Dreams of Darkness

by D L Pitchford et al.

The Fae set to work making a rope bridge to transport the biggest cache of the ship’s contents. She swam in the long grasses undetected. From there, she could watch from the safety of the grasses without being discovered. As the sun went down over the horizon, the Fae performed magic with their hands. Odd looking swirls formed tight, glowing balls of light. This time, they glowed green rather than blue like the other night.

  Meridia honed in on the men. The Fae who had fallen from the bowsprit was sitting on a Cyprus knuckle. He was guarded by a hulking Fae dressed in battle leather. The sword he wielded told Meridia that he would pose the greatest challenge. The guard bowed and moved away, perhaps on patrol.

  Now that he was alone, a female approached him. They said something to each other as their heads bowed close together and he laughed. It made Meridia sick. She studied the females as they came and went, seeking his attention. Many of the women looked far more dangerous than their male counterparts.

  Meridia felt her nostrils flare with a heated rush of anger. She couldn’t possibly have feelings for him, could she? She wondered if he had feelings for any of the women who pillaged and plundered under his command. She wanted to kill any woman who laid a hand on him for any reason at all. What the hell was wrong with her? She hated how excited she got every time she snuck a peak at him. She was only supposed to study him, watch his movements until she could make her move and avenge her sister’s death, not fall for him.

  The sound of their blood rushing through their hearts was like a hundred dinner bells ringing out on the makeshift bridge. Adrenaline filled her when she began imagining how she would kill them. If she brought Achelous the bodies of the Fae who had killed Sirena, maybe he would see what a mistake he had made confining her to the palace.

  It was nearing sunrise before Meridia left the Fae to their own devices. She was reluctant to leave but knew Achelous would look in on her soon. Meridia reached the bed of seaweed where her sisters slept and crawled in just as she heard the faint sound of water being disturbed. She saw Achelous in the archway and pretended to be asleep, ducking her head and staying very still as she snuggled between Thalia and Asrai. She could feel Achelous’ presence in the room as he came in to check in on her and her sisters. She exhaled in relief when Asrai turned over in her sleep wrapping her arm around her.

  “Please, child, do not insult me by pretending to be asleep. I know you went to the surface.” Achelous’ brow furrowed as he stared at Meridia.

  Meridia felt her face pale then grow hot with anger at having been caught like this. She tried staying still. Unsure of what Achelous would do. Her worst fears surfaced when he grabbed her arm and dragged her from the comfort and safety of her sisters and the seaweed bed.

  Achelous threw her down on the sands of the palace floor. Meridia flopped down hard onto the sand floor as her arms sprawled out trying to catch herself as she got her bearings. Shaken and enraged she pushed herself up with her arms. She rolled over and sat up, hissing at her father as she glared up at him.

  “The rules were clear, they were meant to keep us all safe. You leave me no choice but to banish you, my child. There is little I can do for you now. I suspect Sirena was right about the Thirst. I cannot risk you infecting your sisters and endangering their lives.” Achelous sighed.

  Meridia’s back stiffened as she watched Achelous closely. She squared her shoulders and jutted her chin and held her head high, saying nothing more to her father. He was the one who’d always said that sirens born of death needed the pack to survive the harsh sea, and now he was casting her out.

  Well, she didn’t need anyone but herself. She would show him.

  Chapter Four

  Abandoned by her family, Meridia truly felt alone. She took harbor within the reeds. Safe under the muck and silt she had made a small nest of seaweed to lay on. Her main companions now were a variety of turtles, several schools of smaller fish which preened her scales for her and the occasional sea snake. She wanted revenge more than anything now. It wasn’t just a need, it was an obsession. Night after night, she swam to the surface among the reeds to watch the Fae. She had spent countless hours of watching trying to devise the perfect plan but everything she could implement, held a risk of discovery. Discovery would mean death, something she wasn’t about to succumb to. She continued to plot out and devise a plan. Maybe just maybe she could make it work. They had an encampment at the edge of the long grasses where the waters of the marsh receded except during high tide. She learned their habits and watched them with interest. They were like sirens who walked upon the land, traveling in groups and killing without hesitation. When they moved further inland, Meridia swam as far as she could among the long grasses in order to follow them.

