The covered tray passed by and continued to float down until it settled on the bottom of the tank.
Dyna huddled in the corner as I glanced down.
“I’ll let you have some privacy,” said Cyrus, as he pressed two more buttons. As the top began to lower, the sides of the glass turned black. “The dragons will not bother you anymore.”
“What’s happening?” Dyna said, swimming as fast as she could away from the corner of the tank.
I swam to the glass and tapped. It felt the same, it just looked different. Like the previous night, I could no longer see through it. “I think he turned on some kind of shield.” I hoped this would make Dyna feel safer, but the fact that dragons could be hovering on the other side caused my anxiety to soar.
“I’m glad,” said Dyna. “I never want to see another dragon ever again.”
“Me either,” I agreed.
She swam down toward the tray. “Do you think it’s safe?”
“He ate some of everything,” I said with caution in my voice. “But I’m not sure. He could be trying to trick us.”
“I’m so hungry though,” said Dyna, with her hand on her stomach. She was already painfully thin, and definitely couldn’t afford to miss any more meals.
I swam down to the bottom and inspected each item on the tray. Only the kelp bar looked familiar. There was the red sphere, a bunch of small spheres that were a deep shade of purple, and small green things about the length of my pointer finger. “Let me try a bite of everything first and then we’ll wait for a bit. If I don’t get sick, you can eat it too. Sound good?”
Dyna nodded and bit her lower lip as she watched me lift the kelp bar to my mouth. Relief flooded my core as the familiar taste filled my mouth.
“Does it taste like our kelp bars?” she asked.
I nodded. “Yes, thank goodness.”
She breathed an audible sigh of relief.
I picked up the red thing next. Scrunching up my nose, I examined the bite mark Cyrus had left behind. The red skin had given way to a white inside. Holding it up to my face, I sniffed it before taking a small bite.
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. An explosion of flavors filled my mouth and an ancient memory came racing back.
“What? What’s wrong?” asked Dyna, knocking the food from my hand. “Is it poisonous?”
Closing my eyes, I thought back to the day my mother had snuck into my room late at night. She had sat on the edge of my bed with a big grin.
“I have a surprise for you,” she said, still smiling.
My eyes lit up. My mother always brought me the best gifts. “What is it, Mother?”
“Hold out your hand and close your eyes,” she instructed.
I followed her directions and eagerly waited for her to place my gift in my outstretched hands.
“There you are, my dear,” she said.
My eyes shot open as I inspected my surprise. Tilting my head to the side, I squinted at the item in my hand. “What is it, Mother?”
“It’s called an apple,” she said. “They come in different colors, red, green, and yellow. They grow on land in things called trees.”
My jaw dropped. “How did you get it?”
“One of your Father’s soldiers found it floating in the water. He surfaced and saw the tree nearby.”
I gasped. “The surface! But that’s not allowed.”
She smiled and placed her hand on my back. “Our Kingdom has very brave soldiers. Soldiers who check the surface every fortnight.”
The new information bombarded my mind. The forbidden surface. Trees. Apples. At just seven years of age, my mind had been blown.
“So, what do I do with this apple?” I asked my mother. The word felt strange rolling off my tongue.
“You eat it,” she said, the corners of her lips twitching.
I arched an eyebrow, something I had learned from my older sister. “Are you trying to trick me?”
“No, silly,” she said, picking it up and taking a small bite. “Mmmm, it’s good!”
She placed it back in my hand. “It’s very sweet. I think you’ll like it.”
I slowly raised my hand to my mouth. Before taking a bite, I sniffed it. “It smells good,” I said cautiously.
My mother bit her lip in anticipation as she waited for me to take a bite.
Opening my mouth, I bit off a small piece and moved it to the back of my mouth with my tongue.
Instant sweetness took over, settling in the back corners of my mouth.
Without waiting, I took another bite, and chewed it quickly.
My mother let out a quiet giggle. “Do you like it?”
