How long have you been betrothed to this mer… this man? He couldn’t even think of another man touching her, spending the rest of his life with her, while he stood on the sidelines and watched, miserable.
I swear it wasn’t what I wanted. My parents were the ones who arranged it. Please, you have to believe me! She grew silent and distant. He could no longer sense what she felt. Did something happen? Was she okay?
Meriya? Are you still there? He desperately wanted to believe what she said was true.
Yes, Rowan, I’m still here. Their connection was back, and relief flooded him, knowing she was still alive. He’d been worried.
I… I love you, she confessed. The relief he felt flooded with another emotion not his own. This feeling swelled within him, full to bursting. This feeling, it was her love for him. Her love sought out all of the empty places within him, making him feel whole and complete, mending all those pieces of his heart back together, and strengthening his resolve.
With a gentle nudge, the Ocean reminded him of the same confession he’d made using his last breath. Rowan hadn’t realized until that instant how much he loved her. Her feared her never reciprocating, but that worry vanished with her confession.
I love you, too, Meriya. I’m going to do whatever I can to rescue you.
She didn’t reply to him with words, but with emotions, so many emotions. Love, fear, determination.
Mountains surrounded him on three sides. His eyes swept over the area, trying to find something he could wield as a weapon, but came up empty. The merfolk down near the wreckage were busy and he still wasn’t sure who he could trust.
He was on his own, left to his own devices. The only thing within his power was his hands or tail. He started to doubt whether he’d be able to overpower three guards with his lack of experience in swimming and the likelihood they’d been trained in hand to hand combat, but he needed to do something. He couldn’t sit here and wait for her to rescue herself.
Meriya was smaller than him, but she’d used her powerful tail once to knock him unconscious. He also held the element of surprise. If he could knock one or two of them out there might be a chance for them to make a run for it.
He shook out his arms and rolled his shoulders. He could do this. Keeping himself flush with the mountainside, he edged closer to the trio. The muscles in his tail tensed, anticipating the fight ahead. He only hoped he didn’t mess this up with his inexperience at being a merman.
Whipping his tail around the corner, it collided with one of the guards, sending him toppling down into the valley below. The other two guards drew their swords out of the sheaths at their side. Real-life swords. Rowan couldn't believe it. So much for his rescue attempt. He lacked the arsenal with which to defend himself against their weapons.
Behind the guards stood Meriya, eyes wide, as she stared at his tail. He never disclosed to her the transformation which took place, making him a merman, and her surprise was priceless. Rowan felt just as stunned. She was vibrant, healthy, and finally seeing her in her full splendor was a sight to behold.
She made hand signals Rowan couldn’t understand, but the two guards remaining meant business.
Their swords gleamed with a finely-honed edge meant to rip flesh from unruly mermen, hence Rowan's hesitation to flee, fearing they’d give chase and show him what their swords could do.
"Look, guys. I'm not here to fight." Rowan held up his hands in surrender. "I only need to make sure the lady is safe."
"You are not allowed near our future queen. Her safety is no concern of yours.” The first guard said, eyeing him curiously, trying to figure out whether he’d seen him before. “She is safe thanks to our efforts to guard her against the likes of you!”
Queen? Meriya never revealed her lineage to him. That explained why she was always so bossy. He glanced over the shoulder of the guard who spoke. Meriya frantically shook her head no.
"It doesn't look like she wants to be queen." Rowan scowled.
Guard number two pointed his sword at Rowan, forcing him back. "Whoa, there! No need to go pointing that thing at me. I'm not even armed."
The first guard looked at the second and then they both advanced on Rowan. "You’re being taken into the custody of the royal guard. Come quietly or we’ll be forced to act accordingly.” Did the other guard not know how to talk? Did the first guard love the sound of his own voice?
With arms thrown up, Rowan shielded himself, hoping they would show mercy, but after peeking through one eyelid, the second guard raised his sword, poised to strike Rowan down.
Rowan thrust his hands out, trying to ward off the enemy. The ground rumbled and shook before Rowan could figure out what happened. The guard lost his balance as a deep fissure rent the ground and he fell into it up to his neck before the ground closed back up, squishing his body in the process. The light in the guard’s eyes dimmed and death claimed him.
Mouth agape, the other guard stared at his dead comrade. Without a word, he raised his sword, charging at Rowan wildly.
Power thrumming through his body into his hand, Rowan raised his fist and a large chunk of the ground shot up, knocking the other guard unconscious.
“Did… did I do that?” Rowan’s eyes widened as his mouth fell open.
Meriya flew into his arms, hugging him tightly. “Yes, you did that!”
Finally having her back in his arms felt wonderful. Rowan’s shoulders relaxed, pulling Meriya closer and spinning her around. She pulled away slightly and they both shared a grin.
“You came for me,” she breathed, their faces mere inches apart.
“How could I not?” His gaze darted from her eyes to her mouth and back again. He’d been worried about her for days on end and now she was finally in front of him, in the flesh, healthy, and a whole mermaid again.
They’d only shared one kiss before, but did she want more? Did she think about him like he thought about her?
