Breakwater

by Catherine Jones Payne

  I floated down the corridor to the living area of the house, where I found Mother eating a breakfast of crab and cucumber.

  “That looks good. Is there enough for me?” I wasn’t really hungry—the anxiety roiled my stomach too much for that—but it seemed like I should eat, if only out of habit.

  “Help yourself.” She gestured to a second bowl on the other side of the table.

  George appeared from the kitchen. “Is there anything else you’d like, Miss Jade?”

  “You’re here early,” I said.

  “I wanted to make sure you had everything you need this morning.” He crossed the room and pulled me into a hug. “I know this is a hard day.”

  “Hey, thanks.” I tried to muster a smile. “The crab and cucumber looks great.”

  “I’ll put together a snack you can take with you.” He turned and swooped back toward the kitchen.

  “Try to eat something,” Mother said, appraising me with a neutral expression. “You’ll want to have all your wits about you when they’re asking you questions about what happened that night.”

  “They’re going to eat me alive, aren’t they?”

  She moved around the table toward me and rested her hand on my shoulder. “Why is it anathema to use a blade in violence, even in self-defense or against a fish, inside the boundaries of the city?”

  I stared at her. “What are you—”

  “Just answer the question.”

  “Because it endangers the rest of us,” I said. “If sharks or sea dragons were to smell blood, they’d be drawn to the city.”

  “Exactly. But you’re never afraid when you and Kiki find a shark when you swim off the reef.”

  I looked down at my hands. So she does know.

  “The shark is the same shark in both cases. But sharks go into frenzy only when they smell blood in the water. If Tor’s barrister sees you stumble or look afraid, she’ll swoop in for the kill. If you project a bold, unwavering confidence, she’ll want to finish the conversation as quickly as possible so you don’t have a chance to sway the mind of the king. Try to look like you’re comfortable and in control, even though you’ll be nervous.”

  “I don’t want to remember,” I murmured. “I don’t want to go back in my mind and see it all over again. It’s bad enough at night when I don’t know the images are coming. But to anticipate it all day, to answer probing questions? I’ve been trying to put it out of my head for a month now.”

  She paused for a long moment, drumming her fingers on the table. “I won’t lie to you. This is going to be a difficult day. A path you might have been spared from had you followed my advice, I might add. But that’s neither here nor there. I’m proud of your sense of integrity and the way you held to your conviction, even if I disagree with your method.”

  I stared down at the table.

  She continued, “Your whole life, I’ve been harder on you, perhaps, than I should’ve been. It’s always been because I wanted to see you succeed in the world as I have. Perhaps I thought it would make it easier for you in the long term. But I want you to know that you’ve grown into a young woman whom I respect. And I believe the king and the city will see that today.”

  I risked a glance in her direction. Her piercing green eyes, as strong as steel and as sharp as a blade, fixed on mine. “Uh . . . I . . . thanks.”

  She floated up from the table and over to the corridor that led to our chambers. “I’ll be in the audience watching. No matter what happens, you’ll have done a good, just thing today.”

  I stiffened my spine to stifle the sobs that pulled at my chest.

  “Thank you, Mother,” I said, carefully controlling my voice. “I’m glad you told me.”

  When Mother and I arrived at the king’s court—she’d insisted that Benjamin stay with Aunt Junia rather than attend—we selected hammock chairs near the front of the room, in accordance with Mother’s high position among the nobles.

  I’d worn a simple but elegant wrap that spoke of my rank but also seemed solemn enough for the occasion. It was made of black cotton—a thin, soft fabric we had to trade with the overlanders to acquire—but remained unadorned and covered my whole torso. Expensive, but subdued.

  Mother had tied it in a knot at my shoulder. She’d also woven my long hair into a braid so it wouldn’t billow around my face or distract me when I testified.

  “There,” she’d said, drifting backward to look at me. “You look like the very picture of regal dignity.”

  Normally I might chafe at such a remark—and certainly at the confinement of a braid—but, under the circumstances, I wasn’t going to argue.

