by H. B. Bolton
“But, there are only two imps here,” said Evan, staring over at Barfel.
“For now, yes; however, tomorrow the Undersea Hall will be swarming with imps,” said Dunkle with an ever-growing smile.
Suddenly, a concerned voice filled the entire room, “Lazonia!” It was Ragnar, who was obviously delighted to find her unharmed, but now upset by her disappearance.
“It looks as if I need a moment with my father,” she said and rushed over.
Chapter Twenty-Five
FEAST AND FOLLY
EVAN WATCHED FROM ACROSS THE room, as Lazonia spoke with Ragnar. The merman’s tail had become legs. And although his arms and chest were bare, gold leaf wrapped around his waist and down to his ankles.
More merpeople appeared through the elaborate entranceway, and they eventually filled the room; their newly formed legs were covered with multicolored gems. Music floated through the Undersea Hall. Laughter and cheer erupted from table to table. Lazonia had been successful at calming her upset father, and even though Evan sat far away, he could tell Ragnar’s spirits had lifted.
Sigurd and Claire were across the table from Evan, who was forced to overhear their ridiculous sweetie-talk. Dunkle and Barfel were far more entertaining. They clambered along tabletops, leaping onto the long wooden benches, and then bounding along the floor, the aroma of pine and cedar trailing behind.
All of a sudden, a strange breeze wafted through the Undersea Hall. Mist streamed in from another hallway. Lazonia’s friend, Himinglaeva, emerged from a faint cloud, her body forming from miniscule droplets. The two raced to each other and embraced. Evan knew it had been a long time since either had been friendly to one another. Now, they giggled as if no time had passed.
“Welcome back, old friends,” erupted Aegir, but he was still nowhere in sight.
Those in the Undersea Hall quieted and turned their attention to the center of the room. Water drizzled down from above. In perfect unison, they took the form of Aegir. Although his hair was the same dark black with turquoise-blue streaks from before, his height was now substantially shorter—about eight feet.
“The Undersea Hall has been empty for far too long,” Aegir’s voice reverberated around the entire room. “Let us celebrate our friendship. Enjoy yourselves.”
His speech was brief, and Evan knew there was more to say, but that could wait until tomorrow. He watched Ragnar and Aegir approach each other and felt the warmth emanating from their reunion.
“This is how it should be,” whispered Lazonia from behind Evan.
“I have to admit, while I was on that cliff, Aegir scared me half to death. But now, seeing him in here, I understand him a little better,” said Evan, as he continued to watch Ragnar and Aegir.
“You must be starving,” said Lazonia. “Come on, let’s eat.”
In all his fourteen years, Evan had never eaten food like this: dulse-cakes with lemon hollandaise sauce, roasted wakame, bladderwack bisque. He even tried the kombu Rockefeller (not served over fish). Each delicacy was unbelievable! And the best part was that each time he finished his plate, more elaborate seafare appeared.
Somewhat camouflaged by their transparent skin, Evan barely noticed the inconspicuous squidlike men as they removed the empty plates and replaced them with new platters of food. Evan watched as one of the squid men approached him. He had unsettling eyes bulging out from the sides of his spade-shaped head. Squid Man lifted another empty plate with ease by using one of his tentacles, and in one solid movement, used another roving arm to set down five drinks. Evan had to admit, these servers where incredibly efficient.
“This room’s only purpose is to host celebrations,” explained Lazonia. “It has been that way for thousands of years.”
“I’m not used to seeing food being served by squid men. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with it. It’s just … different,” said Evan, shoving another stuffed sea-grape leaf into his mouth.
Although activity in the room was constant, Evan couldn’t stop watching Aegir. If the sea god wasn’t seated at the round table, he was busy greeting his guests. His boisterous laughter was louder than anything else. For the most part, Ran was at his side. All traces of loneliness had faded from her eyes. And when she peered over at Evan, she smiled brightly. She whispered into Aegir’s ear and now he too was staring at Evan.
