by Kristie Cook
His confession made me grin. “Then we both would have drowned. It’s pretty cold,” I said and laughed under my breath. “Now I know what the victims of the Titanic felt like.”
He stopped massaging my hand, and stared.
“Sorry,” I mumbled. “I think the drugs are messing with my head.”
He shook his head. “I’m just glad someone saved you.”
My lips pulled up at the corners, but not because of his concern. “So am I.”
I had a good guess who saved me and he wasn’t of this world. Only an angel could have braved the freezing water and delivered me to safety right under the Ranger’s nose.
My lips tingled again.
31 - FIN
The lifeless eyes of the curious sharks moseyed past the window, spelling my doom. As I sat in my cell on an uncomfortable rock, I kicked myself again for allowing Colin to trick me into confessing. If I’d only pretended I didn’t know a thing, they’d be the ones rotting in jail, not me. My life was in King Phaleon’s hands now.
Dad, the best negotiator I knew, wouldn’t have allowed Azor to hold me, especially since I wasn’t a danger to other mers. House arrest would have been more fitting than these dingy closet-sized quarters, void of a functional bed or chair. A caged animal in a zoo.
Azor had locked me inside and said, “Be ready to tell the truth when I come for you.” Who knew how long that would take? The light never changed, as if it were night 24/7.
I tried my best to piece together a good defense. But all I could think about was Ashlyn. The sweet taste of her lips, the softness of her skin, the delicate shape of her body—all of it haunting me. My parents had warned me at a young age, once your soul entwines with another, it’s all over until you can be together and make your commitment official to the public. I see why they insisted I wait. My soul, lit with a burning passion, wanted nothing but for me to figure out a way to be with her forever.
The decision became easy. I’d run away. Living in the water at night as a merman would be far easier than trying to survive the elements on land as a human, lacking money and a place to stay. And mer to human conversion was dangerous to do alone anyway.
Of course, I’d need to tell Ash something creative about why we couldn’t be together at night and why I didn’t live next door anymore. Then we had the mark of the promising to contend with—the matching symbol of our bond etched on our ring fingers like a tattoo. I studied the skin, noticing mine was already starting to show. Would Ash notice as hers filled in on her finger too?
She’d need to learn the truth, and I had to do it in a way that didn’t scare her like the last time. When she saw us by accident a few summers ago, she screamed bloody murder—her voice permanently etched in my mind. I’d been forced to mind-wipe her back then, but now I didn’t have that option.
And if the time to convert became necessary, careful consideration would be taken first. I’d never ask her to change for me. Getting married and living on land as undercover mers for the time being, like my parents did, might be the best.
I groaned and took another deep breath of salt water. For my latest meal, one of Azor’s goons gave me a live sunfish in a cage and conveniently forgot the utensils. Was I supposed to tear the poor thing apart with my teeth? A deep fiery red, the fish darted around inside, looking for an exit. Identifying with his fate, I let him go. I didn’t have much of an appetite anyway.
“Be careful, Freddy,” I called out, watching him swim through the bars into the shark infested waters, headed towards freedom. He looked back for a moment as if to say “thank you” and slipped out of sight. I wished he could deliver a message.
Tell her I love her and we’ll be together soon.
I returned to my lowly spot on the floor and recreated the triangular peg board game with the fifteen golf tees, using shells as my placeholders to pass the time. Every once in a while, a crab would skitter by and try to hide under my tail. I’d shoo the nasty thing away. After a few days of this, I’d go stark raving mad.
Tatch said she’d visit so I stared at the outer stone door through the bars, hoping she’d enter. If somehow she could flirt again and gain access, I’d be forever in her debt. I doubted Azor would ever allow it. Solitary confinement was part of my punishment.
I scratched at my scales, trying to remove the nasty, slimy film that had grown over the top. Trapped in my mer form for what I suspected was over twenty-four hours with no way to switch was like depriving a caffeine addict their morning brew. Everything ached, including my soul.
