by Diana Paz
“Screw this,” she muttered as saltwater streamed down her face and body. She turned back to the shore.
A thick coil of slick seaweed wrapped around her leg as she tried to walk. She kicked it off, irritated and grossed out at the same time. With each step, more gunk washed around her body, and she silently vowed never to jump into the ocean again unless her life depended on it. “Get off,” she muttered, shoving off a particularly stubborn bit of seaweed, but it stuck to her leg. The rising water churned with sand, clouding her vision below the surface. But something wasn’t right about this. She took another step forward. The seaweed tightened its hold on her leg.
“Julia,” Angie called from the shore. “Are you all right?”
She glanced up. Behind Angie she caught sight of Brian. Their gazes locked.
A vicious yank from beneath the waves stole her breath. She hit the water with a harsh slap.
“Wh-wha—”
Brian’s startled expression was the last thing she saw before being pulled under.
The seaweed coiled so fiercely around her leg, she cried out in alarm. She kicked the slimy thing, trying to stand back up, but whatever it was wouldn’t let go. Panic took hold. She tore at her leg, unable to get a handle on the slimy sea plant. Especially because it was now moving, wriggling, inching its way up her thigh. Her mind went blank at the realization. Her body froze as she tried to make sense of what this could mean.
The distinct impression of an icy hand on her calf shot ice up her spine.
Creatures.
She was yanked by both legs this time, dragged deep into the ocean.
Her mind reeled at the memory of merfolk, their viperish fangs glistening with venom. “No,” she gurgled, the word a garble of helpless noise and wasted oxygen beneath the surface. She kicked out at the creature, trying to get a hold of her magic. Her palms glowed as she thrust them out.
Water and light shot out from her hands. The force shot both her and the creature skyward in a blast of sea spray. Julia sucked in a breath of air before landing in the water again. “Help,” she screamed as the demon dragged her under.
There were more of them now. They sped her along the ocean floor until her ears throbbed with pressure. How could this be happening? The magic hadn’t summoned them—they weren’t breaking the oath to the Fates. Creatures couldn’t breach the timeline, they could only target the past.
Uh, does any of that matter at the moment? Creatures were dragging her through the ocean and she was going to drown if she didn’t do something to stop them. She tried to build up her magic again, but her lungs burned and her head screamed for oxygen. The power wouldn’t form. Blackness edged hungrily against her mind as she fought to remain conscious. She kicked against the fierce grip the creatures had, knowing it was no use. Her rubbery limbs posed little threat to the creatures. Her heartbeat came in erratic spurts. The blackness now enveloped all but the basic functions of thought. Without oxygen, it would swallow her whole.
A harsh noise pierced her skull. The creatures let go of her, responding with snarls as they thrashed. Julia clutched at her ears, writhing against the horrible sound. A clawed hand returned to her leg, but only momentarily. The merfolks’ monstrous faces twisted in revulsion as they fled.
Julia realized her body was descending. Hazy, golden light floated up from below as the terrible noise faded into echoes. But the light… it calmed her. Her need to breathe had subsided in the turmoil. Her mind was clear.
She glanced up. The surface seemed far away. Sunlight filtered down from somewhere faraway. The water broke the rays apart so that the world above seemed a harsh atmosphere of brightness compared with her soft, watery surroundings. The warmth of this strange glowing water enveloped her. She let herself drift down, down, down to the soothing, welcoming light. Everything in that light would be glorious. She would never need to breathe again. Water would never feel cold again.
A girl swam up to her, materializing in a dazzle of light. The surprise jolted her senses, and she watched a stream of bubbles rise across her vision as the last of her breath fled her lungs in a rush.
Pale yellow shimmers dotted the sea-girls’ naked body and streamed down from her hair. She looked like the merfolk, except… beautiful. Her small hands weren’t clawed and her body wasn’t surrounded in oily residue. Near-transparent webbing joined her fingers. Her large eyes lacked the serpent-like pupils of the sea creatures.
