by Hannah Reed
“Can you feel something?” Ethan said warily. The other two turned to him in confusion. Then April reached up to scratch her arm, a slow tingling sensation was working its way across her body. She looked down at her arms and the dark hexagons were starting to rim with a faint red outline. She looked over at Ethan and saw the same spreading across his broad shoulders.
“I feel a bit tingly…” Alex said cautiously.
“It’s the poison,” Ethan said.
“We need to get you out of here,” Alex said. As he spoke a siren started wailing through the room. “They must know we’re in here.”
“What’s the protocol here for emergencies?” Ethan asked.
“Well, there are several options, none of them are good.”
The boys continued to discuss while April turned away from the door. She muttered an almost silent goodbye to Connor. Her heart ached at the image of his face as the door slammed shut. He was trapped because he tried to help her. Guilt wracked her body. She would come back for him. Walking over to the window wall she was struck by how similar it was to the one back in the apartment. She looked out and saw that it overlooked the same craggy rock face as above. Breathing in slowly she focused her energy on her Factus and Tempus powers, she breathed out and an icy mist issued from her mouth. She placed her hand on the window and pushed the white and navy glow from her hands sending a frost across the glass.
It spread out like a snowflake crystallising and spiralling out in an octagonal circle. For a moment, she stared and appreciated the frost she was creating. Pushing harder she sent the temperature plummeting. The boys’ breath started to come out in little puffs of hot air. The window groaned in place as it tried to spill out of the framework’s confines. A sharp crack sounded across the glass. Footsteps could be heard pounding down the corridor but April focused on her task. The crack scissored across the glass making an odd creaking noise at first. Then in a final surrender, it splintered out in a hundred directions.
The window hovered for a split second and then fractured into a thousand pieces. Starting from the top the glass started to rain down into the sea. The window gone, fresh air blew into the room and the rash on April’s skin started to recede. Ethan and Alex stared on in bewilderment. Ethan took a step towards the now windowless wall and took his first breath of fresh air in over two weeks. He looked out across the sea and had to resist the urge to dive straight down into the water below. To hell with the rocks - he wanted to be free.
“April, do you have a plan?” Alex asked uncertainly. April nodded.
“Will the door hold?” she asked.
“We probably have a minute or two before they’re able to override it. Dad and Freddie have the master cards.”
April had lost her pearls. A tugging in her heart wanted her to go back to that door and blast it down so she could be reunited with them. But, that would hurt Connor. She couldn’t move her focus from the sea or she would lose her control. The pearls’ call was so powerful. However, the call of the ocean was almost equally as strong. She so longed to be back in the sea. To be free and swimming and as far away from this place as possible was her foremost wish. She stepped forward so her toes almost touched the edge of the now open wall. They couldn’t dive it would be too dangerous. Between the poison and the rocks, it wasn’t worth the risk. But, perhaps there was another way.
Beyond the rocks, about two hundred metres offshore, she focused her gaze. Her body glowed a brilliant white as she raised her hands. She moulded the sea to her will and a tower of water rose at her Factus command. She then pulled and twisted her arms towards her. Under her guide, the water grew and grew as it reached up and over the rocks. The tower of water stretched until it came to a rest at April’s feet. The sight was glorious. A thundering bridge of water now connected them down to the sea.
“Do you want us to walk on water?” Alex asked tentatively. A loud thump on the door sounded behind them.
“I was thinking we could slide down,” April said with a gleam in her eyes. She held her hands up in front of her as if holding an imaginary ball and then gave them a sharp twist. The water corresponded to her movement as it had done all those years ago when she made a slide from her land palace window into the surf. The calm bridge now roared to life. It funnelled itself out in the centre while constantly spinning around the outside. April wielded a wave to continuously flow down the slide. Her whole body pulsed white with Factus energy.
“I see you haven’t lost your flair for the dramatics,” Ethan said raising his eyebrows. The door shook once more, and one of the hinges came loose. The top corner was now open. A gun appeared at the mouth and started firing at random.
“Go,” Alex shouted. April nodded at Ethan and he jumped into the slide. He couldn’t help himself as he let out a “whoop” on his way down.
“Alex, I’m not leaving you. You’ll be safe with us, I promise.”
Alex paused for a moment. The shots fell short of their position but it wouldn’t be long before the door broke down and they would be trapped.
“I suppose I don’t have a choice,” Alex stepped gingerly into the whirling tube of water. Shocked that it supported his weight he pushed off with his hands exactly how he would at a waterpark. April quickly followed. The door opened just as she disappeared down her funnel.
The whirling tunnel was surprisingly cold. She transformed as she slid. Her legs glowed a stunning violet with Commutavi power and then as the glow subsided her diamond tail glistened beneath her. Despite the danger, a grin spread across her face. April redirected the water and let it carry her upwards. She flew up into the air and for a moment it felt like she was flying. Twisting in mid-air she turned and dived down into the water.
