by Unknown
‘Hush!’ Karwynna put a finger to her own lips. ‘Without you, this happy moment could not have come to be.’ A hint of mischief showed in her eyes. ‘Isn’t that a good enough reason for us to be friends?’ She leaned down and held out a hand. ‘Come and sit beside me, and then I can get to know you better.’
Within another minute they were all sitting on the ledge with the merfolk crowding round them. Many of them knew Jack from years ago and were thrilled to see him and Lizzy and hear their stories. Lizzy, in her turn, was enthralled to discover that many of the merfolk were her own aunts and uncles and cousins. Even Rose got over her first shyness and was soon joining in with the rest. The cave echoed with talk and laughter until Karwynna suddenly said, ‘My friends, this is a wonderful occasion for us all – but we still have a serious matter to deal with.’ She turned to three of the older merfolk, two men and a woman. ‘I think it’s time to deal with our prisoner.’
The three bowed, slipped into the pool and vanished under the water, and Rose looked at Lizzy and whispered uneasily, ‘She means Taran… Oh, Lizzy, what’s she going to do when she sees me?’
‘Nothing!’ Lizzy whispered back, her voice fierce. ‘There’s nothing she can do, not any more!’
Everyone was a little quiet until the three merfolk came back – and with them was a fourth.
They had taken no chances with Taran. She was still bound with seaweed, as she had been when the dolphins captured her, and she looked smaller somehow, as if she had lost something more than just her power. But if anyone had hoped she might show remorse, they were disappointed. Taran was as proud and arrogant as ever. She stared around – and saw Rose.
‘You —’ Her green eyes blazed with fury and she snarled, reminding Lizzy horribly of Tullor. Rose shuddered; Lizzy and Kes put their arms round her shoulders and she turned her head quickly away.
Then Karwynna said, gently but firmly, ‘Enough.’ She gazed calmly at Taran. ‘We’re not afraid of you any more, Taran. Your reign is over. Do you have anything to say for yourself?’
Taran glared at the Queen with such hatred that the air seemed to turn cold. ‘If you think I’m going to beg forgiveness, you can think again!’ she spat. ‘I’ll die first!’
Karwynna shook her head wearily. ‘I have no intention of killing you. That would make me as cruel as you are. I’ve talked with my people, and we have decided on your punishment. Your servants have deserted you, and if they declare their loyalty to me they will be pardoned. But you will be sent far away, to live out the rest of your life in exile. Dolphins will guard you and make sure that you can’t return. You shall never have power again, Taran.’
Taran snarled a second time, but she said nothing. Karwynna sighed, and nodded to the three merpeople.
‘Take her to the sea beyond the islands. Our own dolphins will carry her on the first stage of her journey, and others will be waiting to take over from them. She is to go to the other side of the world. And we will be glad to forget her!’
When Taran had been taken away, there was a long silence in the cave before, gradually, like the tide coming in, the talk and laughter began again. Time passed so quickly that Lizzy was startled when Morvyr took her aside and said, ‘Lizzy, you must return to land soon, or the potion that Jack and Rose drank will wear off. But before we go Queen Karwynna has something important to ask you.’
‘Ask me?’ Lizzy’s disappointment at the thought of leaving was replaced by curiosity. A little uncertainly she went to sit beside the Queen, who smiled at her.
‘Well, Lizzy,’ she said. ‘The time has come for you to make a decision.’
‘A… decision, Your Majesty?’
‘Yes. You have found your true family, and your true heritage. Will you stay on land – or will you return to your own people?’
‘Oh …’ said Lizzy softly. ‘You mean… live under the sea, with Kes and Mother?’
Karwynna nodded. ‘The choice is yours to make.’
Confused, Lizzy said, ‘I – I don’t know. I’ve never thought about it before. I—’ She looked in appeal at Jack, who sat nearby. ‘What about my father? What’s to happen to him?’
‘He has already decided. I will remake the boon granted to him by my mother, Queen Kara, so that he can spend time in our world as well as his own. But you are different, Lizzy. You are a true mermaid, and you don’t need the magic as Jack does.’ She waited. ‘What do you think you would like to do?’
And Lizzy realized that she simply didn’t know.
‘Please, Your Majesty,’ she said at last, in a small voice, ‘could I have some time to think about it?’
She was afraid that Karwynna might be angry, but she was not. She laughed, and gave Lizzy a hug. ‘Of course you can!’ she said. ‘Take as long as you wish. But …’ Her eyes twinkled. ‘When you have decided, be sure to let us know!’
It was a quieter journey back to St Agnes. Arhans and her friends had stayed behind to join the crowd of seals and dolphins in their celebration, and only Kes and Morvyr swam beside the launch as it motored steadily along. Lizzy and Rose, sitting together behind Jack, were silent. Rose had not overheard Queen Karwynna’s talk with Lizzy, but she could guess a lot of it and knew that her sister had a great deal to think about.
