The Little Mermaid

by Nikki Dean

  “What do you want?” Celeste wasn’t sure how many more times she could force herself to ask the question without losing her temper. “What’s the price?”

  Ridley swam to the table and scooped up some sand. She used it to draw a box in the surface, then beckoned to Celeste to come see.

  Light filtered up from inside the square, and in it, Celeste could see Lahni. The young mermaid was laying out in the sun on a flat rock, her face and belly already turning brown from the exposure. She sat up and scooted off of her perch, diving deep into the sheltered cove that Ridley had described.

  Rage gripped Celeste’s heart as she saw the long, deep scratches that marred Lahni’s back.

  “Is this real? Is that really her?”

  Ridley nodded.

  “What happened to her?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know. You’ll have to figure out a way to ask her.”

  “What’s the price, and how long will I have before it wears off?” Celeste’s eyes narrowed as another thought struck her. “Will it wear off, or will it be permanent?”

  “Oh don’t worry, I wouldn’t strand you on dry land forever. No, the spell will wear off in thirty days, and you had better be back in the water by then.”

  “Or what?” She was almost afraid to ask. It’s for Lahni. I can do anything for Lahni.

  “Or you’ll become exactly as you are now, but on land.”

  With humans. The realization was heavy. If they see me as a mermaid, they’ll capture me for certain. And who knows what would happen to me, or Lahni, or the rest of our people. Perhaps this is how I bring havoc to us, after all. Damned bastards.

  “And the price?”

  “Your Voice, for the whole thirty days.”

  “What? Absolutely not,” Celeste growled at her. “Choose something else.”

  “It’s not up to me, my dear. That’s simply the way the magic works. To grant you something so essential as legs, you have to give up something essential in return.”

  “Such as my tail?” she replied in a droll tone.

  Ridley laughed and shook her head. “You know Destroyer, you’re actually funny, once one is used to you.”

  “Thank you so much.”

  Ridley laughed again as she collected a bottle and began to put various ingredients into it. “It will return to you after the end of the thirty days, along with your legs. There is a way to get it back early, but it’s complicated.”

  “Uncomplicate it.”

  Heaving a sigh, Ridley shoved her green hair back from her face. “Magic is a strange, fickle thing, but there are a few caveats on it. One of those is that love can directly affect it, and alter or cancel out a spell entirely. Love is the most powerful magic there is, and finding it is a rare thing, indeed.”

  “What does that have to do with me?”

  “Well, if you happen to find your true love during the thirty days that the spell is active, then you may be able to alter the spell enough that your Voice returns to you.”

  “How?”

  “A kiss usually does the trick.”

  “A kiss?” Celeste repeated in confusion. “You mean to tell me that you can give me legs and allow me to pretend to be human for an entire cycle of the moon, but a simple kiss from my true love will cancel part of that out? What if my tail returns at the same time, and the whole spell is cancelled out?”

  Ridley shrugged. “I couldn’t say, having never met my true love.”

  “Perhaps because there is no such thing.”

  Ridley continued to add ingredients and shake the bottle until the whole thing took on a purple glow. “If you say so. I don’t really care either way.” She held out the bottle. “You’ll want to take this once you’re already on land, as I don’t doubt that you’ll need a few moments to get used to them. Having legs is quite different, I’ve been told.”

  “I never agreed to your terms.” She never even asked for a price for herself, just said that the magic would absorb my Voice, because that’s the way the magic works. What is she getting out of this?

  Ridley gave her a patient look, then glanced back at the scrying table. “You haven’t heard all of them yet. I want your assurance that you’ll speak with your father about appointing me the royal mage, and that I’ll get my own set of rooms in the castle. Any time I need him, he’s to assist me if he can, and I am under his personal protection from now on.”

  “I can ask him.”

  “If he says no, then I am under your protection,” Ridley pushed. “There are some who would rather see me dead than to help you, I think.”

  “Why?” Celeste was back in her in an instant. “What do they have against Lahni that they would want to leave her there?”

  “It has nothing to do with Lahni, and everything to do with you.”

  Because I’m the Destroyer, fated to divide my people and lead them to war and destruction. Of course. “I’ll do what I can.”

  Ridley held the bottle out. “That’s all I can ask. Thank you.”

  Celeste’s hand shook a little as she took the bottle, but she immediately tried to quell it. “Thank you. I will see you in thirty days, then.”

  Ridley nodded. “Until then. Good luck, Destroyer. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  Celeste barely acknowledged the sea witch as she swam out, the potion clasped tightly in her hand. Lahni, you reckless, foolish child, just hold on. I’m coming.

  To be continued…

  Keep reading for a sneak peek at Chapter 1 of Silence, The Little Mermaid book 2!

  “Silence” Sneak Peek

  Chapter 1 copyright 2018

  Celeste

  Celeste pulled herself onto the secluded rock, thankful to have found one so close to shore. She was just around a bend in the cove and could hear the distant chatter of fishermen getting ready for their day.

