by D. S. Murphy
The front door burst open and I jumped. Another figure came in out of the rain, shaking his coat. He froze when he saw me, and I recognized his dark eyes. Paul. He scowled and pulled a dagger from the sheath on his belt. He held up his other hand like he was preparing to cast out demons, and I smelled smoke. I was sure I was about to become a flaming marshmallow, but Ethan stepped in front of him.
“What’s she doing here?” Paul growled. I noticed the dagger was the same kind Ethan had; the same kind my attacker was wielding when he slashed my arm.
“You did it,” I accused. “You wrote that threatening note, then you pushed me off the pier to prove I was a merrow.”
“If it wasn’t for that note,” Paul said, lowering his knife, “I would have killed you already. That note was a warning to other Tuatha Dé to leave you alone.”
“She wants to know about her mother,” Morgan said.
“Her mother was a monster, and a murderer,” Paul said coldly.
“If you’re talking about Colin,” Morgan said, “I’m pretty confident that Branna had nothing to do with his death. In fact I just learned that their involvement with each other was much deeper than I’d previously assumed.”
“But she ran. And she’s a merrow,” Paul said, practically spitting the word.
“And we’ve been at war for a thousand years,” Morgan rolled her eyes. “I know. But things aren’t always as simple as they seem. You left home to avoid the responsibilities that would have been yours after Colin’s death. But it’s time you learned the truth. So sit down and be quiet. I’m only going to tell this story once, and it will have to be enough for all three of you.”
Paul lowered the dagger and sank into the sofa. Morgan took her place in the green chair. I remained standing at the edge of the room, so I could run for the door if I had to.
“Branna and Colin met in school,” Morgan began. “They were both outsiders at first. Shy and a little strange. But they bonded quickly. Of course we knew about Phyllis; we’d discussed her at length in our council meetings. We never had any real proof; none of us had ever seen a real merrow before.”
“Some wanted to kidnap her and steal her blood. They thought they could renew our powers and reclaim some of our former glory. The legends warned us how dangerous they could be, but Phyllis was always charming and controlled. She never did anything to hurt anyone. So we debated. Was she a merrow or not? Did she deserve to die just to give us more power? Would the ancient rituals described in our books even work?”
“Before we could make a decision, there was the accident with Father Murphy. Some of the Cael were furious that we’d let our chance slip away. They started to focus their attention on Branna. She was a bright girl, pretty, but ordinary in every way.”
“We voted to wait and see if she turned, or manifested any abilities. There was no use killing her if her blood didn’t fuel our magic.”
“Branna turned sixteen and her beauty became stunning, supernatural—she looked quite a bit like you do now. Her confidence grew, and she became impertinent, as she realized she could ask for just about anything and it would be given to her. Together with Colin, they became the most popular kids in school; he with the little bit of magic we’d taught him, simple charms and spells, and she with her persuasive charm.”
“It was harmless, mostly, but were worried that their relationship could become a much bigger problem as their powers developed. And Colin had shared things with her, things about us, how our magic worked. She was fascinated with the history of the merrow, just like you are. But unlike you, there were no merrow around to guide her. She was alone. She came to visit me sometimes, to talk about the old legends. I think she came to think of me as a mother figure.”
“The council voted again, and this time Gilroy, my husband, voted with the other members. The relationship could not be allowed to continue. Colin would be kicked out of the Cael if he didn’t break it off with Branna, and Branna was to be sacrificed—to make up for the blood we lost when her mother disappeared.”
“I begged my husband to change his mind, but he saw this is the last opportunity to revive our race. Our powers were fading, our supplies were running low. It was meant to be a surprise, but I told Colin. They decided to run away. I promised I would help them.”
“On the night they had planned to run, I felt a disturbance; I’d placed a charm on Colin to let me know if he was in danger. It went off and I ran to them. I found Colin on the ground in a pool of blood. Next to him was Branna. Her wrists looked like she’d chewed into them, and she was feeding Colin her blood—but it was too late. She sobbed and pounded on his chest, trying to bring him back. It was heartbreaking. She was the strongest woman I ever met.”
“I tore her away from the body and walked her down to the ocean. I’d never seen a merrow in the water before. The magic, the healing... I was amazed.”
“Then I brought her home. I thought about taking her to Aedan’s house, but she asked me not to. Said she was in danger—whoever killed Ethan was still out there, and they’d be back. Actually I wondered if it was one of us, the Tuatha Dé, trying to grab more power for their own family. It would not have been hard to imagine. I’ll admit, after seeing Branna’s healing, I was tempted to save some of her blood myself. A drop of it is truly miraculous. But if it was one of us, and they killed their own kind, even on accident, their life would be forfeit. They would have broken the pact that keeps our families at peace.”
“She already had the ticket to America, so I gave her some money and told her to go. We didn’t know who was after her, and I didn’t know how to protect her. She’d already faced so much suffering, I thought a clean start, a real life far away, might be the solution.”
“I had no idea,” she said, taking my hand, “about you. If I’d known I had a granddaughter, I never would have sent her away. I’m so sorry. When I heard you were coming back, I put that note on your door in case any of the Tuatha Dé found out what you were and decided to go after you themselves.”