I nodded and took another bite. “It’s the most delicious thing I’ve ever tried! Thank you so much, Mother!”
A sharp tug sent the memories into oblivion. “Aria! Aria!”
Shaking my head, I snapped back to reality. “What?”
“That thing,” Dyna said, pointing to the apple, “is it poisonous?”
“Oh, no,” I said, pushing the memory back, “it’s fine.”
Dyna studied my face, her brows knitted together in confusion.
I forced a smile on my face. “Sorry, just remembering something that happened a long time ago.”
I tried the other two items on the tray. The small balls were sweet, like the apple. The green things were actually some kind of pod. They weren’t sweet, but still incredibly tasty.
“How long do I have to wait until I get to eat?” she asked.
I had no idea how long it would take for poison to work. “Um, how about you count to six hundred and if I’m still okay, you can have as much as you want?”
Her eyes lit up. “Sounds good to me!”
The coral and fuchsia in her tail shimmered as she spun around. “Woo hoo!”
I had never known what it was like to go hungry. Whenever I wanted food, I simply went to the kitchen and picked something out.
Dyna swam in circles around me as she counted to six hundred. If the food was poisonous, surely the adverse side effects would kick in quickly, right?
“Five hundred and ninety-eight, five hundred and ninety-nine, six hundred,” announced Dyna with a grin. “You’re still alive! That means I can finally eat!”
“Yes, it’s okay. I think you’re safe.” I grinned. While I wasn’t the one to provide the food for her, I was grateful she was able to fill her empty stomach.
She picked up the kelp bar and shoved half of it in her mouth. “Mmmm…”
After she finished the kelp bar, I handed her a handful of the purple spheres. “These are really good.”
Raising it to her mouth, she sniffed it before popping it into her mouth.
I pressed my lips together, suppressing a smile as her eyes lit up. “Do you like it?”
She nodded her head as she shoved the remaining handful in her mouth. “Itsmh sohhh guddd.”
The happiness I felt quickly faded as I thought about Dyna’s life as an outcast. Starvation and fear were an everyday thing. She didn’t do anything wrong. Her father had been caught stealing sea lettuce from one of the gardens surrounding the castle. My Uncle Tryon showed no mercy. He kicked them out of the kingdom and forbade them from ever coming back. If the shelters my mother had built would have remained open, this never would have happened. When I get back, I will make sure every single one is reopened and I’ll build even more, I vowed.
“I can see why the dragons don’t want us to live up here,” she said in between bites. “Their food is so good, I wouldn’t want to share either.”
My smile returned as Dyna handed me half of the apple. “I saved you half.”
“Thanks, Dyna,” I said, looking down at the food in my hand.
As my mother’s face floated through my mind, I thought about how disappointed she would have been in me. Sure, going to the surface to see the dragon had been Dyna’s idea, but I didn’t dissuade her. I didn’t urge her to be cautious and stay beneath the sea. I should have known better. But no
, instead of acting like a responsible mermaid, I encouraged the very act that lead us to this glass prison.
Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll make things right. I promise.
5
After we finished the food, I inspected the tank for any signs of weakness. A crack, a missing bolt, anything that would allow us to escape.
Letting out a frustrated sigh, I swam back to Dyna. “I didn’t find anything. There doesn’t appear to be any way out.”
“Maybe we can wait for that Cyrus guy to come back, and we can sneak out the top?” she asked.
I shook my head. “The water isn’t high enough. There’s no way we could reach the lid.”
“Think we can trick him to come in?” Dyna asked.
Shrugging my shoulders, I didn’t want to give her false hope, but I also didn’t want to let her think that we wouldn’t escape. I would get her out, I just didn’t know how yet.
“Do you think—” A loud click echoed through the water.
Putting a protective arm around the little girl, I waited.
“The wall,” she whispered.
Turning around, I watched as the glass wall behind us turned from black to clear.
On the other side, Cyrus stood with a clipboard. He waved, making sure he had our attention. His gaze lingered on mine, as if he was trying to figure something out.