  Only her undeniable thirst for revenge was stronger than her craving for the sweet taste of their blood. It was the first thought she had in the morning and her very last thought as she drifted off to sleep. She wondered where the Fae went when the sun came up every day. Were they sensitive to the sun as well? She had half a mind to wade into the shallows of the salt marshes, braving the unforgiving reeds and muddy silts to find out.

  One night, seven days after her banishment, her father intercepted her on her journey from her cave to the surface. Though she wanted to hate him, the shock of seeing him there stopped her.

  "My dear Meridia, I’m afraid you're too late. I have declared war on the band of Fae you have been stalking,” Achelous said gravely, pausing before he continued. “We killed several last night at the water's edge. It is only time before we find the ones responsible."

  "What? No!" Meridia cried in anguish at the idea of her father seeking revenge for Sirena’s death without her? Did he not realize how badly she needed to be a part of this? Was the one she had targeted among the ones who had fallen to Achelous' army? "Was one of the dead wearing midnight-blue robes with decorative gold around his arms?"

  Achelous’ brow furrowed. "No, but why on earth would you believe the Fae Prince to be one of the rogue band we slaughtered?"

  "The Fae Prince," Meridia repeated as she realized what it meant. Even if she managed to turn his head, he would be surrounded by by several females and guards especially now since he had fell in the water. The one time he had been left unprotected, she had failed to kill him. The need for revenge ate at her. Surely there was a way she hadn’t thought of in which she could succeed in her goal. She would make him suffer if it was the last thing she did.

  Meridia had to think about how she could kill him, even though it directly conflicted with her body’s response to him. It was a fine line and she usually lost somewhere along that line when it came to her feelings for him. She knew if he heard her song, he would recognize it from the night he fell in the marsh. Maybe she could lure him with it, have him sacrifice himself from the top of the rocky cliffs that lined the edge of the inlet. She could sing him her song only concentrating on the final verse. Even if he didn’t die right away, his injuries would be too numerous to recover from and she would enjoy feasting on his flesh.

  She fell asleep dreaming about the revenge she would have. She spent hours tossing and turning as she allowed her mind to wander. If only there was a way for her to get the revenge she desperately needed. If it were possible for her to go onto land, she would not only have him by surprise but could also murder more of them in their sleep. But how could she walk on land without creating suspicion?

  Sirena had told them stories of a powerful sea witch. She tried to remember more about the stories but was at a loss. She woke up with a start, an inkling of a plan forming in her mind which had a higher probability of working. She needed to find her sisters. They would know. They had all heard the stories Sirena told. Being as they were all older than her, they might remember more details. She needed their advice. There were questions she couldn’t answer and she hoped her sisters hadn’t turned their backs on her as well.

  Chapter Five

  Meridia sat on the bed of seaweed next to her sisters after sneaking into the palace
. With Achelous gone to hunt the Fae, it had been easy to break back in. She helped Asrai braid Thalia’s hair into a long, herringbone design. The braiding always took a while because Asrai added in pearls and colorful shells. Though she had come for advice, she found herself enjoying their company instead. The sisters sat there catching up with each other and telling the stories Sirena had told them.

  “Do you remember the Sea Hag stories?” Asrai asked. “They were so scary.”

  “Yeah, but they were so good.” Thalia splayed her claws.

  “The Sea Hag stories…” Meridia’s voice trailed off, her interest piqued. ”What’s a Sea Hag?”

