Chapter 21
I started off in search of the harbour Malyi had told me about. I didn’t make it far before a familiar voice began working its magic… stealing my will. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts, but the spell was too powerful. My legs seemed to grow a mind of their own and led me toward Sia’s voice.
She stopped singing when I stood before her. “Please don’t leave,” she pleaded.
I studied her face. Her cheek bones stuck out from beneath her large tilted eyes. She had a straight nose and a small mouth. “Why would I want to stay here? You eat people, for Celestia’s sake!”
She huffed and reached out to touch my hand. “I know, but it’s always been this way. We require human flesh. It keeps our magic strong, and we need our magic. Without it we’ll lose our immortality and die. I didn’t want you to see what we do, but you have. I told you I’d never let harm come to you. I still mean that.” She softened her voice. “I’ll understand if you want nothing to do with me, but I like you, Chel.” Sadness was evident in her big silver eyes.
I contemplated her words. It wasn’t her fault she was a mermaid… or was created as one… or however she came to this world. So far, she’d kept true to her word not to let harm befall me. I’d just have to wait for another ship to come around, one that wasn’t wrecked. I did enjoy living underwater.
I stepped off the rocky shore and into the water. “I don’t agree with eating human flesh, but if you promise not to lure anyone yourself, I’ll come back with you.”
I thought she was going to refuse, but then she simply nodded.
Perhaps she was lying. If she broke my trust, I’d leave. Until then, I would stay with this majestic creature. I couldn’t help my fascination with her kind. It was in my blood.
“My family has called for a celebration. I made you something. Come and see.” She pulled me under the surface.
It turned out the thing she’d made me was a new top from some old material and large shells.
I tore the golden top Malyi had given me off, leaving just the skirt on, and replaced it with the shell one. “It’s perfect, thank you,” I told her with sincerity.
“You like it?” She swam around me happily in circles.
I laughed. “I do.” She was so—whimsical.
Sia led me through an underwater cave, lit only by little glowing fish swimming around the edges. The cave forked off a couple of times. I would have found myself lost without Sia in the dark tunnels. We came out of the cave to where the other merfolk were gathered in a large opening decorated with all kinds of trinkets from my own world above the water. A crystal chandelier rested near a piece of a golden stair railing that had an elegantly curled design. Pieces of broken glass glittered along the sandy walls that made up the space… items—from sunken ships, I realize. Who knew wreckage could be so beautiful?
I raised an eyebrow.
The merfolk laughed and spoke with merriment, enjoying each other’s company.
“So you’ve decided to bring your pet.” Niko swam up behind me, taking a piece of my hair and twirling it with his claw.
“Leave us alone, Niko.” Sia tried to shoo him away.
“I can speak to her if I like.” He stuck his tongue out at her. “Perhaps you’d like a new mate, aye?” He winked at me.
My eyes widened. “I—I,” I stuttered, thrown off guard.
“It’s fine. You like Sia. I get it.” He swam away before I could answer.
I frowned after him, but Sia pushed me onwards.
A merman played a soft tune on a harp made of bone. The tune sounded wondrous underwater. You could feel the vibrations through the water as he plucked the strings, completely mesmerized by the music he played. Mermaids and mermen danced with one another. Their movements were elegant and fluid.
“Dance with me.” Sia took my hands.
“But I don’t know how.” I started to pull away.
“It’s alright. I’ve got you.” She held me tighter.
I let her take me through the swaying moves. I lost myself in the song, closing my eyes and enjoying the feel of the water as our bodies moved against it. It was incredible! Even more so than dancing above water.
All was going well, until we heard a voice call out, “Attention! Attention! Merfolk of Siren’s Cove, hear me.” It was Cyrena
Everyone rushed up and gathered around her. Sia pushed me along with the crowd.
Cyrena scanned us with her eyes. Her lips pursed. “Today is the day we celebrate our catch. It has been a time since we’ve eaten like that.”
