Sirens and Scales

by Kellie McAllen

  Rowan’s concrete feet turned into lead, pushing the gas pedal all the way to the floor. He took turns as sharp as his truck would allow without tipping over, flew through traffic lights just turning red, and still, he didn’t make it to the house before Nick.

  Nick’s car sat on the other side of the gate when he punched in the code and drove through it. His lungs constricted, panic seizing them.

  Meriya! He mentally yelled, knowing he couldn’t do it out loud, and hoping she hid like before.

  Running around to the back of the house, Rowan stopped at the corner, caught his breath, and tried to pull off casual as he approached Nick standing by the pool, talking on his phone.

  Rowan stopped about ten feet behind him, listening. Nick remained oblivious to Rowan’s presence.

  “I could’ve sworn he had some marine animal in his pool… yeah, it attacked me last night.” Nick’s phone blared loud enough on the other end for Rowan to hear, but he couldn’t make out the words. “Of course not! Get over here and help me look before…” Nick turned to check behind him, pulling the phone away from his ear when he spotted Rowan.

  “You need to leave. NOW!” Rowan’s face felt warm as the anger rushed through him.

  Nick shoved the phone up to his mouth, softly telling the person on the other end, “I’ll call you back.” He slipped his phone into his pocket and plastered on a Cheshire grin.

  “You got here pretty quick from the beach if it’s the same beach you usually frequent.” His smile turned even more devilish, if possible, a gleam in his eyes to match.

  “Yeah, I needed to make sure you weren’t floating face down in my pool again. I knew you wouldn’t listen to me when I told you to stay on the other side of the gate.” Rowan shifted his stance, crossing his arms. Forget what the neighbors thought, his words flew in Nick’s face at high decibels. “And who the hell were you talking to on the phone?”

  For once, Nick was speechless.

  “Answer me or so help me, I’ll call the cops on you for trespassing.” Rowan clenched and unclenched his hands.

  “It was Clayton. You know Clayton; he runs the hardware store on the other side of the island.” His voice wavered. When Rowan looked down at Nick’s hands, they trembled.

  Good. He should be scared of him.

  “I know who Clayton is. Why are you asking him to come over to my house when I’m not home?” Rowan’s left eye twitched.

  “You are home, man.” Nick laughed nervously.

  “You didn’t know that when you were talking to him.” Rowan took a step closer to Nick and Nick backed up, his heels hanging over the edge of the pool. Rowan would shove him into the water if he didn’t think Meriya would drown him again. She probably heard everything transpiring.

  Rowan’s hand shot out and grabbed the front of Nick’s shirt before he could tip over the edge. He spoke through gritted teeth. “Get out of my backyard, off my property, and think twice before coming back again while I’m away.” He yanked him forward by his shirt, shoving their faces closer together. “Are we clear?”

  Nick thrust his hands against Rowan’s chest causing him to lose his grip and stumble back a couple steps. “Yeah, crystal.” Striding around Rowan, he stormed off in a fit of rage, kicking a plastic pool chair as he passed.

  When Nick peeled out of the driveway, he created a plume of smoke from the tires, and left black marks marring the concrete. Rowan had a feeling they wouldn’t be mending their friendship. Nick crossed a line and wouldn’t be stepping back over it.

  22

  Rowan left, which meant Meriya’s only company were the thoughts inside her head. She kept staring at the patches on her tail where the scales were missing.

  Human.

  The word always held a dirty connotation in her world. They were the scum of the earth. Vile, petulant creatures who devoured whatever resource they came across and dumped their garbage onto the land and into the ocean. She began to see how the tales had been painted in the wrong colors.

  Not all humans were bad and Rowan was a prime example of this. He was the sum of all the good still alive in the world. Selfless and kind. Loving and attentive.

  Seeing Nick proved there was evil in this world, even back home she knew evil. She’d seen the malice which not only she faced, but also what others endured. The world, regardless of location, could be a cruel place.

