by Hannah Reed
“April?” Ethan asked.
“Don’t worry, April,” Alex said. He sat up and put his arm around her. “At least we’re all free now.”
“We are,” Ethan said and hesitantly dropped his arm around April’s shoulder too.
“Connor isn’t though,” April said quietly. The look on Connor’s face haunted April. She dreaded to think how Darius would punish him. Her mind turned to Megan too. She had been sent to help tidy the President’s rooms that morning and April hadn’t seen her since. April hoped Megan wasn’t implicated in their escape. She had grown to like Megan and her fascination with mer. She would go back for them both. After searching for her pearls for so long, she realised that they weren’t the point. She could get new pearls. But, she couldn’t replace her friends. She had gained Ethan but lost Connor and Megan.
After returning home she would head to a pearl cave and welcome a new set of pearls. Then she could find Connor and Megan and Darius would feel her wrath. As memories of Darius and how she had been strapped down flashed through her memory April’s fingers closed into a fist. The black light flickered across her fingers.
Her vision blurred and suddenly she was back in the hole in the ground, a crying young merita. Instead of being consumed by the memory it was as if she was looking on. She recognised the substance covering the walls now. The hole was lined with sea-worn Tenebrasco pearls. The darkness was emanating from her merita self. She heard her Mum’s voice above her. Both Aprils turned to look up searching for their Mum.
“Are you certain?” Freya asked.
“Yes, Your Majesty. April can wield the Tenebrasco pearls.”
“But how?”
“I don’t know for sure. The extra energy from Julia and Anthony must be key.”
“What should I do?”
“For now. I would protect April. Limit her experimentation and teach her control. We don’t understand these powers enough to know how they will manifest.”
“Thank you, Shaman Tate. That will be all.”
April had one fleeting look at her Mum, leaning down to remove the bars sealing young April into the hole, when her vision cleared and she was back on the rock with Alex and Ethan. They were still talking, unaware of April’s temporary blackout. Her eyes welled up at the image of her Mum. She missed her more than she could admit. April swallowed back a sob, her sadness turned to anger. Why had her Mum kept so much from her? April had been five when her Mum found out she could wield the Tenebrasco pearls. Yet, she never told her. All this confusion, all the distance, it could have been avoided, and now it was too late.
April wracked her brain, trying to recall the other details from her pearl flash back. Shaman Tate had been there, another mer who hid the truth. She wondered if her Dad knew. But, April quickly banished the thought. Her Dad would have told her. Another detail floated to April’s mind. Anthony and Julia. The names were oddly familiar as if they were friends from a long time ago.
Her own ignorance of her powers was hindering her. All those years of ignoring her pearl studies and her powers - she wondered if it was her Mum’s subtle influence. Perhaps her Mum’s distance was out of fear. No one knew what the Tenebrasco power was, just that it was powerful and if left unchecked, destructive. April thought back over her pearl memory surges and the flickers of black magic. Slowly it all started to piece together. April wracked her memory. Each time she had been afraid of the darkness, but what if the Tenebrasco pearls were trying to communicate with her. Did they want her to know that she possessed their powers? April threaded her fingers through her hair in thought. She wondered if that was the only message they wanted to tell her.
April flexed her hand out in front of her and released a stream of darkness. The dark light leeched out like tentacles, it sucked the light from the surrounding area. The fish scattered and the coral receded.
“April?” Ethan shouted. He whirled around thinking the darkness was coming for her.
She curled her fingers into a fist and the darkness retracted into her.
“I can wield it,” she said in awe. “The Tenebrasco energy, I can control it,” she clarified.
“Tenebrasco? That’s the black one right?” Alex asked.
“Yes,” Ethan replied. “And up until now, no one could wield it.” His face was ashen.
“Why?” Alex said, not realising the oddity of the situation.
“We thought the power died out,” April said.
“I see,” Alex said, “And yet, you can control it?” His eyes focused on April.
“I think so,” April said looking towards her hands again. “Before it felt like the darkness was consuming me. It was leading me somewhere. But now, it’s like I have a hold on it or at least part of it?” April shook her head in confusion. “I need to talk to Shaman Tate,” she said more to herself than Alex and Ethan.
“We should have taken your power surges more seriously,” Ethan said suddenly, “You’re only nineteen, even I haven’t started the Kallion.”
“I know,” April said reproachfully. “I just thought it was an heir thing.”
“An heir thing?” Alex asked.
“All mer have access to their full range of powers on their 25th birthday. Two to three years before their powers mature they go through the Kallion. During this time mer experience a loss of control, a heightening of powers then eventually, on your 25th birthday, a calm settles over you and your powers are fully matured,” Ethan said while moving his hands through the water.
“I see.”
“But, for the heir to the throne, it can be really dangerous,” Ethan said. “On the eve of the heir’s birthday, they lose complete control. It is said that the wielder of a Tenebrasco pearl could control the heir and wield them to their own uses.”
April turned to look at Alex to see him watching her fascinated. She did not appreciate Ethan’s tone.
“I just thought my weird pearl memory surges was the Kallion starting early,” she tried to explain.
