“You may not know it but that makes total sense.”
“Mermaids never interact with the beings that used to be their family.”
Tameka put her hand on her sister’s shoulder, trying to give her consolation. Asha looked at the offered comfort like it was a resurrection of her worst nightmares.
She doesn’t know how to feel. I’m bringing this out in her. I’m changing her and it’s freaking her out.
The thought that she was giving her sister an existential crisis worried Tameka. The last thing she wanted was for Asha to have some sort of mermaid breakdown.
“I think I missed you,” Asha admitted. “Mermaids feel no emotions. They care for nothing. But I think I care for you. Just a little bit. It makes me feel wrong.”
“Feeling love is not wrong,” said Tameka, smiling.
“It is. It means I’m not a proper mermaid.”
Is it wrong of me to admit that I’m glad?
Tameka didn’t know what to say. What could you say to someone who was experiencing emotion for the first time in over a decade? Her adopted mother would know what to do. She was a world renowned psychiatrist who’d studied multiple personalities extensively. But did she want to get her involved in all this paranormal nonsense?
“Anyway, let us continue,” said Asha, thankfully changing the subject. “You need to know the truth. I…”
They heard a soft pitched trumpet sound echo from the ocean. Asha tensed.
“That’s father,” said Asha. “He knows I’m missing. I have to go.”
“What about the pebble?” Tameka asked.
Asha took the pebble back. “Meet me here at the same time tomorrow.”
“I can do this by myself.”
“It’s dangerous. I need to be here with you. Please, trust me.”
Tameka nodded, understanding, but a little annoyed. She’d been ready to learn the truth of her past and having to wait another day would be torture. Still, the truth was coming. One day soon she’d get the memories of her sister back, and on that day she would be complete.
14
Bethyl shone the torch into the assassin’s face, examining him. He squinted his eyes at the bright light, making her giggle. She tutted like a strict librarian and turned back to Red. He had no idea what she was doing. Maybe she didn’t believe him when he’d told her that the assassin had no tongue?
“What is it?” Red asked. He was impatient now. The witch’s inspection of their prisoner had seemed to go on forever. “Have you found something?”
Bethyl shook her head sadly. “Sadly I haven’t found a thing. I thought he might be marriage material, but I was mistaken. He has a bad soul.”
Red was confused. “Of course he has a bad soul. He’s an assassin.”
“And you’ve never killed people? Spare me, dragon. I’ve had some wonderful affairs with a lot of assassins in my time. There was this Fey hunter back on old Earth whose tongue could do all sorts of wonderful things. Slippery, she was. I’m wet just thinking about her.”
Red shivered. He might never sleep again.
Vincent handed him another cup of hot coffee. Red had lost count over how many cups of the rich beverage he’d had over an hour ago. He was as high as the moon now on caffeine. The troll seemed to be unaffected by it though.
Vincent sat down on the floor, watching them. She reached out for a box marked “Lillaby’s baby clothes” and sighed dramatically.
“We’ll get her back,” Red promised her, half watching the witch as she splashed the assassin with what he assumed was either holy water of vodka. For some reason he assumed it was vodka. “We’ll get them all back.”
Vincent nodded. “I have hope we will.”
The troll seemed different in the odd light of the basement. She seemed more feminine. Were his his eyes deceiving him, or was he so hyped up on caffeine that he was starting to lose touch with reality?
“Your boobs are bigger,” said Red, trying not to giggle.
Shit! I can’t believe I just said that!
I’m an insensitive idiot.
Vincent smiled. “Yes. The transition is almost complete.”
“I’m happy for you.”
He continued smiling for a moment until the truth of Vincent’s statement hit him.
“Does that mean your magic won’t be as powerful?” Red asked.
“It does,” Vincent admitted. “I was hoping we could rescue my family before I transitioned completely. My heightened powers would’ve come in handy during the battle.”
Bethyl said, “Don’t worry about that. We’ll be ready soon.”
The witch shoved her finger against the assassin’s mouth, probing around inside like a perverted dentist. He gave her a death glare but didn’t try to bite her. Red did, however, see what seemed to be the vestiges of a tongue growing back. It was actually quite disgusting. It looked like a slug that had been chopped in half.
“I’ll call Tameka,” said Red, hoping she was still speaking to him. “She should be here to hear what he has to say.”
He didn’t blame her for being angry. He was angry with himself for not telling her the truth sooner. They’d had a rapport, a trust, that was hard to come by. That was gone now, shattered with one truth-bomb.
Tameka stared into the open mouth of the assassin and grinned. He had his tongue back. She didn’t know witches could do such amazing things. Magic certainly was a wonderful thing.
Mom’s cousin lost an arm in a car accident. Could this witch help with that?
“What now?” Tameka asked. “Is he just going to automatically tell us everything we need to know now that he has his tongue back?”
She was currently being as civil as she possibly could with Red. She was still a little angry with him, but not as much as before. Besides, she could never be cross with Red for long. He was too cute. For now, she’d just be a little condescending and make the odd cruel joke. She’d forgive him and make him buy her a pizza when this troll mess was over and done with.