  “A Sea Hag is an ocean witch of course.” Thalia answered. “Sirena used to tell us of an ancient hag condemned to the sea who was older than Achelous. She was dangerous and known for tricking sirens out of their voice and stealing their song. She would suck the marrow from the bones of trespassers after she let her electric rays and her pet leopard seals rip apart those poor souls who went looking for her then refused to pay her.” Thalia held her arms up as if she was pretending to claw the water around her.

  Asrai smacked Thalia’s hands for moving while she tried to weave in a clam shell.

  “Ow!” Thalia cried out at the hard smack Asrai gave her.

  “Stop moving then.” Asrai said matter of factly as she resumed the weaving.

  Meridia shivered, envisioning the Sea Hag gnawing on her bones.

  “Sirena said the Sea Hag used to be a beautiful Fae Princess who used her magic for good before she shunned the affections of a very powerful mage. He cursed her and condemned her to the darkest hole in the ocean. It’s so dark the waters around it changed colors.” Asrai cupped her hands and held them close to her.

  “Do you believe all the stories?” Meridia asked, curious to see if the Sea Hag tales were myth or fact.

  “Well, of course, I do, silly!” Asrai said.

  “I heard the Sea Hag’s hair wasn’t hair at all. She had electric eels growing out of her head. Ewww! That’s just so gross.” Thalia shuddered.

  “Yeah, she has teeth like a leopard seal, too,” Asrai added.

  “Where would I find a Sea Hag?” Meridia looked from Asrai to Thalia impatiently.

  “She lives at the bottom of the earth’s most dangerous waters.” Thalia’s voice cracked in fear.

  “And where is that exactly?” Meridia asked, pressing them for answers.

  “Sirena said there was a powerful old Sea Hag near Belize. The Great Blue Hole or something. She used to tell us stories of her all the time.” Asrai studied Meridia for a quiet second, and then narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously. “Why?”

  “I need the Sea Hag’s help. She must know how I can avenge Sirena’s death.” Not to mention everything she could learn from the witch about the delicious, heartless creatures, but she kept that to herself. She didn’t want to worry her sisters more than she knew she already had.

  Chapter Six

  She swam for two days and three nights by the light of the waning moon. On the third day, she came upon the warm coastal waters of Turneffe Reef Atoll. She had never seen more beautiful or dangerous turquoise waters. There were great white sharks, barracudas, sea lions and electric rays. Not to mention American crocodiles and the exotic-looking lionfish. The mangrove trees and shallow reefs reminded her of home.

  She pictured Sirena swimming these waters and her heart tore in two. She ached for vengeance, but knew she could not keep up this pace. Exhausted, she slept beneath the mangroves and woke at the first rays of the sun. She was glad to be in the shadows provided by the mangrove roots.

  She resumed her voyage and by midday, Meridia came upon the natural opening of the atoll where the land divided and the cooler waters of the ocean met with the waters of the lagoon. It was almost a perfect circle, with a raised, jetty-like crater. The lagoon was almost triple the size of the salt marsh Meridia had been raised in. She noticed the waters around her deepening to a dark blue. It clashed in vibrance with the aqua colored sea she had been swimming the better part of the day.

  She knew she had found the Great Blue Hole Sirena had described to them in her stories. She entered the lagoon and dived beneath the water’s edge unprepared for what she saw next. From her position at the far edge of the lagoon she could barely make out a deepening blue in the middle of the lagoon where the water got much deeper. It was an entrance to a huge, underwater cavern, one unlike anything Meridia had seen before. She was careful to stay close to the sides, looking for tunnels below the depths she knew humans could swim. Here, her only company were the friendly nurse and blackfin sharks circling in and out of the cavern’s mouth, weaving around the stalagmites and stalactites that seemed to reach out for her.

  She swam toward a tunnel that emerged from the shadows. Two electric eels lined the entrance, standing guard. Eels were typically of no real consequence. Pathetic creatures, in her opinion. Except these produced an electric blue glow about them. Pretty, but she didn’t want to be on the receiving end of their glowing currents. Meridia eased herself inside without being electrocuted.