The cool water engulfed her and she spent a brief moment under the surface composing herself. She vibrated the water around her to warm up their surroundings. The burning rashes on her arms were soothed by the water. Combined with her healing from earlier they were beginning to fade. About to search for Alex and Ethan a bullet suddenly shot past her. She whipped round in shock. Realising the shooting was coming from above her she sped up through the water. She looked around frantically and saw Ethan supporting Alex behind her. She threw a wall of water up the side of the cliff. It raced up towards the window then froze creating a barrier between them and the shooters. April’s head throbbed as she wielded the poisoned water below the cliff’s edge.
“Ethan, hold Alex,” April shouted. She dived down into the water and swam towards them. The bullets echoed as they ricocheted off the ice wall.
“The ice won’t hold for long,” April said as a loud crack sounded above them. Alex and Ethan looked shaken but fine.
“What’s the plan?” Ethan asked. He had Alex propped over his shoulder holding him afloat.
“Alex, you need to transform,” April said. His face looked white with panic. “You can do this, I’ll help you.”
Alex closed his eyes to focus. The pressure to transform was too much. But, then suddenly heat seeped across his legs. He felt rather than saw a colour that reminded him of April, as if her spirit was wrapped around him helping him transform. He kicked his tail in amazement.
“Woah,” Ethan said. He removed his arm from Alex awkwardly and let him support himself.
“I did it,” he said in awe. Alex looked down through the sea and tried to assess his tail through the purple Commutavi glow. The same sense of fascination and power filled him. It felt natural; it felt right being in the sea.
“We’ll explain later. We need to get out of here,” April said.
“Where?” Ethan asked.
“We’ll head towards Hanaria and hopefully someone will find us along the way.”
Ethan nodded. He turned to Alex, “Have you swum at full speed before?’”
About to respond, Alex was cut off as the ice shattered. From the sea, the spectacle held a deadly beauty. It fell as if in slow motion. But, as the ice disappeared a line of soldiers stepped forward. They raised their
guns in synchronisation and opened fire.
“Take my hand. April go!” Ethan shouted. April didn’t stop to turn she propelled up into the air and dived down shooting off. Ethan tugged Alex down.
“Don’t let go.”
Ethan held Alex’s hand and kicked out with his tail hard. Together they sped off after April.
CHAPTER 47
Darius unlocked the door as he heard his troops running into the lab. He halted in shock. A torrent of water was swirling into the room. He stepped towards it and the water instinctively retracted away from him and reduced back into the ocean. A few of the soldiers ran over to ask if he was okay. Darius ignored them.
“Fire,” he said simply.
“No!” Connor shouted. Darius pulled him back by the scruff of the neck as Connor tried to surge past him.
“You can’t…” Connor was cut off mid-sentence as a deep rumbling sound echoed throughout the room. Everyone stopped for a second and looked around in disbelief. Then before their eyes, a wall of water loomed ahead of them covering the windowless wall. The roar of the water was deafening. Connor prepared to run. But suddenly the noise stopped. The room was plunged into darkness as the water solidified into ice and blocked out the natural light.
“Don’t just stand there. Shoot,” Darius commanded. As each line ran out of ammunition another stepped forward to open fire. Connor stared in horror.
“What about Alex?” Connor asked.
“He made his decision. He’ll see I was right,” Darius said without bothering to turn and address Connor. “Send someone to check on Frederick.”
Connor opened his mouth to protest but closed it. Considering all that he had done his Dad was being surprisingly tolerant. He didn’t want to push him now. The security team were first aid trained so Connor grabbed one standing by the door and led her to where Freddie lay. The guard knelt immediately and started checking over his body. She stopped periodically to ask questions. How did he fall? How long had he been out cold? Connor leant against a wall and replied numbly. He avoided looking down at where his brother lay unconscious.
The earlier events kept flashing through his mind. It all seemed so surreal. How could this have happened? He promised to protect April, to help her. Instead, she had been captured, tortured and shot at. Connor reached into his pocket and pulled out her pearl necklace. He carefully caressed each pearl and gem. The smooth, cool stones soothed him. He hoped April was okay, and Alex. A sudden loud crack brought his attention back to the room. He ran into the laboratory just as the ice gave way and shattered. He stood in awe as the ice tumbled down in a million shards. As soon as the way was clear a new line of guards stepped forward and opened fire on the sea. Connor turned away instinctively.
“Pathetic,” Darius said staring at his son.
CHAPTER 48
“Perch,” Nathaniel said as a greeting. His Iris pad was on his desk as he swam up and down in agitation. “I felt her. She’s in danger. But, April’s alive. She’s consciously using her powers. The pearls are angry for some reason.”
Perch hesitated for a fraction of a second before responding. He didn’t understand the pearls, part of him thought it was all a load of nonsense and natural selection.
“Where is my heading?” he eventually responded.
“Head to the Periculi Gemini Cliffs. April will be travelling away from them, so spread your search wide.”
“Okay, I will update you on our progress.”
“Thank you,” Nathaniel said and tapped out of the call.
His pearls were vibrating in anticipation. A power was surging through him. He hadn’t felt this sort of power since April was first born. The pearls had a plan. He could feel it but for now, they weren’t ready to share it with him. Nathaniel swam around his office one last time. He looked at his Iris pad lying on the desk. He had to make the call. He floated in indecision. It would only take a moment.