My features hardened as I stared back. I would not let this landwalker get the best of me. Not now, not ever.
He reached up to his ear and adjusted something strapped to his head.
“Did you enjoy the food?” His voice echoed through the tank.
I kept one arm around Dyna’s shoulders and the other one on my hip. “I would enjoy it if you’d let us go.”
He blinked slowly. “I’m sorry, I can’t do that yet.”
Did he just say, “Yet?”
He held up a clipboard. “I need to make sure you’re both healthy. You know, to ensure you weren’t hurt when Zagnu brought you here.”
“You mean, when he kidnapped us?” I spat.
He closed his eyes for a moment and paused before opening them again. “If all goes to plan, you two will be back in the sea before you know it.”
My heart thumped in anticipation. “Go? You’re going to let us go?”
“That’s the plan,” Cyrus said with a smile. “Eventually.”
I couldn’t help but feel a faint glimmer of hope flutter in my chest. Is this too good to be true? Or by eventually does he mean when we’re old and wrinkled and circling death’s door?
“I just need to draw some blood and run a few tests,” he said. “If you’d like, I could bring you some more food afterward?”
“Yes, please,” Dyna blurted out.
Cyrus smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “Okay, stay in the middle of the tank. Wait until it raises up and you hear a loud clunk. That means it’s done moving. Swim through the tunnel on the northwest side.”
I nodded, swishing my tail through the water.
A loud, mechanical groan erupted as the tank began to slide upward. Then, just as Cyrus promised, an opening appeared on the northwest side.
Clunk.
Before swimming through, I grabbed Dyna’s shoulders and whispered in her ear, “If anything happens, I need you to promise that you’ll fight. Okay?”
Her eyes filled with fear. “What’s going to happen? Are the dragons going to eat us?”
I shook my head. I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t want her to worry, but there was a good chance that Cyrus was lying through his perfect teeth.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at Dyna and gave her a hug. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”
Dyna nodded her head and grabbed my hand. Refusing to let go, she held on as we swam through the dark tunnel.
After swimming for a few feet and turning left at a bend, lights became visible.
“Please continue swimming until you reach the pool at the end,” a polite female voice instructed.
As we got to the end of the tunnel, we entered a small tank with an open top. Glass towered on three sides of the tank, behind it, a room white and void of warmth. Steel shelves were stocked with jars, medical supplies, and endless cabinets.
Cyrus stood on the only open side wearing a white coat. His arms were crossed against his chest, but they quickly fell to his sides as our eyes met.
Why does he keep looking at me like that? It was different from the lingering stare Hennick gave me during school or when we happened to run into each other in the halls of the castle. His father was a family friend and he worked for my Uncle Tryon. One time, he stared so hard, he swam into a wall, dropping his lunch tray and sending our classmates into hysterics.
“This should only take a few minutes,” said Cyrus. “I just need to run a few tests and then you can join the others.”
Tests? Others?
“Is it going to hurt?” Dyna asked, her voice trembling.
He shook his head. “Not at all.”
The little girl eased into my arms.
Cyrus grabbed a needle and several tubes. “Who would you like to go first?”
“I will,” I replied without looking at him.
“Don’t leave me,” whispered Dyna.
Still holding her hand, I gave it a squeeze. “Never.”
As we swam toward Cyrus, he pressed a button on the wall. A small glass shelf jutted out from the side of the tank, allowing us to sit as he prepared to draw my blood.
“I need to record your name on the chart.” His voice seemed apologetic.
“My name is Aria.” Making a name up didn’t seem worth it. I’d probably goof up and blurt out my real name, which could raise fins. I just wouldn’t tell him about my father, the King.
Cyrus froze. “Pardon?”
“My name is Aria,” I repeated.
He blinked several times before making a note in the file. “Thank you, Aria.”
