her before, and the sight was like a bucket of icy cold water dumped down his back. He went to step forward, to pry the merman off, but then he saw Ivyanne slacken in Tristan’s arms, melting against him, and his heart sank. He looked over at the other witnesses in the room, gob-smacked to see them watching in fascinated silence, like Tristan and Ivyanne were some steamy scene in a movie they couldn’t look away from.

But as soon as it had began, Tristan released her. Both of their faces were flushed, and Ivyanne looked stricken, one hand flying to her lips.

‘One month,’ Tristan repeated firmly. ‘But I start playing hard ball
now
.’ He turned to Garridan. ‘When I’m
off
duty, of course.’

‘That seems fair.’ Garridan said quietly.

‘Oh screw this!’ Lincoln went to barge off, but only got halfway to the front door before he realized there was nowhere to go-he was still on duty. He hesitated, in two minds about what to do, feeling trapped in a tortuous scenario.

‘Now you know how I feel,’ Tristan called after him. ‘I’m sorry if that hurt you, I actually am-but I needed to paint a picture.’

Lincoln whirled on him, feeling dangerous. ‘Well thanks for that-
really
.’

Tristan’s eyes glittered as he advanced on him. ‘You want to hurt me, don’t you?’

‘More than I’ve ever wanted to hurt anybody.’

‘Well, you already have.’ Tristan said. ‘You
could
have let Ivyanne off the hook when you thought she was pregnant with my child, but you didn’t. You
could
have postponed your proposal until I’d been buried, but you acted within two weeks. I was good to you, I didn’t cross any lines when I thought she could love you too, but you knifed me in the back-after I
took
a blade in the side, to save
your
life.’

Lincoln felt bad about the first few things, but he’d been enchanted by a mystic mermaid. What choice had he ever had? What say in his own heart’s desire? And he hadn’t purposefully gone for Ivyanne to erase Tristan’s memory-but to heal those left standing! He wasn’t going to be vilified for something the previous queen had begged him to do!

‘FYI, golden boy, Vana
asked
me to step up!’ He crossed his arms, taking pleasure from Tristan’s surprised expression. ‘That’s right. The president of the Tristan Loveridge fan club defected pretty damn quick!’

‘She did?’ Ivyanne looked down at her feet, shaking her head. ‘God I’m so
sick
of this. All the meddling, all the games...’

‘You’re not alone in that!’ Lincoln snapped, though he didn’t take his eyes off Tristan. ‘Wasn’t macking on her at our engagement party payback enough? And you want me to feel bad about two lousy kisses in a month with the woman
I
was supposed to marry? Screw you!’

‘This is exactly my point!’ Tristan turned back to Ivyanne. ‘One mer telling another to go screw himself? This isn’t who we are-nor how we act! I’m as guilty of it as Lincoln is, so I’m not pointing fingers, but the fact remains that you’re delaying your decision to postpone chaos that’s been here for months!’ His dark golden eyes searched Ivyanne’s terrified ones. ‘No one’s going to start healing until you put the hurt in one place. Not me not Lincoln not you, and not Pintang, Adele, Grace... we’re
all
suffering, until you put us out of our misery!’

‘I still think it sounds like a lot more people will be hurt if she chooses
you
,’ Lincoln had to point out, hearing how much calmer his voice sounded now that he’d screamed out some of his frustration. ‘Isn’t it best for the kingdom if she chooses me?’

Tristan grinned at him. ‘A happy queen is what’s best for this kingdom,’ he said, going back to the door. ‘And not to toot my own horn here, but I’m kind of famous for spreading joy.’

‘If you were human, you would have spread a lot more than joy.’ Lincoln retorted.

Bane chuckled, trying in vain to cover it with a cough.

‘If
you
were human, this discussion wouldn’t be happening.’ Tristan pointed out. ‘Remember
that
, Link. You got lucky.’

Lincoln crossed his arms and smiled crookedly at Tristan. ‘I know. A
few
times now.’

Tristan scowled, feeding Lincoln’s inner glee.

‘Okay!’ Garridan clapped his hands together. ‘I dare say we end this conversation before the real mud slinging starts.’

