I gritted my teeth; wrapping my fingers around his thick throat and squeezing sounded like a better idea. But he’d hurt Lucy if I didn’t cooperate. “Fine.”
He moved a little closer and rubbed his tail against me again. “And later, we’ll start working on that son. Once you deliver in a few weeks, and I’ve put together my army, we’ll show the proof and overthrow the kingdom.”
“Get away from me!” I shrieked and scooted away, still cradling my injured hand.
His eyes clouded in anger as his face went rigid. “Red tide! Isn’t that pesky nephew of mine dead yet?”
He looked toward the hole under the water that led out to Lake Tahoe and tugged at my hand.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” Two mermen emerged from the other side of the cave, speaking a weird language I could strangely understand. The shorter of the two, the one with dark hair, stopped as our eyes met. His mouth fell open.
“Galadriel?” he whispered.
I blinked, then nodded my head slightly. Maybe if he thought I was the Princess, he’d save me from this monster.
“Yes,” I said, but in English. My brain knew how to speak in their language, but the syllables required my tongue to contort in a way I’d never tried before.
The merman startled, then frowned.
“You think this is Galadriel?” Alaster laughed. “Oh, no. She’s easy on the eyes, but not as lovely as the Princess is. I could see with the hair how it would confuse you, but I assure you she’s not.”
“A little young for you, don’t you think?” The dark haired merman creased his brow, glaring at Alaster.
The other merman, noticeably taller, had sandy brown hair and clear blue eyes. He didn’t focus on any one person or thing—as if he were deaf—and shifted nervously in the water.
“I thought you were in prison, Jax.” Alaster’s voice grew callous as he put his arm protectively over my shoulder. I tried to shrug it off; he gripped tighter.
“I’m out on bail—aren’t I?” Jax nudged his friend with a coy smile. The other merman didn’t respond.
“What are you two doing here? This is a private gateway,” Alaster said sternly.
“We, uhhh, had a tip about Galadriel.” Jax smiled weakly. “But apparently you’ve found her lookalike, so… we won’t be venturing on, I suppose.”
Terrified and in shock, I couldn’t speak. I trembled, wishing for them to stop Alaster; to save Fin. Numbness still consumed my heart and I wondered if Fin were even alive. I did what I could; I lifted my hand slightly. Jax’s gaze flicked at my wound; concern spread on his face.
Alaster noticed. “The human man she lived with beat her. Look at this—” He grabbed my hand and yanked. I yelped in pain. “The jackass cut her fingers when we were trying to escape.”
“No—” I tried to say, but Alaster gripped my hand tighter, taking away my breath.
“The girl’s still in shock from the change,” Alaster interrupted, “speaking gibberish most of the time.”
“Oh.” Jax ticked his head to the side.
I pleaded with my eyes for help as a tear trickled down my cheek. They couldn’t believe him. They needed to probe deeper, to punch him out.
“That’s horrible.” Jax bowed his head.
“Well, the human has received his justice, so,” Alaster lifted his chest, “it’s the responsibilities and dangers of guarding a gate, I suppose. I couldn’t let her suffer. She’s one of the lucky ones, but will require a lot of tender love and care. It’s my duty as her new mate. Can I escort you fellas back to Natatoria?”
My stomach pitched a fit and I almost retched. Help me.
“You know what, Ferd?” Jax slyly smiled. “I think Alaster is lying. How about you?”
The rush of fins startled me, as the white water swirled in front of my eyes. I moved out of the way as razor sharp tail fins smashed into the rocky walls. After a minute, Ferd emerged with his arm around Alaster’s neck. Jax followed with a punch into Alaster’s jaw, knocking him out cold. Alaster’s body crumpled like a jellyfish and slipped under the waterline. He came to rest peacefully on the bottom of the cave floor.
“Tough sucker.” Jax lifted his tail and ran his finger over one of the spikes. He tasted the liquid. “Totally resistant to my poison.”
Ferd looked off to the side, oblivious once again.
I marveled at the relaxed swagger this rag-tag team exuded. “Why did you do that?”
“Honey.” Jax took my hand and inspected it. “Did he do this, too? Or was that really from your human?”
The tears poured from my eyes. “Alaster cut my fingers off.”
Jax tsked and frowned in sympathy. “I’m sorry. What’s your name?”
I bit my lip. Though a criminal, Jax’s concern ebbed from his eyes, making me trust him.
“Ashlyn.”
“Where’s home, Ashlyn?”
“Tahoe.”
“Come on, Ferd. Grab the reptile. This all seems a little fishy.”
As the three of us swam to Tahoe together, the blood whooshed in my ears. Though they’d rescued me, I didn’t know if I’d jumped from the pan into the fire by allowing these criminals to escort me. According to Fin, Galadriel’s situation was a secret. Who had given Jax the tip Galadriel was in Tahoe and why did they want to find her first?
