Twice Upon a Time

by James Riley

  “Twice in your dreams?!” Phillip said. “You have been compromised by an Eye!”

  “PHILLIP!” May said, yanking backward on the prince’s shoulders hard enough to pull him away from Jack. “He didn’t do anything wrong!”

  “Give up the sword, Jack,” Phillip said, trying to pull himself out of May’s grasp without hurting her. “That evil thing holds more power over you than you know. You have to destroy it, if it has not gotten to you already!”

  “It hasn’t gotten to him!” May said exasperatedly. “It’s just a stupid sword! Jack’s the exact same idiot as he was before he found it!”

  “The sword isn’t trying to turn me to evil, Phillip!” Jack said, realizing he’d probably be saying the exact same thing if it actually were. “The previous owner of this sword… He was on our side, believe me! He fought the Queen.”

  “Or so he told you,” Phillip said quietly.

  “Not helping!” May shouted.

  “Believe me, he did!” Jack shouted. “If I told you who he was, you’d know!”

  “Yeah, you—” May started, then stopped. “Wait. You know who he was?”

  Jack winced. “Um, sort of.”

  “You never told me that,” she said, her suspicious look beginning to match that of Phillip’s.

  “It didn’t matter!” Jack said, desperately clutching at anything that’d keep the knight’s secret from May. “Just trust me, he’s on our side!”

  “Our side?” Phillip said. “That is practically their motto. They make you believe they are your friends, then cut your throat in your sleep. And that is if they like you. I heard stories of a man who spoke out against the Queen without realizing an Eye was present. The next day his fingers were found nailed to his front door.” Phillip gritted his teeth. “Only his fingers, Jack. The rest of him was never found… at least not that was identifiable.”

  “Okay, ugh, first of all,” May said, before turning back to Jack. “Just tell him who the Eye was and end this, Jack. If that’s what it takes, what does it matter?”

  “It might matter to you,” Jack said softly.

  “What, me?” she asked, her face falling. “I mean, I guess they all have something to do with me, considering… but just tell him. It can’t be that bad. I… remember that she… she said he was Snow White’s late husband.”

  Jack sighed deeply. “I hate to disappoint you, May, but it usually is that bad. He was Snow White’s late husband, yes. This sword came from the only Eye ever to turn against the Wicked Queen—”

  “The Charmed One?” Phillip blurted out. “But you found the sword within that giant!”

  “So?” Jack said, avoiding May’s confused look.

  “But stories say the Charmed One perished at the hands of the Wicked Queen,” Phillip explained. “In her castle, after he helped the rebels break in. The Queen killed him with his own sword for his betrayal, and as a final strike at Snow White before she fled.”

  May jumped as if struck, bending over slightly. “She… The Wicked Queen killed him?”

  Phillip finally realized that he had said too much, and shut his mouth much too late.

  “Just… just finish the story, Phillip,” May told him.

  The prince sighed. “The Charmed One betrayed the Wicked Queen because he loved Snow White. The two fell in love and married, and the Wicked Queen killed him for it.”

  “Long story short,” Jack said, “the Charmed One wasn’t evil, and neither is his sword. And he was the one trying to… I think to train me in my dreams, until—”

  “Until?” Phillip asked.

  “Well, until the girl got into my head. Ever since, the Charmed One’s been kinda, um, missing.”

  “Jack,” May said, letting go of Phillip. “None of that is good. Why didn’t you tell us about her?”

  “Yes, why didn’t you tell them?” came Lian’s smug voice from all around him.

  Jack growled in frustration. “Because it’s none of your business! Neither of you have to deal with this. It’s… it’s all up to me, all right?!”

  “Oh wow,” May said, backing away. “Jack, maybe that thing has gotten to you.”

  “It HASN’T!” Jack shouted. “Now, I don’t care what you two do. I’m going to find the Sea Witch before we get eaten alive by mermen!”

  With that, he flipped around and swam into the cave, not knowing or caring if the other two were following him.

  Somehow, swimming was harder than before, so Jack glanced down, only to find two legs. His fishtail was gone, along with any chance of happy thoughts. Well, fantastic.