The girl’s golden gaze shimmered with curiosity as she smiled. Her shoulders rose as if she were giggling. Her teeth were normal, not the needle-pointed fangs of the sea creatures. Julia moved toward her, awkward in the water and not at all graceful like this glowing water-girl was. Julia didn’t care. She only knew she wanted to follow her.
The girl shook her head as if to say ‘no’. The golden glow of her body left traces of light suspended in the water. Her lips pursed and she leaned forward. A bubble formed on her mouth. It grew large, almost covering her face before she blew it toward Julia. Instinctively, Julia opened her mouth and drew the bubble inside of her. Air filled her lungs, but her head remained entranced with the golden light’s hypnotic spell. She wanted to find the source of that light. She craved it.
The girl shook her head again, as if reading her thoughts. She took Julia by the hand, kicking with legs that shone. Julia had half-expected the girl to have fins, but her legs looked normal. As Julia stared, she saw that the mergirl’s body was covered with fine, translucent scales.
They surfaced together. The mergirl’s golden hair swirled about her, an occasional tracer of light flitting down from her scalp to the end of her shining locks. Her eyes were blue as the ocean, with a sunburst of gold behind the pupil. If Julia stared into them, she saw ripples and waves, a swirl of turquoise and cerulean and deep, navy blue against a golden sun.
“Thanks,” Julia said. This mergirl had saved her life.
The girl inclined her head, as if saving drowned girls was all part of a normal day. Hesitantly, she reached out and brushed the hair from Julia’s ears. Her lips parted and she drew back her hand.
Julia touched her ear self-consciously. “W-what’s wrong?” she asked.
The girl pulled back her own hair, revealing ears that tilted back like translucent fins. The openings were covered by something nearly clear, much like the webbing between her fingers.
“Oh,” Julia breathed. What was this girl? Not human, obviously, and not a mermaid… at least, not the kind of mermaid she had seen in movies. A water sprite, maybe? Indira had taught them all about the bad creatures of Mythos, but were there good ones, as well? She chewed her lip for a moment, tasting saltwater. “Can you talk?”
The mergirl nodded brightly and her lips parted. A soft sound began, like a song without words. At least, no words that Julia understood. It was beautiful and haunting, and the longer she listened, the more her heart ached to know what the girl said.
Her song ended abruptly. She glanced behind her. Julia followed her gaze and her heart sank. The shoreline was so far away. Swimming back was going to be a lot of work.
The mergirl returned her gaze to Julia’s, but her smile had vanished. She took hold of Julia’s wrist and tugged.
“I guess you’re right,” Julia said, swimming toward shore. “I’d better get back.”
The mergirl tugged harder. Julia swam as fast as she could, but it wasn’t fast enough for the girl. A tight, hitched noise escaped from the girl’s throat. She took Julia by the waist and forced her forward at an incredibly fast pace.
The current propelled them until a giant wave swallowed their bodies whole. When it crashed, Julia was hurled onto the beach, coughing and grasping at the sand. She crawled forward. “Angie—Angie there’s—”
“Julia!” Her friend rushed up and helped her onto dry land. “You’re all right,” she cried. “You’re all right.”
“But there’s a creature—a whole bunch of them. And one of them—”
“I know. I’ve already text messaged Kait
lyn and Ethan.”
Julia rose to her feet and nearly stumbled forward. “Why Ethan?”
Angie’s wide, panicked gaze stopped Julia’s heart cold. “Because the creatures took his brother.”
~ Chapter 7 ~
Angie
Angie watched the color drain from her friend’s face, leaving her normally tanned skin as pale as the sand beneath them. Julia stood, her gaze moving back and forth across the horizon. Water streamed down her body, her brown hair a wild tangle that nearly reached her waist.
She glanced at David, now safe near the lifeguard tower. When Julia cried out, Brian hadn’t hesitated, leaping into the waves with David close on his heels. The two of them had barely reached the spot where Julia had disappeared, when Brian was pulled under.
“Call for help,” David had cried out, before diving in after him.
Angie squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t let him get hurt. If she cast a mind control spell over him, she could compel him not to go into danger. Her hand had shot out, magic forming in her palm. Almost as quickly, her fingers had curled around the glowing mist and she thrust her hand aside, blasting her magic harmlessly into the sand in time to the crashing surf.