  Her fins hung limply in the water, no longer a helpful tool for swimming. The edges appeared worn and faded. When she touched the tip, a part disintegrated in her hand. She cried out, quickly jerking her hand away. If she wasn’t turning into a human, then something was seriously wrong.

  On top of that, her headache had gotten worse. When she laid a hand on her forehead, it burned to the touch. Was a fever part of the change or her body developed an infection from the wounds?

  Laying down was painful when her body touched the gritty bottom, but she settled in, crying from the pain and a deep-seated loss. She’d never see her family again. Her sister, Jovie, would never visit shipwrecks with her or sneak into the kitchen at odd hours of the night for a snack. They’d never get to giggle at the antics of their older sister, Tandy.

  Besides, if the volcanoes killed them all, then she was better off dead anyway.

  Meriya.

  Great, now she was hearing voices amid the pain. She’d already lost her mind.

  Meriya?

  Hearing the voice in her head again, she sat up. Her crazy mind would not have conjured a male voice.

  Who’s there? She questioned, throwing her thought out to the wind.

  On the other hand, if it was her mind making things up, she was now talking to herself.

  Oh, thank the gods! You’re alive!

  Who was that? Bursting through the surface of the water, she strained to hear more. When nothing else came back, she replied, Of course, I’m alive! Who’s out there?

  It’s Cayson. I’ve been searching all over the ocean for you! The Kingdom is gone and only a few have survived.

  Heaving herself out of the water, she weakly pulled herself to the fence, watching the ocean ebb and flow.

  Cayson! Tell me my family survived. Are they alive? Is Jovie out there?

  There was no ‘Hey, Cayson. I’m glad you’re alive’. Her main concern was her family. She was desperate to hear any news she could get, though if it were bad news, it’d only depress her more.

  The King and Queen are dead, he replied sullenly.

  I don’t care about the damn King and Queen. I need to know if any of my family survived! she mentally shouted at him.

  She felt him withdraw from her.

  Look, Cayson. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to yell. I’ve been trapped on land in some human’s pool. I have no way of escaping and all I’ve thought about since I washed up on shore is if Jovie is alive.

  Her mind was silent for a while, no reply from Cayson. She squinted against the sun, thinking she could faintly make out a head bobbing above the water. He’d have to be close for her to be able to communicate with him telepathically.

  Cayson? Look, I said I was sorry. Her mind was ecstatic there were at least some survivors, but she didn’t know if her heart could handle the blow if she found out any of her family was dead.

  I miss you.

  Why aren’t you answering my question? Her anxiety levels were through the roof, causing the pain to thump in her head to the rhythm of her speeding pulse. There was only one explanation for him not answering her question.

  I don’t know, Meriya. That’s why. Yesterday, my father’s body was pulled out of my house. We held a memorial for him. I was wrapped up in my own grief and didn’t pay much attention to who else is still alive.

  She didn’t take into consideration the anguish Cayson endured. He’d lost part of his family, if not all. The eruption came out of nowhere, stealing the lives of those we loved.

  If my family is gone, I have nothing to come back to, Cayson.

  That’s where you’re wrong. You have me.
You have a kingdom to rule.

  A kingdom to rule? Now, who was the crazy person?

  Meriya, I’ve been searching through all of the records, trying to find out why my father wanted me to join with you so bad. What I found was unexpected. It should have been you up there on that throne all along. I… I can explain more in detail later. You need to find a way back to us.

  She held no ideas of grandeur or even dreamed of ever having such a position in life. Being the ruler of a kingdom would be more than a small step up from her previous rung on the social ladder. There would have been enough of an adjustment going from a simple guard's daughter to the wife of the Chancellor's son, but being a princess... Becoming a queen? Did she want that added responsibility?

  All she ever wanted was a simple life. One where she could provide for her family, live in relative comfort, and not have a care in the world.