  The tunnel led her into an even tighter space. A quick sluice of water disturbed the water around her cheek. The source of the turbulence didn’t seem to be from an underground riverbed. As she peered into the darkness, an electric ray sped out of the tunnel’s entrance. If she hadn’t pulled away, the ray would have fried her. They were aggressive, il-tempered little creatures that Meridia couldn’t help but respect. It was rare she ran across a creature as territorial as she was. She thought the electric ray looked kind of cute in a terrifying way. Should she encounter an aggressive one or disturb one, she would regret it. She knew they could paralyze her or worse, kill her.

  She waited for it to swim off toward the plankton overhead, and then traveled a stretch of the caverns to an intricate labyrinth of tunnels. She followed the one with harder access than the others, knowing in her gut that the Sea Hag wouldn’t make it easy.

  Barnacles covered every square inch of the entrance. She felt the intense burn of their razor-like edges cutting into her side. A stream of blood saturated the water near the entrance and flowed beside her, making it tough to see what was in the water surrounding her. She only hoped there wasn’t a barracuda or some other carnivorous fish this deep. She almost didn’t see another eel who had taken up residence just inside the tunnel entrance, and she barely escaped being electrocuted by its blue current. Nor did she see the lionfish until she accidentally grazed its beautiful, flowing spines. She felt lightheaded from all the blood she had lost. This wasn’t her day. She could see how this location and its inhabitants would help keep a lair hidden.

  At the far end of a twisted tunnel, Meridia saw a glimmer of light. Curious, she went to take a look. The small opening led to an expanded sunken cavern. A woman with electric eels for hair and octopi tentacles floated near the far wall. Meridia’s heart raced.

  It was the Sea Hag, it had to be.

  Her back was turned to Meridia as she worked on what looked to Meridia like a potion. Meridia swam up quietly behind her and watched as the Sea Hag showed no sign of Meridia’s presence. Meridia watched as the witch picked up the double-edged, flame-point dagger which was on the edge of the table. The sea witch placed a drop of whatever concoction Meridia had thought to be a potion onto the tip of the blade before setting it back down on the edge of the table. The rest of the potion, she added to a small abalone shell encased bottle.

  Abruptly, she stopped what she was doing and turned around abruptly next to where Meridia stood.

  Meridia gasped at the sudden turn of events. She brought her eyes up to look at the Sea Hag and was shocked at what she discovered. The woman had no eyes! Patches of skin were sewn over where eyes should have been.

  “Come, come, my child!” the Sea Hag said, gesturing for Meridia to come closer. “Now, who might you be?”

  “I’m Meridia of the southern swamps and salt marshes,” Meridia stammered as she cautiously s
wam closer. Hesitant to be so close to the infamous sea witch, Meridia grabbed the dagger off the table, prepared to use it in defense if the Sea Hag made any unwarranted moves.

  “Ah, the intruder speaks and she steals.” The Sea Hag said, pausing before continuing as she let her words sink in.

  “I see you have heard countless stories about me, yet I know nothing about you.” The Sea Hag stuck out her forked tongue and tasted the water around her. “Ahh, a siren, but not just any siren. A siren born of death. Oh, my child, you are a rarity if there was any, yet you fear me. Interesting. What can I do for you?” The Sea Hag floated right in front of Meridia’s face. Meridia nervously drew in a few shaky breaths as the old woman sized her up.

  A couple of the sea snakes untangled in the Sea Hag’s hair and slithered around Meridia, their forked tongues probing. Meridia was careful not to show her mounting fear or move too fast, for the sea snake’s venom was deadly to a siren.

  “Are you the Sea Hag?” Meridia tensed as the snakes on the Sea Hag’s hair entwined around her.

  “I am now. Once upon a time, I was Calise, the Princess of the Fae.” The old hag’s words softened as she spoke her given name.