  Not trusting the sword enough to use it with Lian in his head, Jack had more and more trouble seeing as the tunnel grew darker, though eventually a subtle glow began wafting off the creepy plants on the ocean floor, giving him just enough light to see by. Eventually the tunnel began to widen out into an open area, this one filled with crevices, hidey-holes, and other tucked-away areas completely filled with all manner of bottles, jars, and nets.

  Hanging upside down from the ceiling, a throne made of some sort of reddish material filled with holes dominated the room, while directly underneath it a bubbling pool of glowing liquid miraculously somehow stayed put in a rock cauldron, not mixing with the water at all.

  “No one’s here,” said May from behind him as she and Phillip slowly swam into the room.

  Out of nowhere, Jack suddenly heard humming, just as a bolt of white lightning as bright as the sun sizzled through the water and exploded against the wall behind them, blowing a hole right into the rock. All three of them whirled around to find a small army of mermen staring at them, lined up like soldiers. And in front of the soldiers stood one of the most beautiful mermaids Jack had ever seen, long red hair swaying in the water, lightning playing between her fingers as she hummed, her tail a shimmering shade of green.

  “Humans?” the mermaid said, sounding surprised as the lightning disappeared. “It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen your type down here. What’s the word for your young? A ‘school’?”

  “That’s fish,” May said quietly.

  The mermaid smiled. “Ah, yes,” she said. “A school is where your young are educated. But a school of fish? Why would you call it such?”

  “Why play with them, Meghan?” a merman to the woman’s right said quietly, this one wearing a metal helmet in the shape of a shark’s mouth, a visual that didn’t particularly match the bright blue, almost feathery tail that started at his waist.

  “I am not playing,” Meghan said, throwing Blue Tail a smile. “I’ve always been fascinated by humans, that’s all.”

  This seemed to annoy Blue Tail. “And how did that end?”

  Meghan’s eyes narrowed, and she shook her head. “You promised you would never bring that up again.”

  “You’re right, I’m sorry,” Blue Tail said. “But enough with these creatures. We followed them here. This was obviously their goal. They seek to steal from the fabled Sea Witch, apparently.” He smiled at this, though the smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  “How are you breathing underwater, humans?” the mermaid asked. “Creatures as young as you shouldn’t know magic that complex.”

  “Um, someone helped us with that,” Jack said, not sure how much to share just yet. “Either way, we’re not here to hurt you, so—”

  “Hurt us?” Blue Tail almost whispered. His tail twitched and he shot forward, stopping just inches from Jack’s face. “And how exactly could you do that?”

  All of the frustration of the last few minutes exploded in Jack’s chest, and abruptly the entire world slowed down. Instantly Blue Tail, Meghan, the rest of the mermen, everything froze almost to a complete halt. Jack, his eyes completely empty, took his now black sword off his back and raised it to the merman’s neck, then released everything to speed up once more.

  “Let’s be honest,” Jack said to the surprised Blue Tail. “I wouldn’t be able to get you all. But I could get a few, maybe even most. And my two friends? They’re a
lot faster than me. So maybe just listen to us for a second?”

  “You’re an Eye,” the mermaid said, lightning now playing over her fingers again. Jack couldn’t tell if she said it with respect, fear, or hatred… or some fun combination of all three.

  “Not exactly,” Jack responded. “Unless, you know, that helps?”

  Meghan smiled. “Only in that it tells me clearly which of you is the most dangerous. You’re right, Mako, we need to stop playing around.” She raised her hand, and a tornado of water exploded toward Jack, a lightning bolt crashing in the center of the tornado.

  Instantly Jack slowed time once more, and brought the sword up to block, but the blast was too fast. The sword barely managed to deflect the lightning, while the brunt of the water tornado sent Jack flying back against the nearby cave wall.

  “Kill the others,” the mermaid declared calmly. “I’ll take the Eye.”

  “We must be quick,” Blue Tail said. “If the Wicked Queen dares send her Eyes to the Sea Witch’s lair, then the King should hear about this.”

