Everblue

by Brenda Pandos

  “Please keep an eye on Tatiana.” Dad put both hands on Badge’s shoulders.

  “Aye, Captain,” Badge said somberly. “I’ll guard her with me life.”

  Dad let out a huge exhale. “Thank you. Until we meet again old friend.” They embraced.

  “Stop it before I start blubberin’,” Badge said with a chuckle and swam back toward the palace.

  I looked to Mom who cried quietly as Dad rubbed her shoulder. He motioned for me to swim into the tunnel first. I wavered, still afraid the poison would kill me even with an antidote.

  “It’ll be okay, Fin. Once we get to the house I’ll get the bracelet off you. Don’t worry.” He clapped my shoulder and I calmed under his loving grasp. “Let’s go before the royal army gets here and tries to stop us.”

  Mom decided to swim through first, concern seeping through her demeanor of strength. Dad motioned for me to go next. I swam warily behind her and then felt the barbs under the gold sink into my skin. Within seconds, the world went dark.

  48

  ASH

  I sat on the deck off the back of the house with an afghan pulled tight over my shoulders; a foreboding sensation seeped into my bones. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t let go. The water whispered to me and I watched like I’d been compelled to do ever since the incident.

  A loud boom rumbled the ground, forcing me to grip the arms of the chair. Then a large geyser of water shot into the air from the middle of the lake. I stood up in horror as the spray fell back downward. A wall of water began to build and came careening in slow motion towards the beach and the dock. And as if something jerked on The Sea Star’s tether, the boat stood on end and submerged when the water rose up and covered the poor vessel. My hand muted my scream as the waves crashed up the hillside, almost hitting me where I stood.

  “Fin?” I called out, my throat thick with uncertainty as my mother’s potted plants rolled down the hill with the receding water.

  Without thinking, I hobbled down the slick, muddied path to the dock and scanned the lake for any signs of life. The boat came back into view and righted itself as she knocked against the dock, drenched but whole. Fear gripped me. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I couldn’t just sit and do nothing. I got into the boat.

  My muscles began to burn as I feverishly paddled the boat through the debris. I hoped to be the first to the spot and rescue survivors, for Fin and Tatchi. Helicopters appeared from nowhere and flew over the site I tried desperately to reach. I slowed as jet boats emerged on the water. Too many people. Would they find their bodies floating on the water? Would the world go crazy at the discovery of mermaids in Lake Tahoe?

  Tears slid down my cheeks as I stopped and peered into the deep water, blue like Fin’s eyes. Did they survive the blast? We’d learned in class the results of explosions underwater—effects far worse than above ground. I brought my hands to my mouth as more fish popped up on the surface, all dead.

  “No,” I cried as the possibility Fin and Tatchi could be dead as well haunted my thoughts.

  I couldn’t catch my breath, my heart racing too fast. I kept searching the water, hoping and praying they’d surface alive. If something did happen, how could I continue on? I grabbed the side of the boat, my body crawling for a way to help. There was nothing I could do but watch, wait. If Fin died, he’d never know how I truly felt about him. Our last interaction, nothing but harsh words and rejection.

  “No,” I cried louder.

  I reached my hand in the water, hoping they would see it and come to me. The bitter cold shocked my senses, awakening the painful memory of being fully immersed. I put my cold wet knuckles to my lips and rocked back and forth. The skin tingled like it had after I woke up in the hospital, after I remembered his lips on mine. How did this all happen? Why did I turn him away?

  Shakily, I stood up in the boat, my eyes searching the water for the one I realized I loved. The one I had to spend forever with. The one who might not return.

  My chest ached. I closed my eyes and turned my face towards the sun, praying for a miracle. My body swayed with the boat on the waves. Then insanity’s black tentacles tangled its iciness in my thoughts. Fin had saved me before. Maybe if I fell in again, he’d come back to me. Then I could join them. I could go to the world that called to me in my dreams. With Fin in the everblue.

  I moved my foot and set it on the ledge, tempting fate.

