Sea of Secrets Anthology

by J E Feldman

  “She’s my family so you stay out of this, you fish,” Marilee spit at him. “I’m here to talk some sense into her. I have a huge deal that can make us lots of money. It would be great for the state as well, bringing in lots of tourists. She just has to sign the papers I brought with me.” She grabbed a briefcase from the vehicle through the open window.

  “Absolutely not. You know it can't be sold anyway. It goes to the state as protected land if I want to give it up,” Ruelle scoffed at her, crossing her arms while scowling at the woman.

  “I’ve spoken to a judge on your behalf and he agrees there may be some loopholes. We really have a good chance of making this work. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Marilee sounded like someone talking to a toddler.

  “Judge Whitman no doubt,” Rue spoke and Marilee’s eyes widened. “Not going to happen, Marilee. Take your papers, get in your car, and please leave.”

  Marilee actually flushed, stomping her foot. “I am not leaving here until I have your signature on this document!”

  Ruelle and Orin both laughed. “Then you will have a long wait.”

  Thunder rumbled in the sky as lightning arced across it. All of them paused and looked overhead.

  “The witch has started the attack,” Orin whispered.

  Marilee looked horrified and started to babble. “She said I could have time. I told her I would get her the lands. She said I could finally have what should have been mine!”

  Ruelle’s face went pale in shock before anger coursed through her body. She was standing in front of Marilee and shaking her by the shoulders before she even realized she had moved.

  “This has all been your fault? You made a deal with the sea witch?” Ruelle screamed over the thunder.

  Marilee paused in her panic to really take notice of her niece before sneering. “Of course I did. When I finally made the decision to get what I wanted, I found the sea witch and we made a deal. She was more than happy to help me lay claim to the Candra legacy. This all should have been mine from the start. Now it will be mine. I’m a patient woman. I could wait for it all to fall into place.”

  “You killed your own brother for this?” Tears were coursing down Rue’s face as she looked into the dark eyes she didn’t recognize as family anymore.

  “It was supposed to be mine! I was the oldest! Just because McKinnely had some damn birthmark didn’t mean he should have gotten it all. I always vowed I would make it mine,” Marilee screeched back at her. “Why didn’t you just die that day too? It would have made things so much easier.”

  Ruelle dropped her hands from her aunt in shock as Orin pulling her back into his arms.

  “We have to go to the water, Rue. We have to fight,” he whispered in her ear.

  Marilee gave an evil laugh. “Yes, go fight the witch. She will destroy you all and I’ll still get everything. It’s a win-win for me!”

  “Marileeeeee,” a musical voice spoke over the wind.

  Marilee gulped and tried to hide her terror at the voice.

  “I'm guessing your mistress is a cruel one. You haven't been able to get her what she wants,” Ryn fluttered in front of the woman. “Stupid human!”

  Then Ruelle and Orin watched as Ryn made a signal and a slew of pixies rushed forward and pixed the woman. Pixing someone with dust from their wings was ten times worse than chicken pox or poison ivy. Twenty or more of them had surrounded Marilee. Her aunt was screaming and trying to bat at them while they laughed, yelling out insults.

  While she was preoccupied, Ruelle and Orin both ran for the water and dove in.

  The leviathan was back and panic almost overcame Ruelle as her memories flooded back.

  “We’re all together. We can do this with your help,” Orin yelled to her, catching her face in his hands. “We can do this. Let’s end this once and for all.”

  Rue looking imploringly into his face. “He’s not ever coming back, is he?”

  Orin wiped the tears. “No, love, but we can do this for him. That is what he would have wanted.”

  Then he kissed her, shocking her from her morose thoughts. She clung to him and kissed him back before pushing away.

  “Let’s end this. For my father!”

  Together they swam toward the deepest part of the lake. The other Merfolk were already there trying to take out the leviathan while Assan was standing facing off with a beautiful, but deadly looking siren. Magic rapidly arced between them until the sea witch turned in her direction, quickly diving below the water to come up beside her.