Everyone began to cheer. I tried to ignore the sick feeling in my stomach at the gruesome memory of their last big meal.
“Also,” Cyrena began again loudly, and everyone grew quiet again. “We are here to discuss the water elemental, Chel.”
I glanced at Sia, but she was shooting a death stare at Cyrena.
“If she’s going to live with us, she must accept our ways. We are not to be judged by someone with legs.” As she said the last word, her top lip curled up with disgust.
The others shouted their approval.
I balked. Was she serious?
“Should we vote on whether to give her another chance?” She smiled at the others, a wicked gleam shone in her eerie, bright eyes.
Sia shot forward. “No! You can’t! She’s with me.”
Cyrena looked down at her, her smile dropping. “You can’t control her, Sia,” she snarled. “The others have a right to vote. Do you dare go against our customs?”
Sia opened her mouth to argue further, but Niko spoke up. “I say let’s give her another chance. If she doesn’t accept our ways, we eat her.” He licked his lips.
Ugh! No one will be eating this elemental! Something inside of me screamed at me to run. And yet… I stayed.
Everyone was nodding and voicing their agreement until Sia swam up to Cyrena was and faced them all. “No! We eat humans.” She pointed at me. “She is not human. If we try to kill someone who controls water, who knows what the repercussions would be! We must respect the one who controls our element, just like in the past. Or have you all forgotten what happens when we make enemies with elementals?”
No one made a sound.
“That’s what I thought.” Sia turned to Cyrena. “You’ll leave her alone.”
Cyrena’s face turned a darker shade of blue before she threw her claw-tipped hands up. “So be it! Keep your legged creature, but make sure she stays out of our way.”
I wondered who made her queen of the sea.
Sia gave her a curt nod and came back to join me.
I’d never felt so unwanted.
“As you were,” Cyrena dismissed us and most went back to their conversations.
“Thank you,” I said to Sia. “I should try to find a way home soon. It seems I’m unwelcome here.”
She put her hands on my cheeks. “I want you here. Besides, now that I’ve reminded the others about how dangerous your kind can be, they’ll respect you.”
I wanted to ask what my kind had done to deserve such a reputation, but we were interrupted by a striking merman.
He had a beautiful face and broad shoulders, which gave way to a muscled torso and then a silvery-green tail. If I were a mermaid, I’d be crushing on him.
“I’m sorry for the way you’ve been treated by my family.” He spoke softly. “My name is Kell.”
“It’s alright… not your fault, but thank you.”
“Care to dance?” he asked with a charming smile.
“Sure.” He took my hands in his. I glanced back at Sia. She was bristling. I didn’t understand what could have upset her now. Merfolk were a mystery to me.
I couldn’t find Sia after the dance with Kell. I cautiously made small chat with a few of the other merfolk before asking a polite mermaid with magenta scales to take me back through the cave.
I found Sia hiding beneath her piece of coral.
“There you are. Why did you leave?”
“I w
asn’t needed,” she grumbled, sharpening her claws on the coral.
She’s jealous, I realized.
“I needed you, but you left. Can’t I dance with other merfolk?”
“I’d prefer you didn’t. You can’t trust any except me.”
I paused before answering, “Okay.”
She swam up to me and trailed a claw down my cheek. “I just don’t want you falling for any tricks. Others will take advantage of you. I truly care about you, Chel.” She looked at my lips before leaning in to brush her own against them.
I froze and she turned her eyes up to meet my gaze. “What’s wrong?”
She cared about me? No one had told me that since I’d been taken from Sarantoa. “I’m surprised, is all. I had no idea you felt this way about me.”
“How could I not?” She ran her claws lightly up my neck, making me tingle all over. “You are extraordinary.”
My mind became foggy as I reciprocated by putting my fingers through her hair and opening my mouth up to hers in a kiss. Her power called to the power within me. It was as though her song wrapped silently around me. She hooked her tail around my legs. Her scales were smooth against my skin. My heart soared with each touch of her hand, as she was careful not to tear my clothing… or my skin.