  49

  FIN

  “Fin? Fin?” my mother pleaded. Her voice echoed around in my head.

  “I’m here,” I tried to say, my tongue heavy in my mouth. The world, still black around me, was filled with oxygen. Where was I? Heaven?

  I wriggled my toes; a warm blanket covered my human body. I pried open my eyes to see Mom and Dad hovering over me, staring. I know this place. The living room in our house in Tahoe. Mom had a mug in her hand and a tangy sweetness laced my throat.

  I swallowed again. “I’m okay, I think.”

  Dad’s shoulders relaxed as he squeezed my hand. “Welcome back, Son.”

  “The things the two of you put me through,” Mom said with a sigh. “Are you feeling okay, Fin?”

  I rubbed my temples, the pain zinging through my head like a fire poker. On the table next to me, the poisonous bracelet the King had slapped on my arm to keep me in Natatoria sat in two pieces next to a pair of bolt cutters.

  “Here.” Mom handed me two tablets of Ibuprofen and a glass of water. “Take these.”

  A circle of red dots surrounded my wrist. “What happened? What day is it?”

  “It’s only been an hour,” Dad said. “I was hoping the bracelet was a decoy, but you fainted when we swam through the gate.” Dad grimaced. “Once we got home, I couldn’t find my tools. But after I threatened Alaster—”

  Mom clenched her jaw. “Once Dad took off the bracelet, and I fed you the elixir Badger gave us, you came to.”

  “Where’s Alaster now? Aren’t they going to find us here?”

  “Not for a while, I imagine. I escorted my good-for-nothing brother and nephew back to Natatoria and sealed the gate for good.”

  “You what?” I sat up, my body stiff.

  “I activated the detonation device on the gate, just in case. Sealed her right up. No one’s going to be coming or going from Natatoria through Lake Tahoe any longer.”

  Outside, helicopters hummed overhead. I swallowed hard again, my throat still dry. “And everyone saw the explosion?”

  “Yeah,” he said with a shrug. “Had to do it while I still had the chance.”

  My heart thumped hard. This would create a bigger hysteria than the waves I’d caused. Anyone within the vicinity would have seen or felt the explosion.

  “I have to go find Ash.” I threw off the blanket and stood up.

  “No,” Mom barked. “Sit down. You need to let the sedation wear off.”

  “I need to find her now!” I could only imagine what she’d think, especially if she saw the explosion firsthand. I took another deep breath to clear my swirling head, ignoring Mom’s continued demands that I take it slow.

  I cursed once I saw the mess on my bedroom floor—the board pried away from the hidey-hole, all my clothes and things scattered about. A lowly pair of folded jeans caught my eye. I slid them on with a black shirt that looked halfway decent, along with shoes and socks.

  I was out the door and running towards Ashlyn’s house within minutes.

  What am I going to say? How is she going to react? Would she turn me away?

  I didn’t care. I had to talk to her, make her understand. We had to be together. I couldn’t live another day without confessing my feelings to her.

  I banged on her front door for several minutes without an answer. More helicopters flew overhead and the noise made me slightly fanatical. I held my ears and turned in a circle. Where was Ash? Footprints in the wet mud led to the dock. Off in the distance, a bevy of boats swarmed the water.

  I spotted someone in a little boat a mile or so out. One I’d r
ecognize anywhere. The Sea Star. The girl inside was standing, arms out.

  “ASHLYN!” I screamed and ran for the dock, shedding clothing the entire way.

  Unable to phase into a fin without ripping my jeans, I kicked with all my might. I had to stop her from doing something rash. Though I could save her again, I’d be naked once I got her on shore with nothing to put on—definitely a risk of exposure. Why didn’t I put on my pack just in case?

  I pointed my hands and butterfly kicked, speeding my progress slightly. She came clearer into view, still apparently deciding if she should jump or not. Her foot rested dangerously on the side, the boat close to tipping over.

  “STOP!”

  Ash startled and retracted her foot from the ledge, losing her balance and falling onto the seat with a thud. “Finley?”

  I came to the side and treaded water next to the boat. “What are you doing?”