  “So, you are the new guardian? You look so much like your mother, young one. So much like the original Candra,” she crooned.

  It made Ruelle shiver, but she refused to back down. “I am Ruelle.”

  The witch cocked her head to the side. “I am Thana, which means death. Isn’t that fitting?” she chirped, clearly pleased. Throwing an arm out, she ran fingers through the blood being spilled in the water. Bringing the hand to her mouth and sucking on her fingers, she closed her eyes in pleasure. “Such a sweet wine to my senses. This will all be mine. I will drink your blood and own all the power that Candra sought to deny me.”

  Ruelle could feel power brewing within her alongside anger and disgust. Then she was shoved by Orin just as a swat from the leviathan came crashing by them.

  Thana screeched when Rue gasped as she broke the surface again. That was when she realized there was more than one leviathan. One was coming at them from behind and one was still in front of Thana. It was when she noted the one from behind carried her Aunt Marilee in its tight coils and she was screaming.

  Thana could only laugh. “What shall you do, little guardian? Shall we bargain now? I have your family. I will kill her.”

  “Thana! You promised me!” Marilee screamed, but it was cut short as the leviathan squeezed her harder.

  “Greedy land dweller. Always thinking you can make bargains when in reality I just used you to get to the new guardian. I was never going to give you anything. I really can’t believe how stupid you are,” Thana continued to laugh.

  “You killed my father!” Rue screamed.

  Thana stopped to look back at the young guardian. “That I did. Well, my leviathan did. Or was it your spell? We shall never know,” Thana continued to chuckle at the horror on Ruelle’s face. “It doesn’t matter what you do. This will all be mine.”

  “It will never be yours. I won’t allow it,” Ruelle yelled back.

  She saw Orin and his father taking down the other leviathan.

  “Then your aunt shall perish. Are you willing to let her die like you did your father?”

  Rue was torn. Could she willingly let her aunt die? Her aunt was the reason this was all happening. She was the reason her father was dead and no longer with her. Her aunt was the reason she had grown up all alone. No, she didn’t deserve to die, but she knew in her core that no matter what she did, Thana was going to kill her anyway. How did she play this through?

  She inwardly smiled as the Merfolk took out the other leviathan, its screams echoing between the mountains like thunder. The Merfolk went on to attack the other leviathan holding her aunt.

  “It ends now, Thana.”

  “That it does.” Thana shoved a ripple of power at Rue.

  It was like a burn that hit her across her collarbone, splitting it open and beginning to bleed. She screamed. She looked over upon hearing Orin yell at his father and making a dive to push him out of the way. She watched with horror as the leviathan struck out and Orin disappeared under the water. It was like seeing her father die all over again. Everything she loved slipped away from her.

  “NOOOOO!” she screamed as she had that day all so long ago. Everything within her burst out. She was not going to lose someone else.

  Ruelle couldn’t stop the power emanating from her. It started to disintegrate the leviathan as it wailed in defeat. Thana was immobilized with some form of black tar leaking from her.

  “You can’t. You shouldn’t,” Thana gurgled, fear finally
showing in her eyes.

  “I am Ruelle and I am guardian of these waters! You will cease to be a threat here.” It didn’t feel like her voice, but that of someone older, wiser, and more powerful.

  “Candra...Mercy…” Thana choked reaching out a hand.

  “There can be no mercy for the likes of you, Thana. There never could be. You have broken our sacred laws and this is the justice you shall receive,” the voice continued.

  One last brush of power fell from her and Thana melted away into the waves.

  When Thana vanished, the storm overhead dispersed as Ruelle felt the power leave her. She fell sideways into the water with a gasp. Coming out of nowhere, Orin appeared, gathering her in his arms.

  “Ruelle? Rue...please,” he said as he caressed her cheek.

  Her eyes fluttered open. “Orin? Orin, you’re alive?”

  He smiled to her. “Oh yes, to be by your side for as long as you’ll have me.”

