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“I’m not worthy,” Rychill replied.
“Willow, I gave you this city,” Poseidon stated, folding his arms.
Willow’s jaw jutted out stubbornly.
“I can feel emotions in the water, but I don’t want to rule here. I belong up there, not down here. This isn’t my world. Naturally, I’d like to visit sometimes, but my life is elsewhere. Rychill is full of honour, duty, and dedication to his people and Atlantis.
“He tried steering Siera away from her destructive path, but she wouldn’t listen. Too stubborn and prideful. You’ve given me a week to judge everyone. Fine, I’ll do that. But afterwards, I’m returning to The Swallow’s Nest, and you’re sending us both back to the surface,” Willow insisted, holding Poseidon’s red gaze.
A wet chuckle escaped Poseidon’s lips. “We still have your mate status to resolve!”
“Shut up!” Willow hissed.
Rychill wisely remained quiet.
“Get ready to do your duty,” Willow ordered Poseidon, who was shifting to his human-shaped merform.
Willow glowered at him. He was really gorgeous in that shape, and the smug look on him informed her that Poseidon knew it.
Deliberately turning her shoulder away, she looked down at Rychill, who was seating himself below her.
“Up here, General,” Willow called sweetly and smiled when he sent her a dire stare.
“We have not finished this conversation…” Rychill trailed off. He wasn’t sure what to call her.
Willow had told him to call her by her name, but Rychill had decided that was disrespectful. And she wasn’t a queen or commander, so he was stumped.
“You’ll be calling me Willow by lunchtime,” Willow snorted and turned as Chatter and Warrior escorted the first Atlantean to her.
The hatred spilling from this one made her decision easy. Banishment to the surface. And so began her week.
Poseidon/Jase
He was highly amused as Willow kept sending him glares. He’d not once interfered with her decisions, but he sensed her agitated glares when she wanted him to wade in. Poseidon’s lack of arguing with Willow was bothering her. His nose twitched as her stares turned darker and her comments more pointed.
Even when he ensured that the density of the Marina Trench would allow her people to stay with her, Willow had glared. And when he’d created a large area free of water for the air breathers to gain their precious oxygen in, she still scowled. Which tended to entertain him further.
Poseidon wondered how far he could push her. Willow was just starting to realise she’d be here more than a week, giving him time to sort his plans out for the human.
He had been using the mirror network to go from the Mariana Trench to the Indian Ocean, where he was preparing his own surprise for Willow.
She was four days along and had only just cleared the army. If she didn’t interview the general population, Poseidon would relocate them. It was keeping her busy, which allowed him to complete his own plans.
He’d fed his Sins and attended a couple of meetings back at the castle. Everyone wanted to know what was happening with his mate, and he merely glowered at them as a reply. It was taking him some time to come to terms with Willow. Poseidon’s hatred was too deeply entrenched to toss it aside in a week. Still, slowly, Willow was working her way into his thoughts more often.
Poseidon wouldn’t lie to himself. Willow was intelligent, smart, sassy, kind, and gentle. Those were her obvious qualities; he had also noticed she was quick-witted, sharp, loyal, and had a strong sense of honour and justice. In truth, she matched him completely. But Willow was on the defensive. The damn woman knew Poseidon didn’t want her as a mate, and she had no intention of giving up her newfound abilities. But Poseidon strangely found himself mellowing towards her.
His acceptance of their connection was growing, and his hatred of her was lessening. Right now, Willow was tolerable. Poseidon sensed the mate bond getting stronger but had yet to sense anything from Willow.
Did it even exist in her? He was confused and wanted answers. Hell, could Willow gain his powers and not have a mate bond? When he’d returned to the castle, he’d tried to grab Andie, but she’d proved elusive.
Then again, a little voice challenged, why wouldn’t Andie avoid him? Even when she’d arrived just over two hundred years ago, he treated her with disdain and hate. Like most Legendary Shifters, he’d blamed Pandora for their downfall. Now, rumblings existed that not everything was as it seemed with Pandora. As Andie only shifted into Pandora when she went out for her Sin, grabbing Pandora to press for the truth was hard.
And Pandora shied away from everyone. Even though she’d provided magic to help create their second selves, Pandora hadn’t been trusted. Andie was harder to pin down than Pandora was. Andie kept to her room and didn’t venture out. He didn’t know when she ate because she was hardly seen out and about.
Poseidon tried easing up on Andie/Pandora when he saw them, but he thought she remembered his hate and vitriol too well.
But Poseidon faced another human who appeared more than he first assumed. After everything thrown at Willow, she was progressing with dignity and sensibility. Poseidon had believed throwing her in at the deep end, although done in temper, might make Willow reconsider her options. Instead, the blasted woman took to court like a duck to water. It surprised him how quickly Willow coped with what was shoved at her.
