Rising

by Kelly, Holly

  “Whoa, that’s a good one, Slink. Now what do we do with him?” Ettie took his jaw and moved it around, as if trying to work out the pain and stiffness from being punched.

  “I say we put his head in the water and keep it there.” Slink kicked Josh hard as he lay prone on the sandy floor. “What better way for a deep sea diver to die than by drowning?”

  “No,” Sara shouted. “He can’t hurt you now. Just leave him alone.”

  “Oh look,” Slink said. “It’s the filthy little mermaid begging for his life. I’d say that gives us more reason to kill him.”

  “But won’t the guards be angry with you?” she asked.

  “The guards? Like they care. Talbot here already killed two other people just this last week and the guards didn’t bat an eye at it.”

  “He killed two men?” Sara didn’t know why that bothered her. She’d seen Xanthus kill dozens of Dagonians earlier today. Maybe it was because Josh was a human, and humans weren’t supposed to kill other humans.

  “Oh, yeah. He was thinking he was all tough,” Slink said. “Said he’d been a Navy Seal. The two guys who were here before us weren’t impressed and decided they wanted to play around with Talbot. Talbot didn’t like the games they played and later that night, he killed them while they were sleeping. Yeah, this Talbot is a real winner, killing people in their sleep. He’s a coward, that’s what he is.

  “Come on, Ettie, Tane. Let’s put his head in the water and see how long this diver can hold his breath.”

  “No, please, just leave him alone,” Sara shouted as they shoved Josh’s head into the wall of water. Josh jerked awake and thrashed around. Sara scooted along the floor and grabbed Tane’s ankle. Tane responded by kicking her arm away.

  She grabbed again. “Please stop.”

  Tane growled and slapped her hard across the face. Sara felt as if her cheek had exploded. Through the spots of floating lights, she saw Josh flailing as Ettie and Slink held his head in the water.

  She covered her face with her arms and began to cry. “Please let him go. Please let him go. Please let him go.” Sara tried to block out the horrifying images. She’d thought she’d gotten over her fear of drowning, but it was all coming back to her. She continued to plead in a tormented rhythm that came from deep inside her. Eventually Josh’s thrashing stopped and still, she continued to plead. “Please let him go.”

  Silence surrounded her. The only sound left now was her small keening and low chanting. Josh must be dead. She didn’t know him well, but the short time she had, he’d been kind to her. Her heart broke a little at the terrible way he’d left the world.

  Somewhere inside this torment, a part of her expected at any moment to be accosted. Almost without thinking, she wrapped the chain around her fingers, leaving a long loop she could swing if necessary. She knew when it came to physical strength, she didn’t stand a chance against them, but she’d go down fighting.

  When a few moments passed without an attack, she took a chance and glanced up. There they were—all of them, including Josh Talbot—staring at her. She squealed in surprise.

  “You let him go,” she said in total shock.

  Slink eyes blinked, confused. “Of course. You asked us to. Why did we? What in the… Ettie, why did you let Talbot go?” he asked as he shoved him.

  “I don’t know. She asked us to? You let him go, too.” Ettie shoved back.

  “It was her voice,” Tane said. “She was singing, you know… mermaids… sirens… they can hypnotize people with their voices.”

  Sara thought that was the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. But then again, come to think of it, people did seem to lose their minds every time she sang a tune. That was why she never, ever sang around other people. As a child, the attention she got had frightened her. Even Ron had lost his mind when she sang at the concert. Maybe Tane was right.

  Sara felt like an idiot knowing what she was about to do, but hey, at this point, anything was worth a try.

  Her melodious voice rang out and, to her surprise, it had a greater effect than she ever thought possible.

  From within a dry, air-filled dungeon deep under Triton’s palace, a voice was pleading for mercy. “Please, I just want to go home,” the human woman cried. Her sobs caused her nose to drip mucus and her makeup-smudged eyes to swell red—definitely not becoming on her.

