“Um, I think it’s about time for me to leave. I can look at your sea glass collection tomorrow.” Her fingers twitched at her side and her tail gave a shudder. She wanted to race to the door and fling it open.
“There’s no rush.” A gentle smile transformed the lecherous gaze into something almost trustworthy. She narrowed her eyes, realizing his Cuttlefish ways were scarier than the outright lecherousness. She’d be lying to herself if she said he wasn’t handsome, but something lurked within that gave her pause.
He played the gentleman for so long, she’d forgotten how quickly he could turn into a monster.
She glanced down at the desk, no longer able to hold his stare, taking in the contents scattered about: pens, shells, a paperweight shaped into the image of Poseidon with his triton held high in his grasp. Then her eyes landed on the familiar crest of the king inlaid in gold into a seal-leather book.
Being distracted was a mistake. She didn’t notice Cayson move up beside her until his fingers danced across her exposed shoulder. “I almost forgot to mention something.” A single finger traced over a smattering of freckles on her arm, compliments from her trips to the surface.
Shivers ran down her spine as she jerked her shoulder away from his offending appendages and turned to face him. “Forgot to mention what?” Her voice cracked, and Cayson’s smile grew, believing his touch affected her.
He’d affected her alright. If he didn’t stop, she would vomit all down the front of his finely chiseled chest. Not like she’d been looking. How could his presence both excite her and make her want to be sick?
“Yes, Mother has made arrangements for our betrothal celebrati—”
“What?” she shouted, unable to contain her outburst.
Not missing a beat, he continued, “I know, I know. It should have happened sooner, but the whole Kingdom needs to hear about our upcoming nuptials. Once you’re eighteen—”
Cutting him off again, she dismissed his next words with a wave of her hand. “I know what happens when I turn eighteen, but we don’t need a celebration.”
“Of course, we do,” his words oozed out next to her ear. He was too close.
She moved around him and the desk, stopping to stare out the window as she confessed her misgivings. “You barely even acknowledge me in the halls at school. What’s the big deal about a stupid celebration?” She was tired of this in-between. They either needed to make an announcement, or even better, call the whole thing off.
Strong hands touched her shoulder, giving a firm squeeze. A squeak escaped her before she could reign in her surprise. Cayson’s breath fanned out across her ear again, much closer than it did the last time. “My dear, I couldn’t very well acknowledge you in such a way until it’s been announced. What would people think?”
What would people think?
Probably that she was a floozy. That rumor was still bound to make its way around school. Once they announced their engagement, everyone would speculate whether she was pregnant or not, or maybe a charity case, because someone like her did not join with someone like him.
He was right. Had he been protecting her all this time? He was only trying to save her from the ridicule. At least this way, it’d be more official, and the rumors may not be as outlandish.
The hands on her shoulders gently guided her so she faced him. Their eyes locked and his held such a hopeful look as he stared at her. Her head and her heart weren’t sure what to believe. Could he be sincere toward her?
His next words were a whisper as they brushed across the bridge of her nose. “My parents will throw a huge celebration at the palace. Everyone will see what a lovely couple we make.” He tilted his head with a sharp look before she could open her mouth. “I know, I know. The bride’s parents should be responsible, but they can rest assured my parents will take care of things.”
Those aquamarine eyes, framed by long black hair, were too intense. She looked away first, glancing down between his arms and concentrating on the floor. “I don’t need a celebration. I hate being the center of attention.”
He surprised her by pulling her into his arms. A gasp involuntarily escaped her. With her arms held down by his, she wasn’t an active participant in this gesture. Her lack of response didn’t deter Cayson, though.
“I’ll be there right beside you the whole time.” He squeezed her tighter. She wasn’t sure if it was because he wanted to reassure her, or he liked having her close. Either one made her feel appreciated, but feelings like that shouldn’t be associated with Cayson, should they?
Her arms were like jellyfish as she floundered to bring them up and wrap them around his narrow waist. She could feel one of his hands softly playing with ends of her hair and his breath fanned through the strands as he released a gentle sigh of contentment.
Resting her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes to hold back the tears. Her mind told her to never let her guard down or trust Cayson, but her heart… her heart was whispering people could change. Her parents forced her into this situation and she wasn’t sure if she was strong enough to swim against the tide.
He was the first to pull away, a half smile gracing his lips.
“Cayson, I—” but she didn’t get a chance to voice her thoughts.
His lips bridged the gap between hers, touching lightly at first, testing, but when she didn’t move away, he deepened the kiss. A strong arm wrapped around her torso, while his other hand combed into her hair, gently angling her face.
Her arms wrapped around his neck as if they had a mind of their own. A soft moan drifted through the air, followed by a possessive growl. Hearing the last noise jarred her from the moment.
What just happened?
She touched her lips. Did she kiss Cayson? Wait, he kissed her first and… this was not her fault. No, she wasn’t taking the blame for this. She chastised her treacherous heart, giving the useless organ a talking to about trusting the wrong people.
Quickly, she pushed against Cayson’s chest, freeing herself from his deceptive cage.
“Um, I—”
“You’re a great kisser, Meriya.” Cayson crossed his arms and tilted his head back, studying her.
