by M. R. Polish
Karis pushed through the water toward the wall. She needed air. Brady swam up next to her, his eyes filled with worry. He grabbed her hand and she could feel his warmth. Surprised, she looked down and saw his tail. Everything was blurry, and she knew that she needed oxygen.
She pushed her way out of the water and fell onto the dry ground of Perditus. She gasped and struggled to catch her breath, then raised herself up on her hands and knees. Gradually, she was able to regain her normal breathing.
She looked up at the wall and Brady, who waited for her. He was amazing. Even in Syrenae form he astounded her. His bare chest and green tail made her smile.
Wasn’t this what she came from? A world of magic and powers. He sacrificed so much to be here with her, she needed to do this for him.
She struggled on wobbly legs to get back up. Karis stared Brady straight in the eyes, afraid that if she looked anywhere else she wouldn’t go back in. He reached his hand out of the water out for her and pulled her to him.
She felt his warmth first, then a tingle in her legs. She never looked away, just stayed in his arms and gazed into his eyes. He smiled at her, his face lit up with happiness.
“You did it.”
Huh? Did he just speak in my mind? She gave her head a slight shake.
“Coron told me we can only talk this way while under the water. Something Syrenae can do in the water.”
“Amazing.”
She was so lost in his eyes that she didn’t realize she had changed forms. She no longer panicked and realized that she had no reason for oxygen. Karis pushed herself out from Brady and floated with just a small swish of her tail. Her dress hung down to her wide fins, hiding her tail, so she raised it up and tied it off to the side so she could get a good look at it. Her tail was teal with sparkles of the same pink of her Syrenae marking. It was beautiful.
Coron swam over to them. “We’ll head toward the south city first.”
She shivered. It was so weird to hear someone else’s voice inside her mind. She kept Brady’s hand in her own as they followed Coron and the guards.
Karis noticed how everything didn’t look blurry as it did before she changed. The water was blue and clear. Up ahead she noticed something familiar – a sea turtle lazily swimming in a current. It made her happy to know that not all things she’d come to love on Earth were lost to her.
It amazed her how easily she swam through the water. Her tail felt natural, like something she’d possessed her whole life. Brady was a strong swimmer, and she had to flip her tail faster to keep up with him.
They passed a school of brightly colored fish, but they didn’t pay any heed to the pearl. Karis stopped to marvel at the fish. She giggled, and air bubbles floated from her mouth. Brady smiled at her and nudged her to keep moving.
“We don’t want to lose them. We have no clue where we’re going.”
She agreed and reluctantly left the fish, hoping one day she could come back and enjoy the gift of the Syrenae. It didn’t take them long to reach another wall. She pushed through and fell to the ground, then twisted to watch her tail fade and her legs appear.
Her mouth twitched. Something she never thought of was what would happen once she changed back. She still wore her dress, but Brady was beside her without any pants. She blushed and turned away. Jarion flung a small pack at him.
“What’s that?” She noticed all the guards, including Coron, carried a small pouch with them across their chest, but never asked what it was for.
“Clothes.” Jarion chuckled. “Coron asked me to pack some for him in the chance that this happened.” Karis wanted to question how Coron planned it out, but thought better of it.
“Smart.” Brady pulled out a pair of pants and quickly slipped them on. The others already had theirs on, making Karis wonder how they did it so fast. She never even saw them without clothes—not that she wanted to.
She untied the skirt of her dress, which fell heavy against her legs. She picked it up and twisted; water poured out of it, but it was all she had. The wet fabric clung to her body, and she could feel Brady’s eyes as he watched her every move.
The city was almost as large as the great metropolis of Perditus. The same dry-clay buildings lined the community with amaranths, browns, and violets. A pearl of small Syrenae children swam behind the wall of water. Karis smiled at one who stopped playing to look at her. She was beautiful, with long blue hair that floated around her face. It matched the azure hues in her chartreuse tail. She couldn’t have been older than five or six, Karis mused. Her heart ached with the thought that, because of her, King Tharious could bring harm to the child and others like her.
