by Chanda Hahn
I shook my head. “I—” My mouth burned as I tried to explain what happened with the sea witch but couldn’t speak of it.
“Explain to me what I saw. What transpired in that cave? Or I will have to think you were in on it.”
“I-I—” I stuttered and grimaced in pain as my mouth refused to speak. I tried to rethink my words that would satisfy him and not enact the spell on my mouth. “I went there to save you.”
“Liar!” He stormed over to me. Leaning over me, he had a hand on each armrest, trapping me between his arms. “For you’re determined to destroy me.”
“What?”
“First, when I lost you in the woods, I thought for sure the bounty hunters captured you. Then in the cave, when I couldn’t save you, and a third when you almost went over the side of the ship. The thought of losing you… it-it almost destroyed me.”
My heart beat wildly in my chest.
“Meri, I blamed myself for losing you in the woods. Then you show up, disguised as a boy on my ship.” I sat up, and he shook his head. “Don’t fool yourself. I saw right through your ruse. I even thought it fun to tease you. To watch your cheeks bloom like a rose whenever we came too close.”
He brushed his fingers across my cheeks.
“I-uh….” The blood rushed to my cheeks, and I pulled away. He had played me.
“Even when I’m away from you, I can’t stop thinking of you.” He paused and shook his head.
“You think of me?” I asked breathlessly.
“I’m going crazy.” He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
“Brennon,” I whispered his name. I almost broke down and told him everything.
When I said his name, his face turned to one of desire. “You are the very thing I want yet can’t have. Even now, I want nothing more than to kiss you.”
My heart beat loudly. Surely, he could hear it. My lips parted as I sucked in my breath.
It was his undoing.
Brennon reached up and ran his fingers through my red hair as it fell about my shoulders. He cupped the back of my neck and drew me close, his lips claiming mine in a kiss.
It was not a gentle kiss but one of passion and desire. My response to the kiss caught me by surprise as I hungrily kissed him back. Our lips parted, and he moaned.
Wrapping his arms around me, he lifted me up out of the chair, and our kiss deepened. I dug my hands into his hair. Not wanting it to stop and fearing it would, I met his desire with my own.
Brennon broke the kiss. I could see the heat still burning in his eyes, the way he couldn’t stop staring at my lips as he set me down on the floor. My own ragged breathing matched his own as we tried to control ourselves. I didn’t want to. For once, I wanted to be daring and take what I wanted. I wanted Brennon. I reached for him a second time.
“No,” he breathed, and my hands dropped to my side. “This cannot happen again. I was foolish to allow it.”
“What?” I could feel my newly awakened desire fade.
“There’s no question I desire you, Meri. But desire isn’t enough, because of who you are and who I am and of my own obligations.”
I inhaled. His words cut through to my soul. To be all-consumed in a kiss and then immediately tossed aside was painful. A stab to my heart.
I placed my hand upon the table to steady myself. I felt like he had given me the gift of the universe to only have it ripped from my grasp.
“Tomorrow morning, we will land in Isla.”
“Isla,” I breathed out the word of the mystical kingdom, and I felt a momentary thrill of excitement.
“But mark my words, Meri. Don’t even think of trying to escape. We must discuss your punishment.” He tossed his captain’s hat on the table and left. I heard the key turn in the lock.
I couldn’t stop the room from spinning, and I collapsed to my knees and felt the oncoming tears burn my eyes. Then, as quickly as they came, they stopped. For now, I understood my mother’s rule against love and how it made you weak. I would not let him see he hurt me. I was strong, for I was a daughter of Eville and I could face rejection. For I had lived with it my whole life.
The white markings on my arm tingled, and I traced their pattern with my finger. I wouldn’t dare use magic to escape the room.
Maybe I could save myself. I reached into my boot, felt the hilt of the dagger, and wondered.
Could I take another life to save my own?