“I knew Alaster was a sick and twisted arthropod, but to butcher your hand like hers? I mean, you’re a very close knock-off. I thought for a second you were Galadriel, with the red hair and all, but—” He slyly tried to check out my backside. “Did he put a mark on your hip by chance?”
Butcher my hand? Was Alaster secretly trying to pass me off as Galadriel instead?
“No.” Thankfulness flooded me. My black dress, though holey, still covered my birthmark, so Jax couldn’t be sure and ask more questions. Maybe he’d leave me alone if he suspected I wasn’t royalty. But as we swam a little farther, a nervous flutter hit my stomach with a vengeance.
“Shouldn’t Alaster be turned in? To your mer police?”
Jax chuckled. “I’m not in the best standing with the police myself, so I’m not sure what we’re going to do with him, actually. But I can’t leave you here, honey. It’s a shark-eat-shark world out there. And though this reptile was anxious to pawn you off as royalty, you’re a mermaid now, and unfortunately I’m not privy in how to change you back.”
“That’s okay. I—I’m good actually. I’ll be staying here, so you can go.” I jetted into the current away from them. “Thank you,” I called out.
If I could get inside the tunnel without them seeing, maybe they’d go away.
Jax caught up with me. “No, Ashlyn. This isn’t right. I’m not a hook and release kind of merman.”
“I’m okay, seriously.”
“I can’t leave you.”
“I’m not alone. I’m already promised.” I hope.
“You are? To who?” He flared his tail to slow down. “Is he here?”
My heartbeat accelerated as we neared the tunnel to the hatch. A trail of stinky fish, sweet flowers, Colin’s musk, and Fin’s clean scent infused my nose. Ferd’s anxiety peaked and he dropped Alaster in the current. He rushed for the tunnel first.
“No!” I screamed. “Stop!”
“Wait up, dude,” Jax called out and followed closely behind as Ferd swam into the hole.
I followed behind when I heard a scream. My heart dropped. Upon surfacing in the basement, I spotted Galadriel and Jax in one another’s arms, but not fighting. She was alive and they were hungrily devouring one another in a passionate kiss.
“You’re here!” she kept saying over and over as tears poured from her eyes.
I stopped, my head ping-ponging in confusion. He and Galadriel were promised? I’d completely missed Jax’s tattoo. As their lips continued to devour against one another’s, I turned away in embarrassment and smiled.
Ferd lingered off to the side, rearranging a stack of beach towels. But beyond, Fin floated in the pool. His eyes wer
e open, watching me. He cracked a smile and feebly lifted his hand. My heart surged.
“Fin!” I dove in to him. “You’re okay!”
He grabbed me and drew me close.
“I survived,” his voice cracked, “barely. But you, how’d you get away?”
“Jax and Ferd saved me from Alaster.” I held him tight and curled my tail around his body. “I’m so sorry. This was all my fault.”
“Your fault?” he asked, caressing my face. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I didn’t protect you, and now you’re a mermaid.”
We sunk underwater together. I pressed my body into his thankful the horrific change was finally over. “They say I’m a princess, too. I have some mark on my hip.”
“A princess?” He took my face between his hands. “How?”
“This.” I pulled up the side of my dress.
“What are you wearing?” He pinned me with a naughty smile.
“Oh.” I blushed. “Georgia made me wear it… I’m afraid it’s ruined now.”
He ran his finger over the mark, tickling the skin where he touched. His face lit up. “Holy carp.”
“I know, but that’s not the worst of our problems.” My tears melted into the water around us. “I didn’t tell you Colin and Alaster were here, and now… I screwed up big time.”
Fin stroked my cheek with his thumb. “Lucy told me Colin was here when I called. I already knew.”
“She did?” I looked down, remembering. Lucy had said he wasn’t coming. “She said you weren’t coming and I thought the worst. Oh, you must hate me.”
“It’s okay now” He enveloped me in a hug, pressing my head to his chest. “Ash, I love you and I’m here. We’ll never be apart.” I heard the smile in his voice.
I wiggled out of his arms, furious. “Why didn’t you tell me of the excruciating pain? The torture! And now with everything, how can you say it’s okay? Somehow my life has been a lie, your uncle kidnapped me and wanted to make me his,” I full body shivered, revolted how close that came into being, “and he tried to kill you and Galadriel. And Colin,” I gasped, remembering. “He killed his own son!”
“Colin survived.”
“What?”
I pulled away from Fin and surfaced. Colin sat in the corner with a bloody towel wrapped around his legs. His childlike eyes were wide and filled with terror. A large red wound decorated his side.
“He’s—human?”
My body involuntarily shook, remembering the pain of the conversion and Alaster’s horrible kiss.
“Yes.” Fin shifted in the water nervously. “Galadriel didn’t have a choice. The barbs had cassava poison on them. I would have died otherwise. After she fed me the essence, Colin had already started to change. He’s a little freaked, but once the sun rises, we can get more essence upstairs and change him back.”
Pity surged inside me. “He tried to save you.”