  “Now Danielle,” Triton said. “We’ve gone over this. You and your friends are responsible for killing over three thousand Dagonians. If I let you go, where is the justice in that?”

  “But I didn’t even know that Dagonians existed,” she shouted, grating on his nerves. If the human couldn’t show him more respect, he’d forget his intention of leaving her alive and turn her into sea foam, so help him.

  Triton marched over and bent down, staring at her nose to nose. “I warned you. Do not raise your voice to me.”

  Her eyes widened. “I’m sorry. I was upset.”

  “I know you were. You’re not the only one upset about this situation. Here, let me show you another example of what you’ve done.”

  “Please, no.”

  Triton raised his trident and manifested the body of a Dagonian infant lying pale against the sand, his black, glassy eyes open. Triton ignored Danielle’s wails.

  “This child was the firstborn son of a married couple named Ata and Hera. They had waited years for a child and were finally rewarded for their patience with his birth. They’d smothered him with love and affection for only two weeks. When he was merely fifteen days old, they were in their home enjoying a peaceful evening, unsuspecting that danger lurked from above. Hera had the babe at her breast when the poison descended on their home. The effects of the poison were felt immediately. It burned like acid, eating away at them, as they breathed it through their gills. They suffered for over an hour, clinging to one another until they finally died.”

  “I didn’t know. Don’t you think I would do things differently if only I’d known?” Danielle collapsed on the sandy floor and sobbed.

  Without warning, several feet away, the floor swelled. It continued to grow until the sand vomited a large form covered in Heitach. “Well, it looks like your good friend, Xanthus, has sent me another guilty party. Shall we see who it is? Perhaps it’s a friend of yours.”

  Triton raised his trident and the Heitach slithered off the body, which collapsed onto the ground. Triton recognized him at once.

  “What is this?” He slammed his trident against the floor. “Xanthus Dimitriou, what is the meaning of this?”

  Xanthus groaned and pushed his aching body away from the sandy ground. “Majesty,” he said, his voice raspy. “I have important news for you, Sire.”

  Triton glared. His mouth twitched, almost smiling as he thought about the pain Xanthus had voluntarily endured. The Dagonian was a glutton for punishment. “And you couldn’t come to me in the normal way? You know there are better ways to travel than by Heitach.”

  “Yes sir, but it was the only way I could think to get out of Panthon Prison.”

  Triton was dumbfounded. “And just what were you doing in Panthon Prison? I was under the impression you were still on land.”

  “I was imprisoned, along with Sara, my intended wife.”

  “I was not aware you were engaged. So you came down here to save your bride from prison? You know once she is in Panthon, there is no hope for her.”

  “That is usually true, but I was hoping you could help me,” Xanthus said.

  Triton was annoyed. Anytime a mortal got close to a god, it was only a matter of time before they start asking for favors. “What crime did she commit?”

  “Her only crime was being born, Majesty. She was born on the surface. She has hidden among the humans since her birth twenty years ago.”

  A lump formed in Triton’s throat and he felt as if a stone had been placed on his chest. He knew that there was only one likely answer to his next question. Still, he hoped beyond hope that he was wrong. “And pray tell me, who is
this prisoner’s mother?”

  “Her name is Nicole.”

  ***

  Xanthus and Danielle were blown back hard against the stone wall as Triton erupted in a roar. Xanthus landed on the floor. He pushed himself up to confront Triton. The sea god had transformed, exploding into a twenty-foot tall figure with gaping jaws of sharp, serrated teeth and burning red eyes. He looked like a demon. His deafening roar filled the dungeon with retching torment.

  “I have a daughter? How could I not know?” He screamed in anguish. His head whipped around as accusing eyes pierced Xanthus. “Now your Dagonian’s have her in prison. How dare they put a daughter of Triton in Panthon Prison! I will kill them all. They will writhe in pain and agony while their flesh is slowly eaten away. So help me, if they harm one hair on her head, they will all die this day.” He moved in close, his towering figure bent over Xanthus as his voice roared like a beast.

