FINNED (The Merworld Water Wars)

by Sutton Shields

  “Just before you fell asleep on New Year’s, you mentioned me defeating the cards. You read your death before coming here, didn’t you?”

  “Yep, I was deader than a fish on a grill. Sorry.”

  By the playful twinkle in his eye, I knew I hadn’t offended him. “That’s pretty dead. So, Meikle stopped it with a spell?”

  “Or you stopped it with a fin.” After saying what I did, I noticed he sat a little taller in his seat. “Um, speaking of not-completely-normal beings with powers, what did you do to Meikle in the cafeteria to make her stop convulsing?”

  “I just stopped her pain.”

  “You didn’t do that for my wound.” I really didn’t mean for that to sound girly-jealous. “Uh, so does it depend on the injury or something?”

  “Sometimes it does depend on the wound. But, I actually did do it for your wound when I pressed your stomach against my skin while underwater,” he said softly.

  How could I forget? “Oh.” My cheeks burned at the memory of his skin upon mine.

  “It didn’t keep the pain at bay because the depth of your wound was too much to overcome.”

  “What’s it called…your power to heal?” I asked.

  God, I loved to hear him laugh, even if it was at my expense.

  “I wouldn’t call it my power. We call it silver snow. Merpeople always have the ability in the ocean, but it does stay two hours after our skin last touches the water.”

  “So, you did the swim thing before lunch, then?” I asked, smirking.

  “Suppose I must have.” During our drive, his smile seemed to be a permanent fixture, and I loved that I helped put it there.

  We weren’t too far from my house when the whirling numbness that was my mind landed on an unpleasant vision: me…alone…all day…in my house…with only my thoughts to keep me company. I had zero faith in playing solitaire with my dreams and memories. Who knows what those thoughts could make me do?

  And the mere thought of those thoughts made me blurt rather loudly, “Do you have a cell phone?”

  “Uh, yeah. In the glove compartment. What’s up?”

  “Mind if I borrow it? No? Thanks. We banished ones aren’t allowed to have cells. Of the phone kind, that is, not the brain kind. We can have those.” Oh, please someone shut me up.

  “Who are you texting?”

  “My mom. The school provided her with a phone. Um, I know this probably isn’t nice to ask you, especially being so close to dumping me off at my house, but I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind dropping me at the library. I know it’s on the opposite end of town, way out on the edge, but…never mind, I feel too guilty asking.”

  Without answering, Troy smiled and made a U-turn. “Pain in the neck.”

  “Thanks. Being a pain in the neck is nothing new to me. I’ve perfected the art.”

  “You don’t miss a beat, do you?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “On occasion.”

  “So, why do you want to spend all day in the library?”

  Um, I don’t want to be alone with thoughts that will trigger tangible memories of your touch, which will then mutate into desires I’m afraid I can’t control. End of wheeze. “Well, I like the smell of old books.” Oh. Dear. God. Did I seriously just say I liked the smell of old books, like some dweeb?

  “You like the smell of old books. You’re an unpredictable one,” he said, narrowly missing a stop sign. “Aside from going to sniff books, what do you plan on reading?”

  “I don’t really know. Maybe I’ll research for that English assignment.”

  “That’s not due for another two weeks. Besides, you could research in the school library or, here’s an idea, the Internet. I mean, I know you can use the Internet, just not e-mail or any social media sites.”

  “I don’t like school libraries,” I said flatly. My weirdness exceeded even my expectations.

  “Oh, you gotta tell me why,” he said keenly.

  “Well, they’re intimidating, aren’t they? It’s like the books mock me because they know I know they hold all the information I need to know, you know?” What the hell did I just say? “As for the Internet—”

  “Let me guess, you can’t smell the Internet?”

  “That’s what you think,” I countered playfully.

  “You’re never dull. Well, here we are, Saxet Shores Public Library,” he said, pulling up to the elegant front doors.

  “Thanks again…I really appreciate it,” I said, stealing a sideways glance.

  “No problem,” he whispered huskily.

  Okay. Apparently, it was long-stare-and-awkward-moment time. “Well,” I said, clearing my throat, “have fun at school.”

