It took over an hour to swim to the outskirts of the castle. I made sure to avoid the most heavily travelled routes and even though my curiosity piqued when I passed the carcass of a landwalker’s ship, I kept going. “ARIA!”
I spun around, slapping my hand across my chest in surprise. As my heart hammered in my rib cage, I searched the dark water for the source of the voice.
“Hello?” my voice quavered. Please don’t be a castle guard!
“Over here,” squealed a familiar voice.
As I spun around, my gaze finally landed on Dyna, a young mermaid with glowing algae wrapped around her slender form. I was nine years older than Dyna, to the day. She treated me like the big sister she never had.
“I’m so glad you made it,” Dyna exclaimed, crashing into me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed tightly.
“Hey, there,” I said, my heart practically leaping out of my chest. “You scared me! Where did you come from?”
She released her grasp. “Sorry! I was harvesting some sea grapes from…” She trailed off, perhaps afraid I’d judge her for stealing from the kingdom’s farms. “I’m just so glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” I motioned to the bag slung over my shoulder. “Now, where’s the best place to unload these supplies?”
Dyna grinned from ear to ear. “Let’s bring them to my place. We can get everything divided up and ready to give out.”
I nodded and followed her as we swam toward a small shack made from parts of an ancient ship which met its fate in the rough seas above. I wouldn’t be able to stay until morning, when Dyna would start handing out the food and other supplies, but that was for the best. My mother never required recognition for her acts of kindness and neither would I.
I followed Dyna as her bright coral and fuchsia tail glimmered from the light of the algae.
“This way,” she said, motioning to an old boarded up door.
As we got closer, sadness swirled in my heart. Rust covered walls were held together with jagged nails and kelp rope. Dyna’s home looked like it could disintegrate into a cloud of sand at any moment. Guilt gnawed at my core as I watched her slip her bracelet off her wrist.
“We always keep our door locked,” she whispered. “You never know who might come knocking.”
“Where are your parents?” I asked, scrunching up my nose in confusion.
She gave me a small smile and shrugged her shoulders. “Out gathering food. It’s easiest at night to, um… To ‘borrow’ it from the kingdom.”
I tried to smile and nod, but failed. I lived in a castle. We had servants, plenty of food, and we never had to worry about our safety. How could my family ever condone such a young girl and her family living in these conditions? What is wrong with my Uncle and my father?
As Dyna opened the door, a bright flash of orange cut through the crystal-clear water. Although it was several hundred feet above our heads, the brilliant color left my jaw hanging open. “What was that?”
“Here,” said Dyna, reaching for the bag. Instead of going inside and divvying it up, she tossed it in the shack, then turned around and locked the door behind her.
Confusion swept across my face. “Wait, what was that? Aren’t we going to split up the food?”
“Totally,” said the small mermaid, “But, I have a serious question for you first.”
My heart began to race. Something didn’t feel right. I looked at the small girl, her eyes lit up with mischief. “What’s up?”
“Do you want to see a dragon?” she asked, so quiet I could barely hear her.
“A what?” I gasped.
“A dragon.” Dyna held a finger to her lips. “What do you think made that flash of light? A landwalker shooting fire into the sky?”
“E- Ex- Excuse me, what did you just say?” I stammered, trying to lower my voice.
She let out a soft giggle. “I said, ‘Do you want to go see a dragon?’”
My hands shook with excitement as I weighed my choices. Follow Dyna to get a look at a real-life dragon or stay here and do the right thing a.k.a. miss the opportunity of a lifetime?
The choice was easy. “Let’s do it!”
The small girl sped through the water, heading directly for the surface. Her coral and fuchsia tail swirled through the water, leaving a trail of bubbles behind.
I followed with caution at first, but then picked up the pace as the excitement took over.
Another streak of brilliant orange and yellow fire skimmed the surface of the water only a few hundred feet above our heads.
“Come on,” Dyna called over her shoulder. “If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss it!”