  Ruelle smiled up at him, reaching up to cup his cheek. “I’d like that.”

  She turned her head as Assan swam close.

  “It seems my people once again owe you so much. You have saved us, Ruelle!” He spoke with deep solemnness.

  All of the Merfolk present rose tall out of the water and gave her deep bows.

  The clarity of the lake improved as it rose to the original waterline. The amount of boat accidents came to a bare minimum. The fish in the seas and lakes increased and all because the sea witch was gone. Her aunt was dead too. Yet another boating accident upon the stormy lake.

  Ruelle stood at the edge of the lake. The sunfish were back in schools and trying to nip at her toes as she wiggled them in the water, making her smile. The pixies were trying to catch a few for dinner which had her laughing at their antics.

  “Are you happy, Ruelle?” a deep voice spoke next to her.

  She grinned, turning to face Orin, wrapping her arms around his neck as he pulled her in for a hug.

  “The lake and ocean waters are safe now. Everything in the area is benefitting from the sea witch being destroyed. How can I not be happy?”

  “Even if your aunt is gone?”

  She frowned. “I know I should feel sad, but I can’t. I never really knew her. I’m happy this is all over. I’m happy to be here with you!” She stood on tiptoe to kiss him.

  “You’ll stay here?”

  “I’ll finish my degree. Cassie has already said I could work in her firm. So yes, I’ll be staying. That is if you really want me to.” She ducked her head.

  He tipped her chin back up and their eyes met. “Always and forever, Ruelle. Always and forever.”

  V.P. Allasander

  Biography

  V.P. Allasander is an entrepreneur at Urna Creative, a creative content studio, where he edits other people’s manuscripts and is also a ghostwriter. When he is not managing this business, he writes, a hell damn lot. His preferred genre of choice is speculative fiction, preferably fantasy and horror. His stories are usually dark and tragic (he loves to kill his characters, especially when his fans love them). He also loves to read and organizes book clubs in the city he lives in — Mumbai, India.

  He also helps out at local literature festivals and loves to keep abreast of the new book launches. He is an ambivert, which means his interaction with people can be high or low, depending on his mood. Oh, he is also a TV show addict, and you can find him binging on Amazon prime and Netflix. But, no matter, what he’s busy with, he’s always accessible to his readers — or any readers. He loves talking with them, so if you need a heart-to-heart talk about books, tv shows, and fictional characters, you may contact him on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

  Lost Legacies

  V.P. Allasander

  On a bright, new dawn, under a clear sky of azure, the king mourned. Usually, he was kind to his guards. Today, however, he had taken his frustration and anger out on them, sending them scurrying about the citadel, looking for this and that. And it seemed from whatever was going on inside the chambers, there was no chance of his mood brightening soon.

  How could it though when all of his hopes were dashed? That early morning, when the sun had just risen to give his lands its golden shine, he had found out that his wife was in no position to bear a child. A mix of sadness, pity, frustration, anger, and a multitude of other feelings had caught him off-guard and, for the first time, he was seen weeping, shedding tears that not even his man-servants had seen before.

  The queen, Merinmeda, lie on the bed, teary eyed as she stared at her husband. A well of disappointment shone in her eyes because there seemed to be no hope that a child would ever be conceived in her womb. She could not give him what he so desired. She knew how much the king wanted an heir—someone who could take the reins of his kingdom when he became old or died. But now, there would be none.

  When the court-healer had announced her ill-fate, the king hadn’t blamed her. He had understood and held her hands. Most of all, he had cried, but at other times, he had gone into moments of anger, barking at his guards whenever an order needed to be dispelled.

  All the while, he kept whispering about how the saffron-clad old man had failed him in his blessings. Half a year ago, an ascetic had come to visit the king. The royal couple had served him well and on account of their good deeds, the sage had told them that they would soon be greeting their son. And now, it had been declared that the queen could never bear a child. All that saint’s blessings had been but a farce, the king muttered, only serving to revive his once dashed hopes.