The way she pleasured me was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It was like our souls were connected on a higher plain. The connection felt more spiritual than physical.
Afterwards, I wondered if I’d died and gone to paradise, because that was how it felt. To lie with a siren… there were no words.
Chapter 22
I learned to accept the merfolk’s ways, and they learned to accept me. I was happy with Sia. I never thought I could love another the way I’d loved Thaimis… I was wrong. She was where I belonged. She was home. Our ancient magic came from the same place… from the sea.
The temperature of the water never bothered me, but when it turned to winter, I found I couldn’t go above the surface for long. Gwon’s winter wasn’t as cold as Aquila’s. However, because I was always wet, being in the open air had me shivering fiercely. So, I spent the winter below the surface, only coming up when I needed to drink fresh water.
As much as I loved the sea, I missed the sun. When spring came, and my second decade along with it, I was overjoyed to be able to lie upon a rock and bask in the radiant sunbeams. The sound of seagulls cawing was music to my ears.
Sia hummed as she traced patterns on the rock beside me, half in the water, half out. She paused—listening. The song that lured people to their deaths floated through the air. The siren’s ethereal voice carried along the shore as though it came from every direction.
I opened my eyes and sat up. “Human?”
“It must be, but I don’t see a ship.”
I heard the crunching of footsteps and the murmuring of voices before I saw them.
“What are you doing?” A light feminine voice asked. “Percifal—where is that lovely voice coming from?”
My heart leapt into my throat. I twisted around and whispered to no one, “Percifal? Could it really be…?”
An older version of the brother I’d remembered came into view, and it was like a bolt of lightning had hit me.
Jumping to my feet, I called out to him. “Percifal!”
He didn’t seem to hear or see me. His focus was on the siren who was weaving a spell with her voice.
“Oh no,” I said and ambled over to the singing siren. “Stop! That’s my brother!”
She ignored me so I shoved her off the rock she was perched on. “I said that’s my brother!”
“Ow! How dare you interrupt me?” She glared at me from the water.
“Not this one! You can’t have him. Go home.” I made a shewing motion with my hands.
She scoffed at me, but dove into the sea.
“Chel?” Percifal asked in confusion as I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck, almost knocking him over.
He still kept his onyx hair cropped short. A dark beard covered his jaw and there were shadows under his eyes. What he must have been through to get here…
“Percifal, I can’t believe you’re here!”
Over his shoulder, I saw the lady whose voice I’d heard first. Her hair, which was the brightest shade of red I’d ever seen on a person, was coming out of its ties and had been disheveled by the wind. She fiddled awkwardly with her hands.
Percifal shook his head a couple of times, trying to clear the effects of the siren’s song. “Chel! By Goddess, it’s really you!”
I hugged him again. “Yes, it’s me.” Letting go of him, I gestured toward the red haired lady behind him. “Who have you brought with you?”
Percifal stepped back and held out his arm for the lady to join him. I noticed the dusting of freckles on her face when she grew nearer… like sparkling cinnamon “Chel, I’d like you to meet Zephyra Caldura. We have a lot to talk about.”
I smiled at Zephyra and offered her my hand. “Hello, Zephyra, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”
She returned my smile, shaking my hand. “Hi Chel, it’s nice to finally meet you too. We’ve been searching for you for a long time.”
“Oh?”
“She’s been with me. I’ve been keeping her safe.” Sia swam up, giving them a cautious look.
“Oh! I’ve been rude. This is Sia. She’s my—friend. Sia, this is my brother, Percifal, and his companion, Zephyra.”
I pretended not to notice the way Sia narrowed her eyes at me when I’d said the word friend.
“I can’t believe mermaids are real!” Zephyra exclaimed. “Please, call me Phyra.”