  Cayson… I don’t know. I’ve never run a kingdom…

  Then it dawned on her. This was why his family arranged a betrothal with her. Why his family had been so nice and accommodating anytime she’d been over to their house. They all knew she should be a princess or queen, or whatever Cayson thought she would become. To reject him outright would do her no good, it would only create an enemy she didn’t need when she returned to the ocean.

  I’ll have to think about it. And she’d need to figure a solution to her current predicament.

  Hurry, Meriya, there isn’t much time. People will be scrambling to crown a new ruler. I wouldn’t want you to miss this opportunity.

  Yeah, she bet he didn’t want her to miss it. Grumbling under her breath to herself, she shuffled back to the pool. Her head ached something fierce from the strain of using her telepathy to talk with Cayson at such a distance and when she glanced down, she noticed more scales missing. Cayson was right about one thing.

  There wasn’t much time.

  Footsteps sent little vibrations tremoring through the water. Was Rowan back so soon? He’d left fish on the side of the pool again as if he planned to be away for some time.

  The booted steps coming her way, once again, were not Rowan’s, but Nick’s.

  Immediately, she sank to the bottom and tried to put her new powers to use, to shield herself until she knew it was safe. She strained to make her magic create the bubble she needed, but her pain overpowered her thoughts.

  “Please, magic, protect me!” she whispered to herself. A weak bubble fizzled into view, wavering for a moment, but finally coalescing into a solid form to hide her within the water from Nick. She was thankful that for some reason her magic was beginning to work, but still did not understand how. The bubble flickered a time or two, but thankfully Nick was not looking in her direction during those times.

  Nick’s contorted facial expressions rippled in the water above her. She cringed and cowered into the corner of her safety shield. Memories of Jovie popped into her mind as she tried to think of happier times, but a sob still broke through before she clamped her hands over her mouth, muffling the sound.

  Thinking of Jovie only brought more pain. Clearing her mind, she thought of how it felt to glide through the ocean waters, skimming over coral, diving through rock formations and having the freedom to do whatever she wanted. When she closed her eyes, she could picture it all. This was her happy place.

  Something deep within her told her to hold on to these memories. Physically she was becoming more human, but mentally she would never forget her place amongst the waves. She prayed this would help in some way to slow her transition, giving her more time to find a way back to Her.

  These memories gave her a goal, a purpose. Get out of this pool and back to the ocean. She needed to figure out how she could get over the black, metal fence surrounding Rowan’s property.

  Her place of planning and contentment crumbled into a pile of useless debris once the yelling started. From the sounds of it, Rowan was back, and he wasn’t happy Nick was once again in his backyard without his permission.

  Safely tucked into the corner of his pool behind the waterfall, she’d remain there until the coast was clear, her body aches and dissolving scales her only company.

  23

  As soon as Nick was out of his hair, he strolled over to the gate and reprogrammed the code to something he’d never guess. With one problem out of the way, he headed back to the pool to check on Meriya. She was his only concern at this point.

  “Meriya!” he shouted, still unconcerned with the suspicion he’d cause with the neighbors. She must have heard what went on between Nick and him. He’d check on her, make sure she was okay, and then that damn cupcake he’d bought floated to the forefront of his mind. She needed a good surprise in her life. That damn cupcake was just the trick.

  Dark brown tendrils swirled within the water as she slowly ascended, dull blue eyes rimmed red from crying.

  Rowan kicked off his shoes. “Are you okay?” He jumped into the water with his shirt, shorts, and socks still on. This was starting to become a habit. Perhaps he should start wearing his swimming trunks under his clothes so he could dive in at a moment’s notice.

  To her credit, she didn’t back away from him. Meriya willingly wrapped her arms around Rowan without any prompting. Even though he knew she hurt, his heart swelled with a feeling he wasn’t ready to put a name to. They’d been through so much together in such a short time.

  He encircled her with his arms, offering her protection, and gently rocked her in the water. “Everything’s going to be alright.”

  “No.” She hiccupped. “It’s not!”

