"I'm sorry, Mother, but what?"

Delayed by the need to evaluate the coral reef plantings for my brother and finish the scheduled outpost appraisal, Manannan and I had barely arrived in the capital city when my mother called us to the royal chamber. At our appearance, she'd vaulted up from the silver throne with her long silver and black braids swinging in agitation. Silver starburst eyes, so like my own, were narrowed and her predominantly silver brow furrowed, highlighting the midnight edges and lines crossing her face. Skipping a greeting entirely, her first words had come out with such rapid-fire fury, I hadn't caught her meaning.

"I've received a message from the Winter Realm," she said. Her usually melodious voice was tight, with her words clipped, but slower this time. "Did you know what they were planning?" she asked Manannan as she pinned him in place with her glare.

"No, Queen Ethniu. I've only just come from the Summer Court with a message to make you aware of the situation. Queen Aine and King Nuada instructed me to tell you they would leave the decision as to how to proceed to you," he said, inclining his blue-haired head, large hands upturned and palms open. "What is it the Winter Court is demanding?"

Yeah, that's what I wanted to know, too. What did they have to do with this diplomatic octopus in an oyster bed?

Mother's high black boots tapped the slate floor tiles in a hard staccato as she paced back and forth in front of her throne. Like a flag flapping in the breeze, the ebony wrap draped over her shoulders trailed behind her, alternatively hiding and revealing her shining silver skinsuit. "Shannon's paternal grandparents are insisting the marriage be upheld. Since Shannon is already well past the onset of adulthood, they've demanded the consummation ceremony take place no later than Samhain." A growl of disgust escaped her throat.

Who in the first shell are her paternal grandparents? All I knew about Dylan, her father, was that he was the God of Selkies.

Manannan's spine snapped straight and his expression darkened, turning his tricoloured-blue eyes into the depths of the ocean.

"Who are Shannon's paternal grandparents?" I asked, looking between my mother, Manannan, and my two siblings who were currently leaning against the wall, silently watching thus far. That Mother had included not just my older brother, but also Eriu, my younger sister—only two hundred and future Queen of Atlantia—told me how seriously Mother was taking this situation.

"Gwydion and Arianrhod. Predominately Winter Court if you aren't familiar with their names, but Gwydion pretends to play both sides, so my daughter still welcomes him into the Summer Court. Those worthless shits don't care about improving Fomorian and Sidhe relations through this marriage. They have some other purpose to their demand, and I'll bet it has something to do with getting payback against the Asgardians," Manannan snarled.

I winced at hearing her grandparents' names. Gwydion was one of their most powerful mages, and Arianrhod was a strong air elemental. Odd that Shannon's father was so weak in contrast, but then, Shannon certainly had inherited her elemental abilities from him, so perhaps the strength was there. Given what she'd told me about her upbringing, it made me wonder if she knew she was related to them. After her experience last year, to find out she had relatives in the Winter Court that hadn't helped her... damn, that would hurt her.

My fists clenched.

Mother's voice broke through my rising anger, bringing me back into the conversation.

"No doubt, given Shannon's status as Prince Loki's consort and an Asgardian Princess. We have no issue with her other ties. It's expected that Elatha's bride would have other consorts. I know Shannon's mother certainly does. However, it's the Asgardians we need to be worried about here. We've never had any conflicts with them, and I don't plan to start now," Mother stated firmly.

Right. The Asgardians. The other shell in this diplomatic mess.

"Shannon knows I'd have no problem sharing her. I told her as much," I confirmed. "But given she was raised mortal, she wasn't as comfortable with the idea, and well... Loki certainly wasn't either. They are soulmates, apparently. I don't see him agreeing to this at all."

"Would it appease both the Sidhe and Asgardians if you simply agree to go and let the decision be Shannon's? There would be no fault on our end if we let the choice be hers," Elada suggested, speaking up for the first time from his position against the wall.

I nodded at my brother. "Yes, I'm fine with it being up to her. It certainly seems like a reasonable way forward to me. Why don't I go to the Summer Court as Gwydion and Arianrhod have demanded? If Shannon shows up to deal with the situation, I'll abide by whatever she chooses."

And do everything I can to convince her to choose to keep me as one of her consorts. Shells, but I did not want to waste this chance to be with her. That I might get to keep her as mine... I was scared to hope, yet there was no way I wouldn't try.

Manannan snorted. "Yeah, Loki still won't be happy, but if it's her decision, he would have to agree. He wouldn't try to force her into anything, I don't believe. After spending a couple of weeks with him searching for Shannon last year, his love for her is true. I don't think there is anything he wouldn't do for her."

I kept my snort internalized. Manannan hadn't seen the way Loki had fucking bailed on Shannon when she needed him the most. She would have died. Her son would have died. Maybe Loki had come around, given what Thor had told me about Shannon surviving to safely give birth to her son, but still... Loki was a selfish bastard to have put her through that after everything she'd endured to get back to him.