She squared her shoulders and continued to stroll along the outside of the city, running her fingers through the wall of water as she walked. A salty mist sprayed around her, but she enjoyed the moisture. It felt familiar, like the mist off the sea around her island.
Brady walked next to her with his hand at the small of her back. “It was incredible, wasn’t it?” He stared off into the water.
“It was. I didn’t think I’d be okay with it, but it was truly spectacular.” She stopped and turned to face him. “Thank you, for helping me.”
He ran the back of his hand down her cheek. “Of course.”
“Ouch.” Karis grabbed her necklace and ripped it off. The pendant dangled from the chain she wrapped around her fingers. “It burned me.”
Brady withdrew his hand and tensed up. “Marin?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s never heated up so fast before.”
Coron came up behind them. “What’s never heated up so fast?”
Karis gave Brady a sideways glance. “My necklace. It becomes warm when someone tries to communicate. We haven’t figured it all out yet, but it takes Brady and me together to open the communication pathway.”
“May I see it?” Coron held his hand out.
“I have never given it to anyone since my father gave it to me, I’m sure you understand.”
“I do.” Coron glanced at Jarion, who stood off to the side with the other three guards. “I think we’ll go ahead and meet up with you in the town circle.”
“Circle?” Brady asked.
“Yes, circle.” Coron nodded to Karis and then departed.
“That was a little odd.” Brady lifted Karis’s hand with the necklace. “He seemed really intrigued by this.”
She looked to make sure that their departed entourage was far enough away. “When Tarine came to me and told me about the necklace after you helped me open it, he said it was powerful, and I should be careful who I trust with it. I have a seriously bad feeling.”
He followed her gaze to the three guards who were returning. “Just stay with me.” He held his arm out in front of her.
“Coron changed his mind. He’d like to meet with you now.”
Brady gave a slight nod. “I bet he does.”
They kept behind the guard and slowly walked to where Coron waited. An electrical pulse vibrated through the air. Karis cringed. It was a powerful energy to create such a pulsation. Memories flooded her mind, memories of her and her dad. She stopped and squeezed Brady’s hand.
Karis opened her mind to him, needing him to see and feel her thoughts. His eyes widened as she pictured the water and her tail. She had no way of knowing what he thought, but she knew he’d follow her. He gave a slight nod, just enough for her notice.
Wind picked up around them, and a funnel began to ascend from the water ceiling. Karis looked at Coron. “I’m sorry,” he yelled over the furious storm that brewed around them.
Brady pulled Karis out of the circle, and they ran toward the water. Syrenae everywhere ran and hid. Karis saw a flash of blue and the little girl from earlier, with her eyes wide in fear. She stood in the road while everyone darted around her.
“We have to help her,” Karis cried out. She tugged her hand free and rushed to the little girl. “Where is your mother?”
The little girl pointed at a s
maller turquoise-colored home. Karis picked her up and hurried to the front door. A beautiful woman with red hair came to the door and snatched the child from Karis’s arms, making eye contact for only mere seconds. “Thank you, but you must go. Coron controls Perditus and has made arrangements with Tharious. We are no longer free. Go! Help us, free us.” She slammed the door shut, leaving Karis standing in a stupor.
Karis shook her head. Nothing the woman said made sense. Why would Coron take her in? Why would he train them? A horn blew, and she knew King Tharious was almost there. She darted off to find Brady. He waited behind the water, already changed into his glorious tail. That was another thing that didn’t make sense. If Coron was united with King Tharious, then why did he bestow the gift of the Syrenae? She didn’t have time to ponder any of the questions that now plagued her mind.
She quickly dove in the water and grabbed Brady’s wrist. She felt the tingle of the Syrenae tail and then took off, swimming as fast as she could.
Brady looked over his shoulder at Karis but kept swimming. “Where do we go?”