Chapter Fifteen
The Bella Donna made port at Isla a little after sunrise. I headed out to the balcony and watched with interest. The docks were teeming with life, tired men loading and unloading cargo, young women with ribbons in their hair, carrying trays, selling samples of meat pies and pastries with promises of more to come in the taverns beyond the docks. Various birds dotted the skies, more than the white gulls that sometimes flew inland back home.
Even the sea foam sparkled, and the water was crystal-clear, so I could see indigo and blue starfish clinging to the stone pillars and columns. But the chief glory of Isla was the tall spiral towers that shimmered like pearls in the morning sun, and the waterfalls and mystical pools that surrounded the palace. Each waterfall poured into the one below, like a tiered fountain that spilled into the sea. The falls’ spray floated up to give the impression the palace was floating on a cloud. I could hear the rumble of the mystical waterfalls even though they were over a mile away.
“It’s so beautiful.” I blinked away the tears at seeing the magical city.
Thud. The gangplank lowered, and rumbling and rolling sounds followed as the supplies I had seen locked up in the stores were being unloaded. A few candle marks later, I heard men come and go from the ship, but no one unlocked my door or came to release me.
Was Brennon waiting until all the crew left before he let me go? Did he have an ulterior motive? Was I really not safe as I was first led to believe? Left alone with my thoughts, my mood darkened, and my outlook turned bleak.
My neck ached from watching the pier. But my ears didn’t deceive me when I heard the thundering sound of horses, nor the unmistakable sound of armor and shields clanging together. They were coming down the ramp built into the wall that led to the docks on sea level.
Soldiers. The royal banner depicting a gold trident on a field of aqua waved freely before the troops.
Brennon was going to have me arrested.
“That jerk!” I spewed.
I backed away from the balcony railing and panicked. I needed to escape and escape now. I looked down at the shimmering water below me. It was quite a fall, at least forty feet, but I would have to chance it. I heard the key rattle in the lock and glanced over my shoulder.
Brennon entered the room wearing a blue-green cloak. He frowned as he searched the interior darkness of his cabin, but then his eyes went wide when he saw me with one leg over the outside balcony and poised to jump.
“No, Meri don’t!” He rushed forth. His steps resonating against the wood, drawing closer.
I hesitated as I remembered our shared kiss. But then I recalled his rejection. I didn’t think.
I jumped.
The water rushed toward me. I kept my arms to my sides and shot straight into the water like a needle piercing fabric. Unlike our lake at home, the island water was the temperature of a tepid bath. Thankful I wasn’t wearing a dress, I kicked my legs out and dove deeper, swimming under the ship to hide my shadow as I strove to put as much distance between me, the troop, and Brennon.
In the ship’s shadow, the water became cooler, and I continued to swim, proud of how long I could hold my breath. I didn’t come up for air until I was under the wooden dock, but that was only for a split second as I dove back down and swam parallel with land. When my lungs burned for air, I broke the surface and turned back to try to get a bearing of my surroundings.
I swam farther than I thought, pushed by the sea, or magic, but I was at least three births over from the Bella Donna. Brennon was a speck, but I still recognized his giant frame as h
e ran down the gangplank toward the troops. I took the southern ramp up to the streets and ducked down an alley, working my way through the city, being careful to turn every few streets to make it harder in case someone was tailing me.
As I moved through the streets, I saw an abundance of fountains placed every block. Within them, there would be a multitude of water fae. The fountain closest to me had two naiad girls standing within the shallows, holding up homemade necklaces made of shells and pearls. A faun with a broken horn stood on the street outside and helped them by resizing any of the jewelry on his portable stand.
But among the people of Isla were various castes and accents. I could hear those with a thick Islayan accent, while some had very little. Most of the natives had golden-tan skin, and their hair was a rainbow of colors—fuchsia, aquamarine, plum—but I couldn’t tell if it is natural or dyed. My deep red didn’t seem to stick out when next to the sky-blue mohawk of the fish stall owner. Trident-shaped tattoos covered his chest, and he wore a necklace made of net and hooks.