  But now that mer and naiads had started to trickle into the court, I began feeling self-conscious. How will I ever speak in front of so many people?

  Tor entered the room, escorted on each side by members of the Royal Mer Guard. I recognized Maximus on his right, and my heart fell.

  Tor’s barrister, a stocky mermaid of about sixty years, followed him. I didn’t recognize her, but I knew she must be one of the best barristers in the city if Felix and Yvonna had contracted her services to defend Tor.

  Tor glanced in my direction, a pleading expression on his face, and I turned away to avoid making eye contact with him. Fury and loss warred within my chest.

  Not so long ago, I was so excited at the thought of marrying him.

  I didn’t want to think about it, so I focused on the faded pictures carved into the stone walls of the court. Each carving conveyed some event in the history of the people of Thessalonike. The great artists would re-chisel the pictures every few decades to repair the damage saltwater wrought on the artwork. Two panels of wall remained unfilled.

  I wondered if they would ever carve something to honor the naiads’ arrival in the city. Or will things always be so strained?

  King Stephanos, wearing his customary indigo wrap that stretched from his shoulders to the base of his ribcage, swept to his ornate gold-and-pearl throne at the front of the court and called the trial to order.

  “Loyal citizens of Thessalonike, we have gathered together to render judgment in the case of the accusation of the murder of the naiad Anna Brook against Captain Tor Felicipolos. Will someone make a formal accusation?”

  He looked at me, and Mother nudged my arm. My heart pounded as I swam forward several yards and floated in front of the king’s throne. I tried to avoid looking at Tor, who sat on a hammock chair on my left side.

  The crowd murmured behind me, but I focused my attention on the king. His thick black beard extended almost to his belly button, and a gold crown perched above his bushy eyebrows.

  My voice rang out strong and clear. “I, Lady Jade Cleopola, accuse him.”

  Chapter Nine

  The king nodded. “What is the occasion for your accusation?”

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Thirty-two nights ago, I attended a party held at the home of Captain Tor’s parents, Lady Yvonna and Lord Felix.”

  The king held up his hand, and I stopped speaking.

  “Would Lady Yvonna and Lord Felix come forward?” the king asked.

  I clenched my hands together. A moment later, I glanced to my left, where Yvonna and Felix hovered, their faces as impassive as stone.

  “Did you hold a party in your home thirty-two nights ago?” the king asked.

  “Yes,” Yvonna said. “But Jade is lying about Tor’s involvement in the murder.”

  The king stared at Yvonna, his bushy eyebrows furrowing. “Did I ask you about Captain Tor’s involvement in the murder or about Lady Jade’s truthfulness?”

  Yvonna’s voice cracked. “No, Your Highness.”

  “Then I trust that, at this time, you will restrict your remarks to the questions that are asked of you. You will have your chance to testify freely.”

  Relief swelled in my chest. Perhaps the king is on my side.

  Yvonna threw daggers at me with her eyes but remained silent.

  “Lady Jade, please continue,” said the
king. “Describe the events of that night as chronologically as you can.”

  “I arrived at the party and greeted Lady Yvonna briefly. Then I excused myself to find Tor, who was my fiancé at the time. I—I went out the back door. They have a lovely courtyard, so I hoped to find Tor there. Yvonna herself said I ought to go to the courtyard, in fact.”

  This time I allowed myself to make eye contact with Tor. The hurt and anger in his eyes tore at my heart.

  The king nodded to Yvonna, who said, “It is as she says, Your Highness.”

  The king’s gaze returned to me.

  I collected my thoughts and then continued. “When I entered the courtyard, Tor was floating to my right, at the corner of the house. I went toward him and saw him holding Anna’s body. I asked—”

  “Did there appear to be any wounds on the body?” the king asked.

  “Not that I remember, Your Highness.”

  He nodded.

  That must’ve been consistent with what the inspectors found, I thought, relieved. I’d never thought that Tor had used a dagger on her, but I hadn’t known for sure. Imagine the rioting in the canals if he’d used a blade . . .