Mother considered for a few more minutes and then gave me a sharp nod. "Yes. If you can find some way of establishing a true diplomatic tie with Asgard, then do so. I give you leave to serve as our ambassador and establish yourself in Asgard with Shannon, if that is what she chooses. Perhaps once we do, we can enlist their aid to get to the bottom of our missing people. We may rule the oceans, but the Asgardians have skills on land we can't match. They travel far more widely than our people."

Elation surged through me with the force of a tidal wave. I could go with Shannon, stay with her, be with her. Yet even as my pulse thrummed with joy, a realization tempered my excitement as I considered what Shannon had told me about her origins. "Shannon may simply ignore the summons. With not being raised by the Sidhe, and after her kidnapping at the hands of the Wild Hunt last year, I can't see why she would care what they think. Even if they are related to her. I don't believe she considers herself an elf. Her loyalties are to Litaui and Asgard."

Manannan nodded. "That's true, especially with her uncle being responsible. Although—"

"What?" My mind screeched to a halt at that familial connection. "She's related to..." I couldn't even say it.

Manannan scowled. "Yes, Llew is her uncle. Dylan's brother and only other offspring of Gwydion and Arianrhod. The bastard kidnapped his own niece and didn't even know it."

Nausea churned in a sickening, caustic brew within my stomach.

They'd hunted her.

If Llew and Crom had caught her... Crom's perversions towards pregnant females were well known as he'd twisted his former fertility god powers into stealing power through tortuous rape and eventual sacrificial death of his victims. While Llew didn't target pregnant females specifically, what he did to those females he hunted outside of the Wild Hunt harvests... It was horrifying and left them broken and bloody. The few Fomorian females our forces had attempted to rescue from Llew during the last war between Atlantia and the Winter Realm hadn't survived the internal damage he'd done to them in his white stag form, despite their immortal healing. Mortals of Litaui lasted even less time.

Horror shivered down my spine with icy fingers. "Those fuckers were hunting her! Her own uncle would have..." My mind flashed on Shannon, broken and bloody, and I dashed to a flower urn at the side of the room. Heaving, I barely made it in time to lose the contents of my twisting stomach. Acid burned my throat and the disgusting remnants in my mouth had me spitting.

Eriu handed me a glass of water, poured from a nearby pitcher, and I swished and spat. She patted me on the back, her face drawn in sympathy.

"Thank you, Sister. I appreciate it," I murmured to her as I stood on shaking legs.

"I hope I get to meet this Shannon that you care for so deeply," she said, silver and midnight black lips turning up in a smile.

"Me too, little sea squirt. Me too," I told her as I tugged one of her silver braids. Whether it was nausea from the image of the fate Shannon had narrowly avoided, or anxiety at how she might respond to learning of our marriage, my guts continued to twist uncomfortably.

She rolled her eyes and gave me a little shove back towards Mother and Manannan.

"I apologize, Mother," I said, gesturing towards the urn.

"No, Elatha. Never apologize for being affected by the disgusting practices of the Unseelie." She strode over to put a hand on my shoulder. "It does you credit that your attachment to your consort is this strong already. For your sake, I hope she is willing to honour your marriage."

I nodded, even as an uncomfortable sweat stuck to my spine and I clutched my hands together. 

Manannan walked over as well. "When I met Shannon previously, she was hoping to learn more about her parents. She still hasn't met them and doesn't know who her mother is. I could see her coming if only to find out more about them, although you can believe Loki wouldn't want her coming without him. This entire situation has the potential to explode into war between the realms if she is threatened again," he warned, as his eyes held mine.

My muscles tightened at the thought of that fucker. Shannon was my priority. Not him.

Elada spoke up, adding his thoughts. "Indeed. It's certainly the last thing we want. Do tread lightly, Brother. Not only is Prince Loki likely to be jealous of you and has the power of Asgard behind his claim to Shannon, but remember who he is. His influence is all over Litaui. Even without Asgard's backing, he packs a powerful punch with his godly powers."

I gritted my teeth. So what if he was powerful? This was Shannon's decision.

"Yes, he is Asgard's strongest mage, fuelled by the blend of chaotic magic from his Jotun father, paired with artistic and fertility magic from his Vanir mother, Queen Frigga's sister. Yet, this is tempered by his love for Shannon. And he does love her," added Manannan.

Barely restraining my eye roll and snort of disgust, I crossed my arms, gripping my forearms tightly. Given how he'd fucking bailed on her when he found her in my arms, without even waiting to find out she was dying of energy depletion, I had my doubts. Still, I held in the scathing denouncements I wanted to make. With what was at stake, I needed my mother to trust I could handle this. If there was a chance I could be with Shannon, any chance at all, I was going to do everything I could to make that happen.

Even if it meant sharing with that idiotic fucking self-centred Asgardian. He sure as shell didn't deserve her.

Mother squeezed my shoulder and I uncrossed my arms, and bowed my head, waiting for her  blessing. Instead of the expected kiss on my forehead, she pulled me into a rare hug. Gratefully, I hugged her back. She held me for a few long moments before tugging my head down for the expected blessing of my new role and union.

Releasing me, she beckoned to Elada. "Go with your brother and guard his back until we see which way this is going to turn out. You've interacted more with the Asgardians through our outposts on Litaui. Help advise him."