  “Stop calling it a lair,” Meghan said. “It is my escape. Nothing more.”

  “YOU’RE the Sea Witch?” May blurted out.

  “Do not call me that,” Meghan said, turning her lightning-crackling hands toward May.

  “But we need your help! The Fairy Homelands—”

  May abruptly went silent as the mermaid hummed quickly, and seaweed wrapped itself around May’s mouth. The mermaid floated closer, glaring at her. “If you value your life, you will never mention those fairies again,” she said.

  “I’ve changed my mind,” Blue Tail said, looking a bit more thoughtfully at the three of them. “We may indeed learn something from these children.” He turned to look at Jack. “For instance, how one so young might hold such power, yet not have any idea how to use it.”

  “You’re just bitter,” Jack said, sucking in water to fill his lungs, “’cause I… was faster than you and… your pretty blue girly tail.”

  Blue Tail smiled dangerously, then said one word: “Frenzy.”

  Instantly the entire group of mermen attacked, shooting off in every direction. Jack focused, blocking the first few hits, but there were too many merman, all moving just a bit slower than he did, and eventually a few blows made it through his defense. Moments later Jack, Phillip, and May were separated, each one bound with ropes of braided seaweed, then dragged before Blue Tail and Meghan.

  The Sea Witch frowned. “This is a mistake, Mako. You’re knowingly bringing an Eye into the castle of the King of the World?”

  “I’m curious why the Wicked Queen would send obviously untrained soldiers into our realm,” Blue Tail said, then glanced at Meghan. “Whether or not it brings up bad memories.”

  The Sea Witch sighed, then abruptly nodded, a small smile playing on her face. “I do love you, Mako, but sometimes you can be so very irritating,” she said, and turned away.

  “Bring them,” Blue Tail said to his fellow mermen. The three humans were each grabbed by two mermen, then roughly dragged by their now revealed feet after the swimming creatures, off apparently to meet the king of the entire world.

  CHAPTER 20

  Word must have spread quickly about the capture of the humans, as mermen and mermaids lined their route all the way from the lair of the Sea Witch, almost as if they were watching a parade, the most silent parade in history. Not one word, not one noise escaped from any of the merfolk. Some looked angry, some looked satisfied, but most just looked afraid. More than one refused to even look in their direction.

  “Something’s off about all of this,” Jack whispered to Phillip, who was being carried next to him. May, on the other side of Phillip, glared at the merfolk mobs, seaweed still covering her mouth.

  “They are frightened,” Phillip replied, his eyes running over the merpeople. “Not only are we invading their realm, but you are an Eye. There is nowhere, land or sea, that has not been terrorized by the Eyes.”

  “Phillip, would you shut up?” Jack whispered. “I’m not an Eye! It’s… it’s complicated.”

  “What’s complicated?” Blue Tail asked Jack quietly from behind him. “Your mission? The more you tell us, the better things will go for you.”

  Jack tried to look back at Blue Tail, but the mermen holding him just yanked him forward. “Tempting,” he said. “I mean, I do like you guys, and I feel really close to you now. Like we’re best friends We just have this instant bond. And I think you feel the same. Am I right?”

  Neither merman answered.

  “Oh stop, you’re embarrassing me,” Jack said. “But here’s the thing. There’s no mission. I’m not an Eye. We’re just here to find a fairy—”

  Suddenly Jack’s mouth was filled with seaweed and he couldn’t speak.

  “What did I say about that?” the Sea Witch told him. She glanced at Blue Tail. “Eyes are known to lie, Mako. Best not listen to him.”

  “How can we decide what are lies and what is truth if he cannot speak?” Blue Tail said, reaching forward to pull the seaweed from Jack’s mouth.

  “The King will know,” the Sea Witch said, gliding between Jack and Blue Tail. “The King knows all, does he not? He shall rip the truth from the Eye. Maybe if you’re good, you can have whatever’s left to use for target practice.”

  Blue Tail smiled. “As you wish, Meghan.” He reached past her as her eyebrows raised in suspicion. But instead of removing the seaweed, Blue Tail gestured, and the procession began moving once again. “And you are correct,” Blue Tail continued. “This is a matter for the King. He will get to the truth of all this.”