“Go back to Perditus. Maybe we can find a way to make a portal before Coron finds out where we’re at.”
“Okay, great. A portal to where?”
“I don’t know, but I think Marin does. The necklace almost burned me before Tharious arrived. I think he wanted to warn us. We need to speak with him.”
Brady slowed down. She wasn’t near as fast or strong as he was and he could see her strain to keep up. “Alright, then we have a plan.”
Karis followed Brady in the water. She couldn’t remember which way they’d come, and everything looked the same. She trusted that he knew where they needed to swim. He slowed to almost a stop and reached his hand out.
Straight ahead, she could see the shimmering lights of Perditus.
He gave her a serious look. “We need to be careful. We aren’t sure who’s a friend.”
She nodded and proceeded to leave the water. She did her best not to fall with a splash, but it was hard. Her legs were weak. Even though they were in tail form, it was a strenuous swim. Brady came out behind her much more lithely. She rolled her eyes. She must look like a beached fish flopping out of the ocean compared to him.
He shot her a devilish smile. “So, um, you wanna find me some pants? Or should I walk through town like this?”
She blushed thinking of him strutting through the city with his manhood on display for all to see. “Wait here.” She took off toward the closest house.
She tapped on the door, making sure to knock quietly so not anyone who could make things worse would notice her. The door opened and her jaw dropped. Darvin gave a half smile. “What do I owe this pleasure, Princess?”
She hesitated. She didn’t know how close of a follower Darvin was to Coron and wasn’t certain if she could reveal her need for help. Water dripped from her hair and landed in a puddle outside his door.
“You’ve been swimming?” His eyes widened. “Aw, I think I understand. Wait here.”
She didn’t know whether she should run or stay. She shifted her weight uncomfortably from one foot to the other. The lights were on in the homes around her, making it easy to picture what each family must be doing right now. Eating dinner, bathing their children, nothing like her—running for her life.
Barrels of Sea Current bushes lined Darvin’s bluish house. They had long green blades and were thick in abundance. She took a step back. He took so long that she feared he planned how to capture her. She pictured a mental shield and readied herself for an attack.
The door opened, and he stepped out with a sword sheathed at his waist. From what she could see, it was silver with the same intricate designs as his tattoo. Just like Coron’s. A pair of black pants was draped over his arm.
“I’m assuming Coron gave you the gift.” He gestured to the water to the side of his house.
She nodded.
He gave her a knowing smile. “I’ve waited a long time for this day. Come on.”
He stepped off his small rock-laden porch and headed toward the water, where Brady waited for her return. She hesitated but then ran after him. “Wait,” she called out. “Please, let us go, we won’t tell anyone you let us.”
He stopped and turned on his heel. He raised a brow and chuckled. “I’m not here to stop you, I’m helping you. Now come on, I’m sure your partner needs clothes.”
He took off again, and she followed. “This way,” she directed as she ducked behind a small rock wall close to the water.
“Bout time,” Brady teased. He stood up fast when he saw Darvin walk behind her. She could see every muscle in his body tense up.
“It’s okay, I think.” She twisted to Darvin. “He’s here to help.”
“Here.” Darvin tossed Brady the pants. “I figured you’d need these.”
“Thanks.” Brady slipped them on without taking his eyes off Darvin. “How’d you know?”
Darvin sucked in a breath then let out a small groan as he exhaled. “I’ve known about Coron for a while. Most of the kingdom does. We’ve had our money taken and families stolen. It’s been a dark place for a while. King Tharious took my wife. I was beaten for trying to stop him. Coron stood by and let it happen.” He looked away, his eyes glossy. “I will do whatever I can to help you. I’m not sure what Coron has conspired with Tharious, but this can’t go on.”
Karis felt heavy with grief for him. Images of the woman with the little girl flashed in her mind. What she said about not being free stung her heart.
