Madly (4 page)

Only today, something was terribly wrong.

CHAPTER FOUR

Alarms were going off everywhere and people were scrambling about. All in all, it was easy to see that chaos had ensued.

Searching the faces, I looked for Commander Jessup. When I found him, however, his companion stole my attention as well as my breath. Jessup was deeply embroiled in conversation with Jackson.

I tried to ignore the way his wet hair shone in the bright overhead lights and the way his bronzy skin gleamed against the black of his shirt, but it didn’t work. When my racing pulse coupled with my lack of oxygen began to make me dizzy, I had to avert my eyes just so I could breathe.

“
Who are you looking for?” Aidan asked, mistaking my reluctance to look at Jackson as a sign that I was searching for someone other than Jessup.

I didn’t answer him.

I was immediately angry, mostly at Jackson (though it made no sense), and my irrational reaction only served to further aggravate me. Fortunately, the potent cocktail of my swirling anger and remembered humiliation had me back to rights in no time.

With lips pinched tight, I turned back toward Commander Jessup and Jackson.

“
Him,” I finally answered, starting forward.

With head held high, I approached the two large men. I kept reminding myself that I was the Warden Major’s daughter, a Princess in her own right. I had every reason to be here and they had every obligation to answer my questions.

I came to a stop in front of the two men and they both turned to acknowledge me.

“
Princess,” Commander Jessup said, dipping his head formally.

I nodded in response. “Commander.”

I looked to Jackson, not bothering to hide my smug smile. I could feel the fire flashing in my eyes, daring him to be anything less than cordial.

“
Princess,” he said, tucking his chin slowly, his sparkling blue eyes never leaving mine.

I nodded haughtily, but said nothing.

“
Commander, might I have a word?”

“
Of course,” he said, turning fully toward me.

“
In private,” I added, not even deigning to look at Jackson again.

The Commander glanced at Jackson.

“
Hamilton, give us a minute.”

From the corner of my eye, I could see Jackson spear me with a satisfied look of his own before he turned to the Commander.

“
Sir, for reasons we’ve already discussed,” Jackson began, clearing his throat and sending a knowing grin in Jessup’s direction. “I’ve had to assume the role of personal Sentinel to the Princess. It might be best if I am privy to her concerns, as they will now be germane to me as well.”

“
Good point, Hamilton,” Jessup said, looking back to me expectantly, as if the issue had been decided. “How can I be of service?”

I fumed. I wanted to say that he could kick Jackson out on his perfect butt, but I simply smiled a tight smile, all the while biting my tongue to keep it still. I’d talk to him about dealing with Jackson later.

“
It is my fear that a prisoner has escaped Atlas,” I said, getting straight to the point. “I would like you to raise my parents on the com so that I might speak with them.”

Jessup glanced uncomfortably at Jackson before he spoke.

“
Princess, I’m afraid that will be impossible at this time. I’d be happy—”

“
Commander Jessup,” I snapped, interrupting his placating. “I demand that you let me speak with my parents this instant.”

“
Princess—”

“
Commander, I will not accept no as an answer. If you will not raise my parents, I will see to it that my father replaces you with someone more willing to accommodate my very infrequent requests.”

“
Princess, I’m afraid I can’t—”

“
You can and you will,” I demanded.

“
But you don’t—”

“
Commander Jessup, I don’t care—”

“
Princess!”

It was Jackson’s thundering voice that startled my response right out of me.

“
Atlas is under lockdown,” he spat.

At his words, I felt the blood drain away from my face. There was only one reason Atlas would be on lockdown, a condition I’d never known to arise.

“
The Lore,” I whispered. It
was
true. The unthinkable
had
happened.

Jackson nodded sharply. Jessup seemed a little more sympathetic.

“
I’m sorry, Princess,” he said.

“
Do you know—” I started, but had to pause and swallow so that I could speak around the lump that was obstructing my throat. “What about my parents?”

I saw Commander Jessup slide a concerned glance to Jackson before he met my eyes and answered.

