by M. E. Rhines
I drew my shoulders back, refueled with confidence as I addressed him. “I don’t think my aunt Myrtle will be thrilled to hear she’s been a victim of espionage. If you wanted to know us, you could’ve just come by and said hello. We’re a friendly bunch, in case your sources haven’t informed you.”
“My dear, I know all there is to know about Atargatis. And one thing I can tell you for certain is that most of your clan’s existence has been spent behaving in a way that could never be described as friendly.”
“That’s true,” I conceded. Lennox’s gaze burned into my back, but I carried on. “Not long ago, we were known for our ferociousness. I imagine we were legendary throughout the ocean. I’m also certain you’ve heard things have changed. We reserve that level of violence and aggression to protect ourselves now. As long as we go unprovoked, you have nothing to fear.”
“Well, isn’t that reassuring?” he touted, sarcastic and exaggerated. “Lennox, what do you think? Have we anything to fear from this princess’s poorly concealed warning?”
I glanced at Lennox, pleading with him to play along. He blinked at me, his expression blank and vacant, then moved a stone-faced stare to his king. My gills slammed shut as I realized what was about to happen.
Lennox was going to betray me.
“No, Your Majesty,” Lennox responded without a hitch.
Three words. Three words was all it took to tear down every promise we’d made to each other. To revert my perception of him to what it had been when we first met—that he was a vile, untrustworthy cretin no more appetizing than a land-dwelling human. Three words took our plans and cast them into the abyss, never to resurface again.
“Interesting.” King Odom mocked surprise, rubbing his bearded chin with his index finger. “Given our ambassador’s confidence, I’m anxious to hear what you base such an opinion on.”
The traitor stepped forward, reporting for duty as Margaret predicted he would. “Atargatis is poorly constructed. They are still rebuilding from the revolution, and Queen Myrtle seems slow to gain power. They pose no significant threat that I can see.”
Even though I saw it coming, the extent of his disloyalty swept into me, making my tail wobble. Blinking back stinging tears, I turned on him. “Lennox,” I hissed through my teeth. “What are you doing?”
King Odom sliced his hand through the air. “Quiet, wretch. You’re just as mouthy as your mother was. Lennox, continue.”
“They live in grottos,” Lennox further explained. “Nothing grander than holes in the caves. The queen does have a palace, but it’s nothing to brag about. Atargatis is in shambles.”
“That’s good news, no doubt, but I hesitate to celebrate. I see no sack containing the head of Calypso, as ordered.”
The muscles on Lennox’s neck protruded. I didn’t care if it was from fear of penalty for not fulfilling his assigned task, or from the strain of speaking against my people. It didn’t matter anymore. Margaret was right. This lowly Fin-man wouldn’t dare defy his king. Not even after he claimed to choose me.
The truth pierced my heart, feeding a rage that sank deep into my bones. I heaved in long, heavy breaths. Spots appeared before my eyes, and I could feel it. The darkness crept back into my soul, this time with a firm grip I didn’t know how to shake. My clenched fists trembled at my sides, and my tail lengthened, prepared for war.
Before this was over, I would rip that turncoat from limb to limb.
After a moment of long, tense silence, Lennox finally shook his head. “Queen Myrtle refused to release her.”
“Is that so?” King Odom leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Then I’m not sure we have anything further to discuss.”
I glared at him, my face aching from the tightness of my muscles. “Oh, but I believe we have a great deal left to discuss. Queen Myrtle has sent me with an offer. While we will not yield on our position to protect our former ruler, we’d like to extend our hand in peace.”
“Besides that sea witch’s head, there is nothing of value your pitiful clan can offer me. I have more silver than I know what to do with; what little you have cannot persuade me to drop the matter.”
“We don’t intend to buy you off with gold or silver. Though I have a sneaking suspicion we could be successful in such a bargain, despite your claim otherwise. I’ve observed your people. They’re an extension of you. Therefore, I can only assume you’re a covetous creature governed by greed.”
