ELEMENTS: Acquiesce

by Kathryn Andrews

“Yes, they’re in their chambers.”

  “Are they alright? Is Lana hurt?”

  “She’s fine,” reassured Mazu, “they’re all fine.”

  “Over there,” said Triton, pointing to the torchlights approaching from the town.

  The three of them moved closer to the window.

  “We have to stop them,” said Mazu, “not just for our sakes but for theirs.”

  “She’s right,” said Irvin, “Think what Zamira would do to them. I don’t know what Lana was thinking going out there.”

  “If we stop them now, they’ll only come back tomorrow,” said Triton.

  “Better that than have them risk their lives tonight,” said Irvin. “They won’t stand a chance out there in the dark.”

  “Very well,” said Triton and he climbed the last flight of steps to the lantern room.

  Mazu and Irvin followed closely behind and joined Triton outside on the gallery. All seemed calm in comparison to earlier events that night, but that was about to change. With every second that passed, the search party drew closer and Triton was determined to make them turn back to town before they reached the cliffs. His cloak flapped in the icy wind as he summoned the rain. The wind howled as it blew stronger and the search party became unsteady on their feet, holding onto their hats and torches as they battled against the oncoming wind. The torch flames darted wildly as a wall of heavy rain raced towards the men, soaking them to the skin in seconds and extinguishing their torches. The rain turned to hailstone and pelted them mercilessly.

  “Halt!” shouted one of the coast guards. “The conditions are too dangerous.”

  The men stopped walking and shielded their faces with their arms.

  “We can’t go up there in this.”

  “Are we all agreed?” asked another.

  The men reluctantly nodded.

  “I’m sorry Breck,” said the coast guard, slapping him on the back, “we have to call off the search. We’ll return at first light.”

  “I understand,” said Breck.

  The men turned towards the town, almost running now with the wind at their backs.

  Mrs Kelly jumped up from the kitchen chair, scraping it across the flagstone floor when she heard the latch on the door. She looked pitiful, her eyes wide as though being held open by matchsticks.

  Breck shook his head slowly. “A storm’s set in, they’ve called off the search until morning.”

  Exhausted, Mrs Kelly returned to her chair, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “Can I get you anything?” asked Breck.

  Mrs Kelly shook her head, “Go to bed.”

  At the lighthouse, plans were underway to protect their own kind.

  “We don’t need people coming up here unnecessarily,” said Triton. “We need to find the bodies.”

  “And do what with them?” asked Mazu.

  “Take them to shore,” said Irvin.

  “That’s the plan,” said Triton, “it’ll look like they’ve washed up over night.”

  “What about their father?” asked Mazu.

  “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” said Triton. “Come on Irvin, we’ve work to do.”

  Mazu stayed in the lookout while Triton and Irvin swam to Slate Island. The rain had stopped and the clouds had blown over. They kept low in the water, swimming at speed along the seabed until they reached Bishop’s Island. From there they slowed their pace, moving cautiously so as not to attract unwanted attention. They smelt the bodies before they saw them. Even though they had been dead a relatively short time, the heady, sickly-sweet smell of death had already seeped into the water. Through the blackness, the mermen dragged the young men to shore, resting their limp bodies on the sand.

  “What a waste of life,” said Irvin in a flat voice.

  “Unfortunately, this is so often the outcome for those who are reckless,” said Triton. “Sadly, they aren’t the only ones to have lost their souls tonight; their mother’s soul will be torn from her too.”

  Triton and Irvin had been so concerned with the bodies that they hadn’t noticed Jerry. They hadn’t expected to find anyone on the beach at such an unsociable hour. Jerry, who had taken to hard drinking had been sitting on the sand with several bottles of ale, his back resting against the sea wall. He’d heard the men emerge from the sea and he could just about make them out in the moonlight. He blinked a few times and squinted, believing it would help him to see better but just as he was about to get up and wander over for a closer look, they disappeared, back into the water. Then there was silence. In a drunken stupor, Jerry fell asleep on the sand.