“And now?” Alex asked.
“Now, I think the pearls, the Tenebrasco pearls were trying to communicate with me.”
“Okay,” Alex said trying to catch up on the pearl lore. “Do you know why the pearls want to talk to you?”
“To tell me about my power and maybe something else, I don’t know,” April finished.
Alex smiled at her reassuringly. She managed to give him a small smile back.
The confidence she felt at finding some element of control dwindled as quickly as it appeared.
“What’s the power?” Ethan asked. His face was impassive.
“I’m not sure,” April answered. She tried not to be defensive at Ethan’s reaction. “It feels like I’m absorbing the power of the light, like borrowing energy from my surroundings.”
“Like darkness feeding off the light,” Alex said.
“I suppose so,” April swam up from the rock. She was done with waiting around. She kicked her tail to keep her suspended.
“Are you guys ready to head off again?”
Alex swam up beside her. Sensing that April was done talking he said, “Ready when you are.”
He smiled and ignored the fact that they were supposed to be resting for the hour. “I still can’t believe I’m a mer. All those years training to fight on land I never once thought to learn any underwater skills.”
Ethan ignored him. “Off we go then,” he nodded at April and Alex, and with a powerful kick spurred off.
April looked after him despondently. April grabbed Alex’s hand.
“Ready?” She asked with a tight smile. Before he could answer she dragged Alex off after Ethan with a strong thrust of her tail.
CHAPTER 50
Connor sat on the couch with a cup of hot chocolate untouched on the table in front of him. In his lap, he held April’s pearls. His fingers caressed each one of them in turn. The necklace must cost a fortune he thought. Diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires and onyx stones, the list of precious jewels went on. But, it wa
s only the pearls he cared for. Their intermittent glowing captivated his interest for hours on end. When sleep eluded him last night, he wrapped the necklace around his hand for comfort. It served as a small reminder that he hadn’t made April up. Could it really have only been two nights ago she was sat here in a pool of moonlight. He would give anything to be back with her alone. Instead, he had Freddie for company.
Freddie had been moved back into the brother’s quarters. He was suffering from a concussion after the blow to his head. For now, he was supposed to be resting. His presence in the apartment only served to make Connor’s mood worse. He missed April, he even missed Alex, he would give anything to be with them now. His Dad had put him under house arrest. There was no more wandering around Rushton. He was confined to this apartment. His Dad had all but washed his hands of him. When he passed through to check on Freddie it was as if Connor didn’t exist. He thought his Dad would at least demand the necklace back. But, no one seemed concerned that he had it.
Megan walked into the lounge from the kitchen carrying a tray of fruit. She moved silently across the dark wooden floor. Sudden noises startled Connor. Standing in front of him she saw the dark circles under his eyes had not improved.
“Connor,” she said tentatively. “Would you like some fruit?”
Connor nodded minutely. She placed the tray down and came to sit beside him. She sat in the corner of the couch facing him. His head didn’t turn to acknowledge her. The fruit was a cover in case someone else wandered into the lounge. She reached forward and placed April’s strange black stone in his hand. It pained her to see how much he cared for April compared to the way he treated her. But, still, she wanted to help him. His hands gripped the stone and he stroked it like April used to.
“I thought you would like this,” she said timidly. “I found April’s waterproof bag with all her information in. The stone was inside.”
Connor looked up at Megan and gave her a small smile of thanks before resuming his staring at the stone.
“Connor, I was continuing our research,” Megan said. Connor still stared absently down at the necklace and stone in his lap. Megan ploughed on hoping to pique his interest.
“I was interested in Lydia’s mer research.”
Connor’s head lifted slightly at the information. Megan took this as a good sign.
“I was reading through some different reports, and the reports on the deaths of some of the test subjects, don’t add up,” Megan said.
She grabbed the tablet from the fruit tray and started pulling up different reports.
“Look, this one here states that they were lost to research. But this one,” she said flicking to another screen. “Says they were lost during transportation.”
She finally had Connor’s interest as his eyes scanned the documents with her.
“Then I looked into reports of their plane crash. The plane crashed over the ocean. But the mechanical report says there was no failure in the system, no fuel shortage, no nothing. It’s as if it crashed of its own accord.”
She knew it sounded far-fetched, but she hoped Connor was seeing where she was going with this.
“Then look here, the dates don’t match up either. On some documents, there is a definite date, on others, it is just left blank. The date is the date of the crash though,” she trailed off.
“You don’t think they’re dead?” he asked. His voice sounded sceptical even to himself.
“I don’t. I really don’t,” she said glad that Connor wasn’t shooting her down. “I think somehow they escaped. And if they escaped, then maybe we can find them. They might be able to tell us what your Dad, Frederick and Lydia are really up to,” Megan said. “We could find your Mum.”
Connor paused frowning. Megan waited patiently holding herself back from saying more. Then suddenly, Connor leant forward and grabbed Megan in a hug. He released her quickly; unsure of what had overcome him. He noticed a slight blush spread across her face and was sure a matching one was spreading over his.
