The Witches of Merribay (The Seaforth Chronicles)

by B. J. Smash

  We turned and fled out the door, down the many plank bridges, and down the stairs, and we were on our way. For a while we ran side by side, but as the paths narrowed I was forced to fall behind him. The paths became steeper and rockier, some of the rocks the size of basketballs. The forest appeared overgrown and lush. Many times branches hung down and we'd have to duck to avoid being scratched. We were forced to constantly switch sides of the path, as sometimes one side of the path was washed out, and then twenty feet ahead the other side would be washed out, cascading down several feet.

  We encountered many streams and leapt over the little ones, and we ran through the ones that were too wide. We must have run on average 25 mph, briefly hitting speeds of 35–40 mph. An hour later, Drumm slowed to a walk. We broke out through an opening in the woods and into a wide open area. As he continued to walk forward, he held out his arm to slow me. “Look.” He pointed forward with his other hand.

  “The ocean!” I yelled.

  We stood above on a high cliff, the salty wind blowing in our faces. The sky was a pure blue, with little wisps of fluffy white clouds. The sounds of the serf crashed below onto the rocks. I held my arms out to my sides, closed my eyes, and took it all in.

  “Come closer and look down,” he said.

  Opening my eyes, I walked forward and peered down. I gasped at the sight before me. It was a city like no other. The closest to this city I had seen was a picture of an Italian city by the ocean. To the side were cottages with different colored roofs and different shades of blue. They had white alabaster walls and aquamarine spires with gold edging. The city itself was built encased into and upon the rocks, with giant rocks to the side. Each time the ocean hit the rocks in the forefront, water would splash into the front of the city, causing white foam.

  “Wow!” I exclaimed.

  “It is the city of Merribay,” he said.

  “Why haven't I ever heard of this place?”

  He snickered then. “No humans. Unless invited.”

  “Wow! It's amazing. Why no humans?” I asked.

  “It's too dangerous for humans. It's filled with the others,” he said.

  We made our way to the oceanfront, well away from the city. Drumm didn't want to encounter anyone. The sand was hot, but as I moved closer to the water, my feet sank into the wet sand. Finding a shell on the beach, I wrote the words, “Montague, I summon you to come forth. Your mother needs help.”

  My instructions were to wait until the tide washed it away. While I watched the letters disappear, Drumm searched for seaweed by the rocks. “What do you suppose she needs seaweed for?” I asked Drumm.

  “Hard to say,” he said.

  I could never get good answers from Drumm, and I told him as much. “Why do you always give me such short answers? You must have an idea of what she might need it for.”

  “You know as much as I do. I assume she will need it for a spell. You can figure that much out on your own,” he said.

  I had to agree. It was the most plausible answer. “Maybe she eats it. Or needs it for a tea.”

  “Your guess is as good as mine,” he said. He had collected enough seaweed and put it in his midsized backpack. Walking toward me he said, “If there is anything you wish to release to the ocean, now is the time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The ocean is a cleanser. If you have any bitterness, sorrows, or anxieties, release them now.”

  “The only bitterness I hold within me has to do with Zinnia. When Father disappeared, she turned her back on me. Instead of consoling each other, we drifted apart. She turned to Magella, and not her own sister. She pushed me away. For that, I am angry.”

  “Let it go.” He threw a shell in the ocean and turned to me. “You may not agree with your sister’s actions, but perhaps she knew no other way. Perhaps you have misjudged her.”

  I felt my face grow hot. “You’re taking her side then? She turned her back on me,” I said firmly.

  “I take no one’s side. I am only saying, perhaps she had her reasons,” he said. He stood and stared out across the ocean. His rugged features, square jaw, and broad forehead were relaxed and tranquil. The sun shone on his face, and his blond hair shimmered. He almost looked angelic. He towered above me by a foot. I came only to his shoulder.

  “Well, I don't see a reason good enough.” I said and looked away.

  “I must tell you something,” he said, catching my attention.

  “Yes?”

  “Izadora can do many, many things. She has quite the power. But there are some things she cannot do. I do not want you to get your hopes up about your sister’s return. She may not be able to do it.”