Four pizzas.
Four pizzas and a trip to Vegas.
“I’ll give you anything you want,” the assassin announced.
They all turned to look at him, stunned. They hadn’t expected this. Tameka immediately thought it must be a trap.
“What is your name young man?” Bethyl asked sweetly. Her voice was delicate and old, like a friendly grandmother who baked jams and knitted sweaters for cats. “You can talk to me. I’m not as fearsome as I look.”
Tameka couldn’t help but smirk. She had no doubt that this witch was the most ruthless and powerful of them all.
Bethyl put her hand tenderly on the assassin’s arm. “My poor dear. You’ve been through so much. I understand you might not trust us. But I’m here for you. You can tell me anything. I may even bake you some cookies if you’re a good boy.”
The assassin nodded and said, “My brother and I were forced to work for the mermaids. They performed a spell, a spell which severed our tongues and made us their slaves.”
Bethyl nodded sadly. “A very dark magic. You poor thing. Tell Aunty Bethyl all about it.”
The assassin smiled at the diminutive witch with adoration. Tameka was seriously impressed. She reminded herself not to get on Bethyl’s bad side.
“Will you let me go?” the assassin asked.
“Of course my darling,” said Bethyl. “But first you have to tell me your name. I can’t keep calling you dear, can I, my sweetie?”
The assassin nodded and said, “Gary Chang. My name is Gary Chang.”
Tameka watched with increasing admiration as Bethyl got the assassin to open up about his life. It was astonishing. Within ten minutes they knew all about Gary’s childhood, first crush, and the time he buried his beloved pet hamster, Dorothy. By the end of his heartfelt story he was actually weeping.
“My poor Gary,” said Bethyl, hugging the deadly assassin to her breast. “It’s going to be fine. I’ll make it all better.”
“Dorothy was my lif
e, you know?” Gary wept. “She was my world.”
Tameka knew how the death of a pet could devastate you, sometimes more than a human. Pets gave unconditional love. They were always there for you.
She wiped a tear away from her eye.
Poor Gary. He’s been through so much.
Tameka saw Red staring at her, astonished. She smiled guiltily and looked away, ashamed she’d been taken in by Bethyl’s manipulations. What could she say? The woman could make a sociopath break down into tears.
“How did you and Gavin end up taken by the mermaids?” Tameka asked, curious to know. Tameka needed to know how this had happened to Gary Chang and why. “If it’s not too painful to tell me.”
Bethyl groaned, eager to get on with things. Vincent just nodded. Tameka was half expecting the troll to want to tear the assassin to pieces, but she was holding back. Her compassion was remarkable.
“My brother and I were Navy seals,” Gary explained. “We were on a mission five years ago when our boat was attacked. The rest of our squad mates were killed, and Gavin and I were taken by the mermaids. That was our last day of freedom.”
“So you’ll help us? Truly?”
Gary nodded. “The mermaids took everything away from me. I want them to pay.”
So the last surviving assassin sent to kill them told Tameka and the others everything he knew. It wasn’t much. He and Gavin hadn’t met who’d sent them, but they did discover the whereabouts of Vincent’s family, which was all that mattered for the moment.
“So what now?” Bethyl asked them.
“We can handle this,” Red declared. “You should go.”
Bethyl shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere. Do you think I’d pass up the chance for a battle? Think again, dragon.”
Gone was the caring, friendly Granny. She was back to her old battleaxe self.
“A witch would come in handy,” said Tameka, staring daggers at Red.
The dragon looked away from her and nodded.
“What about me?” Gary asked.
They turned to their prisoner, still tied up, looking wretched and miserable. Tameka felt sorry for him. Was that all the supernatural world did to humans, lie to them and force them to do terrible things?
Where was all the wonder?
Tameka ignored the others, untying him. If he wanted revenge on the mermaids so much he’d be the perfect ally.
“Thank you,” said Gary, standing up and stretching. He smiled. “I never thought I’d get out of that chair so I could kill you all.”
He struck his hand out, his fist colliding with Tameka’s cheek. She had a second to register her shock before Bethyl fired a bolt of fire at him. He exploded into ash, showering them with his remains.
The witch wiped down her hands and said, “That was most expected.”
“You knew he was going to do that?” Red demanded.
“You killed his brother. What was he supposed to do?”
Tameka moved aside, allowing the ashes to fall gracefully to the basement floor. She felt a fool yet again. She’d really believed the assassin. She’d seen his pain and identified with it. The mermaids had taken something from her too.
I’m an idiot.
“What if what he told us was a lie?” Red asked, shaking Gary out of his hair.
“That was the truth,” said Bethyl. “He truly hated the mermaids and wants them to pay for brainwashing him. He just hated you too.”
“His brother was trying to kill me.”
“He was still his brother. If you killed my brother I’d want to eviscerate you.” Bethyl smiled warmly. “Not that I have a brother. I killed him myself centuries ago. Little weasel. He tried to steal my spell book. Siblings, eh?”
Tameka’s thoughts went to Asha once again. She hoped she wasn’t in trouble. When this war was over she could spend more time with her sister, get to know her. It would be difficult. They both literally lived in different worlds. They could make it work, right?