  “Can you describe the scene in greater detail for us?”

  I closed my eyes and clamped my fins. I didn’t want to remember.

  Mother’s words ran through my head: Sharks go into frenzy only when they sense blood in the water.

  My gills flared as I summoned my courage.

  “She was laying face up in his arms, but her head was turned toward me at an unnatural angle. Her eyes were open.” I looked at the king. “Captain Tor was perhaps two tail-lengths away from me, so I saw everything quite clearly.”

  “Pause there, for a moment,” he said. “Would Inspector Leo come forward?”

  The sallow-faced inspector to whom I’d given my initial report floated forward until he hovered parallel to the throne on my right side.

  I glanced sideways. Yvonna and Felix still lingered on my left. I supposed they’d need to give information about the state in which I’d left the party.

  “You took the initial police report?” the king asked.

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “And you found the body?”

  “I was the highest-ranking inspector at the scene when we investigated and discovered the body, Your Majesty.”

  “Where was the body found and in what condition?”

  “It had been wrapped in fera kelp and dumped in a waste barrel in the naiad quarter.”

  “Fera kelp, you say?” The king pressed his fingers together.

  I wrinkled my nose. Why didn’t he use kena kelp?

  Fera kelp was expensive, usually eaten by the nobility. Kena kelp, which we used to reinforce our homes and weave our hammocks and fishing nets, would’ve been a much more practical choice.

  Except that he was in a hurry. He knew I might go to the inspectors. He had to dispose of her body quickly.

  The king spoke again. “And how, in your judgment, did Anna die?”

  “We found no wounds on the body, Your Majesty, nor any evidence of a blade. It appeared her neck had been broken by a much stronger assailant.”

  “Thank you, Inspector,” the king said. “You may return to your hammock.” He turned his attention back to me. “Lady Jade, you may continue with your testimony.”

  “Captain Tor and I argued after I saw him with Anna’s body,” I said.

  “In this argument, did he confess to the murder?”

  “Yes. Well, first he asked me why it mattered whether he had or not.”

  The crowd murmured, and I waited for it to die down.

  “And then he claimed he’d killed her accidentally and pleaded with me not to go to the inspectors. He said she’d been blackmailing him somehow. Threatening to expose his father’s business dealings.”

  “This is an outrage!” shrieked Yvonna. “Can’t we all see that this conniving little harpy is in league with the naiads to destroy an entire family of nobles?”

  “Madam, you will contain yourself,” said the king, his jaw tight.

  Yvonna shrank back, her eyes on the floor.

  “So,” the king continued, his eyes returning to me, “you say Captain Tor claimed it had been an accident?”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. He said he’d been trying to frighten her, I assume so she’d keep quiet about Lord Felix’s business . . . indiscretions?”

  “He said that expressly, or you’re drawing conclusions?”

  I tightened my lips. “I . . . I believe he said it, Your Majesty. At the very least I’m certain that he said he’d been trying to scare her and that she’d been blackmailing him over something to do with Lord Felix’s business.”

  The king nodded. “Take care to be as precise as you can, and state only the facts. You saw nothing to indicate for certain whether the killing was premeditated and intentional or accidental?”

  “No, Your Majesty. I didn’t.”

  I answered a few more questions, and the king urged me to recount exactly what Tor and I had said through our whole conversation. I answered as best I could and struggled to look confident even when I wasn’t sure I was remembering it perfectly.

  My voice shook as I concluded. “Afterward, I left the party in haste. I didn’t speak to anyone on my way out.”

  The king turned to Yvonna. “Did you see Lady Jade leave the party?”

  “No, Your Majesty.” Yvonna played with the ends of her hair.

  Felix nodded his assent.

  The king turned toward Tor and the barrister. “Barrister Atlantia, do you have any further questions for Jade?”

  I locked eyes with her while she shook her head. “Not at this time, Your Majesty. Captain Tor’s testimony will make everything clear.”