  “If she can't, her mother can. Aggie even said—”

  “There is always a price, Ivy. Always a price. Don't take too many favors from their kind,” he said.

  “But you seem to adore Izadora.”

  He looked me in the eyes. “I do. But I have my reasons for telling you this.”

  “What about my father? Do you know where he is?”

  He looked back out toward the ocean. “I imagine the Unseelie have him. And I am ready to do whatever it takes to get him back.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “Me too.”

  Taking Zinnia's side seemed futile, and I didn't understand what he was trying to convey to me. She could have confided in me, and we could have consoled each other. But she hadn't wanted that. She turned to a sea witch instead. A horrible, horrible sea witch. I would do what I could to get her back, but no matter what, I needed to get Father back. He would know what to do.

  The sun had dropped since we'd arrived, and the sky had changed to vibrant colors. “This place is so beautiful. Even the sunsets look better here.”

  “They do. Let's go now. We want to be gone by sundown.”

  “Why?”

  “I'll answer you plainly. You might as well start learning all there is to know. When the sun sets, and the moon begins to rise, especially during full moons, the merpeople come to land to dance on the beach.”

  I laughed, snorting as I did so. He had to be kidding, right? He had to be kidding me.

  “Don't believe me? Some time I will bring you back and we will watch from the cliffs.”

  “Why can't we watch tonight? We don't have to be back for any reason. Not until morning.” Then I thought about it. I should get back to see Gran, GG Edmund, Aunt Cora, and Aunt Clover soon. I hadn't seen them in a while, and they were probably worried.

  “Not tonight. Soon,” he said.

  Before we left, I did as he had suggested. I closed my eyes and released the bitterness I had toward my sister, letting the soft breeze from the ocean sweep away my anger. I pictured the tide sweeping away all bad feelings. He must have known what I was doing. After a few minutes he said, “We must go now.”

  As we walked back up the rocky cliff side, I thought of one more question that I'd like answered before we began our run back. “Doesn't Magella control the ocean? I mean, she's bound to it. Doesn't she have control?”

  “Magella has control of whatever small area she is in. She can control the weather and some sea life. She does not control the entire ocean. The ocean, for the most part, is our friend.”

  We used a tree limb to haul us up from the top of the cliff. I turned once more to take in the beauty of the sunset and the waves crashing to shore. Then we walked back into the forest, only to hear a strange whistling sound.

  “What's that?”

  Drumm had his bow and arrow ready in seconds. “Get ready to run.”

  I glanced around me to see where the whistling was coming from. Not being able to tell the direction caused me to panic.

  “Going to shoot your old friend, are you?” A voice came from up in a tree. A loud thump sounded behind me as something hit the ground. I grabbed my chest so my heart wouldn't escape. Turning, I saw the young man from before, Nicoli. Then another thud to the right brought down Jina, the girl with long, golden hair. Her eyes gleamed yellow-or
ange, almost a golden color.

  “You two should watch yourselves; you almost got an arrow in your behinds.” Drumm laughed and shook the boy’s hand.

  “What's up, Drumm? You've come to spy on us?” said Nicoli.

  “Not this time,” Drumm said with a touch of sarcasm.

  Nicoli stared me up and down. “Hello, Ivy.”

  “Hi.” I couldn't take my eyes from his deep blue and, if I wasn't mistaken, purple eyes.

  He ran his hand through his dark brown hair. I couldn't help but take a glance at his super-toned chest.

  “What are you doing here? Why aren't you in the water?” Drumm asked.

  “We are on watch still. The prowler we told you about? He's back. He appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed the mermaid, Stella, from the rocks, took her comb. I tackled him, but he disappeared in my arms—only to reappear on the cliff.”

  “Mermaid? Did he just say ‘mermaid’?” Then it dawned on me. “You guys are merpeople?” I babbled under my breath.

  Jina, the only one who heard me, laughed.

  “Comb? I wonder…what does this man look like?” Drumm asked.

  “He wore some sort of head cover, or hat, I mean,” Nicoli said.