Go to war? What the fuck am I thinking? I’m a police consultant, not a warrior!
“Tameka?” Vincent queried. “Are you okay?”
The troll’s concern touched her. “I’m fine. It’s just…I only just stumbled upon this world. It’s still hard to take in.”
She followed them upstairs, keeping mostly quiet as they discussed their plan of attack. She listened and took it all in, deciding she was being selfish. She wasn’t about to allow an innocent family to suffer while she had a personal crisis. Vincent’s family needed her, and she was determined to see this through to the end.
As Bethyl took Vincent outside to prepare their car Tameka found herself alone with Red once again. He just stared at her.
“What?” she demanded.
“Something happened to you,” he stated. His deep interest annoyed the shit out of her. “And it wasn’t just learning that I was sent to watch you. What is it?”
“I saw my sister.”
He nodded. “You don’t have to tell me.”
“This is the moment you’ve been waiting for, right? My sister has made contact! Don’t you want to try and coerce me into getting state secrets from her? Don’t you want me to spy for you?” She walked up to him, angry and betrayed and wanting to hurt him. “Tell me what you want me to do!”
The dumfounded look on his face surprised Tameka. He truly didn’t know what to do next. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“You don’t know, do you?” she asked him, taunting him.
“I never actually thought she’d make contact,” Red admitted. “And the prime minister hasn’t actually told me what to do next, just keep watching.”
Her anger dissipating, she said, “You may be a handsome prince but you’re thick as shit.”
They watched each other for what seemed like an eternity. Tameka saw every emotion under the sun flicker across his face. She decided he wasn’t to blame, not really. He was only doing his job. It still hurt, but she wouldn’t hold a grudge.
“I’ll never spy for you,” Tameka stated emphatically. “Never.”
“I don’t expect you to,” said Red.
“But you do know that’s expected of you. It’s fairly obvious.”
He nodded, proving he wasn’t nearly as naïve as she’d imagined.
“The Prime Minister has been fairly vague when it comes to you,” said Red. He blushed slightly before continuing. “If he asks me directly to force you into spying for us then I’ll quit. You have my word.”
Tameka felt oddly bereaved as she said, “But if you refuse his orders and quit you’ll have to leave. Who will I annoy then?”
“I’ll never leave you. Never.”
Red regretted the words almost as soon as they left his mouth. They made him feel desperate and vulnerable and it was the last thing he wanted Tameka to think of him.
He wished he’d kept quiet about everything.
“Dare I ask about your sister?” said Red.
“Are you going to tell the prime minister everything I say?” she asked.
“I promise I won’t tell him a thing.”
He meant it. The prime minister didn’t have to know every personal thing about his and Tameka’s lives. They needed their secrets.
She paused before saying, “You’re right. Mermaids are…rocks. Robots. I think she’s more curious about me than anything. But she’s trying. I’m trying.” She looked into his eyes hopefully before saying, “Have mermaids ever…experienced emotion?”
He considered lying for a moment. If Tameka thought there was no possible way her sister could ever love her she’d soon grow tired of being in the cold. But could he wound her like that? Being reunited with her sister again had made her so happy.
The prime minister will kill me for telling her this.
“Sometimes mermaids feel an affection for their former families,” said Red. “But it’s frowned upon. If she were ever found out to be experiencing even nuggets of emotions she’d be lashed and sent to be brainwashed again.”
>
“So she could truly be feeling something?” Tameka asked, full of hope.
For a moment it appeared as if Red were going to procrastinate. The feelings of hatred between the mermaids and the dragons were strong, that much was obvious. She hoped he could be honest with her.
“Yes,” Red admitted. “But, like I said, it’s dangerous for her. She may not know how to process how she feels, and it may betray her.”
Tameka nodded. He was about to expound further when the back door opened and Bethyl strode in. She noticed their close physical proximity and grinned lasciviously.
“Am I interrupting something?” the witch asked.
“Are we ready to go?” Red commanded.
The witch nodded. “Ready when you are.”
He looked at Tameka, who grinned. It was time to rescue some trolls.
15
Tameka looked up at the warehouse as they hid behind a dumpster in a nearby alley. She’d passed this building while following Vincent the other night. She’s literally walked by the building where the troll’s family were being kept. So had Vincent. She hoped the troll didn’t feel too guilty about it.
“I can smell fresh fish,” said Vincent, her large nostrils flaring. “I can’t believe they were right here the whole time. We’re only five minutes walk from our house.”
“We’ll get them,” Red insisted.
Bethyl was sitting behind them, reading from a small book she’d pulled out of her backpack. She was muttering under her breath, closing her eyes, chanting, crossing and uncrossing her fingers. Tameka hoped she had a decent spell or two in her bag of tricks. He imagination was running away with her, picturing all the magical things the witch could do. She couldn’t wait to see her in action.
Red gave her a smile of confidence as she started to bite her lip. She was nervous. She’d never done anything like this before. There was the thrill of excitement too but mostly it was just anxiety. They didn’t know what waited for them inside that warehouse.
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