  The beauty of first light was fleeting, for moments later it woke Jerry from his slumber, blinding him like a spotlight. He rubbed his sore eyes and rolled over but the squawking seagulls stopped him from falling back to sleep. He groaned, sitting up slowly and swatting flies away. The long strands of dillisk strewn across the beach were covered in sand flies and the pong of seaweed made Jerry’s delicate stomach heave. Stumbling to his feet, something in the shoreline caught his eye. He walked closer, across the wet, rippled sand until the shapes became clear. Then he stopped in disbelief. The daylight was painting a grim picture.

  “Oh dear God, no,” he said.

  William lay on his back, the waves gently breaking over him, his blue, empty eyes gazing at the sky. Not two feet away, Conall lay face down in the sand, his arms by his sides, palms facing up to the sky, his boots missing. Jerry turned away from the bodies and vomited in the water. He rested his hands on his knees while he gained composure and splashed his face with salt water. He looked around to see if anyone was about. All was quiet. The tide was on its way in, he had to act fast. Jerry ran across the beach and up the slip way to the road. He looked in all directions but there wasn’t a soul in sight. He ran straight to the tavern and knocked the door. Breck answered.

  “Is your uncle there?” asked Jerry, breathlessly.

  “No, I’m afraid not,” said Breck. “What is it?”

  “You’ve to come quick, it’s not good news.”

  “What is it?” asked Mrs Kelly, squeezing past Breck. “Have you found them?”

  Mrs Kelly held on to a small glimmer of hope, waiting for Jerry’s response. Having had no time to prepare what he might say, Jerry found himself in an uncomfortable position but the look on his face said it all.

  “Show me where they are,” said Breck.

  “I’m coming with you,” said Mrs Kelly.

  “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” said Jerry with concern.

  “They’re my boys,” said Mrs Kelly.

  “We’ve to be quick,” said Jerry, “the tide’s coming in.”

  They raced down to the beach where Breck pulled his cousins away from the shore. Mrs Kelly fell onto the sand, almost passing out with the shock. She howled in despair.

  “Where’s your boots Conall? What happened to your boots?” Mrs Kelly gasped for air as though her last breath had been kicked out of her. “My beautiful boys,” she cried, holding them in her arms.

  “Jerry, send word to the coast guard and the gardai,” said Breck and he put his arm around Mrs Kelly whose harrowing cries were drowned out by the incoming tide.

  At the lighthouse, Triton had called an emergency meeting with the staff who were now knocking on the chamber doors of all the students to summon them to the dining hall. Bleary eyed students yawned as they made their way along the tunnels but it didn’t take long for speculative chatter to fill the air.

  Triton banged his silver topped cane on the floor three times and the room fell silent.

  “Our safety has been compromised,” he said, “which is why I’ve called for you at this early hour.”

  Muffled whispers rippled around the room.

  “Last night there was an incident at Slate Island where three men from the town lost their lives in an altercation with the Sirens. Two of the bodies have been recovered but one is still missing. I’m sure you all understand why.”

&n
bsp; The students looked horrified. It had been a long time since locals had been attacked by the Sirens.

  “It’s likely that search parties and reporters will venture this way to see the place where it happened and to look for the third body. It’s possible that they will come to the lighthouse to ask questions. I’m sure I don’t need to explain why we need to lie low for a while until this blows over. All outdoor lessons are cancelled until further notice. Keep out of sight. If anyone needs to leave the lighthouse for any reason, you’re to speak to myself or Mazu first. It that clear?”

  A resounding ‘yes’ echoed from the students and at that very moment, Morwen Vanora burst into the room looking less than impressed. Marilla stared wide eyed, anxiously wondering what was about to unfold.

  “Morwen!” cried Triton, aghast. “Where in heavens have you been?”

  Morwen walked stiffly towards the teachers and muttered through gritted teeth, “Would someone explain why I’ve been defrosting in a cupboard?!”

  Sniggers erupted amongst the students.