  Xanthus was struck with fear at the awesome power and fury of an angry god. Still, he was somehow able to find his voice. He hoped Triton would hear him out before striking him down.

  “They don’t know she’s your daughter.”

  Triton moved closer, and snarled. “But you knew, didn’t you? Why would you not tell them?”

  “Sara and I were the only ones who knew the truth. You don’t know the hatred my father and the counsel had for your merchildren. She does not as yet bear your mark of protection. If they had known the truth, they would have had both of us killed and our bodies destroyed before you could learn of her existence. I knew it was safer for them to think she was half-human, half-Dagonian. At least until we could come to you.”

  Triton narrowed his eyes, perhaps deciding whether or not to blow Xanthus into oblivion. Danielle stirred and began to whimper. Triton turned his trident on her and in a flash of light, she was gone.

  Xanthus had to ask. “Is she...?”

  “…back with the humans.” Triton’s answer was dismissive. He paused, deep in thought. “I’ll need you to come with me to the prison. Maybe you can keep me from killing every Dagonian I lay eyes on.”

  Triton sighed. “Somehow I don’t think that would endear my daughter to me, at our first meeting, to see her father kill everyone in sight.”

  “Yes sir. I must go regardless. It is killing me not knowing whether she is being mistreated. If that is the case, I may join you in your killing spree.”

  “Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  Xanthus had no warning when a flash of light blinded his vision. When he could see again, he found himself at the doors of Panthon Prison. Triton was back to his normal form. Xanthus hoped he wouldn’t ever have to see him in his angry god form again.

  There were two large guards stationed on each side of the door. The larger and meaner looking of the two swam forward. “Xanthus Dimitriou, I don’t know how you escaped from your cell, but it’s good of you to turn yourself in.”

  “Let us pass,” Triton said.

  The guard turned to him in disgust. “I don’t know who you are, but no one…”

  Triton raised his trident and the guard began to shake. He thrashed around, wailing as his body shriveled up around his bones and, a moment later, his skeletal form floated away lifeless, carried by the gentle current.

  Xanthus turned to the other guard, whose eyes were wide in horror, his face white as sea foam. “You might want to let King Triton pass.”

  “Yes, of course, Majesty.” The guard shook himself out of his stupor, yanked open the door, and let them in.

  As soon as they passed through the doors, guards rushed in and surrounded them. Before there were more misunderstandings, Xanthus shouted. “King Triton is here for his daughter.”

  The group erupted in a confusion of voices and questions. “There is no mermaid being held here.”

  “A daughter of Triton, here?”

  “I thought they were all dead.” The questions came at them from all sides at once.

  “Enough,” Triton shouted. The building rumbled at his voice and cracks branched out from the foundation and up the stone walls. “Where is the half-human prisoner, called Sara?”

  A small guard inched forward. “She was put into the human cell.”

  This was not where Xanthus expected her to be. He’d expected her to be put into a cell by herself. When he thought of those who would be with her, he exploded in anger. “Take us there now!”

  The guard flinched back. “Yes, of course.” As they rushed away, Xanthus heard the other guards flee the building.

  Triton and Xanthus raced through the maze of hallways into the more rough tunnels of a crumbling part of the prison.

  They approached an old, beat-up door. Xanthus was surprised to find no guard there.

  “Where did the guard go?” The small guard asked, echoing Xanthus’s concern.

  “Let me pass,” Triton demanded. The guard moved aside. Triton grabbed the door and ripped it off its hinges. As he passed through to the air pocket, his transformation from merman to human was smooth and flawless. Xanthus immediately followed along with his not-so-smooth conversion as he turned human.

  “Well, hello there,” a deep, cheerful voice greeted them.

  Xanthus looked around, afraid of what he might find. He had sent Slink and his pathetic sidekicks to this cell himself. He’d had no idea that Sara would have ever been put in here with them. He was sick with worry about what they might have done to her. But what he found was a cheerful human sitting amongst the three unconscious, bleeding forms of Sara’s old neighbors. Sara was nowhere to be found.