She would never use mind control again.
The lifeguard had been the one to stop David from entering the water, while she had scrambled for her phone. She knew exactly the sort of help they needed. The power of the Fates.
Julia’s coughing fit brought her mind back to the present. “We can’t wait for Kaitlyn and Ethan,” she said, standing unsteadily before falling to her knees. Her body heaved beneath more violent coughing.
Angie knelt beside her, placing her hand on Julia’s arm. She glanced at David. This wasn’t how she wanted him to find out about the magic. Certain that he was preoccupied, she cast a healing spell on her friend, and as she did she could feel Julia’s panic, her worry, her fear. In the maelstrom of emotion, Julia didn’t guard her mind. Angie broke their connection before much more of Julia’s thoughts flowed out.
“We have to go after him,” Julia continued. “They’re going to kill him.”
“Kaitlyn will be here any second. What use will we be if we find him and the creatures kill us, too?”
“There’s a girl,” Julia said in a rush, “a good mermaid—except with legs—and she saved me.” Julia tried to rush back into the waves, but Angie held her back. “She can help us.”
“No,” Angie said softly, holding her firmly even as the contact caused their magical connection to blossom back to life. “We wait for Kaitlyn and Ethan.”
“I’m not going to wait.”
Julia’s determination burst through their connection. Angie wanted to let go of her to stop the flow of thoughts, but she couldn’t allow her to rush into the sea alone.
The roar of a motorcycle caused her to turn her head. Relief flooded her as she recognized Ethan, with Kaitlyn riding behind him. Kaitlyn’s black pleated mini-skirt and slick, thigh-high boots looked incredibly well-matched with Ethan’s dark bike.
Angie cleared her throat and turned to Julia, who blinked up at the sight of Ethan and Kaitlyn. Even now, after months apart, Angie could feel the pain beneath the surface of Julia’s mind. The force of it struck her so hard that her breath hitched. She let go of Julia.
Ethan.
The word echoed from Julia’s mind to Angie’s, a whisper laced with sorrow deeper than she understood.
“It looks like we don’t have to wait,” Angie said, doing her best to pretend she hadn’t been experiencing Julia’s emotions a moment ago.
What little color Julia had left drained from her face. “Guess not.”
Ethan tore off his helmet and Kaitlyn followed suit. Her dark hair streamed down her back like a glossy waterfall.
“Where?” Ethan boomed.
“Out near the cliffs,” Angie said. “We need to stay together.”
“Freeze time,” he yelled, already kicking off his shoes and diving into the furious tide.
Kaitlyn reached them. Julia took both of their hands and Angie felt her draw out her magic. It was unlike Julia to be so forceful, but Angie submitted immediately, not wanting to slow her down. A moment later she blinked as the shore became eerily silent.
Julia charged forward and Angie cast a fretful glance at David before following her into the ocean. The water slid past her, offering neither help nor resistance in its strange, time-frozen state. David would be okay… wouldn’t he? The vision of him being attacked pushed itself to the surface of her mind… his bloodied body on the beach, his death, all of it crashed against her like a massive wave. She forced herself to swim. Brian was the one being attacked this time. Brian needed help.
“Wait,” Kaitlyn yelled. “Don’t l-l-leave me behind.”
Angie tore her mind from thoughts of David, spinning around in time to see Kaitlyn’s long legs disappear as she inched forward into the ocean. When the water reached her waist she gasped.
Angie’s heart sank as she watched Kaitlyn and remembered. “You can’t swim.”
Kaitlyn’s normally hard eyes grew round as the water reached her shoulders. “Is-is there a water-breathing spell?”
“Not that I know of,” Angie said. She swam back to Kaitlyn and took her hand, sending her a reassuring surge of magic. “We have to help Brian. We can’t do it without you.”
From far out in the sea, Julia called, “Hurry.”
Angie blinked back her surprise at how quickly Julia had swum across the ocean. “We need to catch up with her,” she said, turning back to Kaitlyn. “Are you ready?”
Kaitlyn nodded, the movement little more than a single jerk of her head.