“
They’re being held captive.”

An invisible fist punched me in the gut and my knees wobbled. I felt a hand on both of my arms—Jersey and Aidan, they were on either side of me.

“
And Truly? What about her? Where is my sister?”

Once again, Jackson and Jessup shared a meaningful glance.

“
She’s being held as well. Away from your parents, as leverage.”

The lump inside my throat grew, restricting airflow to my tight lungs. My eyelids burned with unshed tears, tears that I’d die before I shed in front of Jackson.

“
Who? I mean, which one has escaped?”

“
There are at least eight that we know of, but there could be more.”

“
But how?” I asked, looking down at my bracelet. It was one of only four keys that could be used to access the containment area, as well as the only means through which Lore could be captured. “The bracelets…”

“
The one meant for your betrothed. It was stolen.”

I looked up and to my right at Aidan’s shocked face. It was plain to see that he was thinking the same thing I was.

“
Then there’s a traitor.”

“
Yes, Princess. We’ve been betrayed.”

I felt faint, but I fought the haze that I felt moving over me.

“
How can we free my parents?”

“
The Lore must be captured and returned to Atlas.”

“
But how?”

Just before everything went dim, I saw Jackson frown down into my face.

“
You, Princess. You’re their only hope.”

And then I was falling forward, right into his broad chest.

CHAPTER FIVE

I was adrift in a blissful sea of tranquility, kept in the pleasant company of all the human fairy tales, people that I knew so much about.

Cinderella, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty, they, along with hundreds of others, felt like my friends in a strange way. I’d heard stories about them all my life, stories about how the Lore had come against them. Like most influential people, there were always those who sought to destroy the family line, to cripple the bright futures of those destined to make a difference.

On dry land, among humans, the histories were viewed as nothing more than fairy tales, and polluted ones at that, most of the truth of each life having been changed over time. And that’s the way the Mer intended to keep it. Since the spirits of the Lore were imprisoned where they could hurt neither descendants nor humans, there was no reason to scare people with the facts, with the reality of such vicious creatures and evil schemers.

But, alas, my dreamy state was not to be. Someone was calling my name, trying to drag me away from the peaceful harmony in the world of my companions.

“
Madly,” the familiar voice kept saying. “Madly, wake up!”

I resisted, nothing in the world of that voice as appealing as what I’d found in my dream.

But then another voice chimed in. “Princess,” it whispered.

A tingling feeling spread across my cheek and I listened more closely.

“
Madly,” it breathed near my ear.

This voice made me feel weak. It held such magnetism, such a soul-deep gravity for me that I willingly pushed away from my friends to find the person that went with it.

My eyes fluttered open to see a dark silhouette hovering over me. It was backlit by a bright halo of lights. I couldn’t make out any features, other than short hair and an undeniable masculinity. He was touching my face and I thought surely there had never been a more rapturous feeling.

Closing my eyes, I turned my face into his hand and breathed deep. He smelled of salt and sandalwood and something musky that seemed like it should awaken me every morning.

I heard a soft gasp and I turned my face back up, opening my eyes and shifting my head to the side so that I could see past the halo.

Jackson leaned over me. His hand had stilled against my face as if he was frozen and his blue eyes were hard and intense. They were trained on me and his expression said that he’d been delivered a spine-tingling shock.

I felt as if I had, too.

We stared at each other for no more than a few seconds, though it felt as if a wealth of communication transpired in that short time, and then he leaned back, straightening and speaking to someone I couldn’t see.

“
She’s awake.”

And then I could see him no more.

I sat up to follow him with my gaze, only to discover that three other pairs of eyes were focused sharply on me.

Surrounding me in a semi-circle was Commander Jessup, Jersey and Aidan. Jackson had already turned to walk away.

I smiled a wobbly smile. Though I was a bit confused, I knew I should be feeling all sorts of things besides what I was feeling, which was an overwhelming desire to slide down off the table I was sitting atop and follow Jackson. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to peer into his eyes and examine the strange things he made me feel.