  They had tried conceiving, but every time, the queen had had a miscarriage. It was as though her womb itself was cursed. They had lost all hope and were about to leave all attempts to bear a child when the ascetic had arrived and blessed them.

  Even now, when the sun was two hours high in the sky, the king blamed the ascetic for his problems.

  “Guards!” he bellowed. His booming voice, full of anger, roared into the room, making the others fret and take a step backward. Even the queen shook from his sudden outburst. Her lips had moved to speak, but stopped at his red glaring eyes.

  Two guards hurried into the room, their looks a mix of worry and fear. “Yes, Milord!” they spoke in unison, bowing their heads as was the custom when in the presence of a king or anyone of stature greater than them.

  The king didn’t throw a glance at them; his eyes were fixated on his wife. “Ask the Finders to bring me that accursed sage, but alive. Bring him in chains if he resists, but return him to this city. I will not have that ascetic strut about the lands, giving false blessings. I will not have any more hopes dashed.”

  His orders made the guards quiver, but they bobbed their heads and left.

  A sigh escaped his mouth, knowing now that he would have to wait. He intended to punish the man who claimed to be a god, and he intended to make an example out of him. No more would any ascetic bless any mortal and give hopes of something that may never come to pass.

  The queen ‘s lips twitched and she shook her head. He saw it through the corner of his eyes and gave a weak smile. “Don’t worry, my dear! Everything will be fine.”

  “That’s what I’m worried about,” his wife spoke after much exertion. Her voice was still low and weak. “These ascetics have the powers of granting both blessings and curses. Do this, my husband, and you shall earn his curse as well. Stop this madness, I beseech you.”

  “Then curse he will, my queen. But, as you have seen, his blessings have come to naught. Who is to say that his curses shall bear any fruit? Any faith in those saffron-clad madmen is misguided and folly. And for his intent to hurt us this way shall earn him not any of my goodwill. In fact, my dear queen, he shall pay gravely for what he has done to us.”

  “But...but...”

  He raised his hands. “We shall speak of it no more. Rest now, my queen. There’s no reason you should exert your energy on such a trivial matter as this. You are weak as it is. Conserve your strength for what is to come.” He moved toward the chair up
on which he had sat through the entire night.

  “Of what is to come?” muttered the queen. “A deadly curse and many other things beside.”

  What used to be a quiet space now sported a lot of people thronging to the arena. Many of them spoke in whispers, not all in favor of the king’s decision. Yet they could fight it not. The Greentrees were never fond of those who argued against their decisions. They chose to keep quiet despite all of their misgivings. Even though their minds were in dissent, they understood why their king was committing such a cruel act that could very well earn him a sage’s curse. The king had been looking to beget an heir for years and had not been successful. The disappointment at the futility of the sage’s blessing would have been monumental and their king’s mind had finally grown insane in the desperation of his desires. Yet it was no good call on his part, definitely unwise. It wasn’t right to insult the god-men who traveled about, granting peace to those who deserved it. Many, if not all, of their blessings had indeed come to fruition.

  The crowd quietened as the king stood on the podium, his eyes white with fury. That erect posture of their lord made them shiver as to what kind of punishment he was going to dole out to the god-man. They shuddered at its mere thought.

  The king could see the morose faces of his subjects, but to him, it seemed as if they were sad at their queen’s inability to conceive one they would be happy to proclaim as their king in the future. He had no idea that they were not just sad but also afraid, just like his wife. If he wasn’t so blind with the thought of retribution, he would have seen through their demeanor as he usually did. But, now, his only thought was to punish the ascetic who had dared raise his hopes.

  A bugle sounded loud and clear, its sound reverberating through the walls of the castle. With the bugle came a group of riders on their white horses, bearing in thick iron chains the same ascetic who they had let in a few months ago with a respect accorded to him. The skin on the sage was bloodied at places; his plight evoked sympathy in most who stood there with their heads bowed down.