“You’ve got a visitor,” Goon One said through the little slot in the stone door. I got up and tried to look like being caged wasn’t affecting my psyche.
Maybe Tatch found a way to see me.
When he pried open the heavy door, for a brief second, I could see Azor in his living quarters with some of his men crowded around a table. Then Badger came into view.
“Aye, Blanchard. Good to see ya,” he said and wrapped his arm around the brawny goon’s neck. They briefly pounded one another on the back.
My shoulders slumped, relieved to see a friendly face, even if he was here to chew me out. At that point, I didn’t care. I needed the company.
“You here to see this lousy lot?” Blanchard asked with a guttural laugh.
“Aye. And talk sense into him.” Badger laughed with him which bristled my dorsal fin. “Kids.”
I turned away and folded my arms over my chest.
“Lad,” Badger said with a “tsk” after the door shut. “Whatcha doin’ here?”
I leaned my head against the wall and studied the starfish lining the ceiling. “Why do you care?”
Badger lowered his voice. “I just be smoothin’ over ole Blanchard so I could have a private word.”
I let my arms fall free and glanced over at him. He’d pushed his hairy eyebrows into a line, a concerned look covering his face. I believed him and moved closer to the bars.
He shook his head. “What did ya do?”
I closed my eyes. Though I knew Badge would never rat me out, rotting in the cell for a day convinced me no one could know what happened, especially since I planned to run away. The only person I truly trusted was Dad.
“I left Natatoria without permission.”
“Ya what? What in the devil’s name possessed you to leave without permission?”
I looked down. “Rocks.”
Badger pressed his eyes into slits. “Yer locked up like a convict because of rocks?”
“Yup.”
“Oye,” Badger said and scrubbed his hand over his face. “You know better than to be leaving without an escort. Who be needin’ rocks?”
“I was trying to be helpful. It’s fine, Badge. I’ll explain my stupidity to the King and plea for more community service, until my dad returns of course.”
Badge held up his hand to stop me. “No! This is serious. They’re real strict about the young’uns leavin’ the gates. Who’d be standin’ up with ya at the trial?”
I blinked back at him. “No one?”
“Ya can’t be havin’ no one.”
“What’s the big deal?”
He let out a groan. “The deal is, you be a loose torpedo, not mindin’ the rules. So, yer gonna need someone to keep watch on ya, put their neck out and swear they’ll make ya mind. Though I’m just a bottom feeder, maybe they’ll let me vouch for ya.”
“No, Badge.” I pursed my lips.
“What do ya mean no?”
“I—I don’t seem to be able to stay out of trouble and I don’t want your reputation tarnished.”
Badger tilted his head and studied me quizzically. “What else happened up above?”
I lifted my chin. “Nothing important.”
He grunted. “Well, until ye get someone to stand up for ye, I think you’ll be here a right long time.”
My jaw fell. “What? Is that why you’re here?”
“You don’t have another male family member who’d do it and you surely don�
�t have anything valuable they want, so, yeah. I’d be here to bail yer mangy arse out.”
My head spun, my hopes smashing in front of me. Azor might as well have pulled my beating heart from my chest. This ensured I wouldn’t be able to see Ash any time soon without getting Badger into serious trouble. I wanted to yell and rip the bars apart, but I remained sullenly calm and simply replied. “Fine, Badger. I promise I’ll behave.”
“It’ll be all right, lad,” Badge said with a smile. “Let me go tell Azor I’m standin’ in for yer da’. Maybe they’ll let ya out early before the trial to go home instead of stayin’ in this shite hole.”
I grimaced. Azor wouldn’t dream of letting me out early. I didn’t even think they’d let Badger stand in for me, being a beta-mer and all. I flipped my tail, stirring up the sand and a lowly crab into a forced whirlpool.
32 - ASH
“Gran’s letting you stay in her room,” Mom said from the front seat. I sat in the back with my bandaged leg stretched out.
“She is?”
