Page 15 of Coral Prince Conundrum (Runaway Prince Hotel #1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Seero

I take Daryl’s hand and lead him into the designated water taxi.

It’s a gilded raft, similar to the gondolas of Italy, but enclosed, with large, windowed walls.

Privacy is a must for us in the royal family, and this is evident by the media outlets flanking this water channel outside the port.

I remind the driver and the guards that we are to stay above the water at all times, and they state their understanding.

Then, with my guards mounting the saddles on their large seahorses, our water taxi moves forward, pulled by another sea dragon and its rider.

Once we’re in motion, I finally relax in the cushioned seat, fashioned from the finest kelp leather.

Meanwhile, Daryl is sitting next to me, gazing out the windows.

His jaw drops, likely in awe of all the townsfolk who have come to watch my procession.

I take in how the light catches his handsome face.

Having him here in my home country warms a corner of my soul I didn’t realize.

This stranger has become so important to me in a matter of weeks.

His hand is inches from mine, and I resist that familiar pull to touch his skin. But we are alone in this boat compartment, and this is for show. We are not real fiancés, and I need to keep reminding myself of that.

“Ocean gods,” he murmurs. He touches his lips and continues to gaze out the window.

I wish I could reach over and kiss him, but that would be unwise.

I turn to see what he’s looking at, and I watch the several three-story-high buildings pass us by.

Watery channels, back streets we could take, also pass us by, likely with other sea dragons and seahorses available for mounting.

“Do you like what you see?”

“It’s unbelievable,” Daryl says wistfully. “Does everyone here, like, ride giant seahorses?”

I chuckle. “Sometimes.” I gaze out at the people, my people, some bending water upward to move crates to higher levels. “I forget how fantastic we might seem to you.”

“It’s astounding.” He gulps. “Do I have to, like…wear a scuba suit when I go to your house?” He gazes at me in fear. “Or a castle? Do you live in a castle? Will I be permitted in your castle? Seero, please tell me I can borrow a scuba suit, I don’t have gills!”

I laugh and touch his shoulder. “Do not fret, my dear Daryl. You will be permitted in all of my living quarters, because you are considered my betrothed. That garners you all the privileges of the royal family.”

He pauses, then rubs my hand. “Fake…betrothed.”

We both gulp, and I put my hand down. “Anyway,” I say. “We are heading to my royal surface home, which we rarely use. It is above the water, so you will be able to breathe.”

He whistles in relief. “Good.”

“It is not as lavish or roomy as the main palace, so I apologize for the smaller quarters.”

“Smaller quarters?” He smirks at me. “How many bedrooms does it have?”

“Other than the servants’ floor? About seven.”

“Seven?! Servants’ floor?!” He shoves me, and we both laugh. “Well, I’m sure I can someday forgive you for bringing us into squalor, Your Royal Highness!” His voice is drenched in tittering sarcasm. “I need nine rooms to live, after all.”

“Stop!” I keep giggling as he pushes me.

“No! I live in a freaking one-bedroom! And you have multiple houses! You have no idea what normal people live like!” We both continue to laugh as I push him back, trying to tickle him. We push and pull, and it’s a fun rapport, like I’ve known Daryl my whole life.

“Okay! Okay, I concede.” We both calm down, and I lift my hands. “I admit, it is a large house.”

“Better,” he replies.

I bite my lip as I catch my breath. “For what it is worth, you no longer need to rent anymore. You are living with the royal family now.”

He nods and looks out the window again. “Yeah, for now.” Of course, this is temporary. “Your whole country will probably hate me for being an American immigrant, a Black guy, and a dude who can’t breathe underwater.”

I shake my head. “No one will hate you. Besides, Father already met you. They all know that you will be staying with me on the surface. As long as you are here, no harm will come to you, that is my vow.” He gazes at me, and for a moment we say nothing.

I hope he knows that, fake fiancé or not, I would never let anyone, on the surface or the ocean, hurt him.

“Um, thanks.” He gulps. “And, uh, scuba gear?”

I tap his hand. “I will get you clothes and everything you need for when we go to the underwater palace. And we will spend as little time there as possible. You have my word.”

He grins. “Thanks, Coral Prince.”