“You wrote that note!” Paul said. “Why didn’t you tell me all of this earlier?”
“I’m sorry Paul, that we’ve never discussed this. You were just a boy when Colin died. I didn’t know you were carrying so much hostility towards Branna, or that you suspected her in your brother’s death. Though I guess our two races have always been quick to blame each other.”
“But if Branna didn’t kill Colin, who did?” Ethan asked. “The note said the attacker moved quickly. It could have been another merrow.”
That part of the note had been bothering me as well. Sebastian said merrow didn’t have any reason to go after their own kind, so why would one attack my mother?
“I’m not sure we’ll ever know,” Morgan said. “Now that Colin and your mother are dead, the only witness left is the attacker himself—and he’s unlikely to confess his crimes.”
“So what happens now?” Ethan asked. “Is she still in danger?”
“The Tuatha Dé will have to respect the laws. If Colin is Clara’s father, then she’s Tuatha Dé. Even with merrow blood, she will not be harmed, once we tell the other families.”
“What about Sebastian?” I asked. “He’s not like Trevor or the other merrow. He’s on our side. He wants to help.”
I looked to Ethan for support and he nodded.
“I can protect you,” Morgan said, “by claiming you as part of my family line. But I can’t protect another merrow. The Cael are too eager for another sacrifice. Also, if you insist on trying to save him, you’ll be branded as a traitor to our kind, in which case it won’t matter who your father was. You’re either with us, or you’re with him.”
***
Ethan made me take a hot shower and change into dry clothes before giving me a ride home. Sebastian was waiting by the front door. They traded nods. Ethan looked like he wanted to say something to me, but finally just gave a quick wave and took off on his bike.
“What are you doing here?” I asked. I was exhausted an
d my brain felt like it was wrapped in a thick fog.
“I tried calling but you weren’t picking up. I got worried. What happened? Why are you with Ethan?”
Sebastian followed me inside. I threw myself on my bed.
“Went to Ethan’s,” I mumbled. “Because apparently the Blakes are the only family I have left.” I showed him the note and recounted what I’d learned from Morgan.
“That still doesn’t explain who attacked your mother, or you.”
“Are you even listening to me? Colin was my father. My whole life has been a lie. All those family portraits, bring your daughter to work today, father-daughter dances… it was all bullshit.”
“I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now, but you’re still the same person you were yesterday. And the man who raised you, the man you grew up with—he will always be your father. But at the same time, this is good news. You’re half Tuatha Dé. Maybe that’s why you’re more powerful than you should be. If nothing else, if what Morgan said was true, now that they know Colin was your father, you’ll be safe. At least until I get back.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Morgan said she put that note on the door to protect me, to warn other Tuatha Dé I was under her protection. But someone still attacked me. Ethan said the families don’t always get along. Maybe someone ignored her note earlier, but will respect the Cael law now that I’m family and the consequences are more severe. Still, why would the Tuatha Dé kill Colin? Unless they were just after my mother and Colin got in the way. But the note said they were moving quickly. I don’t know. I’m so tired, I can’t think straight anymore. Why are you here anyway, I thought you said we’d talk tomorrow?”
“There’s something else. Something I… I didn’t know how to tell you earlier. But it can wait until tomorrow. You’ve had enough surprises for one night.”
I sat up and stared at him. He was sitting at the edge of my bed, avoiding my gaze. Acting very strange. “Might as well rip the bandaid off all at once,” I said. “What is it?”
“Your grandmother’s necklace, can I see it again?”
I retrieved it from my desk drawer and handed it to Sebastian.
He inspected for a few moments, then sighed.
“The trident. It’s the royal seal, the mark of Poseidon. And that stone—it’s priceless. Only the royal family would have a necklace like that.”
“So what, you think my grandmother stole it? Or found it somewhere?”
“I don’t think so. See the Greek letters? They read Theophyllia. That was the name of the youngest daughter of King Leander.
“Theophyllia, Phyllis…” I murmured.
“Right. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.”
“So she was a princess? Royal? Why didn’t she just go home, back to her people?”
“I don’t know. There’s been no trace of her or the rest of her family since they disappeared. This necklace is the first sign of them. Aedan said Phyllis was injured when she arrived, and that someone was after her. It’s possible that she was the only survivor of whatever happened to her family.”
“What does this mean for me?” I asked.
Sebastian’s eyes were wide and solemn, like he was making an important announcement.
“With your mother dead, that might make you the last living descendent of Poseidon. The rightful heir to the merrow throne.”
41
On Monday, I was happy to go back to school. School felt safe. Normal. I paid attention. I took notes. Copying whatever was written on the chalkboard into my spiral notebook was oddly satisfying. The simple act of pressing pen to paper and seeing complex meaning emerge. I didn’t want to think about anything else. Especially not the fact that Sebastian’s three-month deadline was approaching.
When I finally saw Sebastian at lunch I let him speak first.
“You can’t just avoid me, Clara. We need to discuss this.”
“There’s nothing to discuss,” I said. “You have to leave.”
