The Sea Witch (The Era of Villains Book 1)

by Valfroy, S. J.

  “If you would let me train you, you would know that my window spell doesn’t have the range to see things outside of Adamar,” said Moira.

  “I know that, Mother,” said Hazel.

  “Oh bravo, should I give you treat?” said Moira.

  Hazel hung her head and glared at Serena.

  “I was just fine without you,” said Serena, ignoring Hazel. She should know better by now, she thought. But she always has to be such a kiss-up. “I had a real job in Arcanus. I worked as a nurse. I could be one here if I didn’t have your name hanging over me.”

  A purple spark caught flame in Moira’s eyes and her tattoos vibrated.

  “You should be proud of my name, you ungrateful polyp! My name is power. My name is feared. My name is respected—no matter what your handsome prince’s mother thinks. What have you done? Who knows your name? You think your little prince remembers it just because you bumped into him once and flashed your eyes and wiggled your tail at him?”

  Serena looked at Hazel, hurt at the betrayal. Hazel tried to muster a sneer, but the look of broken trust in Serena’s eyes made her cast down her own and rub her right arm with her left hand in discomfort, as if her shame was making it ache.

  Moira’s words hurt even more than Hazel’s betrayal. She was right. Unless something changed, Triton would never know her name. And for the first time, Moira’s rants about her name being powerful and respected did not ring so false in Serena’s ears. Serena sucked in a deep breath, preparing to do what she’d sworn she never would.

  “You’re right, Mother,” she said.

  Hazel’s head snapped up so fast she hurt her neck. She rubbed it, glaring at Serena with suspicion and something like terror. The flame in Moira’s violet eyes was choked out, and her snarl smoothed into a look of surprise that she quickly covered up with a sly smile.

  “I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t quite hear you. What did you say?”

  Serena clenched her jaw, seeing how much her mother was enjoying this, but she couldn’t back down now. She had made up her mind.

  “I said, you’re right, Mother. He doesn’t know my name, and I mean to change that.”

  Moira cocked her head to one side and leaned it back slightly, her eyes narrowing and her lips pursing quizzically.

  “Finally, you’re ready to take what you want. I can see it in your eyes.”

  “Yes.”

  “And you plan to use magic to get what you want?”

  Serena hesitated, digging her nails into her palms. Hazel wasn’t breathing. Her eyes were darting back and forth between her mother and sister, pure panic on her face. Serena forced herself to look away from Hazel and focus on Moira. She locked her dark eyes with Moira’s violet ones, trying to show that she was in control here; she was not giving in—she was stepping up.

  “Yes.”

  Hazel’s held breath came out as a gasp.

  “You plan to do this magic on your own?” said Moira.

  You know that I wouldn’t have come home if I could do it on my own, you old witch, thought Serena. She took another deep breath to keep herself in check.

  “No, Mother. I would like you to teach me.” Serena chewed on her lip for a moment before adding, “Please.”

  Moira held her arms open and beckoned to Serena with her fingers.

  “Come here, darling,” she said with the warmest smile Serena had ever seen on her face. It still wasn’t exactly motherly, but it took Serena’s breath all the same.

  At first she was confused. It couldn’t be. Her mother had not truly hugged her since she was a child—and even then, hugs were a scarce commodity. But Moira beckoned again, opening her arms wider, and Serena’s heart sped up with involuntary delight. She swam into her mother’s arms with a feeling of unreality. She pressed herself against her mother’s warm chest and had to fight the urge to cry when Moira’s arms settled around her.

  “My darling child has finally come home for real,” said Moira. “I’m so proud of you, Serena.”

  “Thank you, Mother,” said Serena, her voice unsteady.

  Then Serena caught Hazel’s eye over the top of Moira’s arm and was startled by the force of the hatred burning there. It was then that Serena realized she had just erased the one thing that made Hazel special in Moira’s eyes: her willingness to learn magic when Serena would not. Serena gently pulled away from her mother, wishing she could tell Hazel that she didn’t have to worry, that she did not plan on learning how to do anything except create a love potion. But she couldn’t say that out loud just yet, or Moira might decide not to help her at all.