“Please, I need you to call me Seero.” I wave my hand. “You are the only one who…” Who sees the real me.

Before I can lie and say something more platonic, the boat stops. Daryl looks around, panicked; the reality of the situation is hitting us both. He is now a member of the royal family, and I am back to my princely duties.

“I will take care of you.” I smile and touch his shoulder. “Come, let us go meet the rest of the royal family.”

“No pressure,” he mutters as I walk out of the boat.

A green carpet is laid out in front of the large door, just as I remember. The surface home was primarily used by my brother, but we rarely saw each other when we stayed here. I’ve missed both my siblings, and they greet us in the foyer.

“Brother!” they say in Corali, in unison. My brother and sister both bow.

“Come, give your older brother a hug,” I say in English.

“Oh, we are speaking English now? That sounds so ill!” My one-year-younger brother has a softer stomach than I, with longer hair. What he lacks in muscular physique, he makes up for in technological intelligence and a brighter personality. I hug him, then my sister.

“What is ill? Ill means like a plague, no?” she asks. She is merely a year younger than my brother, shorter than both of us, and she is the quiet princess my mother raised. I don’t know much about her life, other than her expertise at being a water mystic.

“Oroy, Priya, meet my betrothed, Daryl. Daryl, meet my younger brother and sister.”

“Wow, a real American,” my brother says. He shakes Daryl’s hand, who stands stone-faced.

“Your betrothed is a surface-dweller,” my sister remarks. My siblings share mixed looks of fascination and apprehension. I’m simply happy they’ve shifted into English for Daryl’s sake.

“Where is Mother?” I ask.

“She did not want to come to the surface, instead waiting for Father,” Oroy replies.

“Why would she want to come here?” Priya asks, looking at the cream-colored walls. “It is so dry.”

I laugh and put my arm around Daryl. “That is normal for most Americans. Come, walk us to our quarters.”

I lead Daryl down the hallway as he gazes at the various statuettes outside each room. The pink and white busts made of shells and coral decorate all the royal buildings, but I’ve never taken the time to notice them. “The servants prepared the fourth floor for you,” Oroy says.

“I am choosing to stay on this floor, closer to the water,” Priya adds.

“Ooh, that reminds me,” I say. “I need to introduce Daryl to some of our pets.”

“Pets?” he murmurs while scrutinizing a large conch statue.

“I shall take him to the outer tidal pools first.”

“Of course, to prepare for tonight.” Oroy taps his head. “Duh, totes. So ill.”

“Ignore him, he has taken to watching worldwide television,” Priya says to Daryl. Daryl gives a tight smile and gazes at the ceiling. This all must be so overwhelming.

“We will walk down the stairs,” I say.

“Do you have stairs in America?” Priya asks.

“Priya, stairs have existed for hundreds of years,” Oroy counters. “So not ill of you.”

“Well, I do not know how developed his life is!” Priya says.

I chuckle as my siblings saunter off. My heart warms at the fact that they do not resent me for being aloof for most of their lives. With them gone, I gently lead Daryl down the marble staircase, taking his hand and squeezing it more than needed.

The tidal pools are each ten feet in diameter and about five feet deep.

The two areas resemble blue circles attached to the lowest floor of this, the most guarded estate on the surface.

It’s a warm, sunny afternoon, and the sounds of the ocean waves are our only accompaniment to this perfect scene.

I grin at the idea of sharing even more of my life with my fiancé―I mean, friend. And fake fiancé.

Daryl lets out a small gasp when he sees the water. “You made your own tidal environments?” He grins like a child with a new toy, and kneels, gazing closer at one round pool. This must be a dream for his marine biologist brain.

“No, actually. We picked this spot generations ago because of these tidal pools.” I kneel next to him.

The reflection of the clouds shimmer in the pool, but we can see the urchins, mollusks, and sea snails living in the shallow water.

“We needed a place that kept up with surface world technology, all while being connected to the most vulnerable marine wildlife.”

“Those that live in shallow tidal zones,” he says, grinning at the water.

I beam at his reflection. “Exactly.”

“It’s beautiful. So much of your kingdom is gorgeous.” He stares out to where the tidal pool reaches the overflow gate. “And that connects to the ocean?”