  “Thanks to my bizarre addiction to old, late night sitcoms, I now strive to let the bell save me. Hell, I even have the blond hair for it. So, yeah, I’ll have fun,” he said. “Hey, Rubylocks? I’m glad you’re wearing the necklace I gave you…and I’m really glad you got yourself banished.”

  “Yeah, me too…on all counts. Well, except if we’re talking about old school ways to cruise through classroom hell. I would prefer to go the Ferris route, maybe even add a twist and a shout while atop a float. But that’s just me. See ya.” I could feel his eyes following me until I disappeared inside the library.

  Quaint this library was not. The mammoth possessor of books mimicked the aquatic atmosphere of our school, only it was much brighter. Everything looked brand new, but for the books—they still had the classic crackle-covers and comforting musty scent.

  “May I help you, dear?” said a small elderly woman wearing a shockingly tulip-yellow wool suit. Her gray hair had hints of red and black remaining. Ravenflame.

  “Oh, um, well, I’m not sure what I’m looking for, really,” I said, wringing my hands.

  She placed a hand on my forearm and whispered, “I’m not a mean one. In fact, I’m only a parter. I’m Maryweather Fontaine, the head librarian.”

  Wondering what she meant by “parter,” I said, “Thank you Mrs.—”

  “Please, call me Maryweather. Since you’re new, maybe you’d like to learn a little about Saxet Shores and…other things,” she said, guiding me to a secluded back corner of the main floor. “Here now, I think you will find some very informative publications in this section,” she said, pointing to a blank wall.

  “Erm, it’s a blank wall.” Maybe Maryweather was a little wacky.

  “For now,” she whispered, snapping her fingers.

  I watched in utter disbelief as the wall melted away. In its place, a coral archway and sign appeared. Scrawled in delicate gold script were the words, Saxet Shores Mythology.

  I slowly started under the archway, down the sandy stairs, and into the most glorious room imaginable. Pink coral bookcases situated like private coves housed bejeweled books behind curtains of blue gel. Bubbles issued from the tops of shell-laden chairs, floated around my head, and then quietly popped, leaving a delicate tune in my ear. The crystal floor beneath my feet let me spy on a lively coral reef, while the ceiling above showed me the underbellies of stingrays, sharks, and ships passing overhead.

  Somehow, I was in another world—Troy’s world. Before I could take another step, Maryweather darted around me and clasped my hands in hers. Her swift movements startled me, particularly for someone of her age.

  “Listen closely, Marina Valentine. You have limited time in this nook. Make use of it. Follow your instinct to answer your questions. Do not remove anything from this room. Make sure everything returns to its proper place—the room will assist you. When you get my signal, leave immediately. Exit the way you entered, skirt along the back of the common library. Should anyone see you, do not act out of the norm. Tell no one you were in here. Do you understand?” Her eyes were wild with terror.

  “Yes, of course.” I winced as the box-shaped charm on her bracelet pinched my wrist.

  “Good. Now, the wall will seal itself when I leave. Use your hands to exit. Simply point and snap, as I did. The imprint I am transferrin
g to your palms this second will enable you to reopen the room. I shall leave you to your work. Remember, use your time wisely.”

  She disappeared behind the archway in under a millisecond, and the wall sealed itself behind her. Not wasting any time, I shoved the wonder of the room to a dusty corner of my mind and quickly moved through each tiny cove-like bookcase, looking for something, anything.

  Elaborate signs labeled each coral bookcase-cove: Lost at Sea, True Fairy Tales of the Sea, Legendary Merpeople, Hurricane Creation, Merpeople Games. Though all enticed me, only one sign truly drew me in: History of Saxet Shores, Texas. Granted, it was by far the most boring sign in the room, but my gut told me I would find something worthwhile in there.

  Once inside the bookcase-cove, I started scanning book titles—Maps of Early Saxet Shores, Founder Notes, Guide to Downtown.

  “Come on, come on!” I growled. “There must be something that will tell me what’s going on in this town.”