Mom looked at me through the rearview mirror and raised her eyebrows. “You’re not going to be able to go up and down the stairs.”
“Oh, right,” I chuckled and turned to watch the sparkling water zip by. The pain pills were doing a number on me, making things speed up and my stomach topsy-turvy. “Wish we could have taken the wheelchair home.”
“Hmmm,” Mom mumbled and turned on some easy-listening jazz.
On the floorboard, the flower vases clinked together in time with the balloons bobbing on the ceiling. Mom drove faster than normal or at least it seemed she did. After Callahan left, Georgia and some others from the swim team came by. And with them, oodles of gifts showed up as well. I felt like a coward for lying and not coming clean. Would they do the same if they knew I’d purposefully put myself in harm’s way?
I leaned back and took a deep breath. “Where’s Gran? She never came to visit.”
“She did, but you were asleep. She’s at the store right now. We’re short-handed.”
“Oh.” I noted the animosity in her voice. Heaven forbid they close down for a day. She’d probably rather have changed places with Gran. I preferred Mom anyway. Driving with Gran was putting your life in your hands.
Earlier at the hospital, Mom asked again if my memory returned. I warred with myself as the “not yet” slipped easier off my tongue than the truth. I vowed to confess after the hysteria wore off and Mom was a little less frantic.
We pulled up to the house and parked out front. I assumed this was so she could make an easy get-away to the store after delivering me. As I waited for her to come around and assist me, I looked at my second story window. It had only been a day, but things looked different, almost as if I didn’t belong there anymore.
Mom opened the car door and gave me a hard look before handing me my crutches. “You are to take it easy.”
I sighed. “Yes.”
With all the medication pumping through my veins, how could I even fathom anything other than sleep? I struggled to get to my feet, my head spinning.
“Ashlyn! You’re home!” Lucy ran up to the car and wrapped her arms around my neck as I teetered on one foot. “I was so worried.”
“I’m fine,” I said and warmed at her kindness. Apparently twelve-year-olds were germ breeders; anyone under fourteen couldn’t visit unless they were actually a patient.
“Can I help carry anything?”
I did a double-take before pointing at my bounty inside. She rounded them all up and hauled them into the house with a smile on her face. I stood like a flamingo and gawked.
Gran’s room had a stale smell to it mixed with potpourri and sickly sweet perfume, but I didn’t mind. The bed was comfortable and she had a TV, which I planned to use liberally. I untucked the blankets so I could drape them over my leg easier; the excess pillows became a foot rest.
Lucy perched herself on the chair with wide eyes. “What happened? Mom said you can’t remember anything. Do you have amnesia? I read about someone with that once in school. Are you staying home all week? Where’s your cut? Do you have stitches?”
“Whoa,” I spluttered out, head swimming with questions. “You’ll need to slow down. I can barely keep up.”
Lucy laughed. “Sorry.”
“Yeah, I’m staying home all week so my leg will heal. It’s pretty nasty. Want to see it?”
“Ewww, no.” Lucy squirmed.
I smiled at my creative diversion from answering her about my supposed amnesia. “I’m just glad to be home. My nurses woke me every three hours to check my temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. I couldn’t get any sleep.”
“Crazy,” she said, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. “Did Callahan come and see you?”
“Yes and he brought me flowers.”
“Oooh! He did?” Lucy squealed and got up to find the arrangement.
I watched her with wonderment. Who was this delightful girl? I would have fallen into the lake years ago if I’d known she’d be nice to me afterward. Having a real conversation for once was refreshing.
“Did he kiss you?” she asked abruptly.
“What?”
“After the dance.”
I felt my cheeks warm up. “Oh. Not yet.”
Lucy shot me a smirk with half-lidded eyes. “Yeah, right.”
I shook my head and laid back on Gran’s bounty of pillows as Lucy read my cards out loud. The popcorn ceiling reminded me more of cottage cheese sprinkled with glitter—like stars. I imagined my angel up in the clouds and wished to see him again.
“You’re kinda famous, you know.”
