by Ruhi Jain
Brell felt the water leave her lungs and her stomach twist in horror as she imagined Timmy hanging there. No… No…
A warm hand gently squeezed her own. “Breathe. He will be fine. Just ignore that thing.” Lukas whispered.
“I wish.” She sighed, her gaze still locked at the structure, feeling a vice grip her heart. How could someone be cruel enough to do this to a child?
Mermaids scuttled and scurried everywhere, carrying all sorts of things from one end of the garden to the other. There was coordinated chaos and movement everywhere.
“There you are!” Figgie’s loud voice boomed and Lukas immediately let go of her hand and slipped away as quickly as he had appeared. She quickly swam towards them, a clipboard in her meaty hand. Brell tugged her sleeves to make it cover her wound.
“Go and help Mrs. Palmer with the decorations.” Figgie snapped.
When she approached the stage, she realised that Mrs. Palmer was the same woman who supervised the flower arrangements in the Dining Hall the day she became a green shirt. Today she wore a similar white tailored top.
June and Hazel, along with a couple other mermaids were assigned to Palmer too. Palmer’s mermaids, the ones in bright yellow shirts already swarmed the stage, weaving and creating the backdrop for the hideous act Zeldae would perform. Brell was supposed to bring all the flowers from their place at the far end of the garden all the way to the stage. With a weary sigh she set to work, hoping for the time when this madness would end. Quite frankly, she was sick of it all.
“Hey Susan?” Hazel called over her shoulder. “Could you lend a hand out here?”
“Sure.” Brell placed the fresh dark blue pansies, light azuline lilies and white jasmine on the stage for the yellow shirts to collect and went to Hazel. “What is it?”
“Could you hold this end of the basket for a moment? There’s something below it that’s poking me.” Her fingers glided along the bottom of the basket. “Ah.” She said, pulling out a thin, metallic wire. “They used this to hang the plants up.” She explained.
Brell nodded, realizing that she might not ever see Hazel again.
“Hazel?”
“Yes?”
“I’m really glad I met you that day at the training room. You’re probably one of the most pleasant people I have met.”
“Me too, Susan. Thanks.”
Brell worked her way across the stage, cleaning as she went, before she ran into June. The mermaid looked like an utter mess. She was supposed to clean the pots of the plants but was failing miserably at such a simple task. Her hair was like a bird’s nest, her manicured fingernails were broken and her shirt had dirt all over it.
“Why do the pots have to be so clean?” Brell heard her complain to another mermaid as she swam past them. “It’s not like the audience will be scrutinizing the flowers.” She grumbled.
Brell’s stomach rolled again. Calm down. It will not help to fret at all now. Yes, your brother will be in trouble in a few hours, but as of now what can you do? Nothing.
“Susan!” Figgie yelled, and she turned. “Come here this instant and help with these plants!”
Brell groaned inwardly when she saw the heavy plants. The last thing she wanted to do was haul them to line the path. It would drain whatever was left of the little energy in her body; the energy she needed for magic. Unwillingly swimming towards Figgie, she tugged at a plant with rounded leaves and dragged it to the pathway in the middle. By the time she was done with the plants, she was exhausted. It felt like she had just swum a marathon; her limbs were like jelly and her tail hung in a particularly droopy way.
Worn out, she went backstage and crumpled to the floor, leaning heavily against the side wall. She panted, putting her hand on her heart; it buzzed like a hummingbird. There was a small silver clock hanging from a wall, and she realised that she had around twenty minutes before she would have to go below the stage and cut the hole. And for that she would need her magic.
Behind the stage was a very large area that seemed the same size as that of the stage and was separated from it by thick black curtains. Right now it was completely empty for some reason. She could see the backs of the huge lights that would be used to illuminate the stage and numerous cables that hung from every wall. At the far end was a stack of black plastic chairs and right next to it was a duffel bag. It was empty, but big enough for a child. Right next to the zip was a liver coloured tag. As she bent closer, she read it.
For the Heart
The duffel bag was meant to dump her brother’s mutilated body in.