‘Thank
god
,’ Adele suddenly piped up from the table. She was fingering a gun which had been disassembled for cleaning. ‘I was contemplating turning this thing on myself.’

‘Just shoot
me
,’ Ivyanne said softly. ‘Please.’

‘Nah, I’d probably get in trouble,’ Adele joked.

There was some gentle laughter. Lincoln was still bristling from head to toe, but there was nothing he could do about it. Tristan had thrown down the challenge, publicly, and all he could do was accept it.

But it was one battle in a war which Lincoln would draw out until he was the only man left standing.

11.

Ardhi pressed his ear against the bedroom door of the hotel room on Sunday night, listening to Sherri talk him up to the new recruits lounging within. He’d been out all night, and had successfully swiped eight wallets from unsuspecting revelers /swimmers in town. He’d only gotten around sixteen hundred cash, but that had been enough to get a larger, family sized room on South Molle Island for a few more days. Now, the five of them had room to move without completely crowding each other.

But it still wasn’t enough. If he wanted to lead, he needed to give people incentive to follow-and these turned humans had desires and dreams of the superficial variety that the ocean alone would not sate until their priorities aligned with their new natural desires. He had to provide for them all, as the Courts did for their own flock. Of course once he had the crown, he’d be set for life. But he needed to get it first.

Ardhi glanced at the cheap digital clock on the bedside table-it was almost one in the afternoon-he’d slept half of the day away! What had they been doing the whole time?

‘….So basically they framed him for an air crash that happened while he was in New Zealand with me and turned everyone against him! And why? Because the queen was threatened by Ardhi’s ability to make his own mer.’

‘Hey I know that plane crash guy!’ A voice cried. ‘Not personally but I saw it in the paper. Over Hawaii right?’

‘Yep! And because Ardhi and Tristan were rivals, everyone believed the story and tried to kill him, and
me
without stopping to question it. Things got insane and the king and queen got caught in the crossfire and Ardhi and I only just escaped with our lives. In fact, he saved mine, because I’d been knocked out by the oh so sweet princess.’

‘No one believed him?’ Loren’s asked.

‘Not even his own family. They all just attacked- it was like-seventy on
two
.’

‘That’s awful!’ Jade exclaimed. ‘Poor Ardhi! He tried to give her everything she wanted and was just... just..’

‘Kicked in the teeth for it-
literally
.’ Sherri agreed. ‘He feels awful about the king and queen but what can he do? They were trying to kill him too!’

Ardhi snorted. Sherri sounded so passionately enraged on his behalf that she almost had
him
believing her fable. He pushed open the door and strode into the main area of the two bedroom bungalow.

‘Now come on Sherri, you’re withholding
some
information.’ Ardhi turned to the three new mers-Loren’s (who was still convinced that Ardhi was gay) Jade, a curvy, English backpacker who’d browned herself to the point of melanoma in the sun, and Callum, an Australian as native as the plants around him. ‘I was in love with her, so I had some selfish incentive to keep her away from Tristan. And I’m not about to shed any tears over Vana after what she put me through...’

Callum smiled crookedly. He was the
real
catch-a local fishing charter operator who knew the area intimately. He was in his mid-thirties and had that rugged, hard living look about him, which had been softened by the transition but not so much that he was obviously mer. He had strong features and shining white teeth concealed behind shaggy, dirty blonde hair and an unkempt goatee that once shaved, would probably never grow back. Only the oldest mer could grow beards.

Ardhi had chosen Lorens out of convenience and Jade because he’d seen her swipe a wallet down on the lagoon while he’d been observing from a safe distance. The theft told him that she had flexible ethics, but the fact that she’d stopped to pick up an empty soda can from the grass, which she’d then thrown into the recycling bin as she escaped, told him that she had a good, ecological conscience.

Those choices were strong, and he knew it. But he had a feeling that Callum was destined to be at Ardhi’s side-a human who was already of the sea and an established loner, just like him. Plus-he had a house in town which Ardhi wanted to use while he tracked down Ivyanne.

‘I had a feeling there was more to this story than a power ballad,’ Callum said. ‘No one gets into a mess that deep without helping dig a little himself.’