Exerting my strength, I propelled toward the forbidden. I thought of my mother as I ascended through the water. Just be careful, she would tell me. With all adventures comes risk.
Dyna continued to swim at a rapid speed. I momentarily felt envious of the little mermaid. She didn’t have an over protective father and guards keeping her from exploring. Instead, she came and went as she pleased.
My cheeks turned crimson as the envious thoughts faded and empathy took over. Dyna’s family were outcasts. They barely had enough food to survive and they lived in a shack that should have been condemned. Even worse, my very own Uncle Tryon had kicked them out of the kingdom.
“Over here,” said Dyna, interrupting my thoughts.
I swam over to a rocky outcrop that extended beneath the water and above.
My hands trembled with excitement as I swam beside Dyna.
Her blue eyes lit up. “Are you ready?”
“Wait,” I said, holding out my hand. “We’re going above the surface?”
She arched an eyebrow and let out a giggle. “How else will we see the dragon?”
I bit my lip and glanced up toward the surface. “Are you sure it won’t see us?”
“Two little mermaids? He won’t even know we’re there,” she said with confidence in her voice. “So, are you ready or not?”
Taking a deep breath, I nodded.
A moment later, we both popped our heads above the surface.
Moonlight spilled across the water and illuminated the night sky. The chilly night air sent shivers down my spine and tail. Tiny bright lights twinkled in the sky. I think my mother had once called them stars. They were tiny balls of fire that burned in the sky. Allegedly, if you were lucky, you could see one shooting across the sky. While mother never admitted where she learned about the stars and the world outside of our kingdom under the sea, she didn’t hesitate to share her knowledge with me.
Looking up, I frowned. “Is it gone?” I asked, trying to mask the disappointment in my voice.
Dyna tipped her chin up and searched the sky.
Her smile faltered for a few seconds before pointing to the east. “There! Look!”
I spun around and gasped as my eyes landed on the winged beast soaring through the night’s sky.
Dyna’s eyes never left the dragon’s body as it looped and spewed fire. “Isn’t it beautiful?”
“Stunning,” I whispered.
“I’ve seen this one before,” Dyna said in a white voice. “I named him Rex.”
I let out a quick giggle. “You named it?”
“Yeah,” she said with a grin. “I mean, everyone has a name. Why would a dragon be any different?”
I shrugged my shoulders. She had a good point.
“So, what does Rex like to do out here?” I asked.
“He mainly flies around and shoots fire out of his mouth,” she answered. “But, he occasionally skims the water and dips the tips of his wings in.”
I froze. “They are forbidden from touching the water.”
It was Dyna’s turn to shrug her shoulders. “Maybe he doesn’t know?”
“Everyone should know about the treaty,” I protested.
Dyna let out a soft chuckle. “We’re forbidden from coming to the surface, but here we are.”
Pressing my lips together, I weighed her words. She
was right, I was breaking the rules just as much as Rex would be by touching the water.
“After my family got kicked out of the kingdom, I stopped following a lot of the rules. I mean, what’s going to happen? Is someone going to come arrest me?” The little mergirl let out another giggle. “Anyways, I just like to watch them fly.”
A fresh wave of guilt washed over me. She was right, rules didn’t count when you lived outside of the kingdom. Dyna knew that I was the King’s daughter, but we never discussed it. She treated me like any other mermaid under the sea.
As we floated in the water, Dyna turned toward me, her icy blue eyes lighting up. “Hey, Aria, did you know that mermaids used to be allowed on land?”
My brow furrowed. “What do you mean? Have you had too much fresh air?”
“A long time ago, when mermaids went on land, their tails would go away. They could walk, run, and even dance. But, when the dragons and the mermaids started fighting, the merpeople stopped going on land, it was too dangerous. After the treaty was signed, mermaids stopped telling their children about it and the merpeople eventually forgot about it.”
My jaw dropped as we bobbed up and down in the water. “Wait- What?”
Dyna’s eyes sparkled. “Yeah, I tried it once. It was risky, but I crawled on to land and waited.”