  It was early, too early for any but the fishermen to be up. Indeed the dawn had just begun creeping up over the horizon, but Celeste had no trouble seeing. She was thankful for the darkness, for now, and took out the vial that Ridley had given her. Popping the cork out, she couldn’t help but recoil, gagging from the stench that wafted up from the tiny bottle.

  “This had better work, or I’m going to kill that witch, one way or another,” Celeste murmured to herself as she fought back another retch. She held the bottle as far away as she could and took several deep breaths, then pinched her nose shut with her other hand and drank.

  It was awful. Truly disgusting, the thick fluid clung to her tongue and throat as though refusing to be consumed so easily. Celeste squeezed her eyes closed and clamped her jaw, willing it to go down before she scooped seawater into her mouth, trying to rinse the taste out. Her stomach instantly rebelled and she sucked in a breath as it cramped, accidentally getting a little water in as well.

  It burned. Celeste lurched forward as she coughed, trying her best to expel the water from her lungs. “By the stars, the water hasn’t ever hurt me before! What fresh hell is this?” she demanded with a glare at the now-empty vial. Her back spasmed at that moment, adding to her agony, and she couldn’t help but drop the little glass bottle. It bounced across the rocks, then rolled into the water.

  She cursed, then bit her lips to keep from screaming as pain rippled up and down the length of her spine, going lower each time. Arching against the rock, she couldn’t do anything but hold on while she was ripped in two.

  Her scales fell out in patches, leaving tender new skin in their wake. The curve at the very tip of her tail fin split and the rip continued all the way up to her hips, very nearly drawing that scream out against her will.

  She writhed while her bones seemed to rearrange themselves, straightening and strengthening to form her new legs.

  Finally, Celeste relaxed against the rock, gasping for breath. It must be over, she thought, unable to move for a moment. Too bad I’m going to die here, instead of using these things.

  She nearly laughed at the irony, then gritted her teeth toget
her and sat up. The rock was rougher than she’d realized, scraping her new, tender flesh as she moved. She tried to pull her tail, no, legs, up beneath her and grimaced in frustration when they didn’t move.

  How do these stupid, inadequate things work, anyway? Sam made it look so very easy. Glaring at them, she flexed the back of her hips, as she would to pull her tail behind her. Nothing happened. Well, let’s start from the bottom up, then. What are those things, tiny fingers? What could humans possibly use them for?

  She nearly asked the question aloud, then remembered the terms of her arrangement. Have I truly lost my Voice? And is it just that, or can I even speak normally? she wondered. Opening her mouth, she tried to call for Lahni. Lahni would know what these useless little finger-things were called.

  Nothing but silence came from her lips. Well, I suppose that answers that, then. I can’t speak at all. That clever bitch made it sound like I would only lose my siren Voice, not my actual ability to speak.

  She attempted several more sounds, including a groan when she somehow managed to shift her knee, scraping it against the rock. Not a sound emerged from her, almost as though she were a ghost. It was not a little disconcerting. I should have waited to find Sam before I drank the potion, but how? If he was injured in the attack that sank his boat, or if he rescued Lahni, then he most likely won’t come back to the ocean any time soon. No, I had no choice but to do it now and hope that I can figure out these silly legs quickly enough to find him on my own. The humans make it easy enough, and if those barbarians can manage it, I should be able to as well. I’ll start at the bottom, with these little things. Surely they must move, right?

  The digits in question wiggled as she thought about twitching the very tip of her fins. She reached down and grabbed them, pulling them backwards when they refused to do anything else.

  She let go and they popped back into place, then wiggled again. She found that she could only curl them downward, toward the bottom of her foot, and not back towards her. I suppose they only go one direction. They must be tiny leg-fingers then. But what in the seven seas are the for? I can’t imagine that humans could pick anything up with them. How strange.

  Celeste inspected the wide, flat things the tiny fingers were attached to. Feet, I think these are called feet. The humans stand on them. She poked the top of them, then wiggled again. The feet gained feeling everywhere that she touched, as though forming a connection with the rest of her that hadn’t been there before.

  Silent laughter bubbled up past her lips as she poked the bottoms of her feet, then scratched at them. They’re so sensitive and ticklish! But the humans walk on these, so how are they not laughing all day long? Perhaps that’s why they wear coverings over them. I wonder if the legs are ticklish too.

  She ran her hands from her feet to her knees, and higher. Nothing else elicited the silent giggles quite like her feet, but she felt tingling of another sort when she touched the place where her thighs met, just below their junction. The center of her legs was self-explanatory, as her mermaid privates were in the same place, but not so prominently displayed.

  I need something to cover myself with. Why didn’t I think about this before I drank the potion? There are dozens of ships in the bottom of the ocean with chests full of coins, cloth, weapons and other things that the humans value enough to send across the seas to trade. Why didn’t I think about bringing some of it with me to help with my search? She shook her head in disgust as she thought about how poorly she’d prepared for this misadventure. I was too anxious to get here to think about what came next. I’m an idiot.

