Chapter 57
Caspian
“Are you sure about this, Caspian?” My father asks. “James is family!”
“Being family didn’t stop him from kidnapping my mate or betraying me in the pack games.” I remind him. “I don’t have proof yet, but I’m going to get it. If I’m right he’s the only one who might know where they’ve taken Viviane.”
“I don’t understand, why would mermaid traffickers take her in the first place?” He inquires, “if she discovered what they were doing, why not just k- silence her?” He continues, clearly amending his words even as they leave his mouth.
For a moment I consider lying, but I can’t help but think this has gone on long enough. The truth is that mermaids like my mate have been suffering in this city for a long time, and the only way things are going to change is if I change them. Taking a deep breath, I announce, “Because Viviane is a mermaid.”
“What?” My father questions blankly, “What are you talking about.”
As I explain everything that’s happened over the last few weeks, my father seems to shrink before my very eyes. He closes in on himself, his body language and expression gradually shutting down as he sinks into his chair. As the horrible details of what’s really going on in his city unfold, he becomes paler and paler. “All this has been happening right under our noses.”
“Yes.” I confirm grimly, “and I think part of the reason we haven’t been able to see it is because James has been pulling the strings.”
“I can’t believe this.” He grumbles, lowering his head into his hands. “I don’t know what to do.” He sighs, “I wish your mother was here.”
“I hate to say it, Dad.” I snap, finally finding the will to speak the words I’ve held back all these years, “but that right there, is the real problem here! You’ve spent so long burying your head in the sand and living in the past that you haven’t given the pack the attention it deserves in years. And you’ve got to stop idolizing Mom!” I exclaim, “she never loved either of us! You’re pining after someone who hated you and hated me for coming from you, and who cannot ever return!”
“That isn’t fair,” my father argues, “your mother was a complicated woman.”
“She was a cruel and spiteful woman who died trying to leave us to be with her lover.” I remind him. “She doesn’t deserve your devotion.” My father flinches with every word, as if I’m striking him with the truth. In some ways I suppose I am, he’s allowed himself to live in denial for so long that it probably feels like a terrible blow to hear these things.
“She was my mate.” He defends weakly, “what else am I supposed to do?”
“Recognize that she was a flawed creature who made your life miserable and made my childhood a fucking nightmare!” I thunder, everything I’ve left unsaid over the years pouring out of me all at once. “And recognize that James is exactly like her. They were two peas in a pod for a reason.”
“You can’t expect me to just forget her.” My father objects, shaking his head. “You know what it’s like now, Caspian. You have your mate, and you would love Viviane whether she returned your feelings or not, wouldn’t you?”
“Of course I would.” I agree, my temper deflating slightly.
“Your mother wouldn’t have wanted any harm to come to James.” Dad says resignedly, making my heart sink. “I won’t stop you from going after him, but I can’t be a part of it either.”
Disappointment washes over me. I didn’t really expect him to jump on the bandwagon and help me hunt down the person my mother loved more than anyone else in the world, but I at least hoped for his support. “Fine.” I concede, turning towards the door. At the last minute I turn back, deciding that accepting his decision doesn’t mean I have to accept his rule going forward. “But Dad, when this is all over. When James is behind bars and I have Viviane back, you and I need to have a serious talk about the pack leadership.”
He looks up, “Are you saying you want to challenge me?”
“I’m not saying I want to fight you for control.” I clarify, “I’m just saying that it might be time for you to retire.”
My father stares at me for one long moment, and I can tell what he’s thinking. A few months ago I was still a devil-may-care rebel who most people would consider completely out of control. However being mated has steadied and grounded me, and knowing about all the abuse that has happened under my father’s rule has motivated me to step up.
Eventually Dad nods in agreement. Clearly this conversation has illuminated some of those some issues for him, “I’ll think about it.” He promises. “Good luck Caspian, I hope you find her.”
“I will.” I vow firmly. “I’m going to find her if it’s the last thing I do.”
James isn’t home when Chase and I arrive at his new house. When no one answers the door and silence persists on the other side of the door, we break it down with ease. Surging inside, I instruct, “search everything. If he’s involved in this, there’s definitely a trail. He’s bound to have a safe, and his computer is undoubtedly full of evidence.”
“Agreed.” Chase nods, already thumbing through documents on a desk in the corner.
Within minutes we’ve torn the home apart, looking for any sign of Viviane, or evidence of wrongdoing. I’ve found countless papers detailing financial transactions that are certainly not above board, and am still in the process of trying to break into his computer when Chase calls out that he’s found a safe.
It takes a few guesses, but eventually I spin the lock around to the date of my mother’s birthday and it clicks open. Inside we find stacks of cash and gold bars, as well as forged identity documents and a thick red ledger listing payments to men and women with unfamiliar names and ominous notations. It’s all gibberish at first, drafted in coded language and using strange symbols, but as I flip through the pages I finally reach the date Mordred escaped from prison, when his name just so happens to appear in the margins next to shipment indices.
If nothing else James certainly broke the foul wolf out and put him on his payroll, and while we still haven’t cracked his code well enough to verify he’s responsible for the trafficking, Viviane and Kiera’s experience meeting Mordred in the settlements is damning enough.
Just then I smell James drawing close, and stand to meet him when he stumbles through the door, a livid expression on his face. “Hello Cousin.” He drawls, “I take it you’ve been looking for something?”
“And we found it.” Chase bluffs, reading my mind.
“We know about the trafficking James.” I add, making sure there’s no room for doubt and wanting to see the look on his face.
He blanches, though he appears no less furious than before. “I had to make money some way.” He shrugs unapologetically. I’m almost impressed he didn’t try to deny it. “And I needed allies if I was ever going to succeed in bringing you down.”
“So that’s what this is about.” I surmise, “You provided Damien with mermaids, so he would help you overthrow me?”
“You don’t deserve to run this pack.” He snaps. “You’re not fit to rule a parking lot.”
Unable to allow another moment to pass without asking about Viviane, I growl, “Did you know, before they took her?”
“Know what?” He clarifies. “Took who?”
“Viviane.” I hiss. “Did you know that Viviane is a mermaid?”
“Is she?” James arches his brow with genuine surprise. “If I’d known that I never would have let you find her after the Pack Games.” A disgusting leer takes over his features, “Can you imagine the price she’ll fetch? An alpha’s mate?”
“Price?” Chase repeats, scratching his chin in confusion.
“Certainly you don’t think they’ll take her to the pearl farms.” James scoffs. “No. Looking the way she does and bearing his mark, she’ll go straight to the brothels, if not Damien himself.”
Horror and fear flood through my body, a thousand terrible images of Damien abusing Viviane filling my mind. Studying James, I realize he doesn’t look the least bit disturbed to have kidnapped my mate.
“How could you do this to your own nephew?” I ask. As often as we may refer to each other as cousins, we only started because we were so close in age. It always felt ridiculous to call a man only five years older than me my uncle, even though that’s his true title.
“I’m not your uncle, you fool.” James snarls.
“What are you talking about?” I demand.
He bares his teeth at me in threat, pure hatred filling his eyes. “I’m your brother.”