  “Does this mean that you’ll finally stop taking all of your hostility out on me?” said Moira. “You’re always blaming me for your unhappiness, but really you were unhappy because you wouldn’t take action for yourself. You know that now, don’t you, darling?”

  “Yes, I guess you’re right, Mother,” said Serena, biting her tongue against her objections, reminding herself that she needed Moira’s help just this once.

  “Good, dear. I’m so very glad.”

  Serena had never heard her Mother’s voice so sweet, and now that she was out of the warm, unusual comfort of the hug, it made her nervous.

  “Triton will be lucky to have you. You’ll make a wonderful queen. Much better than that eel in a crown Adamar has now.”

  “Thank you, Mother,” said Serena, slightly flattered despite her suspicions. Having her mother speak to her in such a way, so encouraging and kind, gave her a light, happy feeling in her chest, and part of her didn’t care if the words were false, so long as Moira kept this disposition.

  “Won’t she make a lovely queen, Hazel?” said Moira, the sweet smile turning into a smirk as she turned to face her younger daughter.

  “No,” said Hazel, her sulky voice just above a mumble. “She doesn’t look anything like a queen.”

  “What would you know about it?” said Moira with a curt laugh. “Your hair looks like dead seaweed. Serena has my looks…though, not my body type.”

  “I like Hazel’s hair,” said Serena, the familiar anger rising in her again as Hazel’s face crumpled in on itself in pain like it always did. The stab at Serena’s waistline didn’t faze her. Serena knew it was Moira’s way of keeping her in her place. Serena looked Moira in the eye, her jaw defiant, daring her to start a fight and ruin her chances of teaching Serena magic.

  Moira looked angry only for a second, her angular features predatory, and then that strange, sweet, and frighteningly beautiful smile pasted itself back on her face. Hazel just looked at Serena with even more fury in her red, teary eyes.

  “So, what sort of magic were you wanting to learn to snag your handsome merman, darling?” Moira said, placing a tender hand on Serena’s shoulder and gently pushing her towards the cauldron. “A love potion, I assume?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want it to be permanent,” said Serena, her voice and eyes stern to show Moira it was a non-negotiable condition. “I want to be able to break it whenever I choose.”

  “Oh, I understand perfectly,” said Moira. “You just want the potion to get his attention, get him to stand up to his mommy about you. But you don’t want a merman who only loves you because of a potion. You want to break the spell once he loves you of his own accord. And really, why shouldn’t he? You come from a long line of beautiful and powerful mermaids. And you’ve got great power in you, Serena; I’ve always said so, haven’t I?”

  “Yes. I suppose we’ll see if it’s actually true.”

  “I’m never wrong. I knew that one,” she pointed a thumb over her shoulder at Hazel, “was going to be a disappointment ever since she was a baby. But you? You’re special, Serena.”

  “Please stop talking about Hazel that way, Mother,” said Serena, knowing she was beginning to push her luck but unable to bear the guilt brought on by Hazel’s crestfallen face. Hazel’s ch
est had begun to go up and down in little, silent, hiccupping sobs. Serena wished she would just go to her room so Moira wouldn’t keep throwing harpoons at her with her wicked tongue.

  “Don’t tell me what to do, darling,” said Moira. That sweet smile was still plastered on her face, but a snarl was growing underneath it, and her eyes blazed for a second. Her voice was as sharp as a swordfish nose.

  “Sorry, Mother,” said Serena through gritted teeth. She was sick of playing this game.

  “Good,” said Moira, her voice soft once more. “Let’s get started then, shall we?”

  She reached towards the highest shelf and then paused halfway there.

  “You know, Serena,” she said, slowly retracting her hand and turning to face Serena with a thoughtful look, “a love potion may land you Triton, but it won’t get you Amphitrite’s approval. The love potion will make him love you, but it won’t erase his love for his mother, and he’s quite the momma’s boy, you know. If she objects, they’ll be no wedding trumpets.”

