Surrender to the Sea (Lords of the Abyss Book 4) Read Online Free PDF Page A

why not? Children are gifts and should be treated as such,” a man answered. “Listen to their laughter. That is the sound needed in this palace. They will not always be young, and I wish to hear their laughter as long as the gods will allow it.”
    “As long as they still stay grounded in reality,” the woman insisted. Laurel was relieved to detect the Americanized accent. “I will not have my boys become entitled brats. I love them too much for that.”
    “Spoken like a true mother, Lady Bridget,” the man said. “I will leave reality to you, and you will leave the spoiling to me. It has been decreed, and you shall not defy a royal order.”
    “Spoken like a true king, your majesty,” Bridget teased.
    The king? And Bridget, the woman who was teaching the locals new words?
    Laurel peeked into the room. A small gathering stood around a pool. Their legs blocked her view of the water but she heard children laughing. She wasn’t sure if the Ancient Romanesque clothing was a party theme or part of island culture. Althea and Brutus had on similar garb. The men wore togas, their strong bare legs showing from beneath the short skirts. The women had longer dresses made from an organza type fabric, which shimmered in the light when they moved.
    “King Lucius,” a young child called, “watch!”
    A man turned at the shout. The king was young and in fine shape, not at all what Laurel expected of an island king. She saw his profile from beneath the veil of his light brown hair.
    Laurel inched into the room. The hard stone of the hallway floor continued across the open area. Mosaic depictions of sea creatures were crafted into the wall tiles, reminding her of Moroccan architecture she’d seen. The glaze made the light shimmer over the surface, giving life to the fake water.
    A splash sounded. Bridget laughed and clapped her hands. “Well done, Gregory!”
    “Douglas, your turn,” the king said. “Then William.”
    Soon the others were also clapping. Bridget glanced in her direction, and her smile slipped a little. She glanced at the pool in worry and then hurried forward.
    “Hello, you must be Laurel. Brutus and Althea have told me about you. I am Bridget. Welcome to Ataran.” Bridget lifted her hand as if to gesture Laurel’s attention away from the pool and her children. “Are you lost?”
    “I’m looking for the US consulate,” Laurel said. “I lost my paperwork in the shipwreck, and I need to—”
    “Oh, well, I can…” Bridget began, lightly touching her arm to lead Laurel away from the party.
    “Lady Bridget, did you…” The king turned to them, and his smile dropped. He glanced first at the pool and then the women, prompting the others to do the same.
    “You’re not watching!” a young boy shouted from the water.
    At their troubled expressions, Laurel found herself backing away from them to look in the water. Three small figures moved beneath the surface. The blue and green of their swim trunks revealed their location. Suddenly, one of the children came up for air, practically leaping above the surface. Shocked, Laurel realized the colored swim trucks were actually long tails. The child’s green lower half twisted in the air before he landed with a loud splash.
    “Mermen,” she whispered. The second boy shot up from the water, his blue tail twisting as the other boy’s had. He was followed by the third whose tail was color-split down the middle—half blue, half green. They both landed at the same time with hard splashes.
    “Who was the highest?” a boy demanded, before saying, “Hey, who’s she?”
    “Mermen,” Laurel repeated, breathing heavier. On top, the boys looked to be humans around ten years old, maybe a little younger—except for the small fins jutting out from their forearms.
    Bridget came forward. “I know what you must be going through. It’s all right. Everything can be explained.”
    “Mermen.” Laurel jerked away when Bridget tried to touch her.
    “Yes, mermen, but