Her lips hovered closely to his, her breath feathering across the sensitive skin, and setting every nerve ending on fire in his newly minted body.
“Rowan,” she breathed through parted lips and he couldn’t hold back anymore, smashing his lips into hers. His fingers weaved through her hair, the strands like silk to the touch.
Meriya’s mouth parted, her tongue sliding against his and eliciting a moan from Rowan. He pressed his body flush against hers, wishing he could claim all of her right now, but he couldn’t, not yet.
They both parted, breathless.
“Wow!” Meriya exclaimed, her lips tingling from the exchange.
All Rowan could manage was a nod.
An awkwardness settled between them, both unsure of where things went from here. To break the tension Meriya asked, "You're a merman, but how?" Her eyes began at his shoulder-length locks and slowly traveled all the way down to his fins once more. "You're glorious looking!" she finally admitted out loud.
"How? That part I’m not entirely sure of, but... a queen, eh?" He cocked his head to the side, smirking.
"No, I'm not a queen. There's been some sort of mix-up. Cayson is determined to continue on with the joining ceremony and then have me coroneted.” She ran a hand down her face. “This would put him in line to be king. I can't do that to our kingdom."
"Let's not stick around to find out."
Rowan gestured for Meriya to follow and turned to head past the cave entrance, hoping to retreat to a safer place away from prying eyes.
Meriya was slow to follow, her hand pressed to her lips as she savored the impression Rowan’s lips left behind.
"Leaving the party so soon?" Cayson somehow snuck up on her. She spun around, then quickly glanced behind her to see Rowan was out of sight.
She turned her head back just as quickly, hoping he hadn’t spotted Rowan or the kiss they’d shared. "Leave me alone, Cayson."
"Afraid I can't do that. You see, I love you very dearly and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. We're meant to be." He spread his hands in front of him.
Meriya scoffed. "Love me? You don’t love me, you love the idea of what I can give you. We were never meant to be."
Cayson moved into her personal space, filling it with his vileness and tainting the memory she’d just created with Rowan. "I know you felt a spark when we kissed before. You and I are soul mates."
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Soul mates? You have completely lost all your marbles.” She backed away slowly, hoping to put some distance between them.
“Shall I help us relive the moment?” Before she could protest, he’d snaked his arm around her waist, hitched her up close to him, and slammed his lips into hers.
Meriya cried out in alarm, but his hold was too strong for her to break free.
Mumbling against his attack, she tried to tell him to stop. She struggled against him, her body only managing to entice him further.
Cayson ground his lips against hers, ignoring her hands pushing against his chest.
“I told you to STOP!” she screamed, her eyes ablaze with power only Cayson noticed. His body froze, unable to move.
He couldn’t even manage to blink.
“Did you hear me?” Her mouth set in a thin line as she writhed in his arms. “This isn’t funny.”
When Cayson still didn’t move, she shook her head in front of his face. “Cayson? Move! Get off of me!”
As if her words broke the spell over him, he slumped to the ground, releasing her. A beat passed as his hands curled around a rock near his fins before righting himself.
Did she do that?
“You think your power is going to protect you from a signed contract?" Cayson guffawed.
She stared at her hands, unsure how any of this happened. The contents of Meriya's stomach churned. Cayson was right. Her parents signed the betrothal agreement with the Chancellor. It was a legally binding document. "True," Meriya stated. She went out on a limb now. "Do you have a copy of that contract?"
“I do. Meriya, I always get what I want, and I want you. There is no point in fighting this. Not when I have your sister. You can either…” Cayson’s eyes drifted to the crack in the ground, eyes widening in horror as he found one of his close friend’s covered in the ghostly gray of death and another lying unconscious. Where was the third one? He’d sent a total of three guards to protect the entrance of the cave.
“What have you done with my friends? How could you!” He discarded the rock and his hand snaked out to snatch a handful of her hair, his power boiling below the surface. Meriya never knew what magic he possessed, he never told her, but she soon found out.
A coil of water wrapped tightly around her body, preventing movement or escape. “Cayson! What are you doing?” She struggled against her watery bonds, not realizing how strong water could be when wielded by a merman. This must have been how he was able to catch her when she swam away. Even with a huge lead on him, he’d caught up so easily, propelling himself with his magic, not just his tail.
“I’m doing what I should have done already, taking you to the council so we may finally be joined. Once you’re mine, there won’t be any more problems out of you. You will do as I say and respect your husband and king.”
Rowan watched from around the corner, balling his hands into fists. He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand landed on his arm as he started forward, planning on trying to rescue Meriya once again.
Behind him stood a mermaid, her expression grim.
“You don’t want to do that,” Jovie warned, shaking her head.
He eyed her, wondering if she was friend or foe. “Who are you?”
“I’m Meriya’s sister, Jovie.” She peeked around Rowan at her sister.
“And you’re going to sit here and let that monster take her?” He jerked his arm out of her grasp. He knew Meriya had a family, but she’d been so secretive about them.
“For now, yes.” Her lips set in a grim line.
“We can’t let him take her.” He turned back, watching Cayson haul Meriya away with what appeared to be the same invisible power the mermen used on the large boulder. If you’d have asked him a week ago if he believed in magic, he would have said no. Plus, his new powers scared him a little bit.