  “Where’s Sara?” Xanthus asked.

  “The little Dagonian? Oh, she sang her way out of here.”

  “She what?” Xanthus was confused at the answer.

  “Do you know where she was headed?” Triton asked the human.

  “She was going to save her husband.”

  Triton turned to Xanthus. “Where were you being held?”

  “In the belly of the beast.”

  “You Dagonians are so dramatic.” Triton shook his head. “Why is she calling you her husband?”

  “I tried to marry her. She thinks we are married, but I found out the priest was not a true priest. I decided it was best for her not to know we aren’t actually married. She was ready to turn herself in to save me.”

  “Your Dagonian laws are ridiculous. Why a man should have to pay for his wife’s crime is beyond me. Still, a daughter of mine was willing to make that kind of sacrifice? That is surprising.”

  “Your daughter is an amazing woman.”

  “So, if you aren’t married, why were you imprisoned also?”

  “I killed about three dozen soldiers when they came to take her,” Xanthus said, unregretful.

  “I would expect no less of any husband of my daughter.”

  Xanthus and Triton moved quickly through the tunnels. As they moved further in, darkness enveloped them. The stifling gloom and stench of rot increased as they neared the dungeon area that held the most heinous criminals.

  “They really must not have liked what you did to put you down here,” Triton remarked.

  “You could say…” Xanthus heard a faint singing voice that brought him to a stop. It was beyond beautiful. It was the most amazing…

  Triton lifted his trident; a beam of light shot out and struck Xanthus like a slap in the face. “What did you do that for?” Xanthus asked.

  “I think it’s best, if you’re to be my daughter’s husband, that she not have that kind of power over you.”

  Triton and Xanthus once again rushed forward. As they neared, the sound of Sara’s voice became clearer. She really did have a lovely voice, but her lyrics and cadence left a lot to be desired. Xanthus gave that a fleeting thought as he hurried toward her. From what he heard, she seemed to be instructing a guard in song to keep looking for him.

  They came around a corner and her tiny, frantic figure came into view.

  Triton gasped. “She looks just like her mothe
r.”

  Sara’s frustration grew with every passing moment. Locating her husband had been much more difficult than she’d expected. Half of the effort she’d exerted in her search had been used to keep the guard on task. He hadn’t been able to keep his stupid, groping hands off her. She worked a few words of exasperation into her tune, as she once again slapped him away.

  With each passing moment, she’d grown more and more anxious until now, she was about to panic. A couple of times she’d stopped singing to call out to her husband, only to find the guard snapping out of his trance and making a grab for her. A few desperate screeches of a melody was all she needed to be safe again.

  “Moro Mou.” A familiar voice came from down the passageway. Sara turned and found Xanthus and another Dagonian swimming toward her.

  “Xanthus,” she cried as she swam at him so fast that she nearly knocked the wind out of herself when they collided. His arms encircled her. His warm embrace had never felt so good.

  “I was so worried,” she said. “We’ve been through these cells three times, now. And I couldn’t find you. This guard insisted you were here. Well, I don’t know if insisted is the right word. He said it in his I’m-under-your-spell-and-will-do-your-bidding voice.”

  Xanthus shook his head. “And here I thought I’d be the one saving you, Mou. But it looks like you’ve saved yourself. How could I have forgotten the siren’s song? So you hypnotized them with your voice?”

  Sara nodded. “I guess you could say that. I just found out I could. It was cool at first, but now it’s just annoying. This Dagonian keeps touching me. But still, I was able to get out and find you. By the way, how did you get out of your cell?”

  “Hello Sara.” The Dagonian stranger inched forward.

  “Hold it right there.” The guard raised his spear.

  “Oh, not again,” she said and then opened her mouth wide to continue her stupid song.

  The stranger lifted a trident and froze the guard on the spot.