  “You’re alive?” She stared back as if she didn’t actually believe she saw me for real.

  “Of course I am. Why are you out here?”

  She continued to stare in shock, her beautiful green eyes adding to my longing to kiss her.

  “But the explosion?” She looked off into the horizon.

  I grabbed the edge and tried to swim the vessel back towards her house. “Exactly why you need to be off the water. Everything is going to be okay now. I’m here.”

  “I’m confused. Shouldn’t you be a—?” She pointed at my legs underwater and her cheeks flushed.

  I hesitated telling her the truth, unsure how she’d react. I’d answer all her questions on shore. “It’s a long story. Let’s get you home.”

  Frustrated I couldn’t swim as fast as I wanted, I climbed into the boat and took the oars.

  50

  ASH

  I stared at Fin as he rowed the boat, the water dripping off his abs. All I wanted to do was touch him. Could he actually be here? Or was I having another splendid dream? I didn’t trust my senses at this point after all that had happened. My heart pounded as my eyes caressed every inch of his body.

  Tears spilt over my eyelids and down my cheeks. With each passing moment, I wavered between shock and disbelief. But there he was, in the flesh and blood. Fin. He was alive and here again—finally. And nothing coherent would come to mind to say. I hesitantly reached forward and touched his knee; the water on his jeans was hot under my fingertips. The sensation sent a chill down my spine.

  He stopped. His blue eyes, burning with want, met mine.

  “I can’t wait anymore.” He put the oars down and clasped my hands with his, taking away my breath. “Ash, I’ve done nothing but fight to get back to you since your accident” —I gulped— “and I can’t live without you. We’re bonded in a way I never knew existed. Something so wonderful yet so horrible when we’re apart. You have to know I’ve been going crazy with worry for what you’d think after you saw what happened at the beach. I never wanted you to find out about us that way. Please know, I hated that I couldn’t tell you the truth.”

  I wanted to say I understood, I didn’t care. That I loved him. That I was relieved he was okay. Overjoyed he was finally here with me. But nothing would come out of my mouth.

  “Ash—”

  His eyes sparked as if he knew what I was thinking. Then he reached up, palmed my cheeks with his summery hands, and brought his mouth crashing into mine, soft and warm. Fireworks exploded between us as our lips hungrily devoured one another’s. My hands wove into the back of his hair, my fingers wrapping into the soft, delicious strands. He crushed me into his body and I melted under his touch. All the grief vanished as his breath swirled into my being and healed my wounded soul. Though nothing made sense, everything finally felt right.

  I couldn’t be sure how long we stayed there, in the boat, bobbing on the water, our arms circling one another. I didn’t care. We were together and nothing would break us apart now.

  51

  FIN

  We finally disconnected ourselves enough to get the boat closer to shore. Though her face beamed now, I grieved at how much she’d hurt in my absence. Was she wearing the same swim team jacket from the time before?

  “I wish I would have taken a shower today,” she finally said, smoothing down her red fly-away curls.

  “Ash, you’ve never looked more beautiful to me.”

  She blushed and pulled her jacket down over her hips. I docked the boat and reached for her hand, pulling her into my arms. She melted into me and I never wanted to let her go.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe,” she whispered.

  I planted feather-like kisses up her jaw line and she giggled. “Being apart killed me.”

  She moaned lightly in my ear and swayed. “Then don’t ever leave me again,” she said.

  I inhaled deeply and hugged her tighter. “I promise.”

  She giggled again. “Can I please go shower? I look horrible and I’m pretty sure I reek.”

  “No,” I said, wanting nothing more than to hold her all day.

  She pulled back and gave me a crooked smile. “Please?”

  “Fine, if you insist.” I took her outstretched hand and kissed it.

  She stood with a slight tilt, favoring her right foot. Then I remembered she was still injured.

  “Wait.” I had her sit on the bench on the dock. “This is going to be weird but I have something to help your leg. We need to take off your bandage.”

  “You do?” She pinched her eyebrows together, but folded up her pajama bottoms to reveal a large ace bandage that covered her thigh.

