by Dee J. Stone
“We did it,” I breathe. “We cut her from me.” I touch my chest. I feel different. I can’t explain it, but something has definitely changed.
“The threat no longer exists,” Damarian says.
“Then we can kill it.” Kyle looks back at Jace. “We can kill it and it will all be over.”
Damarian nods.
My eyes search for the rock Ruthie and Bobby were lying unconscious on. But I find it bare. My chest stiffens with panic. “Where are my brother and sister?” I demand Syren.
A look of regret climbs onto his face. “While you and Damarian were…not present, they managed to flee.”
“Flee? But how? I thought the Guards were watching them.”
Kyle touches my arm. “They manipulated the Guards. They used human voices to sound like little kids and begged them to not hurt them. The Guards were confused and when they drew closer to see what was going on, your brother and sister attacked, throwing them completely off guard. They fled.”
“We attempted to pursue them,” Syren says. “But we cannot locate them. We believe they are concealing themselves.”
“They’re not trying to attack us,” I say, the realization hitting me. “They’re hiding. Their human sides must be so scared.” I glance at Damarian. “I know they’re still buried in there somewhere. We can save them. I know we can.”
He nods. “I believe so as well.”
“I want you to send a group of Guards to search the sea,” I order Syren. “Every single inch of water.”
“Callen has sent a party.”
“Okay. Thanks.” I hope they find them alive and unharmed. My father stated that my little brother and sister are not fully-formed sea serpents, and I know we can save them.
“Cassie, we are still able to kill that sea serpent.” Damarian nods to Jace. “I fear he grows stronger.”
I have no choice but to push Ruthie and Bobby from my mind for now and focus on the problem at hand. “Yeah, we are.”
Syren lowers his head and gestures toward Jace. “I grant the two of you the honor. If you have the strength.”
Damarian strokes my hair. “If it is your wish, my love.”
I know what he means—that it might be hard for me to kill Jace. But the reality is that he’s not Jace. The Jace I knew, the one who loved my best friend, is gone forever. The only thing left is a monster that needs to be obliterated. And I should be the one to do it.
I nod. “Let’s do this.”
Jace is so heavily guarded that there’s no way he’ll be able to fight back. Damarian nods to some of the Guards, who move aside to give us a clear shot of him. A part of me hoped that I would see something in his eyes, a hint of remorse, maybe a request for forgiveness. But I don’t see anything in his eyes but bloodlust.
Damarian and I clasp hands and lift our free ones. Electricity shoots out of them and merges together, before hitting Jace in the torso. Then we hit other parts of his body. He tries to fight back—that’s a sea serpent, fighting to the end—but it’s futile. We continue hitting him until there’s nothing left to him but a burned body. He sinks toward the bottom of the ocean.
And that’s when I see a glint of something in his eyes. I bolt toward him.
“Cassie!” Damarian calls.
I reach Jace and take hold of his claw. His eyes are no longer sea serpent yellow, but his human green eyes. “Jace?” I ask. I feel someone wrap his arm around my waist. Damarian. I lean into him as I tighten my hold on Jace’s claw. “Jace.” Because he’s sinking at such a fast pace, he’s taking Damarian and me with him. But we still have a long way to go before we hit the ocean floor.
Jace strains to open his eyes, but when he does, he pins them on me. “Cassie.”
His voice is human.
“T…tell Leah,” he rasps. “Tell her I love her. And…and that I…I’m sorry.” He groans in pain. “Will you…tell her?”
“I will. I promise.”
“And I…I’m sorry. For every…thing.”
His head rolls back and his body grows stiff.
Damarian gently pries my fingers off him, and I reluctantly let him go. He wraps his other arm around me and holds me close. “It has ended,” he says into my hair.
“It’s over,” I sigh. “All of it, over.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Even though we’ve won the war, no one is cheering or celebrating. Because we’ve lost too many. The area is filled with cloudy red water and body parts. And the only thing I smell is death.
