island.
“Not everyone wants change, Roen. Especially the island. It makes her nervous.”
Well, too damned bad. Roen would do everything in his power to ensure she wasn’t vulnerable to outsiders, but this chaos had to end. Besides, sooner or later, someone would discover this place. With technology and human population growth, the world grew smaller by the second. For God’s sake, it was a damned miracle that an ocean freighter hadn’t rammed right into them. Thousands of ships passed within two miles of their shores every damned year. Roen had no doubt in his mind that he’d get the island to come around. First, he needed to prove to her how his way would be better in the long run.
“And you?” Roen asked. “How do you feel about change?”
Naylor grinned. “No matter what you do, I will never leave her. She is my home. And may I remind you, Roen, that none of us will ever truly be free. She’s as much a part of us as we are of her.”
Being connected to something didn’t mean it had to be everything. The connection simply needed to be honored and understood for what it truly was. What they had on this island wasn’t right.
And I’m going to change that. And Shane just made a big mistake dragging my mate into this.
The sound of a loud metal bell rang out across the island, summoning everyone for the evening’s big event. It was time.
~ ~ ~
With a heavy sigh, Naylor watched Roen disappear out the front door. He admired the young man of only thirty-four years for his determination and loyalty to the people. Nevertheless, this island was no place for a merman with a big heart. Because despite the island’s name—El Corazón—she didn’t possess a heart. It was the one thing Naylor understood after living here for hundreds of years: the island always got what the island wanted.
One way or another . Those who moved against her wishes got to see everything they loved taken away, piece by piece. Never turn your back on that which the island asks of you. It was the cardinal rule.
“Why did you remain silent, merman?” the island hissed inside Naylor’s head. “Why did you not tell him?”
“Because Roen was in no mood to listen and telling him now would only fuel his conviction.”
“Then let him fuel himself to the grave and everyone who chooses to follow him,” she said. “Roen made a vow to rule obediently if I spared his mate. He promised to close his heart to her and give it to me.”
It had been a mistake—her mistake—calling Roen to the island, using his mate as the carrot to get him to dethrone his own brother. But the island couldn’t help herself. She had believed Roen’s strength would make her stronger, too. However, she quickly realized there was such a thing as too strong. She couldn’t control him like she’d been able to with the others. That hadn’t kept her from trying, though, and tonight would be her last attempt to rein him in. Roen either buckled or Shane would step in. Liv was merely brought in as a test for Roen, a bone to fight over.
“There is still a chance Roen’ll keep his word. And we both know how happy that would make you.”
“Yes, but if Roen so much as lifts a finger toward that landlover bitch, I will make him watch while I kill everything he loves—his mate, his brother, the men, and perhaps I’ll take out some of those vile landlovers, too.”
This was what Naylor had been afraid of. The island’s sense of justice and revenge was one without regard for the consequences. Sometimes protecting her meant protecting her from herself, too. “I will personally see to it that the landlover female is dealt with. But please, my queen, I beg you to let the men live.”
“No one, except for the elders and Shane, will be spared if Roen fails to keep his vow. And there will be no limit to the suffering I will bring.”
“But my queen—”
“No! Weakness and disobedience are like a cancer that must be eradicated before it spreads. I will
“Not everyone wants change, Roen. Especially the island. It makes her nervous.”
Well, too damned bad. Roen would do everything in his power to ensure she wasn’t vulnerable to outsiders, but this chaos had to end. Besides, sooner or later, someone would discover this place. With technology and human population growth, the world grew smaller by the second. For God’s sake, it was a damned miracle that an ocean freighter hadn’t rammed right into them. Thousands of ships passed within two miles of their shores every damned year. Roen had no doubt in his mind that he’d get the island to come around. First, he needed to prove to her how his way would be better in the long run.
“And you?” Roen asked. “How do you feel about change?”
Naylor grinned. “No matter what you do, I will never leave her. She is my home. And may I remind you, Roen, that none of us will ever truly be free. She’s as much a part of us as we are of her.”
Being connected to something didn’t mean it had to be everything. The connection simply needed to be honored and understood for what it truly was. What they had on this island wasn’t right.
And I’m going to change that. And Shane just made a big mistake dragging my mate into this.
The sound of a loud metal bell rang out across the island, summoning everyone for the evening’s big event. It was time.
~ ~ ~
With a heavy sigh, Naylor watched Roen disappear out the front door. He admired the young man of only thirty-four years for his determination and loyalty to the people. Nevertheless, this island was no place for a merman with a big heart. Because despite the island’s name—El Corazón—she didn’t possess a heart. It was the one thing Naylor understood after living here for hundreds of years: the island always got what the island wanted.
One way or another . Those who moved against her wishes got to see everything they loved taken away, piece by piece. Never turn your back on that which the island asks of you. It was the cardinal rule.
“Why did you remain silent, merman?” the island hissed inside Naylor’s head. “Why did you not tell him?”
“Because Roen was in no mood to listen and telling him now would only fuel his conviction.”
“Then let him fuel himself to the grave and everyone who chooses to follow him,” she said. “Roen made a vow to rule obediently if I spared his mate. He promised to close his heart to her and give it to me.”
It had been a mistake—her mistake—calling Roen to the island, using his mate as the carrot to get him to dethrone his own brother. But the island couldn’t help herself. She had believed Roen’s strength would make her stronger, too. However, she quickly realized there was such a thing as too strong. She couldn’t control him like she’d been able to with the others. That hadn’t kept her from trying, though, and tonight would be her last attempt to rein him in. Roen either buckled or Shane would step in. Liv was merely brought in as a test for Roen, a bone to fight over.
“There is still a chance Roen’ll keep his word. And we both know how happy that would make you.”
“Yes, but if Roen so much as lifts a finger toward that landlover bitch, I will make him watch while I kill everything he loves—his mate, his brother, the men, and perhaps I’ll take out some of those vile landlovers, too.”
This was what Naylor had been afraid of. The island’s sense of justice and revenge was one without regard for the consequences. Sometimes protecting her meant protecting her from herself, too. “I will personally see to it that the landlover female is dealt with. But please, my queen, I beg you to let the men live.”
“No one, except for the elders and Shane, will be spared if Roen fails to keep his vow. And there will be no limit to the suffering I will bring.”
“But my queen—”
“No! Weakness and disobedience are like a cancer that must be eradicated before it spreads. I will
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