“And? What happened?” I blurted out. Realizing my voice had gotten too loud, I looked over my shoulder to make sure I didn’t attract the dragon, I whispered, “Sorry, what happened?”
She arched an eyebrow. “I think I should show you.”
“You want us to go on land?” I asked in disbelief. “With a dragon flying around?”
“He won’t see us. He’s too high up,” Dyna said, pointing toward the sky. “Plus, I’ve never seen him take anything from the water. He just lets his wings touch the sea.”
She motioned toward a nearby rocky beach. “Come on, by water’s edge is my favorite place in the whole wide world. It’s invigorating!”
My heart began hammering in my chest. My father would be furious if he ever found out about tonight, especially if he knew I stepped foot on land. Plus, what if Dyna made the leg thing up? I mean, wouldn’t my mother have told me about mermaids having legs?
Dyna pulled herself up on to the rocks. “It’s easier when there’s sand, but if you’re careful, you’ll be fine.”
I followed her lead and slid my body out of the water and on to the edge of the flat rock. The waves must have smoothed it out over the years. “Okay, now what?”
“Just give it a few seconds.” Dyna smiled. “And take this,” she said, reaching into the pocket of a small pack she wore around her waist, and throwing a piece of fabric with three holes at me.
I caught the material and frowned. “What’s this for?”
“You’ll see,” she said with a wink.
I arched an eyebrow and watched my tail. Nothing was happening. I sighed, I knew it was too good to be true.
“Do you feel it?” Dyna asked, her grin growing as she wiggled her tail.
I looked down and frowned. I didn’t feel anything.
“I don’t think-” I stopped mid-sentence. I slapped a hand over my mouth as a slight tingle started at the base of my tail. As the strange feeling intensified, my scales started to disappear, replaced by long lean legs. I let out a muffled scream. “I HAVE LEGS! I LOOK LIKE A LANDWALKER!”
Dyna threw her head back and laughed. “Isn’t it weird?”
“I’m naked!” I said holding the fabric over my exposed lower body.
“Put those on,” Dyna said. “They’re called shorts.”
I tried sticking my legs through one hole, but couldn’t pull the clothing up. Frustrated, I tried again, but failed. “Am I doing this wrong?”
Dyna giggled. “One leg per small hole and then you pull it up over your waist.”
Embarrassed, I lifted my bottom and slid the fabric over my legs. The task was made difficult by my shaky hands.
“There you go.” Dyna grinned as she tied a string holding the material around her waist up.
A warm breeze hit my skin and rustled my hair. “Why hasn’t anyone ever told me about this before?” I asked in disbelief.
“My mom says it’s too dangerous,” Dyna responded. “If mermaids knew, they’d go to the surface and get attacked by dragons.”
I nodded. Tilting my head to the side, I stared down. “I know these are legs, but what are those?”
“Those are your feet,” Dyna said giggling. “And these are your toes.”
“Feet and toes,” I murmured.
Wiggling her toes, Dyna nodded. “Pretty neat, huh?”
“I’d say,” I said, still in disbelief. “How do you know so much about this?”
Mischief flashed through her eyes. “People outside the boundaries have many secrets.”
I didn’t know how to respond. Thinking back to the countless hours I had spent in the classroom, I never once heard about legs or toes. What else didn’t I know?
“Do you want to try and stand?” Dyna asked, her blue eyes full of excitement.
“Is it hard?” I peered back into the sky. While I had been admiring my legs, the dragon must have flown off. I was disappointed, but my new-found legs were more exciting.
She shook her head. “It is at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy.”
I watched as she bent her knees and slowly wobbled to her feet. She held her arms out for balance.
My eyes widened. “That’s incredible. You look like one of the landwalkers in the mosaics!”
“Thanks,” she said nodding, and bending at the waist. “That’s called a bow. You do it when someone does something good.”
I chuckled. “I know what a bow is, but I’ve never seen someone do it on legs before.”
Dyna giggled. “Do you want some help getting up?”