  Thoroughly annoyed with herself, she decided that the best thing she could do was try to figure out how her new legs worked, and proceed from there. It was highly unlikely that Sam would come along at just the right moment to find her and help her, so it was up to her to make certain that she found him. And heavens help him if he captured Lahni against her will. I may need to be able to fight before these thirty days are done. And that will require legs.

  Glaring at the offending things, she concentrated on flexing and relaxing each of the new muscles until she could bend and straighten her legs at will. They only seemed to bend at certain places and in one direction, unlike her supple tail, which was annoying. They’re like long arms, but on the bottom, I suppose. I’ll just have to consider them as such, instead of thinking of them as a tail. They already have tiny fingers, so I suppose the humans might even consider them as such, too. I’ll have to ask Sam what those are called, and why they have them.

  Gradually she gathered the courage to stand, wobbling through the gentle surf as she made her way to the dry sand. The tide would be coming in soon, so she knew that she would have to hurry. It took several long minutes and quite a bit of splashing as she fell, but she eventually made her way out of the water and looked back, triumphant, at the ocean from which she came.

  The breeze caressed her wet skin, causing her to shiver. It was much warmer with the sun shining upon her, but the cool air reminded her just how ill-prepared she was for her journey. Glancing down, she was caught off guard by the sheer display of her intimate parts, which she had never revealed to anyone before, but were now in clear view for all to see.

  Apparently humans are indecent, disgusting creatures that have to rely on other coverings to keep their modesty intact, she thought in annoyance. Sam always wore clothes when he came out in his boat, as did the sailors that we saw on the disappearing ship. Surely such coverings must be commonplace, for everyone to have them. Where can I acquire some, and what do I do in the meantime? And what will they think of my armor and seashells?

  A discarded net and bit of sail caught her eye, and she tugged them both out of the sand. Wrapping the sail around her hips first, she tied the edges into a knot and then wrapped the net over them, tying that as well. The bottom of the chainmail shirt nearly reached the edge of her makeshift skirt, leaving her new legs entirely bare. The rest of her skin, save what the shells covered, was also very visible beneath her chainmail shirt.

  Oh, well, this is as good as it’s going to get. I can’t make clothes appear out of thin air, but I really feel like Ridley should have warned me about this. Perhaps that’s why she looked so smug about our deal. She knew that I would be completely on display after I transformed. We are going to have words about this.

  She took several unsteady steps to practice, grateful that the coast was abandoned here. She knew that the docks were a short swim away, but had no idea how long it would take her to walk there. Her legs wobbling beneath her, Celeste attempted to stand on first one, then the other. They bent beneath her weight, unused to being her sole supports instead of allowing the water to cushion her.

  Finally, she closed her eyes and touched her belly button, steadying herself. I can swim faster than any other mermaid in Morwen, and have dared the deepest caverns. I race alongside whales, dolphins and fish every day of my life. Walking on the sand is nothing to me, and there is no reason at all that I shouldn’t be able to do it. I am strong. My tail is strong, and it’s not gone, merely traded for legs at the moment. Like I have two tails, and can use them however I like.

  The idea of having two tails, one for each leg, stuck with her and she imagined how she would use them underwater. The muscles clenched and relaxed as though she really was swimming again. She took a step forward.

  It was perfect.

  She didn’t waver or lose her balance as she concentrated on the feeling of the warm sand squishing up beneath her toes. She wiggled them, feeling how her weight shifted each time they moved.

  Ah, so that’s it. They’re for balance against the soft ground. That makes sense, I suppose. Her eyes still closed, she took several more steps, gaining confidence with every one. She let out a slow breath and lifted herself onto the balls of her feet, gaining several inches in height. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but could be tiring if she did it too often, so she lowered herself to her heels again.

  She took several more steps, grinning wit
h delight when she didn’t falter in the slightest. Let’s try something a little faster, then. Increasing her speed took a slight moment of adjustment, but it wasn’t bad. She lifted her knees higher and began to run, impressed in spite of herself at how the ground seemed to race by beneath her feet. She looked down to admire it and went flying, landing on her face in the sand.

  Damn it! I think I leaned forward too much, forgetting there was no water to catch me. At least I learned my lesson in the sand, and not on the rocks. Determined to become as adept as the humans before she ventured into their midst, Celeste tried again. And again.

  Finally, she sank to her bottom on the sand, slightly out of breath but relieved that mastering her new legs hadn’t been too terrible of a chore. She’d had a brief moment of fear that she wouldn’t be able to do it, and would be stuck on the beach like some sort of fish, helpless except for flopping around. And given that she couldn’t breathe underwater, or barely even swim in this state, that would be a very bad start to her search for her sister.

  Lahni. I’ve been playing in the sand while she’s who-knows-where, possibly drying out as we speak. Who knows what these wretched humans have done to her. Her determination thus rekindled, she turned and walked confidently toward the docks.

  Afterword

  Thank you so much for reading the first part of my version of The Little Mermaid! I hope you enjoyed it, and look forward to hearing what you thought in a review, either on the storefront you bought it from, or Goodreads, or both if you're feeling extra nice.

  Silence, book 2 of The Little Mermaid miniseries is available for sale on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFPD2SS

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