She stumbled backward, horrified. No. I will save you Timmy. You will never see the inside of that bag. She clenched her fist, wanting to rip it to shreds. That wouldn’t help her be unnoticeable, though.
Her eyes roamed the area and fell on a set of silver stones leading away from the backstage in the direction of the castle. Looking around to make sure no one was present, she swam down into the darkness, placing her hands on the two walls to feel her way down. It got progressively darker as she swam down, and more and more claustrophobic. She began to doubt her decision when it became so dark that she couldn’t even see her hands and when she realised that if she got cornered here, there would be no escape. Just as she was about to turn around and leave, she saw a faint light at the end of the passage way. It didn’t seem to be coming from a torch but seemed to be a slit of light coming from outside. She swam towards it cautiously and as she came closer she realised it really was a slit of light. Her fingers encountered a soft velvety material: curtains. She peeped through the slit and a small gasp escaped her mouth. The passage way ended inside the castle, right next to the castle gates in mid-water and from the corner of her right eye she could see the guards who had blocked her by forming an ‘X’ with their swords. The curtain must be the same colour and texture as the castle walls, which was probably why she hadn’t spotted it earlier.
Of course, Lukas would be waiting for her at the bottom of the stage, so this passage way would be of no use. But it was good to know a way off the stage, even if it went back into the castle.
She went back the way she came and went to the bottom of the stage. The bottom of the stage was shielded from view by a long red cloth the same colour and texture as the curtains. Pushing it aside, she swam in. The gap between the floor and the stage base was just wide enough for her. Quickly scanning the base of the stage towards the back, she found the very tiny X that was engraved at the far right of the backstage.
She knew what she had to do. Placing her index finger on the ‘X’ she gathered her strength around her, seeking every bit of magic she felt she had left. There wasn’t much. A tugging sensation began in her stomach, becoming tighter and tighter. This had never happened before. She imagined a hole being—
“Susan?” Someone yelled, and her concentration broke. She backed away from the X.
Natalie’s flushed face peeked around the corner, and she was clearly having trouble moving through the narrow gap. She struggled, trying to push her healthy self forward. Finally, she gave up and remained stuck. “Figgie wants you to help the light green shirts in arranging the food on the tables.”
Brell forced a smile. “Tell her I’ll be right there. I’ll just finish cleaning up here.”
Natalie shook her head. “She wants you to go now.”
“I said I’ll be right there.”
“Now.”
“No, I’ll just clean up.”
“Just go!” Natalie was shouting now.
“What’s happening here?” a thin, wiry girl with grubby hands came around the corner with a bottle of yellow spray and a cloth.
“Nothing.” Natalie growled, “Who are you?”
“Figgie sent me to clean this area.”
Natalie turned towards Brell. “See?”
Brell snatched one sneaky glance at the ‘X” before backing away from the area. Frustration tore through her as she made her way to the front of the garden. The first step in the plan, the one that s
hould have been so simple, she wasn’t able to execute. What now? The thought of her brother being killed in the next few hours felt like a knife going through her soul.
She tried to contact Callum but he blocked her. Given her current situation it didn’t produce agreeable feelings in her towards him. She tried again but still, he blocked her. This pissed her off. He could communicate with her whenever he wanted, but not when she needed to? She channeled her frustration at that block of his which felt like a cement wall. She threw her strength against it, again and again and again until she felt exhausted. Air sweat trickled down her face. She suddenly realised that trying to break his walls was futile. What would she gain out of it? But just as she was about to turn away, the wall cracked. A little. Then it crumbled, letting out emotions and memories that were so strong she felt swept off her feet.
She saw a memory. His memory. It was as if she was standing right next to Callum. He was practicing archery, and he was definitely younger than now. His face was chubbier and his stance not so formal as it usually was. He was shooting arrows at a dummy. A silver arrow sailed through the water, striking the dummy right at the head. The dummy was smiling.
A scream pierced the air. A white shirt came rushed into the training room, her face a mask of horror and terror at the same time.