I pressed my hands against the wet rock and shifted my weight under me. I inhaled as my knees made contact with the rocks. “Ouch!”
“What happened?” Dyna asked.
Looking down, I bit my lip. “I’m bleeding.”
“Ah,” she said with a nod, “these legs aren’t nearly as tough as our tails.”
I wiped the blood away and shifted my weight to the flat rock.
“It’s all about balance,” said Dyna. “Use your arms to help.”
Pushing my bottom into the air, I forced my wobbling legs to steady beneath my body as I lifted my arms into the air. A triumphant grin spread across my face. “I did it, Dyna! I stood up!”
An ear-piercing scream interrupted my joy. Spinning around, I lost my balance and tumbled on to the rocks below. Sharp pains radiated down my elbows and legs.
As I fell back, my eyes landed on a massive dragon swooping down.
“Get back in the water,” I screamed, reaching for Dyna’s hand.
Her fingers slipped through mine as the dragon descended upon us. I reached out for her again, but it was too late. The dragon’s razor-sharp claws opened and then shut as it plucked Dyna from the rock.
“Aria, help me,” she screamed as the dragon beat its massive wings and began to ascend back into the sky.
I glanced down at the safety of the water only a few feet away. I could let my father and Uncle Tryon know. They could organize a search team. I’d finally have proof that the missing didn’t leave on their own.
Dyna’s shrill screams interrupted my cowardly thoughts. No, I agreed to come with her to the surface in the first place. I agreed to get out of the water. This is my fault and I need to make it right.
Swallowing the lump in my throat, I waved my hands above my head. “You forgot me, you big dumb dragon!”
The dragon snarled and let out a fiery roar. The heat from his flames warmed the rock beneath my feet, and beads of sweat formed on my forehead.
Glancing over my shoulder, I looked at the water one last time as the dragon dove back down and snatched me off the rocks. His talons wrapped around my waist and squeezed t
ightly.
Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes as my body quaked with fear. The dragon’s claws were smooth and cold. Being trapped in them was like being in a metal straight jacket. No matter how much I squirmed or tried to release his grip on my body, his claws didn’t budge.
As we rose higher and higher into the air and further away from the safety of the sea, I choked back a sob. What have you done, Aria?
3
The terrifying ride through the pitch-black night took a turn for the worse when Dyna’s tiny body went limp.
“Dyna, Dyna!” I shouted, trying to wake her, but she didn’t move. I pressed my lips together and closed my eyes. By the grace of Amphitrite, please let her be okay!
A sudden drop caused my eyes to fly back open. Twisting my body, I spotted the coastline off in the distance. What’s he going to do with us? Are we going to be his next meal?
Shivers broke down my spine as the wind whipped my hair across my face and into my mouth. Spitting it out, I desperately tried to pull the dragon’s talons apart. If I could get free, I could pull Dyna to safety. If not, at the very least, I could tell my father what had happened and bring the full force of the mermaid army to the dragons. I would make sure we rescued Dyna and every single last mermaid that had been taken. Letting out a frustrated scream, I began punching my fists into the dragon’s feet. Nothing worked. I would never get free from this monster.
The dragon banked to the right and headed directly for the coast. A massive castle stood bathed in moonlight. Squinting, I counted the turrets. There were over twenty! This castle was clearly much larger than the one I lived in beneath the sea. Do the dragons live there?
The dragon picked up speed as we continued to dive down. My breath caught in my chest as we dropped hundreds of feet in a matter of seconds.
Looking over my left shoulder, I studied the dragon’s body. Bright red armored scales covered much of its hide. The only parts that I could see that weren’t covered, were the outsides of its wings and the beast’s belly.
What is that smell? I thought, scrunching up my face and looking for the source. Twisting as much as I could, my eyes landed on a patch of scales surrounding the dragon’s ankle. Instead of shining in the moonlight, they were covered in a thick crust. Dark liquid oozed from behind the scabbed area, bringing with it a strong stench of rotting fish.
Sirens and Scales Page 347