‘Well, you were right. I’m no saint-but I was,
before
Tristan Loveridge arrived.’ He moved to sit down on the arm of the couch and smiled at Jade. He’d only turned her the previous afternoon. ‘How are you feeling?’

‘Fabulous actually!’ Jade’s hand went to her cheek. ‘My skin has cleared, and I don’t feel so bloody thirsty all the time!’ She wriggled back onto the couch. ‘Good to be out of that nest that they call a backpacker lodge, too. I
love
this room.’

Ardhi wanted to hoot and slap his knee-the room was about as budget as they came. Clearly, Jade had lived a rough life.

‘Why are we here?’

Ardhi turned back to Callum. ‘Excuse me?’

Callum gestured to the room. ‘Sherri just told us why
you’re
here-but why are
we
here?’

‘I’d actually like to know that too.’ Lorens said in his heavy accent. ‘Will I still be able to return home?’

Ardhi cleared his throat, glancing at Sherri, who held up her hands to indicate that she didn’t know how to explain it. Which made sense, because Ardhi had altered his course without explaining why. ‘Well... regardless of everything that’s happened-I’m
still
the only mer alive that can create new life without needing to die. I need to rise above all of this and do exactly that-create life.’ He let them absorb that. ‘But even though that’s what’s best for the species, I know I will be persecuted for what I’m accused of anyway. And anyone I turn will be considered just as dangerous.’ He glanced at Callum. ‘I need to make as many mermaids as I can, like yourself, in case something bad happens to me prematurely. And then, I need to locate Ivyanne, and get something from her-something that could set us all up for life once I sell it.’

‘Sherri mentioned a crown?’ Jade said softly.

‘An artifact.’ Callum chimed in, brow furrowed. ‘How do you plan to sell such a thing?’

‘I have a private buyer who is interested in it for sentimental reasons.’ Ardhi smiled softly. ‘In fact, he wants it so badly that he’s willing to exchange a treasure worth millions in return.’

‘Whoa!’ Jade exclaimed.

‘Millions?’ Sherri repeated, eyes widening.

Ardhi smiled. He’d omitted that fact too. ‘We’re going to live for centuries, Sherri. Millions are required.’

She exhaled a long breath. ‘Okay, I’m understanding your motivation to work with him now.’ She frowned. ‘Even if he still gives me the willies.’

‘Who is it?’ Callum asked, direct as always.

But Ardhi had already said too much. ‘His anonymity is part of the deal. I can’t risk you guys knowing something that Ivyanne could brainwash you into revealing. If she learns of him and comes for him, the deal will be off.’ He paused. ‘And if she learns of him-she
will
attempt to hunt him down-and with good reason. It’s why he won’t go for the crown himself, despite his desperation for it.’

Sherri looked down at her hands. She knew all, and clearly wished she didn’t. Her soft-spot for Lincoln was a liability-but he had to believe that her gratitude towards Ardhi outweighed her unreciprocated affection for Ivyanne’s fiancé. And he did believe that. He’d created Lorens knowing that her heart needed the distraction. But he’d made her swear not to breathe a word  about Luca until he’d decided it was warranted.

‘So how much danger are we in?’ Jade asked.

Ardhi sighed. ‘For now-a lot. I need to keep you all hidden, and I’d like to keep you all close and help you through the first month or so-which is standard procedure. Once I’ve seen this through, I’ll have the financial means to fortify us, and when I’ve created enough mer, Ivyanne will know that trying to stop me is both futile, and wasteful. After that, I expect that we’ll co-exist out of necessity. Maybe she’ll never stop coming for me, but by then, I would have done my part.’ He imagined her under him, panting, and his lungs expanded in anticipation of the duel invasion. Oh yes, he’d welcome death for such a moment. ‘But I do need your help to get to her, which to answer your question Callum, is part of the reason why I made you.’

Callum’s eyebrows shot up. ‘And how can we help, exactly?’

