I stopped mid-water and stared. Dane was surrounded by female admirers. He looked annoyed by their attentions. But then our eyes locked and something changed.
Dane turned away, smiling lazily at the Mer sitting beside him. I changed directions abruptly, finding a seat near the back with room for both Starla and me. Rip grinned at me from a few rows down.
I noticed that he was also swarmed with females, though not quite as many. And he certainly didn’t look annoyed by their presence.
Do not look at Dane. Do not look at Dane. Do not look at Dane.
I looked.
He was watching me with a hooded, somehow speculative look in his eyes. My mouth opened and shut, like some sort of dimwitted guppy. I shook my head and turned to my books.
Yeah, sharing classes with Dane was going to be a gently rolling wave, I had no doubt. A soft current, guiding your fins homeward. I snorted, and Starla looked at me in question. I opened my book and gave her a lukewarm smile.
“You okay?”
I nodded, leaning my head against hers.
“Yes. This is all new to me. I never had tutors or anything. Not since I was very young.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll be a natural at this as well.”
I turned to see Marcum sitting nearby. I gave him a warm smile and a wave, glad to see a friendly face. I turned to see that Starla was blushing. With her coloring, the blush made her look even bluer. I bit back a smile as the teacher swam into the room.
“Good day, I am Kayvar, Royal Messenger. I am your Foreign History and Etiquette teacher. Perhaps you are wondering why it is one course and not two. The history of our ocean and its civilizations informs the current manners and etiquette required for interacting with other countries. So, we will be covering both.”
I took my scroll and quill from my bag and held it at the ready. We had all been given magically imbued writing instruments as well as books with words and images that changed as the class progressed. It lightened the load. If we had scrolls with all of Merkind’s history on them, they would be impossible to carry.
Paper was a rare commodity at the bottom of the sea. Magical paper was even rarer. Of course, the Queen had exceptional resources, but they were not unlimited. I had heard that Annaruth herself had spelled our writing instruments en masse for this century’s crop of recruits.
“Let us begin with Gundorth, our northern allies.”
I exchanged a glance with Starla. Allies? I thought our relationship with Gundorth was chilly at best. Kayvar’s next words confirmed it.
“Yes, class. I said Gundorth. We are recent allies and only against the two-leggers’ encroachment and damage to the seas. In all other Mer-related matters, things are more contentious.”
“What made them change their minds?” A brave young Mer asked, a pretty female with navy blue hair so dark it was nearly black. I didn’t know her, but I’d admired her hair since the start of the Trials.
“The North has been some of the last areas to see the effects of pollution. Yes, they had oil drilling, but only now are the waters starting to warm. Now the pollution and sickness have spread to the Gundies. They are no longer so aloof to our pleas.”
He gave us a salty smile.
“Never use that word with them, by the way.”
I scribbled furiously. If the northern seas were seeing more toxins, things were dire indeed. The Atlantic was one of the least-polluted oceans we had left. The cold water had something to do with that, as well as the lack of oil drilling.
“Don’t they have enough oil on land? Why must they churn up the seabed?”
“Greed. Many, though not all, two-leggers only care for profit. Not the land or sea or air. Not future generations. But hope is not lost. Many of the younger generations are as passionate as we are, including some high-profile artists they call ‘celebrities.’ We are praying they can help stem the tide.” He shook his head. “But that is another class, as our Spark candidates will soon learn.”
I couldn’t help it. My eyes sought out Dane just as his eyes found mine. This is why we were here. Our personal feelings aside, we were here to save the oceans. All of them.
We exchanged a nod at the reminder. I knew we were both feeling the same thing. We were both eager to begin our training and our work.
Though only one of us would be venturing on dry land, and well we knew it.
“Going somewhere?”
I shrugged guiltily. Rip had caught me trying to sneak off and eat my lunch alone. It was only the first day, and I was already feeling isolated. Our Human Etiquette and History class had been chilly, to say the least.
Dane had refused to even acknowledge me throughout the entire class.
Now Starla was eating with her new Messenger friends, as she should be.
I didn’t feel like barging my way into her group. Or eating alone. Well, at least not in front of people.
For the first time in a while, I wished I could be back in my tiny room, sharing a snack with Lila while we giggled about nothing and everything.
I was homesick, I realized. Even though my stepmother’s palace had been a very sad semblance of a home.
“I didn’t feel like dealing with . . . all that.” I waved vaguely toward the lunchroom. Dane was there, eating at a table surrounded by hangers-on, mostly female. Or who knew, maybe he was already making new friends. Real friends. Friends who wouldn’t reject him because of his title.
“Boy troubles?” Rip grinned flirtatiously. “I’m more than happy to take your mind off it.”
“It?”
“Him,” he said pointedly with a raised brow.
I sighed and rolled my eyes.
“Don’t you want to sit with the other Messengers?”
“Ah, but I am training to be the Royal Messenger. I’m not one of them, either.”
I smiled and nodded.
“I guess we’re both out in the cold, then.”
“It doesn’t have to be cold, Tri.”