“Yes, we can. We’ll bide our time, figure out a plan, and then we get her back.” Jovie would go to the ends of the earth for her sister.
36
The councilmen stood by a single structure untouched by the quake. Only a couple cracks marred the surface, veining up the wall, but still, it was structurally sound.
Each one held a solemn look, eyes cast down with respect. As she passed, they all bowed in unison, oblivious to her turmoil. What story did Cayson feed them to allow him to treat her this way? A wayward princess? A rebellious child?
“We’ll be using this as temporary housing until the palace can be rebuilt. This is also where the joining ceremony will take place today.” His powers thrust her across the threshold and to the center of the room.
“This building was used for storage, but the guards have managed to clean it out. There is a room in the back where a bedroom has been prepared for us.” Cayson sighed as he turned to find Meriya wiggling in place. “Stop struggling, Meriya.”
“No, I’ll never stop fighting. This isn’t right!” The bonds tightened to the point of suffocation, wrapping around her neck, and Meriya gasped for oxygen. “Please,” she croaked.
“Please what?”
“Pah… ease, stop.” Sweet oxygen filtered through her gills as soon as the pressure left her neck. He pushed her into the bedroom, dropped her right onto the plush cushioned mattress, and shut the door.
She shot up like a bolt of lightning and tried the handle, finding the door locked. White-knuckling the doorknob, she shook it, screaming her frustrations.
Meriya gave the knob one final tug before resting her forehead against the barrier keeping her in. She squeezed her eyes shut, holding back the tears. “Please… Let me out!”
No sound came from the other side of the door. Was she alone? She smashed her tail against the door and then collapsed on the bed to sulk.
Her eyes lingered on the four walls surrounding her. There were no windows in this room; a depressing fact. She stifled a sob, memories of the past few days echoing through her mind.
Where was Cayson keeping her sister, Jovie? Where did Rowan go? Would he rescue her again?
Her head still ached as she laid it down, but sleep wouldn’t give her the reprieve she sought. No, instead, she stared at the ceiling, her head pounding as a million thoughts ran through her mind. Could the rest of her family be alive? Why was the council letting Cayson treat her like this? How could they side with him?
And most of all, what happened out there with Cayson? She’d somehow froze him in place, but she wasn’t sure how. Did her magic achieve that or was Cayson playing her for a fool?
She rolled over to her side and massaged her temples, trying to alleviate the ache.
“Change of plans!” Cayson yelled as he swung the door open an hour later. “Your sister somehow managed to escape. I’m not taking any chances, so we’ll be postponing the joining ceremony.”
“What?” Hope could be a fickle beast these days.
“I know, I know. You were so looking forward to it.” He grinned knowingly. “Until then, you’ll remain in here. And don’t think I haven’t forgotten about how you killed that guard. No food for you today.” His last word punctuated by the slamming of the door.
“Jovie escaped,” she said to herself. Rising up from the bed, she paced the small room.
Jovie! She screamed her name telepathically, hoping she was close enough to hear. Rowan? Still no response. They wouldn’t leave her in here, would they?
Her stomach growled, filling up the small space of a room with its noise. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d eaten.
Ignoring her hunger, she needed to figure out a way to escape. She needed to figure out how she’d frozen Cayson in place. She didn’t have wind or wate
r magic. She’d already tried that during the testing.
Hands in the air, she willed the elements around her to move, whether it be air or water. Nothing happened. This was ridiculous. How could she have magic, but not be able to use magic? Was she only able to access it when she was in danger?
“Think, Meriya, think!” She spoke out loud to herself.
Pop!
Meriya startled. Tiny bubbles squeezed through the keyhole slot of the door and floated around the room, popping at random. Did she do that?
Pop… pop pop!
“What the?” She braced herself against the bed, wondering if she was imagining things. Finally, it happened, she’d completely gone off her rocker and this was the result. At least she was only seeing bubbles. Her delirium could be far worse. What if she hallucinated a room infested with electric eels or crabs.
“I’m trying! Shh!” A muffled voice filtered through the door, but it sounded like her sister.
Meriya rushed to the door, peeking through the hole, only to be met by another bubble popping in her face.
“Jovie, is that you?” She whispered, lips pressed to the keyhole.
More bubbles poured in, filling up the room. They weren’t popping as fast as they sifted in. They brushed along her tail and tickled her arms, eliciting a giggle.
A click resounded inside the knob and the door eased open.
Meriya backed up a step and came face to face with Jovie.
“Ohmahgods!” Her words rushed out together in one lump and she flung herself at her sister, squeezing the life out of her.
“Meriya, stop, we’ve got to get out of here before Cayson returns. He’s over at the palace, making a game plan with the guards to come look for me. He’s already trying to act like he’s king and people are listening.” Jovie rolled her eyes.
“There weren’t any guards outside?” She peeked out the crack in the door and found Rowan with a lopsided grin.
“Nope, only me out here,” he answered her.
“I guess since he had you locked up he wasn’t worried about you escaping.” Jovie opened the door wider and ushered Meriya out.
Sirens and Scales Page 398