  “Staff meeting in five minutes,” said Triton, turning to the row of teachers behind him. Then he continued to address the students, “Please remember what I said, be discreet. Enjoy your breakfast.”

  The teachers left the dining chamber, their expressions serious, the mood tense. They filed into the staff chamber as though entering a court room. The staff chamber was dimly lit with plush, velvet chairs and oil paintings of previous heads of school adorned the walls. The teachers took their seats as Mazu entered with Amatheia and Wade.

  “First things first, are you alright?” asked Triton.

  “Do I look alright?” snapped Morwen, refusing to take a seat. “I can barely bend my legs and my clothes are damp. I’ve spent the entire night standing in a puddle of water in a dark cupboard waiting for my body to finish defrosting. Does that sound alright to you?”

  “No, no it doesn’t,” said Triton quietly, “now let’s try and resolve this calmly.”

  “Calmly?! Whoever did this should be expelled immediately. I bet it was that new girl. I knew she was trouble.”

  “You can’t throw around accusations without any proof Morwen,” said Triton.

  Morwen scowled at him. “I want a full investigation.”

  “Don’t you think if anyone knew anything they would have come forward by now?” said Mazu.

  “By now?” said Morwen. “How long have I been in there?”

  The staff exchanged sideways glances.

  “No more than a few days,” said Triton.

  “A few days!” shrieked Morwen. “Didn’t anyone think to do something?”

  “Why do you think we came back?” asked Mazu.

  “We’re here to investigate your disappearance,” said Triton.

  “Well you didn’t make a very good job of it,” moaned Morwen. “Looks like I’ll have to do my own investigating. Heads will roll for this! I want every student questioned, starting with Cordelia.”

  Triton and Mazu looked at each other, talking in code with their eyes.

  “What is it?” snapped Morwen, “What are you hiding from me?”

  “Cordelia is unwell,” explained Amatheia, “she’s on complete bed rest. If you want to conduct your own investigation you’ll have to start with the other students.”

  Marilla smiled, relieved that Morwen had no memory of what happened and confident that nobody else would either, aside from Cordelia.

  “Trust you to find this amusing,” scowled Morwen. “I expect you’ve all been having a good laugh at my expense.”

  “Nobody’s been laughing at you,” said Wade. “We’ve all been quite concerned.”

  “Not concerned enough to find me or the culprits responsible,” replied Morwen.

  “We’re not making much progress bickering amongst ourselves,” said Triton. “I think it’s time we got on with the day. If anyone needs me I’ll be in the lookout with Irvin.”

  In the coming days, Morwen interviewed the entire student body, all except for Cordelia, but nobody had any answers. Amatheia took care of Cordelia, Triton and Irvin kept watch from the lookout and the rest of the staff continued with indoor lessons. Meanwhile, newspapers began to circulate the town with tales of the premature deaths and the landlord who was never found.

  A funeral had taken place for Conall and William within two days of their tragic deaths. Keeva hadn’t spoken a word since that fateful night, she had mostly observed her own reflection in the mirror, her father’s parting gift now evident on her cheekbone. She knew it would soon fade but for now it was a reminder of the last time his hand touched her delicate face, the last mark he had made on this earth. Dressed in white she walked in silence behind Misty and the cart that carried her brothers to church. The somber sound of the church bells jarred in her head while crows squawked loudly from the rooftops. She stared at one, its beady eyes staring straight back at her. It squawked again even louder as it flew straight towards her. Keeva cowered and covered her head with her arms. There was no one to comfort her. The babes were too young to understand and were being looked after by a neighbour, her mother was a train wreck walking beside her and Breck was riding Misty. She looked at the ground, unable to rest her eyes on the two coffins in front of her. People assumed business had been going well but in truth they’d paid with the few gems that her father had found in the fire. With every footstep the sound of Misty’s hooves and the wheels of the cart became more prominent, drowning out even the church bells until they were all she could hear. The cart stopped outside the entrance to the church and Keeva stepped aside, away from the sea of black mourning clothes. Her shoulders shook as she started to cry. Breck jumped down from the cart and walked over to her.