  Not for the first time, doubt in her plan made Serena bite her lip. The thought of coming so close only to lose him once again because of Amphitrite was unbearable.

  “You can’t know that for sure, Mother,” said Serena, but she was having a hard time convincing herself as she remembered Triton’s uncomfortable silence in the face of his mother’s wrath. “If that does become a problem, I’ll just have to deal with it when I come to it.”

  “Why not be proactive?” said Moira.

  “What does that mean?” said Serena, her brow creasing.

  “Nothing, darling,” said Moira. “It’s just…I don’t want to see you get your heart crushed again, especially not by Amphitrite. She’s the one not fit to lick the ground you swim over. She’s jealous of your power. She’s jealous of the both of us.”

  Only a month ago, Serena would have cast aside the idea as Moira’s own prideful fantasy, but now she wasn’t so sure. Casius had said the same thing, and he was right about almost everything. He had been right about Arcanus giving her a new start, a new confidence. He was right about Bria being an exception; there were so many good-hearted people there, so many who had been cruelly cast out by Amphitrite and Poseidon.

  “I mean, just think of what she’s done to our family business, all because of her own petty insecurities,” said Moira. “The potion I was working on when you came home is the only one that’s been commissioned all week. If business goes on like this much longer, I don’t know what we’ll do.”

  Serena had to hold back a scoff. Slow business was not going to hurt Moira. The cave was fully paid for, and Moira had enough wealth stowed away to last a lifetime. Not to mention there was a whole forest of food just outside. True, it belonged to the king and queen, but no one would notice the few missing stalks needed to feed a family of three. Moira was right about one thing, though. Amphitrite had tried to destroy their family out of vanity and selfishness and insecurity. She had maliciously set out to harm Moira’s way of life because her own husband was buying anti-aging potions and not sharing them with her. More and more, the thought of Amphitrite brought on a cloying sensation of outrage that Serena had to try harder and harder to shove aside.

  “I know how awful she is, Mother,” said Serena. “I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been away.”

  “Yes, it seems you have,” said Moira, eyeing Serena with a look that was almost greedy. “It still makes me furious just thinking about all those horrible things she said to you.” Her tattoos vibrated once to show she meant it. “She drove you away from me. I was so worried when you didn’t come home, darling.”

  “Frankly, Mother, I didn’t think you cared,” said Serena, unable to hide the sour note in her voice. “In fact, the last time we spoke you told me to leave and not show my face until I had decided to learn magic like you’ve always wanted me to, pushed me to.”

  “Oh, Serena,” said Moira, her fingertips tracing Serena’s jaw in a gentle caress, “is it so wrong for a mother to want her daughter to follow in her fin strokes? Especially when I know you have the talent to be great?”

  Serena blinked, surprised, as though Moira had suddenly transformed into a jellyfish. The bitter taste in her mouth vanished. She had never thought of Moira’s insistent pushing in that way. She had always seen it as just another way Moira was trying to control her. The idea that Moira had just wanted her daughter to carry on the family business and unlock her potential had never crossed her mind. Moira’s cruel sneer and furious shrieks when she didn’t get her way had made it all seem like a petty need for dominance, but now, in the wake of Moira’s warm hug and gentle caress, Serena was not so sure.

  “I know I pushed too hard sometimes and said things I shouldn’t have,” said Moira, her perfect lips pulled down in grief. “You and I are very much the same, you know. Both strong-willed and passionate. I’ve always fought for the things I wanted, and now you are finally doing the same. I’ve always known you had greatness in your veins, Serena. The thing I’ve wanted most of all is for you to realize it, and in my desperation to get what I wanted, I failed you many times. I’m so sorry, darling. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Moira pulled Serena into another hug, and this time Serena could not hold back the tears. She didn’t want it to end, and the fear that it was all an act made the tears flow faster.

  Hazel’s nails drove into her palms hard enough to draw blood. She wanted to scream in fury, but she was struck dumb by the pain of watching Serena get everything she had worked so hard for.

  “Yes, I forgive you, Mother,” said Serena, wondering if she actually meant it.