Amidst the celebrations, the sea god and his wife stood up from their chairs, and with mighty steps, walked over to Evan. He didn’t realize it, but he had slouched down so low, he was almost under the table.
“Evan, what are you doing?” said Lazonia, lifting his arm. “You said it yourself, Aegir is not so bad.”
“That was when he was across the room!” said Evan anxiously. “Why are they coming over here?”
“Do you really have to ask? Now, do not be rude. Sit up and calm down.”
Evan tried to sit straight and forced the corners of his lips to turn up. What would Evan say to the sea god?
“It would seem I was mildly harsh in my sentence for mankind,” said Aegir. “Our daughter may have been behind this mess, but I can assure you mankind has done his share of damage to my oceans.”
Evan spoke not a word. He held himself frozen like a statue, realizing this would be a terrible time for sarcasm. Aegir and Ran sat down, and Aegir folded his hands, placing them on the table. The god’s demeanor was casual, as if he and Evan were old friends.
Aegir sighed before saying, “Young man, you stood your ground. It was exceptionally brave of you to battle against a god.”
“Thanks,” said Evan, looking toward his feet.
“Evan, please look up,” said Ran. “What my husband is trying to say is you have aided in giving mankind another chance. You have done well. If it had not been for your determination, we might never have known the truth about Dufa.”
“What now?” asked Evan. “What will you do to her?”
“There is little I can do, until I find her,” stated Aegir, shrugging his shoulders.
“But, what if she tries to blame mankind for something else?”
“Dufa will be dealt with,” said Ran. “I can assure you of that.”
“Well, that isn’t very reassuring,” said Evan.
“Mankind will live to see another day,” said Aegir. “That will have to suffice.”
“Oh, and you should retire soon. You have had a busy day, and tomorrow the real banquet begins. Many more will arrive,” said Ran.
Evan peered around the grand hall. The long rectangular tables were already filled with merpeople.
“Does this room stretch?” he wondered aloud.
“You will see, the Undersea Hall is able to accommodate its guests,” said Ran, rising from the table. Before leaving she added, “You will be glad to hear that Dr. Irving and Vor will be here in the morning. Now, rest well.”
As if on cue, Himinglaeva arrived. Jubilantly, she danced across the floor. “Are you ready?” she asked, sounding much like the rush of a wave.
“For what?” Evan questioned.
“I am playing hostess and will show you to your room,” she answered gracefully and twirled. “It would appear your imps are enjoying themselves.”
“Yes, they like to party, even when they aren’t at a party,” said Evan, watching Dunkle and Barfel hop from place to place.
“They are restless and seem to have energy to spare,” said Himinglaeva, studying the imps. “They may stay. As for the four of you, please follow me.”
“I guess we don’t have a choice here,” Claire whispered to Evan as they were led away from the celebration.
Himinglaeva moved much like a wave rolls over the ocean’s surface. Lazonia joined her friend, and the two proceeded to gossip about the latest mishaps that had just occurred in the Undersea Hall.
They entered a long, cavelike corridor. Immediately, the live-eel wall sconces sizzled and sparkled with electric light. Tiny crabs and other creatures dashed in and out of holes. Pits were everywhere—along the wa
ll, the floor, and the ceiling. Evan watched the buglike crustaceans scurry around.
“Yuck. I hope our room doesn’t come with live sea creatures,” said Evan, still shivering.
Lazonia laughed and said, “Your room will come equipped with a hammock, making it a little more difficult for crabs to visit you in your sleep.”
The group reached Evan’s room, and as the others waited in the hallway, Lazonia led him inside.
“See you tomorrow,” said Lazonia, squeezing him tight.
“Are you sure this place is safe?” whispered Evan.
“See you tomorrow … my hero,” she said and pulled away.
He sighed and then walked into the strange room. The first thing he noticed was that it smelled like sea salt. The walls and floor looked like the inside of a shell, pearlescent and polished. Whereas most of the room’s surface was light in color and smooth, the far corner was drastically different—it was colorful, looking much like living coral. Water trickled down in that area, creating a basin at the bottom, and shells were embedded in the floor.