Those words threw her off. “Wait, what?”
A playful smirk danced across his face as he eyed her. He completely ignored the fact that she’d pushed him away. To his credit, those Caribbean pools never ventured lower than her face.
“You heard me. How much practice have you had?” he eased into the chair next to the window, waiting for her reply.
“Practice?” She threw her hands up above her head, flustered. And the asshole was back. “I haven’t been practicing. I’ve never even…” she bit her lip and settled her arms back down to her side.
Recognition lit up his face, followed by an incredulous look. “Wait, hold on just one second. I was your first?”
He was in front of her before she could blink, his hands in her hair again.
Swatting him away, she back-peddled. “That’s none of your business.”
“You’re a natural or perhaps we just have the perfect chemistry.” He inched closer, grinning at her discomfort.
Should she consider that a compliment? Cayson forced her on an emotional wave, crashing her against a shore littered with jagged rocks. She didn’t know what was up or down anymore.
Her head spun as she ventured to the door, jerking it open, and fleeing into the hallway.
“Meriya! There you are!” Her mother’s voice drifted up to her, sending a rush of relief through her veins.
“Mom!” She practically flew into her arms as she descended the slope that joined the first and second floor.
“Oh, sweetie, what’s the matter?” Her mom wrapped her arms around her tightly.
“Nothing. I simply missed you.” There was no need to tell her the turmoil her emotions were in currently. She wouldn’t understand. In her mind, they were already joined. She’d bet money her mother already had names picked out for her grandchildren.
&
nbsp; At that moment, she wouldn’t think of any of those concerns. She’d take the comfort her arms could provide.
8
Meriya twirled a strand of hair around her finger, nervously biting her lip, anxious about their test today. They’d be tested in areas of magic and so far, she’d failed at everything they’d thrown at her.
The final test would determine her whole life, what career she’d qualify for, what part she’d play in society, everything. She’d squeezed in every minute she could at night trying to figure out her calling, her magical source.
Nothing.
One by one, teachers called her classmates back to one of the three testing rooms. Her fingers twisted harder. At this rate, all her hair would be ripped out by the time her name was called.
“Calm down, Meriya. You’re going to give yourself an aneurysm,” Adrielle whispered, poking her in the side.
“I’m going to fail. I’m going to end up being a trash collector, or worse, an outcast.” She white-knuckled her seat, ready to say forget it. Maybe she should make a run for it.
“The whole reason you haven’t been able to figure out your magic is because you can’t relax.” Adrielle leaned toward Meriya’s desk. “Breathe, reach deep inside, and find that piece of yourself that sparkles and shines.”
Meriya closed her eyes, took a deep breath, held it for a beat, and then released it slowly. “Okay,” she encouraged herself, “you can do this.”
“You’ve got this, girl,” Adrielle cheered beside her in whispered tones.
She reached deep within, looking for that shiny piece Adrielle spoke of. Her magic alluded her at every turn. Maybe she was born without magic. What if she was as ordinary as a human? Maybe she was adopted from a kingdom of magicless mermaids. She looked nothing like her family and the grandmother her mother supposedly said she looked like passed away to the great beyond before she was even born.
“Meriya Finley.”
Snapping out of her meditations, she found Mrs. Coralene repeatedly calling her name until Meriya looked up. “C’mon.” Her teacher curled a finger, beckoning Meriya to the room behind her.
Once inside, Meriya took a seat at the rough stone table. Before her were several objects, all of which pertained to different sectors of magic. Mrs. Coralene’s job was to see which one she could manipulate.
Mrs. Coralene took the seat on the other side of the table. “Meriya.” Her smile was hopeful and always encouraging. “Here we are again. This time we’re going to figure out where you belong. Earlier this year we tested other areas, but today we’re going to work on the elements.”
Meriya worried her lip between her teeth. She spent the last seventeen years not knowing what magic she possessed. All that time filled with stress and doubt.
“If you say so.”
“That’s not the attitude to have.” She clucked her tongue. “Let’s start with earth.” Her teacher chose a jar of sand from the collection of objects between them and placed it in front of her.
“Pour it out, see what you can do.” Mrs. Coralene possessed the patience of a sea turtle. Her teaching methods were slow and methodical.
Her hand trembled a little as her fingers wrapped around the jar. With a deep breath, she tilted the jar and dumped the contents atop the table.
Mrs. Coralene reached out to steady her hand. “It’s merely you and me.” Releasing her hand, she added, “Actually, pretend I’m not even here.”
Meriya concentrated, channeling every piece of willpower and thought she could into getting the sand to move.
The only thing she managed was to put her stomach in knots and an ache between her eyes from straining.
“Okay, we’ll assume you have no affinity for earth. I’ve not seen anything in the past to indicate that was the direction you’d take.” She grabbed the jar, pushing the sand to the edge of the table with her hand to fill the container back up. “No worries.”
Meriya swallowed hard, gave a nod, and set her mouth in a thin line. She tried to erase all emotions from her face. She would not cry in front of her teacher. Maybe later, in the comfort of her room, she could break down.