I rolled my eyes and turned towards her, propping my leg up on pillows. “Famous?”
“Yeah. You were on TV and Laura Jane says you could probably write a book about what happened and make a lot of money.”
“Oh she did, did she?” I tried not to laugh at her best friend’s ridiculous observation.
I finally realized why she was being so nice to me. My accident must have raised her social standing at school, giving the kids something to fawn all over her with.
“Do you remember how you got to the Ranger station?”
I chewed on my fingernail. “No.”
“Well, we went and talked to that Ranger guy. He didn’t know anything either. That’s weird, don’t you think?”
“You went alone?”
“No, I went with Laura Jane.” Lucy got comfortable at the foot of the bed, clutching the stuffed teddy bear with a bandaged leg Shannon had brought me. “It was her idea. Her mom drove us over there so we could get an interview with him for the school paper.”
“Wow. That’s—”
“—impressive,” Lucy said, finishing my statement. “I know. She’s going to be a journalist someday.”
“I bet she wants to interview me, too,” I muttered under my breath.
“Oh, would you?” Lucy’s eyes shone.
I blinked, realizing I’d opened myself right up, practically volunteering. I couldn’t say “no” now that we suddenly had a pleasurable sisterly relationship. “Sure. If she wants.”
Lucy smiled from ear to ear. “Awesome!”
“Lucy!” Mom barked from down the hall. “Ashlyn needs to rest.”
“Fine,” Lucy called back with a grimace. She walked closer to me and whispered, “I’ll have Laura Jane come over later, okay?”
I forced a smile. “If I’m feeling okay.”
She perked up and skipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I pushed away the worry they’d want to do the interview anytime soon, snuggled under the covers, and reveled in the silence. No beeps or annoying nurses to bother me. Sleep came easily.
Then he returned. All glowy and warm. I felt his strong arms tenderly wrap around my body, breaching the surface of the water as he carried me to safety. His melodic voice told me to fight, to stay alive. I would have done anything to stay there in his blazing hot arms. If only he’d fly us up into the
clouds of heaven. His lips touched mine and golden heat tickled my skin. Something within my heart released, like a bird soaring toward freedom. Only there did I feel complete. Like his kiss was the key that popped open the lock in my heart, setting me free.
33 - FIN
A groan coming from behind the door startled me from my sleep. Somehow, I’d fallen over and the crabs were jockeying for position under my back. As I sat up, they scattered to the holes in the walls. I shivered and moved away from the floor.
“Stupid crabs.”
“Hold your breath.”
I swiveled around and went to the bars at Tatch’s telepathic voice. As the outer door began to slowly open, black ink spilt into the water.
“Don’t breathe!” she said with a forced whisper.
On the floor behind her, Blanchard lay knocked out cold from octopus ink.
“What did you do?” I asked silently as she rushed to the cage.
“I have to get you out of here before you pass out.” Her hands shook as she flipped through the ring of keys, inserting one in after the other. Finally she found the right one and popped the lock open.
“Come on!” She grabbed my hand and pulled me down the hall to the interior of Azor’s house. Through the thick clouds, I could make out a few other mermen laying in the same sprawled-out way as blackness tainted the water above their heads. I couldn’t see Azor anywhere, though.
I knew Tatchi was smart, but to use octopus ink to incapacitate all the mermen so she could help me escape was brilliant. Mermaids for some reason were immune to its effects. Unable to hold my breath any longer, I let a small sip of water through my gills and felt my thoughts grow fuzzy. Tatch responded with a gasp and pulled me harder.
Once we exited out the front doors, I sucked in a huge breath to clear my head. “What did you do?”
Tatiana exhaled, but continued to pull my arm so we moved farther away from Azor’s compound. “I’ll explain everything after we get out of here.”
I allowed her to drag me along since the tiny bit of ink I did inhale affected my ability to reason and swim. But once we turned away from the direction of our house and towards the far rock wall where the Tahoe gate loomed, I flared out my fins to stop.