There were no windows and no television. There was nothing for Evan to do but sleep. Wearily, he rinsed his body in the pooling water and then climbed onto the golden hammock. The room slowly faded from dim light to a mild darkness. A soft breeze circulated, and the hammock swayed, cradling Evan into a delicious slumber.
Chapter Twenty-Six
COME DROWN WITH ME
AS EVAN’S THOUGHTS DRIFTED, DREAMS clamored for his attention. He stood on the cliff, begging Aegir to reconsider. Only this time, when Aegir turned, it was not the sea god’s face Evan saw. Someone else was trying to unlock Jormundgand.
“Who are you?” screamed Evan.
“Alamaz …” whispered the man, and then he was gone. A girl rose up out of one of the waves, and although her back was to Evan, he could see her body emerging from the sea foam. The Serpent’s Ring continued to rise, and Jormundgand was tumultuous.
“What are you doing?” Evan asked the girl, but she ignored him.
Something wrapped around his chest, and he was pulled back, hard against pitted rocks!
He sat upright in his hammock. And although he could breathe, his lungs felt squeezed.
“That dream felt a little too real,” said Evan, his hand clenching his chest.
In the dim blue light, he could see the room hadn’t changed. He climbed out of the hammock, and his foot landed on the floor. It was wet. He could hear the faint sound of rushing water, flooding into his room. He leapt off the hammock and raced for the door. But the water rose quickly and was soon up to his waist. Something wrapped around his chest and pulled him under! Evan fought, thrusting and kicking his legs.
Under the water, a girl’s voice asked, “Where is the Serpent’s Ring?”
Evan was released and rushed to the surface. The space between his head and ceiling was getting smaller. “Where are you? Show yourself,” gasped Evan.
“Where is the Serpent’s Ring?”
Evan didn’t answer, and again, she dragged him down. He searched, but all he saw was gushing water. Finally, a pale-faced girl came forth. She reminded Evan of Himinglaeva, with her pearly skin and beautiful features. But this girl’s expression was a lot less friendly. Her eyes narrowed, and her mouth snarled. She shook him violently, plunging him deeper into the water.
Evan thrashed around, until at last, his head erupted up into a small pocket of air. Again, he struggled for breath.
“I asked one simple question, and you will answer! Where is the Serpent’s Ring?” she shrilled from below.
“Why do you want the Serpent’s Ring?”
She didn’t answer. She yanked him down again, and this time, his back slammed against the floor! All of his reserve air shot out of his lungs. He couldn’t breathe; he was done for. What a fool he had been to believe he had succeeded on his quest.
Evan lay motionless, waiting for her to attack him again. She grabbed him by the neck and rushed him to the surface. He breathed in the salty air, wondering why she didn’t just end him.
“Think of the consequences,” Evan mumbled. “Your father does not want to flood the planet anymore.”
The water level dropped a little. A few inches away, sea foam sizzled and from it a girl’s head emerged. The ninth sister circled around Evan, glaring, her icy stare making him shiver.
“You have absolutely no idea who you are dealing with,” she said. “I am a daughter of Aegir and Ran, rulers of the sea. I am the wave Dufa. I have lived for thousands of years. And you are Evan, a young, naïve boy.”
“Yes, that’s true. But just so you know, I will not give you the Serpent’s Ring. In fact, it’s not even in this room.”
“You are a liar! I will find what I am after. It matters nothing to me whether or not you are alive to assist me.”
“Then you are going to have to let me drown. I will not help.”
“So be it!”
Water surged over Evan’s head, and he felt a mighty tug. Again, his body was slammed onto a hard surface. He twisted and turned. What could he do? There must be something. He thought and thought until an idea came to him. He concentrated and tried to push the water back. Nothing happened; the entire room was full with water. He needed to get the water out, but how?