  A small but insistent prick of guilt stung Serena’s heart at her own doubt. Perhaps she had been acting like a selfish teenager all these years, pushing against her mother just as a simple act of adolescent defiance. Moira was right, she was strong-willed and hard-headed. Perhaps it had blinded her to the truth. In the warm embrace of the hug, it seemed not only plausible, but probable.

  “Will you forgive me for swimming away?” she said, clutching at her mother’s back, desperate to hear the words, to be shown the mercy of love rather than feel the cold slap of cruel words.

  “There’s nothing to forgive,” said Moira. “Your time away has brought you back to me.”

  Moira released Serena and wiped a finger underneath her eye as if wiping away a tear that was invisible in the water. Serena returned Moira’s smile for the first time.

  “Now,” said Moira, her voice as smooth as a dolphin’s side, “we need to discuss payment.”

  “P-payment?” said Serena, the smile slipping off her face.

  Hazel perked up. Her fists unclenched and a smile tugged at her mouth.

  “Yes, darling, payment. The royals don’t give out magic for free. Why should I?”

  “Because I’m your daughter!” said Serena, her head roiling with the sudden shift of emotions—the recent joy of the embrace and the guilt of her own self-doubt mixing with the anger slowing rising in her throat and the painful stab of betrayal. “Because you just said the only thing you wanted all this time was for me to learn magic and unlock my potential!”

  “Oh, but that’s why the payment I’m asking for is beneficial to both of us,” said Moira. “I wouldn’t propose such a thing to just anybody. My bargains are usually…one sided. You know that.”

  “So, I’m supposed to see this payment as a favor?” said Serena, her brows pulling together in anger and incredulity.

  “It is a favor.”

  “Really? And just what is it you want?”

  “I want you to poison Amphitrite,” said Moira as casually as if she had asked for a pukka shell.

  Serena’s creased brows shot up and her mouth fell open.

  “It shouldn’t be hard to get your job at the palace back. They always need maids, and you won’t have to go through Amphitrite; just ask Ma
rissa. We can make an undetectable poison, and with your palace access, you can slip it in her food. Simple as that.”

  “Simple as that? Are you insane?”

  “I’ll do it, Mother,” said Hazel, swimming forward like an over-eager seal pup.

  “I want to kill her, Hazel,” said Moira, “not give her a rash or make her sprout a dorsal fin.”

  Hazel glared at Serena as if she had been the one to insult her magical ability instead of Moira.

  “Think about it, darling,” said Moira, turning her attention back to Serena. “She deserves it. Think about what she did to you? She thinks those ditzy, talentless little sluts that are always hanging around her son are better than you. She said so right in front of him.”

  Despite her shock and outrage at Moira’s proposal of murder, Serena’s blood heated to boil at the truth in the words. The feeling had become more and more familiar to her when thinking about Amphitrite.

  “She’s teaching him to believe that he would be better off with one of them than with someone like you,” said Moira. “She’s leading him astray, Serena. If you love him, you can’t allow that. She’ll teach him to be just like her. She’ll teach him that it’s okay to ruin someone’s livelihood just because he didn’t get his way, just because he can. Do you want that for him?”

  “No, of course not,” said Serena, “but…”

  Her head felt like the ocean in the middle of a tempest. Moira was right. She couldn’t let Amphitrite corrupt Triton—her Triton. He should be hers. He needed her by his side to encourage his caring nature. The only way that was going to happen was with a love potion, and Moira was only one who could teach her how to make it. But murder? Even the murder of a tyrannical queen wasn’t something she could ever consider doing. Was it?

  “If she’s gone and you become Triton’s princess, you can reverse Amphitrite’s decree. You can save my business, Serena,” said Moira. “Don’t you want to help your mother? Especially now that you know all of your anger was misdirected and that I was always just trying to help you? It’s really not much of a payment when you think about it. It would solve both of our problems. You could learn magic, get your merman, and become the queen Amphitrite will never be. All because of my help. I think that deserves a little favor, don’t you?”