“What about you?”
“The Tuatha Dé won’t hurt me. I’m in no danger.”
“But they may not have been the ones who attacked you earlier.”
“It was Paul. I’m pretty sure. He just didn’t want to admit it in front of Morgan. Maybe he was the one who attacked Branna too. Maybe he killed his own brother on accident. Maybe they fought over her, one wanting to be with her, the other wanting to kill her. If so, of course he would hate me for it. I don’t know. But now that they know I’m part Tuatha Dé, killing me would be a death sentence. I don’t think anyone will take the risk.”
“I’m just trying to make sure you’re safe.”
“I’ll never be safe,” I said. “But at least you will be. And we don’t have a choice. You have to go back, or your father will slaughter everyone in this town. It’ll be a hundred times worse than what happened at the bonfire. And there’s nothing we can do to stop them. So you need to go back. For your safety, and mine.”
“But everything is different now. We can stop them. You can stop them. My father only wields power because there is nobody else to claim it, but he’s not the rightful ruler, and many people don’t agree with his politics. If you’re really the granddaughter of the lost princess Theophyllia, you can stop the attacks. People will listen to you.”
“With the bag over my head, proving I’m a weak human? I doubt it.”
“You have the necklace. And you are powerful, I’ve seen it. I couldn’t understand before, how a mennow could have so much power, but I get it now. You’re royal. An heir of Poseidon. We have no idea how powerful you are.”
“Bullshit,” I said. “We’ve been training for months and I still can’t beat you. If you can’t stand up to your father, why would I be able to?”
“I don’t have any claim to leadership,” Sebastian said, “not like you. You’re the legitimate ruler.”
“I don’t know who or what I am anymore, but I’m not going to go be the leader of your people. Especially if I can’t turn. They’d never accept me.”
“They may not have a choice. It’s not like we take a vote. The royal family has an almost divine right to rule; they’re more powerful. The other merrow may feel compelled to listen to you,” his eyes were getting too excited. There was something else.
“You mean like what I did at the concert? You said that wouldn’t work on merrow.”
“It won’t, not really. Not the same way. It’s more like instinct, how all bees obey their queen, without question. We still have free will, it would just never occur to us to disobey.”
He put a hand on my shoulder and I had a feeling he was begging me to understand.
“You can stop my father. You can stop this war. They’ll have to listen to you. Maybe not all of them, but many of them would come over to our side if you tell them to.
“You really think they’d accept me—a half breed—as their ruler? One who is half Tuatha Dé?”
“Of course, especially when you transform.”
“But what if I don’t transform?” I said, pushing his arm away. “What if this is who I am? What if this is all I’ll ever be? If I haven’t changed yet, why do you keep hoping I’ll become something else? Aren’t I good enough as I am?”
Sebastian bit his lip and frowned. I was being childish, but I felt like he was forcing me to become someone else. I could see it in his eyes—he still hoped that I’d turn into a full merrow somehow, and it would solve all our problems. But how was I going to stop a hundred thousand merrow? I saw what they could do. Travis’s broken body on the beach still haunted me.
The bell rang, and students got up to clean their trays before heading back to class. Sebastian looked at me expectantly, but I didn’t see what else I could say. “Come over after school,” I said. “We can talk more then.” Talk… and say goodbye.
Music class used to be one of my main reasons to come to school, but I no longer took pleasure in singing. I was too paranoid. I held back my voice, even when Ms. Tierney frown
ed at me and asked me to sing louder. And I watched for any sign that I was starting to influence the other kids around me. It was a relief to be done and head to my next class.
Brody was waiting at my locker. He smiled when he saw me, a confident, schoolboy grin that I’m sure worked on most girls.
“There you are,” he said. “I’ve been looking for you all day. There’s a party tonight at one of my friend’s houses. His parents are out. It’s going to be great. I want you to come with me.” He leaned against the lockers, smirking, as if he was expecting me to fawn all over him.
“No thanks,” I said. “I have plans.”
I started putting my things in my locker and felt him come up behind me. He leaned towards me when I turned around. I was cornered.
“Come’on,” he said in a low voice, “I’ve waited patiently, don’t you think?”
I looked down the hallway for Ethan or Sebastian, but didn’t see anyone I knew. Brody must have thought I was making sure we were alone, rather than seeking help. When we made eye contact again, he kissed me. Hard. I felt his tongue push against my teeth. He reached around me and I felt his fingers on the grove of my spine, drawing me towards him. It all happened in an instant.
I could have shoved him away gently. There’s no question I was stronger than him now. But I was tired of boys like Brody, who thought their good looks made them irresistible. And I had other things to deal with. The future of the human race for instance. The fact that I still had to put up with Brody’s tongue in my mouth uninvited made me furious.
I felt his nose break the second I punched him. I didn’t even hit him that hard. Sebastian could take a hundred blows like that and it would still feel like I was hitting a rock wall. Brody’s nose started streaming blood, and a crowd was gathering. Some kids held up cell phones, trying to get a picture.
“What the hell?” Brody said, clutching his face. “What’d you do that for, freak?”