“Yes, but if I hadn’t shown up when I did,” Fin’s eyes darkened, “he would have laid his filthy lips on you.”
Alaster’s kiss replayed in my mind and revolted my stomach. I looked away. Fin couldn’t know what happened, at least not yet. “He was following his father’s orders.”
Fin swiveled me to face him. “I’m done talking about them.” He pulled me underwater and brought his lips hungrily to mine. A tingle electrified my skin as all my love for him rushed back. I hugged his neck hard in thankfulness. We were still promised. Nothing had changed.
After a minute he studied my face and took my hands. “What are you wearing? How long have you been trapped down here?”
The surprise birthday at the club seemed like lifetimes ago. I brushed my stubby hand against my face.
Fin recoiled in horror. “What did Alaster do to you?!”
“He….” I forced back a sob and tucked my hand behind my dorsal fin.
“Oh, I’m going to slaughter him. Where is he?” Fin popped out of the water and launched himself onto the deck toward the porthole. He yanked on the handle. The hatch didn’t open.
“Damn it, Alaster! You bastard!” He banged his fists on the closed hatch.
At the same time, something crashed against the floor above us, shaking the rafters. We all looked up in unison as the room quieted in terror.
40
:::
FIN
Friday morning, April 22nd
We watched as if the ceiling could cave in at any minute. What had fallen against the floor? Was this another trap? And where was Alaster anyway?
I slid across the suspension bridge to the other end of the basement and hoisted myself up the steps one at a time on my backside. “Please tell me you didn’t leave my Uncle in the lake unattended, Jax.”
“Dude.” Jax held up his hand. “Last I left him, he was out cold and not going anywhere. And your girl didn’t say nothing about you and Gladdy being here, so I had no clue what was up. Us finding you was plain luck. Isn’t that right, Ferd?”
Ferdinand didn’t respond as usual, but Ash shot me an anxious look from the poolside as she hugged her arms. I smiled ruefully.
“Well, someone locked the porthole from the other side, limpet breath, and I don’t suppose it was Tahoe Tessie.” I popped my shoulder against the basement door. It didn’t even budge an inch, barricaded shut. “Son of a biscuit eater! We’re locked in.”
“Who’s Tessie?” Jax frowned.
I scowled. “I can’t believe you let Alaster get away so he could lock us in here! Some rescue!”
Galadriel slapped her tail on the water. “You two need to quit arguing! We don’t have time for this. Alaster can easily bring back more mindless mermuscles from Natatoria by morning and we need to come up with a plan.”
“I say we fight ‘em!” Jax rallied. The sound of a javelin unsheathing from the wall ricocheted around the room.
“Doubt we’d last a minute,” I mumbled, remembering Colin’s tolerance to my merman sting. We’d need something stronger, like octopus ink, to do any damage to Alaster or whoever came to arrest us. I glared at Galadriel, remembering the taxi incident. “You got anymore ink?”
Jax’s face lit up. “No way. You holdin’ out on us, Gladdy?”
“No.” Galadriel was suddenly interested in untangling the wispy netted strips of her swim dress.
“Girl likes to drug her boys.” I lifted my right brow and looked at Jax.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Galadriel’s shocked face.
“Boys?” Jax asked.
If I didn’t know Galadriel was a victim of a mob kissing, I would have told him the truth about the flock of love birds showing up at the beach house, considering what a pain in the dorsal fin she’d been. Her silent pleading stopped me.
“Well, me and Ferd. That stuff gives a hangover—let me tell you. Why did you use it in the taxi anyway?”
Judging from her expression, she’d expected me to tell Jax her secret. “I—I didn’t think you’d sing and I’d wanted the taxi driver to take a short cut so I could get to Jax sooner. He must have taken us on the long route instead.” She smiled at me in thanks. Considering all we’d been through and the fact she’d saved my life, I’d never reveal her secret. I nodded. “So, no. I don’t have any more.”
Jax scanned the ceiling line. “We could try the window. It looks a little small but once the light comes in, we can lob Gidget through the window.”
“Gidget?” I asked.
“Yeah.” He pointed at Ash. “Girl midget.”
I held my hand out to Galadriel. “Not any shorter than her.”
“True. You wanna crawl out, Gladdy?” Jax waggled his eyebrows.
She pursed her lips. “Well, not as a mermaid, I don’t.”
“Of course not,” He curled her up into his arms. She melted. “How else can I look up your skirt?” He laughed And Galadriel punched him in the shoulder.
I did a double take at the two of them. This was what Galadriel called an ideal mate? Her Mr. Darcy? Jax was totally opposite of what I
’d expected she wanted. I did have to hand it to him. He had her wrapped around his fin.
“Well I don’t want Ash to try because her hand is still healing,” I added before I dove into the pool. I draped my arms around her and kissed her forehead. I couldn’t believe she was actually here with me. My heart sped up every time I looked at her, knowing I no longer had to worry since she was now a mer like me.
Evergreen (Mer Tales, Book 2) Page 23