Atlantis Rising

his heel and stalked off.

'I have to go now, mi amara aknasha.'

'I know. Be safe.'

'You will be here when I return?' Conlan's voice was fierce, desperation making it hoarse. 'We can work this out then. Promise me.'

'Yes. I promise. Now go. The quicker you go, the quicker you'll come back.'

He crushed her to him in a fierce hug, then claimed her lips with a searing kiss. 'I'll leave Denal and Brennan to stand guard with you. Stay safe for me, Riley. I need you to be safe.'

Moments later, he was gone, the front door slamming behind him. She sank down on the couch, wondering if he would survive the confrontation with his enemy.

Wondering how she could survive if he did not.

Reisen stared with no little satisfaction at the blue-robed, kneeling forms of the twenty members of the Platoist Society who had come to offer their service and their worship to a prince of Atlantis.

Not yet high prince, but that would come.

The main floor of the warehouse made a perfect impromptu meeting place. He stood on a wooden pallet, the table before him bare but for one cloth-wrapped bundle. Candles lit the table, though floodlights were on in the building.

Soon the Trident would light up the night.

He put one hand in his jacket pocket, fondled the gem contained there. Now was the time for a little display of power.

'Rise and watch the fulfillment of the prophecy,' he shouted. 'Watch the first step in the Warriors of Poseidon taking their rightful place among the society of earth again.'

He gently pushed the folds of fabric away from the object they'd all come to see, and lifted the gleaming golden Trident high above his head. 'The Trident of Poseidon! Instrument of power for the ruler of Atlantis for untold millennia!'

Roaring cheers shook the walls and stamping feet thundered through the echoing cavern of the room. 'Atlantis! Atlantis! Atlantis!'

Reisen pulled the emerald from his pocket and lowered the Trident to eye level. Closing his eyes briefly, he uttered a brief prayer.

'Poseidon, Father of Water,

'Lord of elements, avatar of justice for all Atlanteans,

'Hear our plea, feel our need.

'Restore Atlantis to its former glory.

'Hear our plea, feel our need.'

He opened his eyes and, before he could .think about the horrible death that awaited him if he'd guessed wrong, plunged the emerald into the uppermost of the seven empty openings on the staff of the Trident.

Power surged as soon as the emerald snapped into place, sizzling through the Trident and nearly burning his hand. He clenched his fist even more tightly around the staff, thundering out his joy and triumph with everyone else.

Blinding green and silver light shot out from the Trident and lit the darkened room with the intensity of the desert sun at noon. The elements themselves answered the siren call of the Trident and wind whipped into a frenzy around him, raising the cloaks and hair of the humans.

Ribbons of water surged into the room from the walls, from the ceiling, from rusty pipes that hadn't carried water for many years. They twirled and twisted around the room, dancing with the light, waltzing in a sparkling display of power.

The power, oh, the power. Reisen's voice was nearly gone, his throat raw, but he continued to shout out his victory.

Atlantis will be mine, and these weak humans will fall soon after. Once again, the world will tremble at our footsteps.

At my footsteps.

'I am Reisen of Atlantis, and I decree that it will be so.'

The Trident spiked a surge of blistering heat through his hand at the words, and he laughed even as it burned his flesh.

Laughed at the pain.

Began to plan for the battle.

Chapter 27

'May I sit with you?' Denal hovered at the doorway, looking a lot like a gunslinger from the Old West. In addition to the daggers strapped to his thighs, a complicated series of leather straps hung in some kind of double holster across his chest.

'Going to the O.K. Corral?' Riley asked, mustering up a smile.

His eyebrows drew together. 'I beg your pardon?'

'Nothing. Never mind. It's a Wild West thing, probably before your time. Not that anything is before your time, practically. Oh, forget it.'

He strode to the window. Moved the blinds aside to peer out. 'Brennan is taking first outside watch. We don't really expect any problems. Nobody knows where we are.'

'That's what Reisen and his bunch thought. What if they have an empath on hand, too?'

She watched his eyes widen as horror slid across his face. 'We never thought of that! But, but Alaric said you are the first in ten thousand years to be aknasha.'

She stood, paced. 'Right. And then there's my sister. And who knows how many more that you've all missed in your arrogance?'

'Do you know of more such as yourself and Lady Quinn?'

Lady Quinn. How she'd laugh at the sound of that.

Or maybe she wouldn't. Riley didn't really know this new Quinn. The one who led werewolves into battle.

She opened her mind. Sent her emotions out into the night, seeking for her sister.

Felt nothing. As if Quinn really had died in that bloody forest. Or shut her out, once again. Hiding the things she'd done and the person she'd become.

She saddened at the thought.

'Lady Riley?'

She blinked. Focused on his face. 'No. No, I have never met anyone other than Quinn who can send and pick up on emotion the way we do. I think my mother may have had the talent. Something about my memories of her…'

Closing her eyes, she sent her senses down a different path. Seeking the second person who'd moved into her heart and staked out a camping spot.

Conlan.

She felt his reaction; the blues and golds of warmth and caring flooded her.

Riley? You have need of me?

No. I… no. Be safe. Find your Trident and return quickly. Please.

His amusement shimmered through her, touched strongly with relief. Even at a distance, you order me about. We must discuss this penchant you have for disrespect toward royalty.

Hey, I'm part of a democracy, buddy. We kicked one royal ass for our freedom, don't think we can't do it again.

Before he could respond to her teasing, the connection between them wavered. Ice shot through her veins.