“Just hold on to my shoulders, and kick.”
As soon as Kaitlyn took hold of her shoulders, Angie rushed after Julia and Ethan, whose splashing was easy to spot in the flat ocean. With time frozen, she moved through the slick water with ease. Bubbles remained suspended exactly where they left her lips. Rather than the icy temperature she was used to from the ocean, the water was almost stubbornly neutral. Hot and cold held no sway in the motionless world.
It didn’t take long to catch up with Julia, even though her friend swam with more energy than she had ever seen her use. Meanwhile, Kaitlyn’s grip became harsher the farther out to sea they went. After another few minutes Angie was sure she would be left with bruise marks.
Ethan stopped. “Here,” he cried, spinning around in the water. “I sense them.” He took a breath and dove.
“Illuminate,” Angie cried before he was out of sight. Ethan’s form glowed bright white. She repeated the spell for herself, Kaitlyn, and Julia before speeding after Ethan. “Hold tight, Kaitlyn. We’re going under on my count. Ready?” She didn’t wait for an answer, counting to three and diving down. Kaitlyn’s hold on her would likely leave bruises. Angie didn’t let it slow her, following the blaze of white light that sank to dizzying depths beneath the time-frozen ocean.
Pressure built in Angie’s lungs. She glanced behind her, hoping Julia followed, but Julia had always lacked strength. Her glow was far enough away to cause her worry. Kaitlyn’s nails dug into her shoulders and Angie kicked harder, willing herself to follow after Ethan, but Kaitlyn started pulling at her hair. Ethan had gone too deep. She didn’t think she could follow after. Her kicking became spastic as her body choked on its need for oxygen.
Kaitlyn formed the magic between them. Turn back, turn back, Kaitlyn begged through their connection. Angie’s heart plummeted. She would have to. Her lungs and mind screamed in unison, matching Kaitlyn’s frantic pleas.
Kaitlyn’s arms grasped at her body, wrapping around her as she began thrashing. With a kick of frustration, Angie changed direction, pumping her legs toward the surface. The thought of leaving Brian and Ethan in the depths of the sea to face creatures alone made her sick to her stomach.
But a girl appeared in front of her.
Golden light spilled from her body, leaving a trail of glimmers behind her as she reache
d out with both hands.
Angie blinked at the girl, vaguely aware that Kaitlyn had loosened her grip. Despite the frozen world, she felt warmth. An alarm raced through her thoughts as she realized she no longer felt the need to breathe.
She glanced back at Kaitlyn, who looked on with wide, green eyes. Kaitlyn spun in a slow circle, surrounded by her black, floating hair that wrapped her bare midriff like a dark ribbon. She placed a hand on Angie’s arm, forming the magic between them. Even before their connection solidified, Angie could sense that she wasn’t afraid.
I can swim, Kaitlyn said. I’ve never been able to swim before.
The mergirl beckoned them. Kaitlyn moved ahead, but Angie held her. Wait. What about Julia?
They both glanced back. Julia’s form grew closer. She pointed at the mergirl excitedly, and Angie nodded. This must be the girl Julia had mentioned before.
They followed as the mergirl swam gracefully backwards. She faced them with undisguised curiosity, as if they were all new toys she would play with. Kaitlyn reached for her and the mergirl smiled, allowing Kaitlyn to touch her arm before spinning and swimming away, descending to the golden light shining beyond the darkness.
Angie’s desire to follow nearly overwhelmed her. Tendrils of gold reached up from a dome of light below them. She had no thought for how deep they were going, or what they might find when they reached their destination. She only knew that beyond the dark, velvety descent, something called to her. She was powerless now, unable to stop herself from seeking out the golden light.
The girl urged them forward as soft, high-pitched sounds echoed across the water; gentle noises that reminded Angie of faraway squeals of joy. She wanted to meet whoever made the endearing sounds. She swam toward them.
The girl beckoned, her golden, light-bedecked hair billowing down to conceal her bare body like a veil. The tilt of her head and expectant eyes tugged at Angie’s heart. She followed, not surprised to find Kaitlyn and Julia doing the same.