“Do you know where the plane crashed?” he asked, composing himself once more. His appetite was back and he leant forward and grabbed an apple from the plate.
“That’s another thing, the heading was for Shell Island. The plane crashed just off the shore.”
“That’s what Alex and I were told as children.”
“What?”
“That our Mum died on the way to meeting us at Shell Island.”
“It makes sense then.”
“Do you think we should start there?” Connor asked eagerly.
“The whole island has been blown up… but I suppose we have nothing else to go on,” Megan said.
“To Shell Island then,” Connor said, a glimmer in his eye. His newfound enthusiasm was infectious and Megan started smiling too. Connor leant over and started asking Megan questions about the different reports. Reading through them he felt he had a purpose. He didn’t hold out much hope that his Mum was alive but this felt like the next step to being reunited with April.
CHAPTER 51
Perch tapped his Iris pad to bring up a map of the currents. He held it in the sea, floating in a circle to check he was hovering at the exact coordinate. This was the spot he thought. He had been tracking the natural sea trails from the Periculi Gemini through to Hanaria. This was the end of the route he would have taken. From here it was a gentle swim into Hanaria with warm untroubled waters ahead. He had sent squads off to all likely route options but here was where he stationed himself. Perch was not a gambling man. He did not take risks. But, if he were going to bet on where his granddaughter would appear. Here it would be.
He turned to monitor his staff setting up his deck for him. They grew the underwater floating island to the size of a decent patio. Set up some chairs, a comfy couch, a desk and a coffee table. As they finished he swam over to take up a seat at the desk. The precision in the detail of the circular slabs forming the floor of his hovering island impressed even him. He nodded to his crew to signal a job well done and off they swam to set up their own quarters. Perch opened up the daily news and sat and waited.
~
“April, what is that?” Alex said. The stream of bubbles muffled his words as they swam at full speed.
“Pardon?” April said.
“What is that?” he repeated slowly.
April pulled them to a halt. “What are you saying?”
Ethan slowed to float behind them. “Why are we stopping?”
“Alex was trying to talk again.”
Alex rolled his eyes, he had not been trying to talk, he was talking and the bubbles were merely getting in the way. He ignored April’s statement and pointed slightly to the left of their course. He was exhausted. They all were and tensions were starting to run high.
“What is that?” he asked again. “It looks like a floating study.”
April squinted in that direction. “It does,” she said slowly. She was exhausted and thought her mind might be playing tricks on her.
“Nothing should be out here for miles,” Ethan said matter of fact.
Alex restrained himself from rolling his eyes again. “Well, there it is,” he gestured.
“It might be…” April said, she reached out with her Essentia powers then dashed forward. Alex and Ethan shared confused looks then quickly chased after her.
April stopped fifty metres away from the floating study. The final spurt of energy had drained her. The mer at the desk looked up at her over his Iris pad.
“Perch,” she said. A flicker of recognition passed over the mer’s face as he swam upwards. The two shot towards each other and met halfway in a hug. Alex and Ethan hurried after April and floated behind her. Perch ended the hug and held his Granddaughter at arm’s length. He stroked a strand of her matted hair back behind her ear.
“April. Welcome home,” he said bringing her back into a hug. Perch’s Essentia pearl glowed in response. Eventually, the two parted.
“Perch, you know Ethan and this is Alex. He
looked after me,” April said as an introduction. The oddity of the situation caused her to turn first to formalities.
“Perch,” Perch introduced himself extending a hand to Alex. “Thank you for helping my granddaughter. You have done my family a great service.”
Alex took the proffered hand saying, “Nice to meet you, sir it was no problem, your Granddaughter is a young lady who has helped me far more than I have helped her.”
Perch nodded and turned to Ethan. “Good to see you alive and well.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ethan replied.
“What are you doing here?” April asked.
“Looking for you of course. Your Father sensed you using your powers and so I stationed my mer at points between potential courses from Periculi Gemini to Hanaria,” Perch said perfunctorily.
“Come,” he gestured. Perch swam them back to his floating study. They settled themselves on the couches. The group formed an oddly homely scene floating in the middle of the ocean.
“I’ll message your Father and then we’ll head back into Hanaria and to the palace.”
April let her body sink into the couch. She saw Alex gingerly rest his tail on the coffee table and then seem to think better of it and let it sink to the floor. She giggled in response. A huge weight lifted off of her shoulders.
“We finally made it,” she said gleefully.
“We have,” Ethan replied, “It feels so good to be rid of that facility and that awful woman.” He stretched out and closed his eyes. He just wanted to sleep.
“The ocean is so big,” Alex commented looking side to side.
They were deep enough down that you couldn’t see the surface, but not deep enough to see the seabed.
“It’s like time has stopped,” Alex said.
Moments later a large Jet Stream cut through the water as if appearing out of nowhere. It pulled up alongside the platform.
“I couldn’t get hold of your Father, but we can give him the good news soon enough unless Clyde gets to him first.”
He swam forward and passed Ethan an Iris pad saying, “Here, it’s best you contact your parents yourself.”