  “Trust me.”

  Together, with our hands touching, we loosened the wrap. I winced once I saw the horrific bruise and jagged red line held closed with Steri-Strips.

  She frowned. “Looks ugly, doesn’t it.”

  “Not for long,” I said with a wink and left her to return to the boat.

  Earlier while rowing, I’d noticed the jagged metal piece she’d probably torn her leg upon when she fell into the water. With a quick flick of my arm, I made a matching gash.

  “What are you doing?” she shrieked at the sight of my blood spilling onto the dock.

  “Just trust me.”

  Horror crossed her face as I came back to her and held my arm over her cut. The blood seeped into her wound, absorbing like a sponge. I’d never witnessed a mer’s blood heal human injuries before, so I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right. Miraculously, the skin around the injury began to glow and change from a nasty red to a tender pink––the color of new skin. The trickle of blood slowly stopped as my own gash healed before our eyes, turning into a matching scar.

  “Now I have a token to remember that day as well,” I said and touched our scars together.

  She looked up at me with innocence sparkling from her eyes. “What are you?”

  I smiled and covered her lips with mine. “Yours.”

  She laughed and hugged my neck again.

  I swooped her up into my arms and carried her to the house like I’d wanted to do the first time I’d seen her.

  52

  ASH

  I showered quickly, afraid when I got out Fin would be gone, the whole thing a dream. The water trickled over the pink scar, tickling the new skin. I laughed, my insides filled with unexplainable richness. While hurrying to brush through my wet unruly hair, I heard a knock at the door.

  “Ashlyn?” Mom asked, apprehension looming in her voice.

  I opened the door, letting the steam escape. Her face brightened as she scanned my fresh appearance—my first shower in almost a week.

  “Why didn’t you call and tell me you had company for dinner?”

  “I’m sorry.” I shrugged. “He just got here. Would it be all right if he stayed?”

  From down the hall I could hear Gran, Lucy, and Dad talking to Fin about the explosion on the lake. His presence made me giddy inside and I bit back my grin.

  “Of course. I’m glad to see you’re feeling better.”

  I smiled, prob
ably for the first time since the accident and a tear glossed the corner of her eye. “Yeah, Mom. I’m feeling a hundred times better.”

  From nowhere, she wrapped her arms around me and sniffled in my ear. I rubbed her back, trying to soothe away all the grief I’d caused her the past few days.

  She let go and composed herself. “Well, hurry up. I’m almost done reheating the lasagna.”

  I closed the door and counted my blessings for a moment. Though it brought me Fin, what I did tortured my parents. I’d worried them needlessly and took everyone on such a crazy rollercoaster of emotion with me. I’d never do it again. I couldn’t watch them suffer like that. Somehow, I needed to make it up to them.

  A quick blow dry and a little makeup to cover the grey smudges under my eyes made a world of difference. When I walked around the corner without a limp, everyone gasped. The fact Fin was here, hit me again, his gorgeous face melting my knees. His smile, a ray of sunshine after a storm.

  “Man, I’m gone a few weeks and miss all the crazy stuff happening on the lake,” he said with a wink.

  “Totally,” I said with nervous laughter.

  Everyone’s relief-filled giggles cleansed our living room now that I’d returned back to my old self. He patted the couch cushions and I joined him, feeling his warm thigh next to mine. As the conversation continued, I kept staring at him, marveling that he was here. All the questions I thought of in the shower tumbled in my brain: How did he escape the blast? Where did the bad mermen take him? How did he get away? Where was Tatchi? How did the whole mermaid thing work anyway?

  But even if my family wasn’t engaging him with their own theories of the explosion, including an attempt to bring Tessie to the surface, I knew once we were alone, I wouldn’t be able to ask him mine. My lips would be busy kissing his instead.

  And as if he knew I needed reassurance, his hand wove delicately with mine and my heart raced even more. How I could be so miserable one minute and elated the next, escaped me. But I didn’t want him to ever leave. His presence blanketed all my fears I’d suffered from since the accident.