“Oh Your Highness!” She was sobbing. “S-she …”
And an indescribable agony sliced through her mind, through his mind, making her weak and her tail wobbly.
She saw him whisper something to himself and then he said loudly, in a frightened voice. “Where?”
“The royal chamber, Your —”
But Callum was already gone, bolting past her. Without moving, Brell felt herself being dragged behind him; as if she was moving with his mind.
He swam through a maze of hallways and burst into a large room lined with plush red gregar curtains and expensive, golden furniture. The ceiling had the painting of a queen and king on a throne. On a large bed in the middle of the room was a thin mermaid. Her silvery-white hair was spread over a pillow and her slim hand was in the large meaty ones of King Jade. Her eyes were closed and sunken, prominent dark circles under them.
Callum flew to her, and he grabbed her other hand. “Mother? Mother?” he cried, shaking and squeezing the hand.
The memory disappeared right there in a swirl of white and black, and in its place was Callum’s hoarse voice. “Brellitine?”
She blinked, still in shock.
“You shouldn’t have seen that. I put my walls up for a reason.” His voice was shaky and his tone, defeated.
“I’m so sorry.”
“It has never left me; the memory.”
She didn’t say anything.
“I’m actually looking forward for you to come back here.” He finally whispered. “I’ll be glad when you kill Zeldae.”
She wished she had never tried to break the wall. What an awful intrusion of privacy. Just when she decided to cut the connection, he said, “What did you want to tell me?”
“I couldn’t make the hole. Natalie just came up and told me Figgie needed me for food arrangement.”
“What! Couldn’t you have shooed her away?” he sounded exasperated.
“I tried! But she wouldn’t move. Literally. And I obviously can’t make it in front of her!”
“Okay, Okay. This really complicates things. Um… I’ll see what I can do. Don’t make the hole now; leave it.”
“Fine.”
As she neared the tables, Figgie started barking out orders. For the next hour, she helped to move the dishes to the table, then swam back to her room. But she couldn’t sleep. Yes, she was exhausted. Yes, every bone in her body just wanted rest. Yes, she was wounded. But she just couldn’t sleep. Nervous energy came and went in shifts and when it would wane, she would slump down to the floor and wrap her arms around herself. She wasn’t terrified of what she was going to do. But yes, she was nervous. Nervous because if anything wrong happened the price would be her brother’s life. Sweet Timothy’s life. A few more hours. Just a few more painful hours.
She tried contacting Callum but he didn’t respond. She made a plan in her mind if he wouldn’t tell her anything. The plan was simple, effective. She rehearsed it in her mind again and again. But alertness has its limits and before long she was fast asleep in her bed, against her best intentions.
What seemed like seconds later, she was awoken by the frantic pushing of Aanya.
“Figgie is calling all of us right now. The Ceremony has started.” She said grimly.
Chapter 31: Keep Kicking Till the End
A cold vice tightened around Brell’s heart. She broke out into a cold sweat. “I’ll come in just a minute. You go on ahead. I don’t want to delay you.”
“Okay, just come really quickly.” And she swam away.
Brell fingered her bracelet to make sure it was still safe, grabbed her father’s cap, stuffed it in her apron pocket along with Erene’s yellow button and made her way out of the door. Her heart beat loudly against her chest and blood pounded in her ears. She made her way to the castle gates, very careful not to be seen. She had only one grey crystal and one black one. She kept them close to her as if her life depended on it, which it did.
She tried contacting Callum, but he didn’t respond. Again. Why wasn’t he there when she needed him the most?
The castle was dead silent, something she had never experienced before. There used to be the murmurs, whispers and sighs of the servants wherever she used to be. But now everyone seemed to be outside, watching the spectacle. A sinister feeling prevailed everywhere she swam as menacing and frightening as the winds in winter; the calm before the storm.
She didn’t have a plan. She was just going to swim into the devil’s house armed with nothing but her wit. In Meaken’s words, she was dancing with the enemy. Think. Think! Then it struck her. Using her magic, she pictured a dagger, small enough for her to control and yet not big enough for it to be used against her. It had a simple copper hilt. It felt heavy in her hands. She wasn’t trained at all. But she knew some basic ways to use daggers; she had learnt them watching the Royal Family train.