The hairstyle for the women was braids with beads and shells throughout. Almost everyone included an aquamarine stone somewhere on their body or hair. Whether it was an aquamarine necklace, beaded bracelet, dyed shirt, or bracers, aquamarine seemed to be the royal color of Isla. It was easy to identify outsiders by their lack of color.
Soaking wet, my hair in knots, I was obviously an outsider. My stomach growled loudly from hunger. I looked at the man with the mohawk and desperately wanted the fish he was serving on a giant palm leaf with papaya and pineapple. It seemed that no matter what, I was always hungry, and food was my biggest temptation.
But I had nothing other than the dagger in my boot, my belongings lost on the ship, and I had not yet finished out my contract nor earned my wages as a cabin boy. I was contemplating stealing the food, when a hand gripped my shoulder and pulled me into the shadows.
“Caught you!” someone whispered.
Fearing it was a bounty hunter, I spun and kicked my attacker in the shin.
“Ouch!” Vasili released me and clutched his bruised leg. “Okay, okay. I surrender. You caught me then.” He raised his hands up in the air and gave me a smile. His dark hair covered one eye, making him look playful. “I saw your brilliant exit from the ship. Bravo!” He clapped.
I blushed.
“Brennon is beside himself with frustration and has set out to searching the entire island for you.” Vasili grinned, showing his canines.
“It seems you take pleasure whenever Brennon is put out.”
“Of course, but only because we have a longstanding rivalry. And I love getting one over on him. What say you become my guest while you’re here? I will grant you my protection, and therefore you will have nothing to worry about.”
“You’re protected? But aren’t you from the Undersea?”
“Yes, but I am held in high esteem with the Prince of Isla,” Vasili answered and held up the red ruby ring on his finger. Now that I was closer, I could see the inscriptions in the gold setting. It was the same in the book of the Undersea, which meant it wasn’t the same ring in my dagger. Maybe I was mistaken about Vasili being in league with the witch.
“I would be grateful,” I said.
“Then come, we must get you out of those clothes and into something more comfortable and let Brennon fret for a while longer.”
I was cold, wet, and tired, so I let Vasili lead me through the winding streets. I inwardly groaned each time we passed a food stall.
But the slight pressure he put on my back every time I slowed was enough of a warning that he didn’t want to stop. Vasili passed through an old iron gate and came to a fountain of a mermaid in the arms of a king with a golden trident. Vasili pressed his ring against an old emblem in the fountain, and the statue moved back to reveal a swirling vortex of water.
Vasili gave me a slow smile, his eyes twinkling with excitement. “Come with me to the Undersea. Let me show you the wonders of my kingdom.”
“But isn’t it forbidden?” I asked in awe.
“To mere humans, yes. You would be a special guest of mine and be one of the few who would get to visit the kingdom.”
“Only on one condition,” I stated, holding my finger in the air.
Vasili’s green brows furrowed. “What’s that?”
“That one, you promise to bring me back when I say, and two, you feed me. I’m starving.”
Apparently, those were not the conditions Vasili expected, because he doubled over in laughter. “Deal, little one. Deal.” He wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and held his arm out to me.
The clear water turned dark as the whirlpool opened up to reveal a dark hole that could span for miles.
“Is this a mythical whirlpool that leads to the Undersea?”
“Yes, there are only two that are still active. This one, which leads to the outskirts and one other that’s hidden within the palace. They are both protected by this kingdom.”
I carefully stepped over the edge of the fountain and wrapped my arms around Vasili as I looked into the darkness. The wind was powerful and whipped my hair around. Water sprayed up into my face.
“I have to admit. This is terrifying.”
“I’d say there’s something wrong with you if you weren’t terrified of jumping in. You ready?”
I buried my face into his chest. “No!” I murmured.
“Too late.” Vasili wrapped his arms tightly around me and yelled, “Hold on!” He leaped into the vortex, and I screamed.