  “Come on,” said Breck, softly.

  “I can’t,” she sobbed.

  “We’ll go in together,” said Breck.

  “I can’t look at the coffins,” said Keeva, her voice breaking.

  “Come on, they’ll be starting, it’s your last chance to say goodbye properly.”

  Keeva reluctantly walked into the church with Breck. The stale, musty air hit her immediately, causing her to sneeze and the wooden floor creaked beneath her feet. The church was packed with people, many of whom she didn’t recognise, stunned mourners who had come together to pay their respects for what had become a very public tragedy in an otherwise quiet town. It became apparent that to live in Kilfearagh was both a blessing and a curse. Breck held Keeva’s hand and pulled her towards the front but she resisted, instead choosing to sit several rows back. Her chin wobbled uncontrollably and when she glanced up at Breck, his chin was wobbling too. The sight of seeing a man cry made her even more emotional. As the mourners sang Abide With Me, a river of tears poured from Keeva’s eyes to the point that she couldn’t see clearly. From that point the service was a blur. At the graveside, Keeva reached out and held her mother’s hand as the coffins were lowered and tears fell in slow motion to the ground. After the burial, Keeva returned to the tavern with her mother and Breck, immediately returning to her room without speaking another word.

  When her condition allowed, Cordelia was visited in her chamber by Trition and Mazu. She was reluctant to speak at first, blaming herself for the deaths and for putting the school and the Kingdom of Meren in danger.

  “You’ve come to expel me, haven’t you,” she eventually said, laying in bed with her arms folded.

  “Not at all,” said Triton, his voice calm.

  “Nixie was right, I wasn’t ready,” continued Cordelia, completely missing Triton’s response.

  “We all need to try harder to protect the town folk,” said Triton. “That’s why it’s best they don’t come back here at all.”

  “Flynn’s still trapped on Slate Island, what are we doing to protect him?”

  “We’ll sort that out,” said Triton, “but we can’t be giving ordinary folk reason to venture to the cliffs, or the islands for that matter.”

  Cordelia knew he was referring
to her relationship with Breck and the turmoil it had already caused. She wasn’t sure how he knew, but she remembered Triton saying that he and Mazu were always watching. Her cheeks flushed red, wondering if they really do see everything.

  “Cordelia, we’ve something to tell you,” said Mazu, cautiously, “something important.”

  “You’re going to tell me I can’t see Breck anymore, aren’t you?”

  “No, it’s not that,” said Triton.

  “So I can see him?”

  “It’s not for us to say who you can and can’t be friends with Cordelia, but you must consider how your actions affect others. Rule number seven, thou shalt keep thy existence safe from harm.”

  Breaking the awkward silence, Mazu reached into her bag and pulled out The Book of Tails. “I hear you had some questions about your tail.”

  Cordelia leaned forward, her eyes widening. “I borrowed a copy from the library but there seemed to be a page missing.”

  “Did you discover anything about tails?” asked Triton.

  “Not really,” said Cordelia, “Amatheia said the colours and patterns can indicate which family you belong to. I suppose I thought it might be…”

  “Might be what?” asked Mazu.

  “More colourful, more vibrant. Mine seems dull compared with others I’ve seen.”

  “You sound disappointed,” said Mazu.

  Cordelia shrugged.

  Mazu flicked through the pages of the book, stopping at page one hundred and forty six and handed it to Cordelia. She and Triton watched Cordelia’s reaction carefully. Cordelia sat in stunned silence, unblinking.

  “Are you still disappointed?” asked Triton.

  THIRTEEN

  ANSWERS

  Unsure if she could truly believe what she was reading, Cordelia struggled to find the right words. “This says, the picture, does this mean…” It came as such a shock that Cordelia couldn’t say out loud what The Book of Tails was telling her.

  “It tells you which family you’re from,” confirmed Mazu.