I know Damarian would claim otherwise, but I can’t help feeling like all of this is my fault. The deaths, the destruction, the feeling of despair that’s practically choking up the entire ocean. I don’t think I’ll ever forgive myself. I know it’s not my fault I was born with a monster inside me, and that I was the one who made it possible for the sea serpents to enter the ocean. I know it’s not my fault my father drew out Cassila who took over my mind and body. But I did kill hundreds of merpeople and ocean life. And that is never forgivable.
I’ll have to move on, somehow. Because now the war is finally over, and I need to be strong for Damarian, his family, and the rest of the ocean.
The surviving rebels are being taken to the palace prison. Their sharks are being led away by some of the Guards. I’m not sure what’s going to happen to the rebels, but I’m pretty sure their sharks will be reassigned to other merpeople, once Callen is sure they’re loyal to us.
Damarian and I weave through the injured Guards and sea creatures, healing as many as we can. Some are taken back to the palace to Kiandra and Flora so they could heal them with their plants. I hope we can save as many people as possible.
I crouch near Kyle, who has a large gash on his arm. “I think that arm has a death wish,” I say, referring to the time he got injured when we went to free Damarian from the rebels.
“Nope, that was the other arm.” He holds it out, showing off a large scar.
“Ouch,” I say. “Do you want me to heal that, too, or do you like your battle scars?”
He gives me a small grin. “I think I want to keep it. You know, to remember.”
I nod. When I peer at his face, I see how hollow it looks. I rub his arm. “We’ll get past this. The worst is over.”
He keeps his eyes on his tail, which I now notice has a wound. When I reach down to heal it, he takes my arm. “No, don’t.”
“What?”
He shakes his head. “Not yet. I want to…I just need to feel.”
“You already do.”
He shakes his head again. “So many people died. So many…” His voice cracks. “Why did I live?”
“Because you’re a good soldier.”
“Some had families. A female child from my clan with three fry will no longer have a husband. My friend’s mate is gone.” He falls on me and weeps on my shoulder.
A Sapphire tail lowers down next to me. I recognize it immediately as Syren’s. He gives me a small smile before patting Kyle’s back. “The devastation will remain with us for many moons.”
“Many had so much to live for,” he says. “I don’t.”
“You’re alive for a reason,” I tell him. “Your friends who died wouldn’t want you to feel this way. They died trying to save their fellow children of the sea. You don’t want their deaths to be in vain.”
“Cassie’s words are true, Kyler,” Syren says.
Damarian joins us. “We shall attempt to rebuild. It will be difficult, but we will do it. For it is our duty to provide a good life for our fry.”
Damarian’s eyes flick to mine. Children. I don’t even want to think about that. Not that now is the appropriate time to think about that anyway, but geez. Maybe in a quadrillion years.
Kyle lifts his face off me. “You are all correct. It is our duty to be strong for the little ones. We need to show them the sea is safe again.”
Damarian, Syren, and I exchange a glance. We’re all thinking about little Zarya. We need to be strong for her. I know the next
few weeks, maybe months, will not be easy for her.
“Ruthie and Bobby,” I say.
“Pardon?” Syren asks.
“Have you located my brother and sister?” I don’t even know if they’re alive. I mean, for all I know, maybe killing Jace and severing me from Cassila could have affected them. No, I need to believe they’re alive.
Syren shakes his head. “I regret to inform you we have not located them. But do not despair, Cassie, for we shall. The sea is vast, but we shall search and search until they are found.”
“Thanks. I’m just worried we won’t be able to save them.”
“We will inform you as soon as they are located.”
I nod.
Syren pats Kyle’s back again. “If you are well, we require your aid.” He nods to the other Guards who are carrying dead bodies toward the colonies—probably so their family members can say goodbye.
Kyle nods. “I am well.” He gives me a hug before following Syren to the others.