  As soon as I spoke, two books glowed, shook, and slid through the gel curtain. Both slowly floated forward and landed softly in my waiting hands. I quickly took a seat and began pouring over The Truth About Saxet Shores, Texas and Merworld Water Wars. Flipping through the pages, I noticed something odd. Above each new section were two rectangular boxes—one read, Read in Silence, the other, Read Aloud. Curious, I instinctively brushed my fingers over the Read Aloud box above section IV. Merpeople of the Gulf.

  An angelic face appeared from beneath the words on the page and started reading the section. Her bell-like voice matched her delicate facial features; she reminded me of Airianna—sweet, innocent, beautiful, and trapped.

  “Merpeople—most commonly referred to as merps—inhabit nearly every body of water on the earth’s surface, including oceans, lakes, waterfalls, and rivers. Far fewer merps reside in ponds, streams, and swamps; those that do are smaller, fiercer, and often only part-merperson. Despite the over eighty-seven races of Merpeople, there are only two known throughout all waters as the first documented merps, and the founders of the only known land-based community.

  “The Gulf of Mexico is home to the two largest, most influential races of Merpeople—the Fairhairs and Ravenflames. Fairhairs, also called the group with glowing halos, are generally gentle, friendly, and proud. Controlling, combative, and territorial, are common traits of the Ravenflames, otherwise known as the bringers of shadows. Today, both groups peacefully co-exist in the Gulf of Mexico, but this has not always been the case.

  “In an effort to become the leading race of Merpeople, Ravenflames targeted the Gulf of Mexico. With a declaration of war between the two ruling families imminent, mermaids fled with their children and sought refuge in friendlier waters. When Ravenflames invaded Fairhair-controlled waters, a cycle of violence ensued, creating some of the deadliest, most destructive hurricanes on record. According to Doctor David Tenly, renowned Merpeople historian, water wizard, and sea healer, Ravenflames secretly captured storms off the coast of Africa, brought them to the Gulf, grew them into hurricanes, and threatened to unleash them along the coast should the Fairhairs fail to comply.”

  “Wait, I mean, could you pause for a minute, please?” I asked, not knowing whether the face in the book would reply.

  “Certainly,” she said softly.

  Mildly surprised, I said, “There’s a footnote next to Doctor David Tenly’s name. I was wondering if you could read it for me. I tried to read it myself, but—”

  “My face distorted it too much for you to read,” she said, smiling. “Please, do not fret. Ask whatever you need to know of me, so long as it is within the borders of the books. I am restricted from saying much else.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “Footnote one. After formally leaving the Ravenflames, Doctor Tenly acted as an informant for the Fairhairs. He subsequently retreated into hiding. His whereabouts remain unknown to this day,” said the book.

  “So, Doctor Tenly is a Ravenflame traitor,” I whispered.

  “That is correct, young one. Do you have any further questions regarding the Doctor?” asked the book.

  “Are the Ravenflames still searching for him? Is that why he remains in hiding?”

  “Yes. He continues his mer-wizardly workings via a secret messenger, one that can evade our most feared, elusive beast,” she said, swallowing hard and squeezing her eyes shut. “We call it the deliverer.”

  “Deliverer? Reckon you don’t mean a speedy home delivery service.”

  “Merps never mention the deliverer, for fear it will curse the speaker.”

  “What is the deliverer, exactly? You called it a beast. Do you mean a sea monster or something?”

  “Well, it is a creature of some sort, but…no one really knows. The single record we have in this library speaks of only one mysterious description. ‘It leads on land, moving unseen, while to the sea it seeks, for in its path destruction lay, and in its wake death shall play.’ Unless you want to elicit mayhem amongst the merps, never mention the deliverer. Now, then, shall I read on?” she asked.

  “Yes, please,” I said, marking the doctor’s name to memory, along with this creepy deliverer thing.

  “After the devastating hurricanes resulted in death and destruction, as well as unprecedented casualties within their respective groups, Fairhairs and Ravenflames created a water peace pact—a rare document binding merps to a lifetime agreement. As part of this pact, Saxet Shores, Texas was established.”

  She paused for a moment, looked around the room, and said, “You have precious moments left to research. Please, do ask questions.”

  “Um, well, what do you think I should know about this town?”