When she reached the main gate, she didn’t hide. The passage leading up to the gate was very long and she couldn’t risk using her magic from such a distance.
Swimming straight up to the guards, she smiled, hoping that this time it would work. Two golden Drones popped up below their noses and the guard to her right slumped down, fast asleep. The one on her left did not. With a slight shock, she remembered what Lukas had told her: I have been trained to resist the temptation of the Drone. The guard grunted and swam forward, aiming his sword right at her. She jumped sideways and threw her dagger at him, but he simply flicked it away using his sword.
“A little maidservant, eh?” the guard roared, laughing. “What can you do?”
Unarmed, she circled him, maintaining a distance. “Never underestimate the power of a woman, specially a pissed off one.”
His wickedly long blade shone in the light and she realised that in order to get an advantage over him, she would have to disarm him. Even so, he was a tall and meaty man, nearly three times her size.
“Welcome!” a voice boomed from the outside, loud enough to be heard deep inside the castle. “My dear merpeople. Welcome to the event we have all been looking forward to.” Zeldae.
She had to hurry. Her eyes latched onto his sword and she drew up all the magic inside her, forcing it to focus on the sword. Absolutely nothing happened. Oh no, no… The guard came closer, a wicked smile on his face. Adrenaline pumped through her veins like a race car, she began panicking, frantically tugging at her magic, hoping that it would work. It had to! He came closer at a leisurely pace, grinning at her helplessness.
She thought of Timmy, hanging on ropes right now, how scared he might be at the thought that his death was moments away. Anger stirred inside her like a hurricane, surprising her by the force it exuded.
She forced
his sword away from his hand and sent it flying towards the hall. At the same time, she bent down to pick up her dagger. It was too late when she realised her fatal mistake; the guard picked up the sword lying next to the sleeping guard. Pain sliced through her right shoulder as the blade cut through her skin, reaching muscle, tearing apart tendons. And it hurt. The guard laughed, swinging his new sword round and round in his hand, ready to deliver his final blow as she lay hunched over.
She concentrated to the best of her ability, knowing if she didn’t get it now, the consequences would be dire. She clenched her stomach, forcing all her strength to her mind. A wave of exhaustion ripped through her. Her dagger flew out of her hand and using magic, she made the hilt of her dagger slam into his temple. He swayed, blinking his eyes furiously and crashed down to the floor, his sword slipping out of his hand.
Moaning in pain, she grabbed her dagger and frantically patted the wall up and down, feeling for the soft curtain. With horror, she realised she couldn’t feel it.
“What you are about to watch now is powerful. Let this be an example of my strength, and example of what we as merpeople have to do to survive.” Zeldae shrieked, her voice growing louder and louder.
Her hands grew clammy and her breath short. Oh, where was that passage way? Her fingers encountered a soft material. It was the same colour as the rest of the wall. Yanking it aside with relief, she rushed into the dark passageway, her shoulder burning as if it was caught on fire.
Zeldae’s cold voice screeched. “Humans.” The word was dragged, exaggerated and screamed out. A shiver passed down her spine. “Have confounded our existence. Killed our innocent! Stalked us as if we were pieces of experiment! Let this be a symbolic representation of what we can do to them.”
She realised that by turning the merpeople’s views against humans, by projecting them as the enemy, she was justifying the Transfer. Devil.
“The eclipse is just five minutes away.” A loud chuckle resounded.
A warm, tingling feeling spread through her. She couldn’t explain it. A second earlier, she was experiencing excruciating pain, her shoulder burnt, her head throbbed and her limbs were exhausted. But now, she felt as if someone had poured strength into her veins, like a refresh button that worked instantaneously. But then that feeling grew and grew and just kept growing until all that reminded of her shoulder injury was a small tingling feeling. Callum had said that as the eclipse comes nearer, Zeldae will grow stronger. Did it apply to her as well? Why?