Damarian and I head over to the whales and other sea creatures to offer our thanks and to heal them. I touch the blue whale’s head and close my eyes, telling him how much I appreciate all he did for us. I’m not sure we would have been able to defeat the sea serpents without him and the other sea creatures. He, like many of the others, went out of his way to do something he’s never done before. I try to wrap my arms around him, but his body is so massive that I slip off. I press my lips into his skin. “You’re such a beautiful creature.” His species is endangered, and if we wouldn’t have killed every last sea serpent, I’m positive the blue whales would have become extinct.
He inclines his head. Damarian puts his hands on the whale’s head and thanks him. I give him another kiss, thank and heal the other whales, then watch them swim away, marveling at how amazing they are. When I’m in the ocean and see creatures like them, it makes me appreciate the world in a whole new way. And now that the sea serpent threat is over, Damarian and I have a shot at living the life we’ve dreamed of.
As if he senses my thoughts, Damarian locks an arm around me and softly kisses my temple. “Let us return to the palace.”
Four Guards flank us as we swim toward Eteria. I’m not sure why, since we’re not in danger, but I guess it must be protocol to protect the king and queen in this manner. The title still makes me feel uncomfortable, and I hope I won’t have to carry it for much longer.
In the distance, I see what looks like one of the merpeople colony in ruins. There are smashed pieces of rocks at what should be the entrance, and even more smashed rocks inside. The Ruby colony…destroyed. Their homes, their lives. I stop short and just stare, my heart hurting for their loss. Damarian slides his hand into mine and brings it to his lips, kissing my knuckles. “What…” I swallow. “What are they going to do?”
He shakes his head. “I am not certain. We have lived in our colonies for thousands of moons. It will not be easy to relocate.”
And unlike humans, they can’t just rebuild caves. They were created like that since the beginning of time.
Tearing my eyes from the sight, I tug on Damarian’s hand and we continue our journey to Eteria. It’s not that far, but it feels like forever. Maybe because of the thoughts consuming my head and the guilt eating away at my insides. I’m lucky that I haven’t lost anyone close to me, but there are hundreds of merpeople who have lost loved ones. I feel like I should be the one suffering not them. And of course I hate myself for having these thoughts. I would sooner kill myself that let anyone I love get hurt.
I wonder if I’ll ever feel normal again.
There are still many sharks and Guards at the entrance of the palace. They don’t look as hostile as they did before. Some of them watch me with untrusting eyes, and it takes everything I have to ignore them. The truth is, they have the right to feel this way. I don’t blame them, I just hope one day we can all put this behind us, as hard as it’ll be.
Each one of them does the merpeople bow as we pass. Damarian nods to all of them, a look of genuine love in his eyes. I can’t help but feel how natural he is at this. Maybe in another time and place, he would have wanted this kind of life. Maybe if he and I hadn’t met, he would have learned to love Flora and embraced a life as ruler of the merpeople. But I believe in fate and I know that he and I are meant to be together. There are so many things I’m not sure about in my life, but I know deep in my heart that Damarian and I are one, forever. It’s the most comfort I’ve felt in a really long time.
All the merpeople inside the palace bow as well. Kiandra rushes out and is about to wrap her tail around me and Damarian, but she seems to remember herself and does the bow, too. I’m about to tell her she doesn’t have to bow before me, but that would be disrespectful. The merpeople have their rules and I have no right to tell them what to do. Damarian nods to his mom, and she straightens herself and wraps her tail around him, then me. “I am so glad you are all right.”
I fling my arms around her, soaking in as much comfort from her as I can. I consider her to be my second mom, and I really need a mom right now. Although hugging still seems like a foreign concept to her, she puts her arms around me. That causes everything I’ve been holding to pour out of me. I weep on her shoulder.
“It is all right.” She pats my back.
“Sorry,” I say, trying to pull myself together but failing.
I feel Damarian wrap his arms over both me and Kiandra. I don’t know how long we remain like this, but long enough that I feel much better. When I untangle myself from around Kiandra, I realize Doria, Syd, Syndin, Flora and Kiander are gathered around, their faces pinched with relief. They do the merpeople bow, too.
“Where is Zarya?” Damarian asks.
Regret clouds Kiandra’s eyes. “She does not…” It looks like she can’t finish the rest of her sentence.