  “Izaill,” Drumm whispered. “He must be up to something.”

  “That name sounds familiar,” Nicoli said. “Bad news.”

  “Very bad news. I wonder what he wanted with the comb?” Drum shook his head, stupefied.

  “A mermaid gets her first comb when she turns sixteen. It is a prize possession—a sign that she can now come to shore and dance with the adults. The comb is made of shell, and once it has combed the hair of a mermaid, it is a powerful tool for casting spells.” Jina volunteered the information as she twisted her long, golden hair atop her head. She then used a small twig to hold it in place.

  “I see. Was the mermaid harmed?” Drumm fidgeted with his arrow before returning it to its bag.

  “Not at all, but she'd like her comb back,” Nicoli said as he stared at me.

  They stood there discussing mermaids and Izaill, and all I could think of was swimming in the ocean depths with Nicoli's muscular arms wrapped around me, the sun descending down upon us, colorful fish swimming by…

  “Ivy?” Nicoli was talking to me.

  “Umm. Yeah?” I rubbed my temples, dismissing the thoughts that had surfaced. It was so unlike me to daydream as such, but at the moment, I liked it.

  “I said, do you like our ocean? It's beautiful, yes?” he asked as he stood there, his eyes staring into mine.

  “Very. It's…very beautiful.” I sounded like a robot.

  He laughed, and he had the pearliest teeth and a dimple on the right side of his face. “Maybe you can come back for a swim sometime.” The pretty girl smiled at me. Her eyes reminded me of cat eyes. Her shoulders and chest were toned like a professional swimmer, with abs of steel. I suppose that came from constantly swimming in the ocean.

  “Yes, I hope so,” I said.

  “It was nice to see you both, but we should be going now. I'll find out what I can.” Drumm tugged on my arm a few times and we were off, running at a comfortable speed. I didn't notice that I was smiling until Drumm stopped us about four miles into the forest. He slowed to a walk, and I copied him.

  “Ivy, you’re in a daze. Snap out of it.” Drumm cuffed my arm. “And wipe that silly smile from your face.”

  I giggled. I normally was not one to giggle. “Sorry,” I said.

  We walked along a craggy path of rocks with water cascading down them. “They were merpeople, in case you didn't pick that up. Merpeople can enchant humans very easily, and I see it has worked on you. Didn't you ever hear stories of sailors being mesmerized by the merpeople, only to be pulled down into the water to their doom?” He shook his head. He grabbed some pine needles and held them up to my nose. “Smell.”

  I did as he told me, inhaling the fragrant pine smell.

  “Feel better?”

  “I do.” I found myself smiling again.

  “You’re hopeless. You must be careful around the merpeople. Nicoli and Jina are my friends, but you should always beware. Merpeople can be of the tricky sort. You must reach deep down and pull out the light elf within you to protect yourself. I must teach you to do that.”

  “Okay,” I said, trying to wipe the smile from my face. They had been enchanting; that much was for certain. I hated to admit it, but I could have imagined myself with Nicoli all day swimming in the ocean, basking in the sun rays. “Okay,” I said more seriously.

  “Hopeless.” He crinkled his brow and shook his head. “Let's go. I'll take you back to Ian's gate. You should see your family tonight.” I could tell I'd disappointed him somehow.

  We took off running again back through the forest. Running on the paths, I realized I could somewhat see in the darkness, and not because of the moonlight. Things were more precise, clear. Now, I could make out images. I knew it had to be the elven in me, and now that my ears were healed, things were different. Having pointy ears wasn't so bad after all.

  As we neared the path to Ian's, something caught our attention. Loud, viscous barking came from Izadora's way. Stopping, Drumm said, “You go to Ian's. I must go see what causes the dogs to bark.”

  “I will come with you,” I said.

  “No. Go to Ian's. I got this,” he said, but as he turned to leave, I followed him. When we arrived outside the tree house in a copse of trees by the stairs, we stopped. “You should listen to me, Ivy. I know what is best, but you don't listen to me, do you? Stay here.”