The door! Cautiously, he used his mental powers to turn the door’s handle. Slowly and carefully, he imagined he was releasing the lock. It worked! The door swung toward the hallway, and water spilled out. Evan knelt on the floor, coughing and sputtering. When he tried to stand, he was whacked on the back. Pain spread from his head down to his knees. He fell forward and tried to regain his strength. He tried to stand, but again, he felt something wallop him.
Abruptly, Dufa’s long fingers stretched, encircling his neck! He reached back to grab her, but his hands simply passed through water. He concentrated on the hammock and swung it at Dufa. It wrapped around her watery body, but it flowed right through her. Evan’s options were running low, and again, he was knocked to the ground.
Water suddenly splashed above, beside and around him. Dufa and Himinglaeva struggled against one another. More waves arrived, all battling against their rogue sister.
An arm grasped Evan, yanking him out of the turbulence. He landed in the hallway, safe. It was Lazonia.
“Are you all right?” Lazonia asked, kneeling down to his level.
“Yeah, I think so,” said Evan.
“I heard commotion from your room. I am so sorry. I really thought you would be safe in there.”
“This wasn’t your fault,” he said, gripping his battered side.
“Evan!” Claire’s voice rang from a few feet away. “What happened? You look terrible.”
“Dufa … the missing wave … tried to kill me,” Evan said in between gasps. “Apparently … she doesn’t agree with Aegir’s new plan … she wants the Serpent’s Ring.”
“Is the Serpent’s Ring safe?” Sigurd asked, still approaching.
“Yeah … it’s right here,” Evan said and removed the Serpent’s Ring from inside his shirt.
“I’m just glad you’re all right,” said Claire, hugging him.
“Ow, I wouldn’t exactly say I was all right. She banged me up pretty good,” said Evan, wincing.
A furious Aegir thundered down the hall. “What is the meaning of this? How could Dufa continue to go against my wishes?”
“I am certain she believed she was following through with your wishes, Dear,” said Ran diplomatically.
“My wishes have changed!” yelled Aegir.
“For years, you have complained about how mankind has ruined your oceans. I am sure Dufa feels as strongly against man as you do.”
“You dare to say this is my fault?” questioned Aegir, stopping right in front of Evan.
“In some respects, yes, I do. She is always trying to gain your attention,” said Ran calmly.
“Perhaps, you are right,” Aegir said and looked down. “What have I done?”
“T
here is time to fix this problem,” said Ran, placing a hand on Aegir’s shoulder.
“You are correct,” Aegir said and looked at Evan. “We will discuss the terms of our peaceful resolution tomorrow.”
With that, the sea god whisked past Evan and stormed into the room. Ran was right behind him, whispering rational words of advice. From where he sat, Evan could hear Aegir howl in another language, and then the splashing water halted. The door slammed shut, and Evan was relieved he was not on its other side.
“I really don’t want to talk with him,” admitted Evan.
“Do not worry,” said Lazonia. “Gods generally do not discuss anything for long. They get to the point—very short and very brief.”
“Well, let’s hope. The less time I have to spend with Aegir, the better,” said Evan, looking up at his bedroom door. “I wonder how long they’ll be arguing in my room.”
“Why don’t you stay in my room tonight?” volunteered Claire. “I’ll keep an eye on you.”
“Thanks,” strained Evan, as he attempted to stand. “I’m exhausted.”
Sigurd rushed to his aid, “Here, let me help.”
Evan managed to travel the short, painful journey to Claire’s room.
“Hey, this room’s nicer than my room. What gives?” said Evan, upon entering her suite.
“I’m a teenage girl. I need more space, along with all of the other creature comforts,” rationalized Claire. “Evan, you can stay in the room over there.”
“I only had one room. How many rooms are in here?” said Evan.
“I don’t know, a few,” said Claire, leading Evan and Sigurd through a living room of sorts.
“There’s a TV?” Evan asked, noticing a few of Claire’s extra amenities.
“Of course, didn’t you have one?” said Claire.
“No, I didn’t.”
“Well, the shows are a little unusual. If it weren’t for the subtitles, I’d have no idea what anyone was talking about,” said Claire. “There’s this one show with three mermaids. It’s very good.”