“She is upset,” Syndin says. “She does not wish for anyone to speak to her.”
A fist filled with guilt punches me in the stomach. “Poor thing,” I whisper.
Damarian’s family has nothing but pain in their eyes. I bite my lip because it feels like I have burning coal in my chest.
Damarian takes my hand. “Perhaps Cassie and I shall speak with her.”
Just as we move toward the room Zarya’s in, Doria swims forward and wraps her tail around her brother. “We have learned of what occurred at the battle.” She wraps her arms around me, then reaches to include Damarian in the hug. “The children of the sea and the many sea creatures are forever in your debt.”
“No one shall be in our debt, all right? Many have sacrificed their lives. Many have fallen.”
Doria nods solemnly.
Morteran, the Violet personal Guard to former King Kiander and Queen Flora—who I guess is now sworn to serve me and Damarian—swims forward and lowers his head. “My king and queen. We await your orders.”
Damarian stares at him, then at the other members of the Guard floating behind him. From the look on his face, I realize he forgot for a second that he’s leader of the merpeople. I know all he wants to do is check on his little sister, but he has a responsibility to his people.
He turns to me. “If it is all right with my mate, Kiander, and Flora, it is my wish that Cassie and I relinquish the throne.”
Everyone focuses their attention on the former king and queen, who bow their heads. “If that is your wish, Brother,” Kiander says.
Damarian takes my hand and faces the merpeople in the room. “Many of you believe it should be I on the throne, for I am the true king. But I do not believe that is my destiny. My brother and his mate are fine rulers.” He glances at me. “I wish to spend my days with my love, and I cannot do so on the throne. I wish to spend my days with my little sister. She requires me to be at her side.” He lowers his eyes. “It is my hope that you understand.”
Some of the merpeople nod while others murmur that they understand. A few look upset, but no one objects.
Damarian tightens his hold on my hand and moves forward. E
veryone parts, letting us through. We stop right before Kiander and Flora, who once again do the merpeople bow. They don’t get up, though, just remain in that position. “Repeat after my words,” Damarian tells me.
“Okay.”
He nods to Morteran, who nods to a female Sapphire. She swims forward, holding the king’s crown and the queen’s tiara. Damarian takes both items, hands me the tiara, then faces Kiander. “As King Damarian of the children of the sea, I hereby relinquish my crown and bestow it upon Kiander of the Sapphire clan, proclaiming him king of the children of the sea.” He bends forward and places the crown on Kiander’s head. Kiander slowly lifts his head, causing the sapphire, emerald, ruby, violet, and diamond crystals to sparkle. He rises off the ground, and every single merperson in the room bows their head.
“It is your turn,” Damarian says to me.
I move closer to Flora, whose head is still bent, and hold out the tiara. “As Queen Cassie of the children of the sea, I hereby relinquish my crown and bestow it upon Flora of the Violet clan, proclaiming her queen of the children of the sea.” I place it on her head, and she rises in the same manner, and everyone bows to her.
Damarian takes my hand again and kisses the back of my fingers. Kiander and Flora swim to us. “Thank you,” Flora says. She kisses my cheek, and then Damarian’s. Kiander nods to us before they swim away to the throne room, followed by Morteran and some of the other Guards.
We head to Zarya’s room. My throat grows drier as we edge closer. I swallow a few times to moisten it, but it doesn’t help. Little Zarya. I don’t know if I can bear seeing her in pain, but I need to be strong for her. She needs us now.
As soon as we enter, my eyes catch sight of the little mermaid lying on the stone table, the same one she was on when Damarian and I left to join the war. I feel a pang in my heart at the realization that she hasn’t moved. But I get an even bigger pang when I see her face. Gone is the cheerful, bubbly mermaid who could make the bitterest person in the world smile. Gone is the light in her eyes. The mermaid in front of me looks like a ghost of who she was. And her tail…I break my gaze away because I can’t look. I can’t handle what I did to her, what I caused to happen to her.