“Call Kayla,” he said. The Iris pad started ringing. He drifted down into his black sea silk chair. He let its comfort absorb him.
“Dad?” an irate voice called out.
“Kayla. How are you?”
“I’m good thank you.”
The hostility in her voice made him recoil.
“Kayla, the pearls are stirring. They’re sending me flashes of information. Your sister is using her powers. She’s alive. Your Grandfather is off to find her now.”
“I… I don’t …. No.”
“Yes Kayla. If you listened to your Essentia pearl you would know it’s true.”
Kayla hesitated, “I don’t believe in the pearls Dad. It’s just a load of superstitious nonsense.”
Nathaniel leant his forehead against his hands. Kayla always had been stubborn, much like her Mother.
“Please, just come home.”
“Dad.”
“You can see the poison neutralisers for yourself and discuss your plans with the Hanarian government.”
He heard Kayla sigh.
“Okay, I’ll come tomorrow. Have Clyde draw up a schedule.”
“Okay. Thank…” But Kayla had already hung up.
Nathaniel leant back in his chair and looked across his study. In a palace full of servants and advisors he had never felt more alone. He called for Titan and Tarzan. The two came whizzing into the room. Nathaniel leaned up and patted them as they darted above his head.
“Let’s go for a swim.”
The two seahorses dashed immediately to the window and swam around each other in dizzying circles. Nathaniel swam to join them. He swam out of the window and shot off. Titan and Tarzan zoomed after him. Nothing was left but a trail of bubbles.
CHAPTER 49
April slowed as she approached a small coral reef out in the middle of the ocean. It would be a good place to rest she thought. The coral encircled an underwater volcano. It was a safe haven for a menagerie of exotic coral fish. She slipped through the shoals and came to rest on one of the few bare rocks amongst the reef. Ethan steered Alex carefully behind him. Many corals were poisonous to mer and others were just plain painful if you caught yourself on them. April looked up and marvelled at the colours all around her. The moon was only just shy of being full and its bright light shone down into the shallow waters. The light reflected off the scales of the hundreds of fish and sent shafts of colour spilling in all directions. From where she sat it looked like a choreographed dance.
The fish had fallen into a rhythm. They swam this way and that heading into the safety of the corals before the sunset. Then the sea would be plunged into darkness with only the moon’s glow to guide them. It was a pleasant change from the stark white and black décor of Rushton. These waters were relatively safe because the deathly Musto coral deterred larger predators.
Ethan had successfully gotten Alex to the rock and the two sank down next to April. Their tails hanging off the edge, they leant back and joined April watching the fish darting home.
“It’s beautiful,” Alex said. He still wasn’t used to speaking under water. With every word, he felt he was going to swallow water. And yet, he didn’t.
“It is, isn’t it?” April said. She let herself melt slowly down into the rock and cushioned her head under her arms.
“I can’t believe that just happened,” April said.
“I know,” Alex replied “My Dad, he knew all along. He brought you here on purpose.”
April shuddered. She closed her eyes momentarily and saw Freddie looming over her.
“What happened to you Ethan? How long have you been there?”
“Since the Peace Treaty,” Ethan said rolling onto his side. Alex averted his gaze and looked to April.
“I was captured after the explosion. Lydia and Frederick have been experimenting on me. They wanted me to tap into your pearls’ power. Then, when that didn’t work they started testing the poison on me.”
“I’m so sorry,” April said. “I should have come for you sooner.”
“It’s fine, I’m fine, at least they neve
r got access to your powers.”
“It’s disgusting though,” Alex said. “What they were doing to you, what they were going to do.”
“I think, Lydia and Frederick were trying to make the pearls’ powers accessible to everyone,” Ethan said. “They healed me with Curo energy they had already harvested.”
“What?” April said pushing herself up off the rock. “That’s impossible.”
“Apparently not, but their process sounds long and painful for such small results. They want to refine it.”
“I think that’s only half the story. The way my Dad and Freddie were talking tonight. They want to control the mer,” Alex said with disgust.
“Control, but how?” April asked. The small sense of security she felt on her rock vanished.
“I don’t know.”
The three lapsed into silence, each pondering the events that had led them to their rock.
“What’s the plan April?” Ethan asked.
“I think we should rest here for an hour or so and then push on?”
Ethan nodded, “Alex, can you manage another swim?”
Alex bristled at the implication. “Yup,” he said tightly “I don’t think I could sleep even if I tried.”
Alex knew he should be worried or at least concerned about what he had just done. But, somehow the emotion eluded him. Instead, all he felt was excitement. Leaving had been the first major action in his life that didn’t fall neatly into his Dad’s plan. For once he felt entirely free. It might have just been the water but he actually felt lighter. His body and mind were released. It was as if he had been holding his breath for years without knowing, and now he had finally learnt how to exhale.
April, beside him, did not look nearly so relaxed. Her fingers were subconsciously tapping the rock. She was so close to home, yet now it was happening she didn’t feel excited. Panic was flooding through her. What was the next step? She wasn’t ready to confront all the pain that was awaiting her.
A fish swam across April’s stomach and she jumped up in alarm. Her hair flung up so it was standing on end horizontally.