AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah.”
“And the idiot there?” Willow asked.
“He’s about to be the first casualty,” Poseidon replied, sending the merman spinning through the water. He stopped halfway between the walls and them and was lit in a glow.
Willow noted how he couldn’t struggle and was still gagged and pursed her lips. It was Poseidon’s way of telling Atlantis he meant business and would take their city apart should he need to. She knew she should be worried but ultimately felt safe, and she didn’t want to miss this.
The fact Atlantis actually existed stunned her. She’d not believed in the fabled city, and Lyris confirming the tale that Plato had spoken was amazing. And now, seeing the city intact and beautifully crafted was a gift she had never expected.
If the archaeologists could see this, they’d wet their pants in excitement. This was an adventurer’s dream made reality.
“Am I the first human to see Atlantis?” Willow murmured.
“Since it sank in 13,500 BC? Yes,” Lyris replied as Poseidon conjured a throne out of water and sat in it.
Willow raised her eyes at his arrogance but also understood his action.
He was the King of the Seas and Oceans. He ruled here, not Siera. Poseidon was saying that he was here as judge, jury, and possibly executioner.
Willow admired his calmness and poise as he watched for retaliation from Atlantis.
“Do they have weapons here?” she asked Lyris, suddenly concerned about her court.
“Yes, dangerous ones.”
“We need to protect my court,” she murmured.
“No need,” Poseidon said from his seat. “Nothing shall harm my mate or her court. Attention, the army marches.”
Willow lifted her head and stared at the gates, where a horrified gasp left her lips. Oh no!
Chapter Eight.
Willow
Hundreds of Atlanteans, all looking similar to the captured merman, appeared. But what horrified her was they all rode enslaved dragons. Those on dragons formed lines on both sides of the gates while merman without mounts swam out armed to the teeth with weapons.
They created rows in front of the dragon riders while, finally, from the gate, spilt archers who took their places at the front. They all wore silver armour, a feathered helmet like the Romans, and a silver cloak.
From what Willow could see, they all held tridents and swords, apart from the archers who carried a crossbow. They had knives in their belts, and Willow saw some carrying what looked like laser guns.
Others held thin rods, which made no sense to Willow. It should have taken ages for the ranks to form, but Willow doubted that even half an hour had passed.
Willow glanced at Poseidon, whose face was full of anger. He rose from his throne and seemed to grow before Willow’s eyes.
“You have a minute to release those innocents enslaved by you before you all pay the price,” Poseidon roared.
There was silence, and then jeers returned from the army, which Willow reckoned numbers at least five thousand. The noise was deafening, but Poseidon held firm. Willow started worrying. There were so many enemies and so few of them. She was about to order her court to flee while she remained behind when Poseidon slashed a hand out, and everyone fell quiet… and not by choice.
Willow could see each of those who’d been jeering clasp their throats as they tried to speak out but couldn’t.
“General Rychill. Approach the front,” Poseidon ordered. A merman swam forward, not on a dragon, and Willow wondered why. He was clad in gold armour, gleaming in the city’s lights.
“We no longer recognise the law of Poseidon. He had been too busy lately with his own concerns. Siera, Queen of Atlantis, has been meditating the problems of the Seas and Oceans. Therefore, The Atlantis claims the title Queen of the Seas and Oceans as your rightful mate,” General Rychill announced.
Poseidon snickered, and Willow agreed. For all his words, General Rychill did not agree with what he’d just spoken.
“The punishment for treason is to be expelled from the waters and returned to land. Take that to Siera and return with her answer,” Poseidon said.