King Odom shrugged, brushing the insult off. “You’re a bright mermaid with a good eye to spot a bluff. Chances are you’re right. I do have a weakness for shiny things, just ask the Fin-women working hard on the land to secure me a constant supply. But you say you’ve got something else.”
“That’s right. Something I think you’ll find your kingdom in dire need of.”
“Then I ask, out of curiosity rather than real consideration, mind you, what kind of wealth do you plan to entice me with?”
I arched a brow and announced simply, “Food.”
King Odom watched me, waiting for more. When I said nothing further, he held out his thick arms in question. “Food?” he echoed. “What by land or sea makes you think I’d give up my revenge for a few bits of nori?”
“We aren’t talking about scraps, King Odom. Your people survive on what the fisherman use to lure in bottom dwellers, and there’s still not enough to go around. It’s shameful. My kingdom is prepared to offer you enough food to feed your entire clan. Shrimp, grouper, moss, sea cucumbers. We have a surplus, much more than we require to flourish. Let us share it with you.”
“And in return?”
“All we seek is peace. An allegiance, if you will.”
Behind me, Ainsley smacked his lips. His stomach growled, pleading with his king to take the deal. Even King Odom flicked his tongue out to taste my words. But I knew his type. He was the male counterpart to Queen Calypso. There was no way in this great ocean he would take the deal, no matter how generous it was.
“You look nothing like her, you know.”
I scrunched my nose, confused by the sudden turn in conversation. “What are you talking about?”
“Queen Calypso. You share her darkness—it surrounds you no matter how much you would like to hide it. But physically, you share nothing more than blood. Your human father must’ve had the superior genetics in that coupling.”
“Leave him out of this.”
“I wonder what it feels like to know your mother killed him. Your own flesh and blood—half of who you are. Calypso murdered him without hesitation as soon she got what she needed. Don’t you feel even the slightest need for vengeance on his behalf?”
My chest constricted as my mouth went dry. Truth be told, I had never given much thought to my father and what happened to him. For me, it wasn’t possible to mourn someone I never knew. King Odom was right, though. The man, human or not, had been my father, and Calypso murdered him. For all I knew, his only crime was sailing in the wrong part of the ocean at the most inopportune moment.
For the first time, I pondered what he looked like. As a sailor, I imagined he smelled like rotting fish and crusted sea salt, the way most of Mother’s captives did. He must have had dark hair, since Mother’s was so light. A twinge of sadness pinched at me, and I felt it without guilt. I’d never know him. It was just one more thing I could let haunt me or make me fight harder.
I chose the latter.
“Queen Calypso did many terrible things,” I admitted. “The assassination of my father being just one of thousands. I’ve made peace with her past, and she is paying for it.”
“Her evil will never be fully extinguished until she’s dead. Those touched by her wicked ways can’t find closure knowing she still lives. Would you deny them that?”
“My heart grieves for those still afflicted by her sins. With respect, King Odom, we happen to disagree on the appropriate course of action. We are capable of managing her without resorting to murder.”
“You’re fools. T
he whole clan. You can’t be allowed to endanger the entire ocean out of pity.”
I swam forward. “What is it you’re so frightened of, King Odom? That she might rise from her prison and bring down your walls?”
He stumbled on his words. The more he choked, the clearer his dilemma became. This was why he’d insisted on having my mother assassinated. Of all the clans ransacked by the Finfolk, these aggressors never dared step foot in Atargatis. Mother’s powers outmatched his army, and he despised it. Prison wasn’t good enough because he hated the idea of losing an ounce of dominion to her. As long as she lived inside my kingdom’s walls, King Odom would be too afraid to attempt a raid.
Thank the merciful Poseidon that Myrtle had agreed to this rendezvous. If she’d sent along Calypso’s head, King Odom would’ve attacked within weeks, if not days. Lennox would’ve reported our dilapidated state, and it would’ve been taken as a sign of Myrtle’s lack of sorcery. Mother would’ve rebuilt the kingdom with her magic, while my aunt chose to use the opportunity to bring our clan together. To an outsider, it would be nothing more than an excuse.