  The king dismissed me alongside Yvonna and Felix, and I glanced up at Tor, who stared at me with a strange expression on his face—his jaw clenched but his eyes relaxed. I couldn’t read him, and that struck terror into my heart.

  As I turned around to return to my hammock in the first row, I caught Alexander’s eye. He’d slipped in the back to watch. He gave me a warm smile that strangely calmed me.

  I drifted toward Mother and also saw Pippa, who sat on a hammock several spaces down from us. She stared at the floor, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

  I sank into my hammock with a sigh. It wasn’t over—the king would likely call me forward again to confirm details that other witnesses attested to.

  But I’d gotten through the testimony of the initial accusation. I couldn’t take it back. I’d committed myself to this course of action. As silly as it seemed—though I hadn’t considered backing out—it gave me an undeniable measure of relief.

  “Captain Tor, will you answer this accusation?” The king stroked his beard.

  Tor’s guards released their hold on him, and he drifted forward to float before the king. “I would like to answer Lady Jade’s accusation, Your Highness.”

  “Begin.”

  “Your Highness, I say this with a heavy heart. As you know, Lady Jade and I were, until lately, engaged. I loved her. Despite everything that’s happened, I still love her.”

  His voice rang out with conviction, but I detected a glimmer of rage in his eyes when he glanced at me.

  “Please describe what happened that night, Captain Tor,” the king said, his tone dry.

  “The night of poor Anna’s demise, I was in the courtyard, as Lady Jade said, hoping she’d come find me when she arrived at the party. My mother’s parties are marvelous, but she invites half the nobles, so it can be hard to find a moment alone with someone. Jade and I don’t care for parties in the same way that Mother does. Jade and I had contrived that she would come early, and we would steal a few moments in the courtyard together.”

  My cheeks grew hot. We had no such understanding.

  “Lady Jade, please come forward again,” the king said.

  My gills pulsed as I drifted forward, trying to summon the words I w
ould say.

  “Did you tell Captain Tor that you would arrive at the party early to rendezvous with him?”

  “No, Your Majesty. I arrived early at my friend Lady Rhea Athanasiapola’s urging.”

  The crowd behind me burst into frenzied conversation.

  “Is Lady Rhea in the courtroom?”

  I twisted around but didn’t see her. After a few moments passed with no response, I turned back to face the king.

  “We will request her presence to discuss this matter tomorrow,” he said. “Lady Jade, you may be seated. Captain Tor, continue your testimony.”

  Tor shot me another venomous look as I darted away. After a moment, he recovered himself. “I stumbled upon Anna’s body perhaps a minute before Lady Jade arrived for our tryst.”

  Oh, now it’s a tryst, is it?

  “I knew Anna as a servant in my parents’ house. She and I weren’t well acquainted, but I had always been kind to her, and we’d developed a friendly rapport. Naturally, when I saw her lying on the seafloor, I rushed to see if I could do anything to save her.

  “When I realized that she was beyond help, I picked up her body to carry her inside and send a servant to summon the inspectors. That’s when Lady Jade happened upon us. Like many ladies, Jade is of a delicate personality.”

  My mother harrumphed, and I clenched my fists to avoid rolling my eyes.

  “I’m afraid her panic has confused her memory of our conversation,” Tor continued.

  I swallowed. This wasn’t the direction I’d expected him to go with his testimony. I knew what I’d seen, but to someone who still believed in Tor, it would sound so . . . believable.

  “In that conversation, I naturally denied any involvement with Anna’s death. To my shame, I did ask her if it would matter if I were guilty, since the victim was a naiad. I understand the gravity of that question, and I believe that’s what she focused on in her panic. Because of that question, which was a moral failing in its own right, Jade’s mind invented a lengthy exchange in which I all but admitted guilt.

  “Your Majesty, I will not impugn Jade’s character. She believes she is doing the right and just thing. But she is confused, and I hope you can see that. Why would I have murdered Anna in the courtyard if I knew that Jade would come upon us at any moment?