His shirt muffled my cries as we fell.
Into darkness.
Into nothing.
Into the Undersea.
Chapter Sixteen
My first impression of the Undersea was that it was cold and dark and lacked the expected seaweed smell. I shivered, and Vasili ran his hands up and down my arms. I waited to let my eyes adjust to the lack of light.
“Careful.” He held my hand, and we moved out of the water.
After a few seconds, I could tell we were in another fountain. I would have thought it was the same one, except instead of the king with the trident being the center feature, the Undersea fountain featured a woman holding the trident while the male sat by her feet.
“Why is it so dark?” I asked.
“Because it’s night here.”
“Really?”
He laughed. “Really. It’s daylight in the Overkingdom, but night here. Our kingdoms live in symbiosis of one another, except for a few exceptions, one of them being the passage of time.”
“Overkingdom?”
“That’s what the people of the Undersea call the Kingdom of Isla.”
“Ah, I see.”
Vasili dropped my hand and pointed to the sky, or what would have been the sky in our world. The ceiling was a black wall of ocean, and instead of stars, it was lit with floating jellyfish and bioluminescent fish.
“How is it we…?” I pointed at the wall of water.
“Aren’t drowning? Magic.” Vasili ran his finger over his ring, and it glowed and lit up. He held it up, and I could see it reflect against the magical barrier that held the water back.
An ominous shadow passed overhead, and I stared. My mouth hung open as a whale swam just feet outside the sphere of magic. Surely, it would crash through the watery ceiling, but it continued to swim and ignored the underwater city.
“This is amazing,” I breathed.
“Come, I promised you food.” Vasili led the way through the dark streets. At first, I thought it was gloomy. But that was because the city was asleep. When he walked past a coral formation, the coral woke up to his presence and began to glow, lighting the path in front of him. With each step we took, more rocks and even underwater plants came to life, reaching out to touch him and then going back to sleep once we made our way safely past.
Undersea guards stopped us in front of the red coral palace gates. Black shale and dark-green algae uniforms decorated their bodies that were accented by their muted
purple-and-gray hair.
“Who goes there?” the white-haired guard challenged.
“It’s me, Warren,” Vasili drawled out lazily.
“Sorry, Captain.” Warren quickly opened the gate. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
Vasili’s shoulders dropped. “No.”
The coral gate swung inward as more troops lined the inner courtyard. Lanterns filled with colorful orbs of green magic lit the path. Where Isla’s palace shimmered with light, the Undersea’s dark stone palace glowed like a burning ember lit from within. The upper floors glowed purple, while the lower floors shimmered in colors of green. A very calming effect for the night.
Vasili came to the main doors, and he pulled out his flute and played a tune. The doors lit up from within, and traces of magic symbols ran along the frame. They swung open with a click.
Vasili tucked the flute into his pack and gestured to the foyer. “Welcome to Loch Lair Palace. The only palace completely created by magic and music.”
With every step on the marble floor, a musical note followed. Not loud and overbearing, but faint like a whisper.
I studied my feet and the glow that surrounded them. I took another hesitant step, and the marble tile lit up again. Then the inner child in me came out, and I began to hopscotch across the floor, the floor chiming with my dance.
Vasili shook his head in amusement. “You’re easily amused, aren’t you?”
Not caring. I turned around and raced back, this time sliding across the tiles, creating a cacophony of sound. The room lit up with a prism of bright light.
Vasili covered his eyes, as it was almost blinding.
“Enough already, before you wake everyone and get me in trouble,” he teased.
“Sorry, I forgot,” I whispered. Immediately quelling my antics, I tucked my hands in my pockets and tiptoed, staying dutifully behind Vasili as he led me down a hallway then up a flight of stairs. He came to a room with double doors and opened one for me, gesturing for me to enter before him.
I expected depressing colors, but I was pleasantly proven wrong. Furniture made from living coral filled the room, giving the impression of living in an underwater flower bed.