“Indeed, it does. Nearly everything here in Port City connects us to the sea, hence the public transit gondola system. This is the biggest surface-level city in our kingdom, and the royal family needed representation here, hence the house. But we required our own private outlet to the sea.” I make my way to the edge of the overflow gate.

“Just in case I need to, for example, call Drakey at a moment’s notice. In fact, I need to show you something.”

He stands up to follow me. “That sounds―woah!” Daryl flinches when a pelican flies down near him and lands on my shoulder.

“Oh, this is Pelly. She frequents this area.” I whistle to her, informing her of her duties for our new guest. She lands on Daryl’s head, and he freezes. Then, she squawks and flies off, and I chuckle.

“What…just happened?”

“I informed Pelly that you are a most cherished guest, and in turn, she will protect you. She sees everything on the land and can report back to me.”

“And you understand her?” He looks up to the sky.

I shrug. “Sometimes.”

Daryl snickers. “Wow. All sea creatures fall for your fairytale princess routine, huh?”

“My what?”

“Never mind, I’ll explain later.” He crouches by the tidal pool again. “Is that what you wanted to show me? Your bird friend?”

“Yes, but also, there is another I need to call.” I take off my green shirt and slip off my shoes.

As I wade into the tidal pool, I don’t miss the way Daryl eyes my body.

I know he’s attracted to me on at least a physical level, but I still find his aroused stare so flattering.

His attention is complimentary; I’m only human, after all.

I submerge and open the underwater gate, allowing the tidal pool to reach the outlet. Next, I whistle, harkening the one creature I need. In moments, it slowly floats to me, like it was ready and waiting for my call. I smile and walk out of the pool, holding it in my arms.

“Hey, what is―ah!” Daryl recoils at the creature in my hands, and I smile.

“This is my amphibious jellyfish. I nicknamed him Jojo. Well, he is not mine, but he has been around this tidal pool for several years. Is he not beautiful?”

I hold up the purple blob the same size as my knapsack. His tendrils squirm about, shaking off seawater. Daryl, meanwhile, seems uncomfortable. “He’s something alright. I didn’t know jellyfish could live on land. He looks like a sack of gelatin.”

I snigger. “He cannot live on land. However, he can hold his breath briefly when I bring him up here.” I hold Jojo closer to Daryl, who simply grimaces. “This species exists only in our small corner of the ocean. Generations ago, our scientists discovered his unique ability.”

“Is it the ability to make me lose my lunch?” he mutters.

I laugh softly. “He can store oxygen and regulate atmospheric pressures even deep within the ocean.” I hold him up further, and Daryl gags. “He is going to be your friend.”

Daryl shakes his head. “Jellyfish kind of creep me out, even in the water. Out here he seems…extra bizarre.” He shivers. “As long as I don’t need to like…kiss him or anything.” He laughs, but I do not react.

“Seero, why aren’t you laughing?” Daryl’s face falls. “Seero.”

“Daryl…you will, um…” I bite my lip, unsure of how to tell him.

He eyes the creature in my hands, then me. “What…what do you mean? Tell me what you mean.”

I grimace. “Daryl, most of my kingdom is deep underwater. And we do not carry the surface technology known as scuba gear. Instead, anyone who has poor lung capacity must use amphibious jellyfish like Jojo.”

“Use the jelly…” He blinks at me with an adorably confused expression. “But…how would I…?” I hand over Jojo, and Daryl looks deeply uncomfortable with the purple animal in his arms.

I clear my throat. “As my betrothed, the entire royal court, including Mother and Father, want to meet you.” I look away. “For a, um…royal dinner?”

“Royal dinner?!”

“Yes.” I nod and touch his shoulders. “In our main palace, not this tiny surface home.”

He looks up at the building, then back at me. “Tiny surface home, but…” His eyebrows jump. “Oh no. The palace is underwater, isn’t it?”

“Again, I am so sorry to put you through all this,” I reply. “You and Jojo, both.”

“What do you mean us both?” he asks with understandable apprehension.

Daryl’s mouth is agape, and he looks down in time to see Jojo lifting up a friendly tendril.

I wince, and judging by his expression, Daryl already knows what I am asking him to do.

Tonight will make or break our gambit. I am taking Daryl down below, and it will either go well or end in disaster.