“We are.” Sia tilted her head. “You’ve heard of us?”
“Just recently… when Malyi told us where we might find you.”
“You’ve met Malyi?” I gawked at her. I was surprised the head mistress even knew where to find me.
“Well, yes—” Phyra started.
“As I was saying,” Percifal cut her off. “We have a lot to talk about, and preferably not in the company of those who want to lure us to our deaths.”
Sia’s eyebrows shot down.
“Sia won’t harm any of us,” I assured them.
“It’s fine,” Sia muttered. “You have a lot to talk about, apparently. You know where to find me.” She disappeared under the water with a flick of her tail before I could argue.
“Come. Phyra has some clothes for you. There’s a tavern by the harbour close by.” The harbour I was supposed to have found. Percifal put his hand on my back to steady me as we made our way off the shore.
I stopped walking. “I’m not going to a tavern. I’m a wanted woman on this island.”
“You don’t want to dry off? Have something warm to eat? Something strong to drink?” Percifal nudged me.
That did sound wonderful.
“It’s alright, Percifal. We can take her back to our camp and build a fire. There’s food and drink there,” Phyra interjected.
Percifal scrunched up his face. “Not good food and drink.” When neither of us said anything he surrendered. “Alright, fine. Right this way.”
We followed a narrow, sandy path. It felt strange to walk after being underwater for so long.
We came to an area crowded with bushes. The brown grass was dry and poked at the water softened skin on my feet. In amongst those bushes was their camp. A stone fire pit with charred wood sat in between a couple of wool blankets. Two stuffed sacks sat on the ground.
Phyra opened one of the sacs and began rummaging through its contents. She pulled out a tan coloured dress and held it up. “It’s wrinkled, but this should do. I bought it at a market here, so it should be suitable.”
I accepted it from her but placed it on the blanket beside me. “Thank you, Phyra, but I can’t wear this in the sea.”
“You aren’t going back to the sea.” Percifal handed me a chunk of hard bread. “We need you to come home.”
“I missed you, Brother, but I can’t leave Sia. We�
��I love her,” I confessed as I watched his face, expecting judgement.
He didn’t judge me though. He put his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. “I’m glad you found love, and I wish you didn’t have to come back…”
“But?” I asked, knowing there was more.
He sighed and put his head in his hands. “But, I’m sorry. I should never have left Aquila. Thaimis might still be alive then instead of King Zaeden—”
“Thaimis is dead?” I dropped the last piece of my bread.
“Isn’t he?” Percifal frowned, finishing his own bread.
Phyra handed me a small, metal flask. I took a swig and handed it back to her… whiskey. “He wasn’t when I was married off to the duke.”
“Then why is King Zaeden still alive? Why did you marry the duke?”
“Because he told me to!” The very memory of the moment Thaimis let me go caused my blood to boil. None of this would’ve happened if he’d married me himself! “He said he couldn’t challenge the king,” I went on. “He agreed with Mother that I would be safer if I married the duke and left Aquila.” A bitter laugh escaped my throat. I’d thought I no longer cared—I was wrong.
“Hmm. We didn’t see Thaimis when we went to Aquila in search of you. I assumed he’d died while trying to annihilate King Zaeden.” He crossed his arms.
“He’s probably preparing to help him overthrow the other kingdoms of Sarantoa. It’s out of our hands. There’s nothing we can do now.” I truly believed my own words.
“Actually, you’re wrong.” Percifal reached for Phyra’s hand and held it. “Phyra has something to show you.”
I looked at Phyra, who’d remained silent until now.
She picked up a small branch. “I still need more practice, but…” She stopped to concentrate on the branch. Her eyes focused on the stick of wood until a small flame appeared upon it. She tossed the branch into the pit and dusted her hands off on her skirt.
“Oh my! You—you can control fire?” I stared at her in wonder, like she’d just grown two heads.
The Elemental Diaries - Complete Series Page 39