Ardhi smiled. ‘If you have a house here in Airlie Beach, I would very much like to stay there.’ He glanced to the other two. ‘You guys have been here for what? Less than a month? If you’ve forged friendships with any other wandering backpackers like yourself-penniless, alone and wanting nothing more to explore the world every day for the rest of their lives-who would benefit from my power-I’d like an introduction. I’ve created six new lives, but it’s still not enough. By the end of the year, I would have liked to have turned at
least
thirty-double what Anna did when she created the Marked to begin with. Not only will that ease my conscious about having accidentally killed the king and queen, but it should make the Marked children redundant and avoid this kingdom ever crumbling under the weight of a queen’s heart again.’ He shrugged. ‘On top of that-I need eyes and ears everywhere. This is Ivyanne’s home base, and our kind are about. Someone is bound to have seen something or will say something, and any information I can gather about her whereabouts is instrumental to getting the crown.’

‘I can help with that.’ Jade said softly. ‘I’ve been around.’

‘I can pledge loyalty.’ Lorens said. ‘But you may not kiss me again.’

Callum guffawed. ‘Second that.’

‘Not a problem.’ Ardhi said quickly, wanting to zap Lorens for being so stupid.

‘I’ll help how I can.’ Callum said. ‘But I am a pacifist, Ardhi. If this becomes a battle, I will withdraw, even if it costs me my life. My only desires are to fish, watch sunsets, and enjoy the occasional beer in peace. No amount of crowns nor bribery will sway me from that.’

Ardhi smiled at him, impressed by the man’s strong moral fibre, which he could appreciate because he didn’t need muscle-just a roof over his head. ‘I don’t intend to try. Make love not war, right?’

Jade turned to Callum. ‘So is your place bigger than this?’

Callum sighed with resignation then nodded.

Ardhi grinned.

*

Ivyanne paced her room like an anxious cat late on Sunday night, wishing she could actually climb the walls so she’d have somewhere else to go. She could hear the laughter floating upstairs from beneath where Tristan, Lachlan, Pintang and Saraya swum about in the shallows near the dock. The remaining mers were quieter now that the Seaview crew had returned to the resort for post fumigation clean-up, but they still sounded like they were in much better spirits then her! Their contentment despite the trials made her feel left out and disconnected from those she’d been coming to value as friends.

That had changed that morning. She now saw that she was as separated from them as ever-and that her indecisive heart was breeding whatever discontent was rampant amongst them all. Bane was the only one who seemed to genuinely understand her division-she supposed that was because he had a fondness for both men too-family ties and genuine hero-worship bound him to his uncle, and a crush coupled with an employee’s respect drew him towards Lincoln.

But he must have favored one of her options, and was harboring as much impatience towards her as the others. He was, after all, half-human and had been witness to almost every hysterical breakdown she’d had. In time, his façade of understanding would slip also.

So Ivyanne was bored and swimming in self-pity as she shoved a box of her mothers heirlooms into the empty closet in the nursery. She’d had Garridan drag a few boxes upstairs earlier so that she could continue the process of making the mansion feel like a home. That particular box was the last- and it was wedding stuff, which she had no desire to look over the contents of. Even glimpsing her fathers crown made her heart ache.

Her lovely room wasn’t calming her as it usually did. Not even with the windows wide open and then ocean breeze rifling everything not secured down. She’d retreated there hours ago to continue her business for the day, not only because she couldn’t look anyone in the eye, but because she knew Lincoln and Tristan would distance themselves from one another were she not there to act as a magnet. And boy, did they need some apart time!

When Ivyanne thought about Tristan’s scene downstairs earlier that day, she cringed. But she deserved to be humiliated a little- she was treating the two greatest men in the kingdom like lap dogs. One of them was bound to bite her eventually! Or, nibble on her lip, which Tristan did so well.

Ivyanne glanced at her reflection in the mirror and winced. Her hair was in disarray, her face was mottled from anxiety, and her eyes were wild. Some queen-she looked insane.

I need to swim! Now!
Ivyanne turned and made her way towards the bay window, catching a billowing curtain and drawing it to the side to the side. ‘Price?’ she whispered. ‘Sahori? Are you there?’

There was a slight noise to her left, and she saw a tall silhouette disconnect from the shadow of the chimney. ‘Guess again.’

Ivyanne swallowed. ‘Oh... hey Link. You got roof duty?’

‘Garridan doesn’t trust me in the hall,’ Lincoln said sourly.