  The Sea Witch’s eyes narrowed, but she patted his shoulder affectionately and swam to the head of the column.

  “She seems anxious,” one of the mermen holding Jack’s arms said to Blue Tail, this one with the lower half of a dolphin. “Is everything still going swimmingly between the two of you?”

  “Of course,” Blue Tail said, then threw a glance at Jack. “At least, it was before this uncomfortable reminder of her past. But now’s not the time to speak of such things.” Blue Tail kicked his bright, feathery tail and swept ahead of Jack, patting him on his head as he passed, much like a human petting a dog. It was hardly a comforting gesture.

  As they continued, Jack noticed a path of something red begin beneath his feet, something that almost resembled tree bark… or the throne back in the Sea Witch’s lair. Whatever it was didn’t look comfortable, so for once Jack was glad not to have to walk. The path grew and filled in as they walked, even as more and more merfolk began lining it. “If I may, what type of material is this, sir?” Phillip asked one of the mermen holding his arms. Even when facing an army of vicious, predatory merman, the prince’s manners stayed perfect.

  “Coral,” replied the merman, a shimmery yellow-tailed monster wearing a spiked blowfish helmet made of gold.

  “It has a certain remarkability to it. I have never seen anything quite like it,” Phillip replied.

  The merman grunted in reply, but Jack noticed he smiled a bit proudly, if just a bit. Maybe having manners didn’t hurt with people… even fish people.

  Other roads of coral now blended into the one they used, and the combined road became much more ornate, with elaborate archways and starfish shining on what seemed to be some kind of writing, maybe directions or a street sign. Jack noticed that the writing on the sign pointing back the way they’d come had a picture of an open mouth absolutely filled with teeth.

  Apparently there were warnings about going into the lair of the Sea Witch.

  Just then, Phillip gasped in surprise, and Jack looked up to see a glowing golden spire appear on the horizon. As they continued on, more of what looked to be a twisting and spiraling castle appeared, almost as if it had grown straight out of the ground.

  “The Palace of the King of the World,” Phillip’s golden merman told them proudly. “As alive as any of us. The coral shaped it themselves.”

  “Mmph… mephive?” Jack sa
id into the seaweed, forgetting no one could understand him.

  “Looks as if that is the case,” Phillip responded, still staring at the castle. Jack glanced at him. He couldn’t have understood him… could he?

  “Mpn phho muphermpn mphe?” he asked.

  Phillip turned to look at him. “Why would I not be able to? But now is not the time for riddles, Jack. We need a plan.”

  “You need to keep quiet, young one,” the golden merman said, but it seemed less threatening than an effort to keep them all out of trouble. Either way, Philip went silent, and Jack turned back to gawking at the seemingly living castle they were being carried into.

  The palace had no doors, no locks, obviously no moat. Mermen and mermaids swam freely in and out, something Jack had never seen on the surface. Was there no concern for the King’s safety? Where were the guards?

  As they continued in, they passed doorways without doors, some leading to hallways but others leading to what looked like huge piles of gold, jewels, and treasure.

  “That is a treasure to rival any I have seen on land,” Phillip said. “But is there no fear of theft?”

  The golden merman grinned. “What could the King of the World possibly have to fear? All of his subjects both respect and adore him. Nothing beneath the sea even approaches his power, and that goes double for anything in that suffocating void you call air. The King prefers to let all his subjects share in what he has—so long as none of it goes anywhere.”

  “Fugu, maybe a bit less sharing with the prisoners?” Blue Tail murmured as he swam back toward them. The golden merman, Fugu, blushed and quickly shut his mouth.

  “Anyway, we’re here,” Blue Tail continued, stopping the company in front of a large archway, beyond which lay a shadowed room. “Leave the monkey-leggers with me. They’re no danger, not this close to the king.”

  Jack tensed, readying himself. If he could grab his sword from where Blue Tail had slung it over his back, they might have a chance. The mermen on either side of him released his arms, and Jack focused hard, waiting for time to slow….