  Closing her eyes, she whispered, “You failed to inquire about footnote four. Would you like for me to read it to you?” I quickly nodded. “Footnote four. The two ruling families agreed to create Saxet Shores in an effort to bring the two races together. However, in exchange for never again harming Normals on the mainland, the pact permits Ravenflames to select specific Normals to live in Saxet Shores. Reasons why remain, thus far, unknown. It is imperative to note that the leader of the Fairhairs, King Thompson Tombolo, has not supported the practice of bringing Normals to Saxet Shores.”

  I had to grip the table to keep myself upright. “King…Tombolo? King of the Fairhairs? Troy Tombolo’s father?”

  “Yes.”

  Only one thought flashed like a neon sign in my mind: Troy Tombolo was a prince of the sea. Then, with the speed of a lightning bolt, another thought, a much less pleasing thought, stabbed my inner eyes.

  “The other family, the rulers of the Ravenflames…it’s the Zale family, isn’t it?” I said, finally seeing the full picture of what she has been trying to tell me.

  “Yes.”

  “I need to know more about the families.”

  “Perhaps you would like to open Merworld Water Wars,” the book suggested.

  I slammed the book closed, then shuddered. I cautiously opened Merworld Water Wars, brushed my fingers over the Read Aloud button, and waited for her face to appear. “I’m so sorry for slamming the other book shut. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “I take no offense, young one,” she said gently.

  “Please, tell me about the Tombolo’s and Zale’s.”

  “Zarius Zale is the king of the Ravenflames, father to Katrina, Kathreena, Kyle, and Kellen. King Zale forced King Tombolo and the Fairhairs into submission, effectively taking control of the Gulf of Mexico.” She stopped suddenly, her face turning fearful. “They are coming. They suspect. Listen to me carefully, young one. There is something extremely dangerous happening in this mystical town. Doctor Tenly believes King Zale and the Ravenflames have always had a highly guarded reason for creating Saxet Shores.” A tear rolled down her beautiful face. “Please, you must discover their secret.”

  “How? I’m just a Normal!”

  “Exactly! Find Trey Campbell. He has been working on this.”

  I should have known. “Trey’s missing.”<
br />
  “No,” she whispered, tears staining her lovely cheeks.

  “All I can do is try,” I said, feigning confidence.

  “That is all we ask.” Her eyes widened.

  This time, I heard what caused such fear in her eyes. The shouting, protesting, and brisk, forceful footsteps began to infiltrate my thoughts, pushing the churning facts into a mental filing cabinet. Purple swirls circled the room, buzzing and zapping at my chair—this must have been Maryweather’s warning signal.

  “I promise to do what I can,” I said to the face, my hands trembling as I gently closed the book. Snatching the other book off the table, I swiftly moved to put them back.

  This really was not the time to feel like an idiot, but when your foot catches on the chair leg and you face-plant opposite a group of snickering fish, it was impossible not to feel the stupid take over.

  “What am I going to do?” The shouting grew louder, and I had not yet put the books back in place.

  “Throw the books towards the bookcase,” whispered a voice.

  With no time to think about how seriously creepy that voice sounded, I channeled my inner quarterback and threw for the History of Saxet Shores, Texas bookcase; the books soared to the bookcase and slid into their rightful slots.

  I grabbed my bag, straightened the chairs, pointed at the archway, and snapped. I carefully slithered out and crept along the back wall of the library, just as Maryweather suggested. Before rounding the corner, I saw Maryweather slip inside the nook, smiling like a cat. Carefully passing each row of bookshelves, I caught glimpses of burly Ravenflame men arguing with a small Fairhair woman.

  “I told you, no one has gone in there today, Kyle,” said the woman.

  “Prince Kyle to you, Fairhair. And, if that’s true, it shouldn’t be an issue for us to check inside,” replied Kyle Zale. His dark clothing matched his hardened eyes.

  “Of course not, Prince Kyle,” said the woman nervously.

  After tiptoeing along the back wall, I stealthily exited the library. Running down the steps, I knew I had to quickly hide on the other side of the building until the Ravenflames left. I had barely concealed myself when they emerged from the front doors with a screaming woman in tow.