  I thought he could be rather bossy, and I meant to speak my mind. Before I could, a loud snapping sounded from Izadora's. Drumm hopped out beyond the trees to the stairs. I peered out to see one of the dogs pinning something large down to the ground. The other dog held on for dear life as something swung it around on its arm.

  Immediately, Drumm shot an arrow, knocking this thing to the ground. The dog released the arm and stood on its chest. Before he could shoot again, the thing spoke. “Stop. We will leave.”

  “What do you want with Izadora?” Drum yelled, his voice stern and cold.

  “We came to ask the old witch for a potion. By orders of the Unseelie king,” the thing said.

  I could make out the shape of it; it was rather large figure, with a helmet on.

  “You know she is indisposed at the moment, courtesy of her brother Izaill. You are lying to me. You will leave now, or I will strike you down with another arrow,” Drumm said, pulling an arrow back in the bow. “Tell your king you are not welcome in these woods.”

  “We will go. Tell the hell hounds to release us.” The big fellow held both hands up in the air, as if in defeat.

  Drumm said something in a language that I didn't recognize. The dogs jumped up and sat at attention, all the while growling and frothing at the mouth.

  Both beings stood, and then walked away. One did so with a wide gait, as he had been shot in the inner leg, close to parts that were tender.

  Drumm and the dogs followed them out. I crouched down in the damp earth amongst the trees, waiting for his return. Who the hell had that been? What did they want? Drumm hadn't believed their story of wanting a potion. An owl hooted in the tree above me, causing me to jump a foot. Wind gushed through the treetops, rustling the leaves. Looking up, I could see the almost full moon shining down through the branches as clouds passed by. When I heard Drumm call my name, I stood up and walked out into the opening.

  “Blasted Unseelie. I should have killed them while I had them,” he said. A foul mood he was in.

  “What do you think they want?” I asked

  “They must have caught wind of the undoing of the maiden-mother-crone spell. Tonight will be the last night Izadora hangs from that balcony, if all goes right. They must have wanted to come while she was still under the spell. For what, I don't know. They may have wanted to take her body. Even Izaill protects his sister to an extent, though. The rope can't be cut through, so they had no ch
ance of taking her.” He laughed then. “One thing I know, the Unseelie hate hell hounds. These dogs put a good scare into them.” He patted the dogs on the head.

  We walked in the direction of the balcony where Izadora would be hanging. “I don't think I want to walk that way. I'd rather not see…”

  “I understand. It's the last night she'll be hanging there. Just close your eyes, and I will lead you through.”

  Closing my eyes, I let him lead me out. I knew we were nearing the balcony when I heard the squeaking of the rope rubbing on the wood. The wind blew by, causing the rope to pick up speed. Not knowing why I did it, I opened my eyes and stopped.

  “What are you doing?” Drumm asked.

  It took me a moment to answer. “I had to see what Izaill is capable of.” There she hung by the neck, her tongue slightly hanging from her mouth. Her eyes bulged, and if I could see her in the light, I knew they would look bruised.

  “She wouldn't want you to see her like this,” Drumm said.

  “It's okay. She'll never know, right?” My voice wavered. “It's unnerving to see her this way, so defenseless. One would never picture Izadora this way.” I couldn't stop staring. He waved his hand in front of my eyes.

  “She still wouldn't like you staring. She may look defenseless, but Izadora is never defenseless.”

  A shiver ran up my spine. I had a good feeling he was right. We walked on and broke into a run until we arrived at Ian's gate. Unexpectedly, Ian sat at the gate as though he were expecting me. A laptop was propped up on his knees, and a coffee in a cup holder was attached to his wheelchair. “Well, hello there. It's about time you graced me with a visit.” He opened the squeaky gate. “Come now, let me stroll with you through the garden.”

  Chapter Twenty

  It's funny how things can come together in such a way that you feel as though you should have known the very answer all along. Countless things had happened to me, and for the most part, I had accepted them all. Living with my father and sister in New Hampshire, I could never have dreamed that certain things were possible, that certain mystical beings were real. They lived, breathed, and thrived just as humans did. I believe that had I not experienced these beings firsthand, I never would have believed them to be true.