Brady cast her a sideways glance as she projected her thoughts to him, but he was still unsure about Darvin and didn’t want to fully take his attention away from him. “I don’t understand. What’s not free?”
Darvin looked at both of them and raised a brow. “What did I miss?”
Karis ignored him and turned to Brady. “That little girl, back in that city, her mother told me they aren’t free and to help them. The whole situation really hit me with Darvin’s story. It’s not just Shamike, it’s Perditus too. There is something bigger going on than what Tarine or Marin told us.”
“You’ve talked to Tarine?” Darvin looked with wide eyes, almost hopeful.
Karis glanced down. “He’s dead.”
“No, he’s not. Coron went behind Tharious’s ruling and had him placed under arrest instead. He’s been serving a sentence in Baratrum. I thought he told you.”
Karis gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. “No.” Instantly her whole body felt heavy and mental anguish sheared its way through every vein. It was because of her. He helped her. Remorse and guilt spread through her faster than fire. His fate seemed worse than death to her.
Brady tipped his head slightly. “Baratrum. What or where is that?”
Darvin straightened his back. “It is a dark world full of demon-like beings. They are fallen spirits full of rage. Some of them are outcasts from different worlds, and others are merely beings that follow the darkness.”
“Like Hell?” Brady shifted his weight and folded his arms.
“Precisely.”
Karis shuddered. “And I’m the reason he’s there.”
Brady reached out for her. “No. It is not because of you. Damn it, how did I never know all these worlds existed before? I mean I knew of Hell, but I thought you had to be dead to be sent there.”
Darvin shook his head. “That was only the plan for Earth. Each world has its own plan, its own purpose. Here, we can interact with other worlds, but Earth is special. Humans have the choice, but in this world and many others, Baratrum, or Hell, can be used as a punishment.”
Karis’s stomach flopped. “How do you know about Tarine?”
“He came to me long ago after my wife was taken. He came with news of her. She killed herself so Tharious could not have her. He also gave me something else, something I’ve told no one.” He scanned both of their faces. “He bestowed a gift to me, one that is set apart for royalty.” He glanced down at Karis’s throat where her penda
nt rested. “If anything ever happened to him, I would be the one to communicate with you.”
She frowned. “Then how did Marin get through?” Then the realization hit her. Tarine was in Baratrum; there, the most evil guards could take over bodies and force them to do things against their will. He opened the communication portal, but it was Marin who spoke. He must have used the demons against Tarine to make him do his will.
She yanked off the necklace and handed it to Darvin. Brady tried to protest and reached out for it, but Karis held up her hand. “He’s telling the truth.”
“Are you sure, Princess?” Darvin hesitated before taking the pendant.
“I don’t want Marin to find us. It is safer with you.”
He placed the necklace in the small pouch he wore across his torso. “I’ll keep it safe.”
“I can’t believe I almost communicated with him again. That was our plan once we got back. I could have made things worse for everyone here.”
Brady wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in for an embrace. “It’s okay. We’ll find a way.”
Darvin grinned. “I am the gateway keeper.”
Karis looked up. “Of course!”
“We should hurry before Coron returns.” Darvin took off. Brady and Karis followed close behind him.
The entry to the portal was just as bright as Karis remembered. She shielded her eyes with her hands. “Where do we go?”
Darvin turned to Brady. “You take her home, to Aridam. You have family there.”
Karis reached out and touched Darvin’s arm. “I don’t know the energy codes to get there.”
He smiled at her. “It’s in his blood. He’ll get you there. Now go before all the portals are shut everywhere on lockdown.” He reached his hand out. Brady accepted and shook it, sealing an unspoken deal.
Brady took Karis’s hand, pulled her to his side, and looked at Darvin. “What about you?”
“What? And miss a fight with Tharious?” He had a gleam in his eye, and Karis knew what he wanted. “Goodbye, friends.”
“Goodbye.” Karis walked into the blinding light and gripped Brady’s hand tighter.