“Next, we’ll try air.” With a flourish of fingers, Mrs. Coralene used her air magic skills to create a bubble the size of Meriya’s head. “Show me what you can do with this air.”
She raised her hands up and tried to make the bubble grow. Mrs. Coralene gave her a head start. If Meriya had an affinity to air, a bubble would be easy to make.
She pulled and tugged from inside herself, focusing on the pocket of air floating before her, trying to make the bubble grow. All she managed to do was accidentally touch it, causing the bubble to burst and send a curtain of tinier bubbles fizzing up to the ceiling.
Mrs. Coralene’s face fell, but she pushed on. “Never mind. We’ll check air off the list.”
“I’m never going to figure this out. I’m magicless.” Meriya’s gaze fell to the table, unable to look her teacher in the eyes.
“You’ve shown some aptitude before. I’ve seen the magic race across your fingers. I’m not sure which element, but,” Meriya glanced up to find Mrs. Coralene grinning before her teacher leaned across the table. “I’ve seen it light up your eyes. You just need to find it again.”
“When I was younger, I used to think I felt it on the tips of my fingers. It’s been a while since I’ve felt the zing of power.” Meriya’s shoulders sagged. Had she lost her magic somehow?
“What were you thinking about or feeling when the power danced at your fingertips?” Her teacher canted her head to the side, regarding Meriya.
Meriya shrugged in answer. How could she remember something that happened years ago?
Her teacher, nonplussed, moved on. “It’s rather hard to test fire while down here. Perhaps that is your calling. It’s a rare gift.” She grabbed Meriya’s hands and looked over the dips and lines. “Have you ever felt a warmth radiating from your palms?”
“No, not that I’ve noticed.” Meriya shrugged, but leaned forward to study her palms with her teacher.
Mrs. Coralene stared at Meriya’s hands for the longest time as if she could find the answers to the universe. “I don’t understand. Your sisters are good with water and—”
“I’m not my sisters, though.” She jerked her hands from her teacher’s grasp and hid them beneath the table.
“Meriya, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to compare you to them.” She laid a hand over her heart. “Only to offer a suggestion on the right path for you.”
“I know.” She glanced down at her hands, fidgeting with a hangnail. “Can we get this over with?”
“Look at me” Mrs. Coralene whispered, but the command was still there. “We can’t rush this. The results from this test will signify your lot in life. I’ll stay in here as long as we need to.”
Meriya gave a nod as she glanced up. “Okay.” Her teacher’s understanding didn’t help to settle her stomach or calm her nerves. Only finding out her true magic would.
“How about you humor me and try water.” Meriya could see the worry lines in her teacher’s forehead, but her expression still held a measure of hope.
Meriya tilted her head from side to side, loosening up her shoulders, then held both her hands up. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to meditate like Adrielle advised her.
Nothing.
No spark.
No zing.
Nada.
“This is useless,” she blurted out. “All I want to do is move this water!” She flung her hands out in frustration, her final words ending in a scream.
Mrs. Coralene’s chair unexpectedly tilted with force as she blew back, water pushing her onto the floor, her body sprawled in an undignified manner.
Meriya tensed, expecting Mrs. Coralene to yell and rant, but she merely raised up, righted her chair, and sat back down with the widest smile on her face.
“I think we have it!” She beamed with pride. “Now, try again.”
She held her hands back up, mimick
ing the same motions she used previously. No matter how angry she became, nothing happened. She growled in frustration and shoved her hands in her lap.
“Meriya, I’ll see about scheduling you with a well-seasoned guard. Perhaps they’ll be able to give you some training on water.”
“But—”
“No buts. I know you’re having issues with repeating what you did earlier, but we’ll get to the bottom of this.” She shooed Meriya out of the room with promises to get with her the following week about a schedule for training. “Go, I still have five more students to test.”
She slid out of her seat and exited the room, her heart thudding in her chest. Did she just perform magic?
9
When she entered the palace that afternoon, the scene before her inspired awe. Large obsidian columns lined the entryway, statues of long-dead sea heroes filled the spaces in between. Hundreds of beautiful flowers and leaves floated down from the ceiling on strands of seaweed as she glided down the halls. They must have been plucked from the island, which made this ceremony all the more exciting to those attending. No expense was spared, and she wondered how important the Chancellor’s son really was.
In the ballroom, ornate scones lined the walls filling the palace with ambient light, while twinkling strands cascaded from the ceiling. Not a table was out of place and every chair in the palace was in use.
Upon a raised dais sat an elongated table with two ornately carved stone chairs. The craftsmanship was the finest she’d ever seen. Meriya sat ramrod straight in one of those ostentatious chairs, admiring the whirls and patterns chiseled into its arm.
Cayson sat by her side with a satisfied smirk on his face, like the shark that ate the flounder and got away with it.
Merfolk flitted around, dancing, laughing, and getting an early start on the festivities. In one of the alcoves, a drunken merman put on a bubble show, his bubbles not exactly the shapes he intended.
Meriya began to relax bit by bit, laughing at the antics of the party goers.
“Miss?” Meriya snapped out of her revelry to notice an older merman trying to garner her attention. She wasn’t sure how long he’d been there trying to get her to notice him.
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