The warm glean was back in his eyes. He wasn’t joking, I realized. If I had met Rip first . . . before Dane . . . I probably would have been crushing on him instead. He was handsome and nice and a very, very good swimmer.
But he wasn’t Dane.
And apparently, I was a one-Mer female.
Ugh, I had no time for crushing. I had to eat fast and get ready for physical training. I knew the afternoon would be tough.
“I have a good spot, if you want to come.”
I chewed the inside of my cheek. I wanted to check in on Beaz, but I didn’t want to advertise my habit of hiding in the stables either. Besides, he might be out and about.
As my familiar, he was able to come and go at will.
I nodded, offering Rip a small smile.
“Okay, let’s go.”
Chapter 4
“How did you find this place?”
“Promise you won’t tell?”
I nodded, biting into my lunch. I was starving. Nothing could get in the way of me stuffing my face with the delicious seaweed wrapped crabmeat that had been on the menu for the day. Not even my curiosity.
Rip smiled apologetically and shrugged.
“My dad told me.”
“Ohh . . . you really do have the inside scoop.”
“This is where he used to go when the pressure got too much. Which, by his account, was a lot. And it’s worse now. The stakes are even higher with the increasing pollution and warming waters.”
I was perched on a ledge high above the main hall to the Palace. Mers came and went far below. But up here, it was peaceful and quiet. Dimly lit from a stained glass window above, it was near the very top of the Palace. There were many similar alcoves, I noticed, looking around the elongated dome.
“What is it for?”
“They used to hold meetings here. Public announcements, that sort of thing. The Royal family and some of the nobility got the higher seats.”
“Aren’t all of these balconies sort of a security risk?” I asked
before taking another bite. I was already thinking about my second wrap and wishing I’d gotten a third.
He shook his head.
“All the entrances and exits to the Palace are spelled. Not only are those with bad intentions kept out, but there is a log of everyone’s comings and goings.”
“Oh,” I said, my eyes wide. “So every time I swim outside to check on the weather or visit Beazil, it goes into a magical scroll?”
He nodded, giving me a glance.
“Yes. Why?”
“Because that explains a lot,” I said flatly. Dane knew when I was coming and going. No wonder he’d tracked me down so easily.
But if he was willing to do all that just to talk to me, why cut me off completely now?
Because you were a big ol’ meanie, that’s why.
I sighed and bit into my food. I had eaten the first wrap and was nearly done with the second one. I sighed again, suddenly forlorn.
Rip laughed and handed me a spare wrap. He’d brought five.
“Here, I brought extra.” He winked. “Just in case I ran into you.”
“You are a genius and a very kind Mer.”
“Sure, Tri. Anytime,” he said, laughing at me and my legendary appetite.
We finished our lunch and headed back to the classrooms on the other side of the Palace.
Rip and I swam into the enormous training room. It was larger than the Royal ballroom but lacking decoration. It was almost an arena, though not as large as the arena we’d started and completed the Trials in. There were no benches in this part of the Academy, only racks of weapons and what looked like an obstacle course set up in the center of the chamber. A dangerous looking obstacle course.
Sharp spikes, huge boulders that looked ready to topple, and a swinging blade over the exit to a tunnel, it was like a miniature version of some of what we’d faced in the Trials.
Great. Just what I needed today. Actual physical danger.
I shrugged, figuring that part of serving the Royals did mean facing danger, probably on a daily basis. I swam to join the group of waiting students. I noticed that Dane didn’t even look at me, though I was pretty sure he’d seen me swim in with Rip. Either that or something else was making the muscle in his jaw tick ominously.
And now Dane has yet another reason to hate me, I thought with a sigh. I noticed the pretty Mer with blue hair was watching him from nearby.
Of course, I had bigger fish to catch.
The threat of death and dismemberment was just the perfect way to end our first day at the Academy. We had other classes tomorrow during the morning, but the second half of each day was dedicated to combat and conditioning. Mostly combat, I was gathering from the looks of things.
Magical combat would be on alternating days.
I looked around the group, not knowing many of them. We had combat with all the other prospects. All except Marcum, I noticed as I searched for him. But all the Soldiers in training were here. That meant Juno and Jaynelle were here. Along with a whole lot of other scary Mers that I’d done my best to avoid during the Trials.
Starla waved but she was already surrounded by her new friends. Only Dane was alone, although I could see Mers trying to catch his attention, mostly female.
He stared straight ahead, looking supremely aggravated.
I hoped that wasn’t entirely my fault.
“Looks like we are on our own, again.”
I shook my head, indicating a few preening females nearby.
“You have admirers.”
He chuckled. “That’s not the same thing. Besides, you have as many admirers as I have.” He leaned in closer. “And in much higher places.”
I shushed him and snuck a look at Dane. He looked away quickly, but Rip was right. Dane had been watching me. Whether it was in admiration or annoyance remained to be seen.
Probably a bit of both.
That was me. The irritating and occasionally appealing thorn in his side. I sighed.
A massive Mer swam into the room like a barge. He was grizzled-looking for a Mer but incredibly strong. Scars lined his body.