  “We’ll figure something out. I changed the code to the gate. Nick won’t be back without me letting him in.” Rowan continued his gentle rocking, his hand rubbing slow circles across her back. Her forehead pressed against his neck and practically seared his skin with a raging fever.

  “You don’t understand…”

  “You’re burning up.” He pulled her away at arm’s length, one hand coming up to touch her cheek.

  “None of this matters. I need to get back to the ocean. Cayson–” The rest of her words seemed to get lodged in her throat.

  He pleaded with her silently to understand how much she meant to him. He didn’t want her to leave.

  “Cayson… he contacted me. He knows about my family. He…” she swallowed, trying to wet her dry throat. “He won’t tell me about them until I get back to the ocean. I’m afraid they’re all dead, but I have to know. I can’t keep going on not knowing. Don’t you understand?” She jerked out of his arms, pushing him away, but luckily not using the force she had in the past.

  Bubbles swarmed between them. The elation he felt when she was in his arms quickly dissolved like those bubbles, a hollowness ripped open inside of him.

  Rowan held up his hands defensively. “Okay, okay. Um…” His mind ran rampant with ideas as he tried to pin down the best one. “Wait, no… no. I need to get you some antibiotics. You’re burning up and I bet you have an infection.”

  “But… the ocean! My family!” She let out a mournful wail as she backed away from him more. “You can’t keep me here. I demand you return me to my home.” She punctuated her statement by pointing toward the ocean waves to her right. “Now!”

  “Will you listen?” He threw his hands up, agitated she wasn’t seeing reason. “You’re sick. It’s possibly why you haven’t grown back any scales. You need medicine.”

  Her head continually shook back and forth, the word ‘no’ mumbled over and over. Her eyes were wild, her skin pale. She was delirious with fever.

  “You’re not thinking straight. Will you just give me a chance to get some antibiotics in you to help fight the infection and then we’ll figure a way to get you back to the ocean unseen?”

  “Rowan?” She backed as far away as she could, her back against the wall. He hadn’t budged from his spot.

  “Yes?” Defeat apparent in his tone. If she refused, she very well could die regardless if she was here or in the ocean.

  “Yo
u have one day, then you have to take me back.” Her eyes held his, daring him to counter her offer.

  “Deal.” In a whirlwind of arms and legs, he shot out of the pool and started wringing his clothes out. The animal sanctuary would have what he required. He had a key to the building for just these such emergencies. He could be back within a half an hour and treat her if he hurried.

  “Where are you going to get this med-ah-sin?” She pronounced the word out, but it felt wrong on her tongue. She moved closer while he’d squeegeed the water out.

  “I need to run to work.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll be back before you know it.” Dropping his hand, he sighed.

  She nodded, her gaze no longer hiding the fear coursing through her. “One more day,” she repeated. Whether she was scared of the infection or about never getting back to the ocean, he’d never know.

  He hobbled into the house as he yanked off his sodden pants, tracking water the whole way to his room. Once there, he peeled off his remaining clothes and put on something dry. He wasn't sure if the medicine would make a difference. She was an imaginary creature that wasn't supposed to exist. Fairy tales and magic were what she was made of. Would modern medicine be strong enough to help?

  Within a matter of minutes, he was in his truck and on his way to work. At this late hour, everyone should be gone for the day. At least he hoped.

  The parking lot lights illuminated an empty lot when he pulled into his assigned spot. He walked as calmly as he could to the side entrance he normally used.

  Keycard in hand, he held it up to the box and watched the light turn green, a familiar click telling him the lock disengaged.

  His eyes swept back and forth as he stepped through the door, down a hallway, turned to the right, and entered the storeroom. There weren't a lot of cameras in the building, but he knew how to avoid them since he helped install them.

  In the back corner between two sets of cabinets stood the fridge, containing all the refrigerated drugs locked inside. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the glass door, scanning the shelves for the best antibiotics.