“You can’t sleep at night, can you, King Odom?” I asked with a condescending snicker. “As long as she’s alive, you know we could unleash her at any moment. Send her to your doorstep to introduce you to your maker. The mere possibility is too much to bear.”
King Odom forced an unconvincing chuckle. “Calypso poses no threat to my kingdom or me. Not in her condition. I’ve seen to that.”
“You mean by consulting the forbidden spell book of the merrows?” The words left my mouth, and I sucked in, wishing I could swallow them back up. King Odom stood, but he did not advance. He opened his mouth, and I cut him off. I couldn’t repeal the slip, so I would use the revelation to attack.
“I’m willing to wager your people haven’t the slightest idea what forces you’re tampering with. Something tells me you might face a mutiny if they did.”
King Odom shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong. My clan follows orders. Period. They don’t question my methods, and they don’t ask questions.”
“Not even if your ‘methods’ could rip their kingdom apart from the seams? There’s a darkness at play within those pages, one you can’t possibly understand or contain.”
“What’s she talking about?” Lennox asked, not looking at me. “What spell book?”
“That is none of your concern,” the king bellowed.
Lennox placed his palm on the butt of his blade, preparing to unsheathe it. “I think it might be if it endangers my fellow Finfolk.”
“Stand down, Lennox,” Ainsley ordered, shooting him a pointed glare of warning. “You answer to the king, not the other way around.”
“Princess Angelique.” Lennox cleared his throat, as if my name was the most putrid-tasting word he’d ever spoken. “Somehow, I think there’s more you’ve neglected to tell me.”
“There’s plenty I omitted from our conversations, Lennox, and in good judgement apparently. Your king has taken my mother’s soul hostage,” I explained. “Her body lives, but I have no idea for how long. He keeps her spirit locked—”
“That’s enough,” King Odom shouted. “Princess, you are walking yourself to the dungeon with every word you speak. Do not force my hand.”
“Your threats are meaningless. You may believe you’ve confined Calypso, but let me tell you something, King Odom. My mother cannot be controlled. Not by you, not by Myrtle. No one can defeat her. In fact, just before I left for this journey, she spoke to me. Somehow, she found a way out of the darkness you enveloped her in, even if just for a moment.”
He went pale, his mouth open. “Impossible. Not while her spirit is bound to me.”
“That’s right.” I nodded, slow and deliberate. “Even under your spell, she found a way to free herself, and she could do it again. If I don’t return, she will rise, and she will lead the armies of Atargatis and Atlantis to your gates. Now, I ask you, sir, is it worth the risk?”
King Odom sat down in silence for a moment. He rubbed his chin, pondering my words before speaking. “It is true, your former queen may have been mighty in her prime, but in the end, she was brought down by a weaker witch and her own teenaged daughters. If you and your pack of amateurs could defeat her, I’d say I have a fighting chance.”
“Come now.” I cocked my head at him. “You and I know we couldn’t have done it on our own.”
“That’s right. Queen Calypso wallowed in her self-pity for years until it ate away at her mind. The lot of you helped, but her own evil was her undoing.”
“As yours will be. For you see, she now has something to fight for. She lost her way. If given the chance, I think she’d be eager to prove she’s regained herself. If that day comes, you don’t want to be in her crosshairs. That’s why you have this insatiable need to see her dead. Fear.”
The king rushed toward me, stopping just inches away. His furious breath choked me. I nearly swept my tail to pull me back, but caught myself. I would not back down.
“What kind of fermented seaweed have you been eating, girl?” he asked, his voice shaking.
As expected, my little nibble at his pride forced him out of his calm. I smiled, feeling accomplished. “Only the finest the tropical waters have to offer.”
“I am not afraid,” he screamed, the volume causing the crystal rafters above to quake almost as unsteadily as his body did. “Not of Calypso, not of Myrtle, and certainly not of a stupid little mermaid like you. You know what you’ve done, don’t you?’
“Do tell.”