Why is he acting so strange? I studied his face as he picked up a stretchy piece of rubber. His chiseled jaw and high cheekbones were tense. There’s no way he knows who I am… Right?
Deciding it was now or never, I cleared my throat and asked, “Cyrus, have we met before?”
Cyrus froze again, the band of rubber dangling from his hands.
“Have we?” I repeated.
“N- no,” he stammered. I watched as he took a deep breath, as if to calm himself. “Arm, please,” he said in a quiet voice.
I held out my left arm and waited as he cleaned it off with a damp cloth. “It’s cold,” I said, pulling my arm back.
“Sorry,” he apologized. “I should have warned you. The liquid we use to clean the skin leaves it feeling chilly.”
As he tied the stretchy band around my arm, I opened my mouth to say something, but stopped. Instead of protesting, I found myself staring into his eyes. Pools of emeralds with small gold flecks around his irises. There was something so familiar about him, but I couldn’t put my finger on it and he clearly wasn’t going to tell me.
A loud clang, followed by the sound of glass shattering, broke my concentration. While I had been staring into Cyrus’s eyes, he managed to knock his tray of supplies off the edge of the tank.
“Sorry,” Cyrus said as he looked down at the fallen tray and shattered tubes on the ground. “Let me just grab some new supplies. I’ll be right back.” He quickly disappeared through a large iron door. Rust had turned the hinges a deep orange, which stood out in contrast to the stark white room.
My heart beat faster in my chest.
“He’s a klutz,” whispered Dyna.
I blinked rapidly, bringing myself out of the confused state I had been in. “Yeah.” Those eyes. Where have I seen them before? Maybe he looks like one of the landwalkers in the mosaics in our castle?
A moment later, Cyrus came back with a new tray of tubes and needles. His cheeks had turned a deep shade of red.
Without a word, he sat down and released the band around my arm. My
breath hitched in my chest as his fingers brushed against my skin, leaving a trail of starfish bumps behind. The chill was deeper and more intense than the one I felt after Cyrus had cleaned my arm.
“Just keep your hand relaxed,” he instructed as he picked up the needle.
I let the first I was clenching fall open. I wanted to beg him to let us go, but I didn’t want Dyna to become more upset when he refused. I’d have to find another way out of this glass prison.
Watching the needle puncture my skin made my stomach flip flop. But after turning my head in the other direction and taking a few deep breaths, the nausea passed.
“Done,” said Cyrus.
“Really?” I asked in disbelief.
“Yes, your bloodwork is done. I just have one more test to run,” said Cyrus, holding up a small sharp knife.
“What is that for?” gasped Dyna.
Cyrus shifted uncomfortably. “I need one of your scales.”
My hand flew over my mouth. Mermaids NEVER gave up their scales and it was a serious crime to cut one off someone else’s tail. Like, being thrown out of the kingdom serious. Everyone knew that merfolk’s scales were the source of great pride. The only time a mermaid or merman lost a scale was when they had committed murder. They had a large scale lopped off in front of the kingdom and were then thrown in jail.
Cyrus’s shoulders slumped. “It’s the only way.”
“The only way for what?” I demanded. “To look like I’ve committed a murder?”
“It’s the only way they’ll keep you alive,” he responded with agony in his eyes.
Dyna’s body stiffened before she bolted from my arms and swam toward the opposite side of the tank.
Anger coursed through my body. “How dare you ask for one of my scales,” I hissed. “If you were a mermaid, you’d be excommunicated for even thinking such a heinous thought!”
Cyrus’s shoulders fell. “I wish I could say more, but if you don’t let me do this, they’ll kill you.” He spoke low, so Dyna wouldn’t hear, but the urgency in his voice gave away the seriousness of the situation. “Please, Aria.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Dyna. Her little body trembled as she pressed herself as far as possible into the corner. I couldn’t let her down. If I didn’t give up a scale, she certainly wouldn’t either. I’d never forgive myself if she died because I led her in the wrong direction or even worse, if I was the reason for her death.
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