“I’m General Candar.”
We all straightened our shoulders. I don’t think anyone else was really aware of what they were doing, but I noticed. We were mirroring the General’s body language.
He was the most imposing Mer I had ever seen. Including my stepmother. Including the Queen.
“The Trials are not over,” he announced in a thunderous voice. “That was simply the beginning. From here on out, you belong to me. You may have classes in the morning, but most of your training will happen here.”
“There will be no special treatment.” He stared at me and Rip and my heart started to thud in my chest. His gaze flicked toward Dane. “For anyone. I don’t care who your parents are. Or were,” he added, his eyes back on me.
“Triton,” I breathed under my breath. Rip gave a slight nod. “We’re in for it,” he murmured so softly I could barely hear it.
“We will start with something easy,” he said with a feral smile. “A race. The last one to finish twenty laps is out of the Academy. Grab your sticks!”
Holy Triton, the General did not mess around.
We were up and swimming like a typhoon, grabbing sticks and awaiting further instructions.
“The perimeter of the room is the track. Hold your sticks at the ready. Do NOT change the position. If you lower your weapon, you will be disqualified. Oh, and one last thing . . .”
He caught my eyes and held them.
“The only reason to move your weapon is to attack. This is every Mer for themselves, just like the Trials. There will be no helping each other. Doing so will get you immediately disqualified and removed from the Academy.”
My eyes slid to Starla. She shook her head at me. She didn’t want me to help her. Especially not if it meant disqualification.
“Now, swim!”
We took off en masse, swimming in the direction the General had indicated. It seemed simple enough. Swim fast enough to stay away from would-be attackers. Only I hadn’t counted on the sticks. Holding them at the ready meant that they stuck out on either side. So you could swim straight ahead, knocking other Mers out of your way and getting hit yourself, or you could bob and weave to avoid hitting or getting struck.
Of course, that slowed you down.
But if I could stay in front . . . I could avoid hurting anyone or being hurt, but only until I passed them on the next round, I realized with a sinking feeling. With twenty laps to finish the race, there was no way we could avoid each other, even if I won by ten laps.
I ground my teeth, speeding ahead of the group in a burst of speed. Not surprisingly, Dane, Rip, and I were leading the pack by at least half a lap. We were almost even, the three of us giving each other a wide berth.
Dane pulled ahead as we approached the pack from behind. It was intimidating to say the least. Over a hundred Mers swimming in tightly packed formation. Most of them Soldier candidates. Most of them vicious and very, very strong.
That’s when I saw her.
Starla was at the bottom at the very back. She was falling behind. And she looked injured. There was a wall of mean-looking Mers in front of her and a few others.
Triton, not already!
Starla was one of the youngest Mers to participate in the Trials, let alone make it through. She was fast but still so small. I knew she would grow big enough before we left the Academy and started our service. But that’s only if she made it that far.
Well, I couldn’t help her outright, but I could knock some of those Mers out of her way. Surely, the General couldn’t fault me for attacking. That’s what he had asked for, after all.
I barreled my way ahead, picking up even more speed. Then I started to dive. The bullies blocking Starla and the youngest Mers were down there. I am going to knock them on their tailfins, I thought with a snarl. I slowed down, diving twenty feet as I tried to decide where to break through the ranks.
The
n I felt it. Someone was keeping up with me with the same purpose in mind. I was either out of practice or not the fastest swimmer, as I had previously thought.
I glanced to the side.
Dane was right beside me.
I glanced to the other side.
Rip swam there, nearly at my speed.
They were flanking me. They must have gleaned my intentions and decided to help. I worried for a moment about the General and then brushed it off.
He couldn’t disqualify all of us for working together. Could he?
There was absolutely no hiding that we were coordinating our efforts to disrupt the strategies used by some of the less friendly Mers. ‘Less friendly’ was an understatement.
They were vicious. Cruel. And they had targeted my friend.
I braced as we swam over Starla and the others’ bodies and slammed into the wall of Mers. I noticed that Rip and Dane moved in toward me at the last second and extended their arms forward, taking the brunt of the impact.
Huh. Chivalry is not dead, I mused as I knocked Mers this way and that. I ignored the sticks as I swam through, taking hit after hit. There was no way to avoid them.
Or to avoid clocking Mers in my path with my own weapon.
I flinched as my rod struck an unsuspecting Juno in the back of his thick skull. Then I was through and in the midst of the throng of Mers. Here, everyone was just swimming at their best speed, without fighting. I wove through the rest of the class and then rose up again, pulling ahead as I started my third lap.
I really, really hope I don’t have to do that again, I thought with a sigh. I was out in front again. Dane and Rip were not far behind me. I made another lap, catching up again quickly. This time, I stayed well above the pack. They were starting to spread out, but thankfully, there was still clear water above them.
Another two laps and I’d left Dane and Rip behind nearly halfway around the oval-shaped chamber. I was approaching the pack again when I noticed that some of the bigger Mers had risen to block my path.
Juno, I cursed mentally. Why must it always be you?
Mermaid Academy Page 2