“Because of you and your insolence, not only will your mother die, but I will also swim to Atargatis myself to fetch her. I’ll bring my entire army with me to ravage your pitiful little city. We’ll steal every piece of gold, ransack every home for trinkets, and murder every mermaid you’ve ever loved. The sea itself will bleed by our blade, and she’ll blame you for it. I will burn every inch of coral with my magic, and the whole ocean will know I’ve wiped Atargatis from the map. Then, I’ll shout it to them all, make sure they know I did it because of Princess Angelique, heir to the throne of her kingdom’s ashes.”
I whipped my head from side to side, chasing away the rising anxiety. “No,” I insisted. “You can’t.”
“In fact, I believe I can. You’ve seen what I’m capable of, haven’t you? If I can manage to pluck your mother’s soul from her half-dead shell of a body from across the ocean, just imagine what else I can do.”
“I’m perfectly abreast of the evils you’ve submerged yourself in,” I snapped. “But you can’t do it. Atlantis will fight by Queen Myrtle’s side. Your army and your magic might be enough to defeat one clan, but not both.”
King Odom picked up one of my curls, then twisted it around his finger. His eyes gleamed, a faint shadow of something sinister and deranged flickering in them.
“You forget one thing,” he said with an eerie serenity about him. “To assemble their troops would require advance knowledge of my approach. I hold one mighty advantage. The element of surprise.”
I raised my tail, prepared to flip myself around to make a break for the door. If I could swim out of here, perhaps I could get a head start. Get to Aunt Myrtle and warn her. That way, she could call on Donald to prepare the Atlantians for the upcoming attack.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Lennox. It was a devastating reminder and my heart sank. Even if I managed to plow through his army and make it to open ocean, it’d still take me weeks to cover the kind of ground Lennox could in hours. His current would ensure a swift approach. King Odom’s army would tear Atargatis to the ground before I made it a quarter of the way home.
My tail relaxed, and the king smirked as if reading the surrender in my thoughts. “Put her away,” he said to Ainsley with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The sharp tip of a blade poked the back of my neck. I buckled under the sting, dropping to the ground. Lennox’s feet turned toward me, but he made no movement to help.
“To your feet,” Ainsley ordered.
I growled, filled to the gills with enough adrenaline to choke a shark, but no way to expel it. “I don’t have feet, you stupid clownfish. Poseidon was merciful enough to spare me such a mutation.”
“Shut up!” His fingers curled around my forearm, digging in until the flesh bruised. He jerked me upright, then shoved me forward. “Get moving or I swear to the seas I’ll stab you in the back.”
I spared Lennox a single, contemptable glare. “That seems to be the way your entire clan operates.”
Lennox’s lips turned downward, and he averted his beautiful green eyes. My heart tore to pieces as I swam away, knowing I would never gaze at them again.
A spider crab scuttled through a crack in the stone wall of the dungeon. The first sign of companionship I’d encountered since finding myself imprisoned in what amounted to a cave beneath the castle. I extended a friendly finger to him, a futile attempt to draw him closer. When he skittered away, darting between the metal bars with ease, my gills turned green with envy.
I couldn’t blame him for wanting out. For several hours after Ainsley locked me in this prison, I’d explored every nook and cranny, frantic to find my own escape. The palace’s floor served as my ceiling. The barnacled bottom was so low I could barely straighten. Solid, frozen rock pinned me in on three sides, and prison bars blocked the only possible exit. Unlike my crustacean friend, I couldn’t squeeze through them. Much to my dismay, I was trapped, and the person holding the keys would sooner spit in my face than set me free.
Down here, there were no artificially enhanced plants to keep me warm. No breathtaking crystals playing tricks with my reflection. Only chips and fissures in the eroding rock to count and find shapes in. A sad excuse for entertainment, and not nearly enough to keep one from going mad.
I frowned, thinking of what a terrible, lonely existence Mother must live now that she was imprisoned. Still, at least she had the sun to bask in. A window to watch the sea creatures swim by. I was condemned to solitude in freezing darkness, left alone with my crippling thoughts and memories.