At last Rose broke the silence. ‘I can still hardly believe all the things that have happened,’ she said. ‘I mean, I do, of course, but… mermaids and queens and me going under the sea… wow… And now it’s all over.’
Lizzy looked at her and gave a quick smile. ‘No, it isn’t,’ she said. ‘There’s still Kes. And Jack. And Morvyr, and Arhans and—’
‘OK, OK! Scope for loads more adventures, I know! But they’ll be yours, really. Not mine.’
Lizzy didn’t answer, and after a minute Rose added, ‘We’re going home tomorrow.’
‘I know.’
‘Is that… OK?’ Rose asked, gently probing. ‘I mean …’ Her voice tailed off.
Lizzy hesitated. Rose clearly had a good idea of what had been said in the rainbow cave and was hoping to learn more. She wanted to give her an answer, but …
She stared at the approaching island and said thoughtfully, ‘I don’t know yet. But maybe if you ask me tomorrow, I will.’
And she gave Rose the biggest and most powerful hug that she could.
Epilogue
The Scillonian ferry turned from the harbourside and slowly gathered speed as she headed out to sea on her journey back to the mainland. Lizzy sat by the stern rail, gazing at the silhouettes of the islands as they grew smaller in the bright afternoon sun. Behind her Mum and Dad had made themselves comfortable; Dad was already dozing and Mum was engrossed in a book. Rose had gone to the onboard shop, and when she came back she joined Lizzy at the rail and pushed a chocolate bar into her hand.
‘Your favourite,’ she said.
‘Oh – thanks.’ They unwrapped their bars and chewed for a minute or two. Then Rose spoke again. ‘You said, if I asked you tomorrow. That’s today now.’
‘Yes. It is, isn’t it?’ Lizzy scrunched up the chocolate wrapper and put it in her shoulder bag. ‘You know what Queen Karwynna asked me, don’t you?’
‘I think so. About going back to the sea?’
Lizzy nodded. ‘I thought about it all last night. And I’ve decided what to do.’
Rose waited, not daring to ask.
And at last Lizzy said, ‘I’m not going back.’
Rose’s face lit up like a star. ‘Really? Oh, Lizzy! But – are you sure?’
Lizzy nodded. ‘I was born under the sea, and Morvyr and Jack are my real parents. But I grew up on land. And Mum and Dad… they’ve always been Mum and Dad to me, same as to you. And, yes, I found my brother. But I’ve got a sister too.’ For the first time she looked Rose openly in the face. ‘I couldn’t leave all that, Rose. I just couldn’t.’
There were tears in her eyes, and Rose felt her own lower lip start to quiver. ‘Oh, Lizzy …’ she said, and held out her arms.
‘Don’t be a muppet!’ Embarrassed, Lizzy pushed her playfully away, then sniffed and wiped her eyes. ‘Maybe one day I might go back. But it won’t be for years, and I might never do it at all. I mean, I’ve got the best of both worlds here, haven’t I? Kes can come to shore sometimes, and I can visit him and our mother in their world. And Jack’ll be here a lot of the time.’ She hesitated. ‘Besides… I like growing up on land.’
‘Even including school?’ Rose asked wickedly.
‘Oh, shut up, or I’ll change my mind!’ Lizzy made a mock swipe at her, then sobered. ‘No, seriously, even including school. It’s what I know, Rose. And I want it to stay that way.’
There was silence for a while. Then Rose said, ‘I’m so relieved, sis. I thought… well, I thought I was going to lose you. I don’t think I can ever tell you how good it is to know that I’m not.’
They were quiet again for a few more seconds. Then:
‘You’ll have to ask Kes to tea, of course,’ Rose said mischievously.
Lizzy giggled as she wondered what Kes would make of human food. She was feeling much better, she realized. Talking to Rose had wiped away the last of her doubts, and she knew for certain now that her decision was right. Morvyr and Kes would understand, she was sure, and so would Queen Karwynna. And maybe, one day in the distant future …
‘Look!’ Rose said softly. ‘Dolphins!’
She pointed over the stern. Five dolphins were following them, speeding powerfully and gracefully behind the boat’s churning wake. Suddenly, all together, they leaped clear of the water, and as the sunlight caught them Lizzy saw a silver streak down the back of one.
Her heart gave a little skip, and she waved to them. The dolphins plunged back under the surface, and just for a moment Lizzy thought she saw something else. Two shapes… the gleam of silvery-green scales… dark hair and fair hair, streaming like seaweed as they raced with Arhans and her friends …
Happiness washed over her like the rushing current and she blew a kiss that was whisked away on the wind.
‘See you soon …’ she whispered.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Mermaid Curse The Golden Circlet
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Epilogue