The Mermaid Trials

by Cameron Drake

  He swam toward me without regard for the startled Mers in his path, the stingray at his side. I half expected them to attack each other, but they didn’t. I glanced at Dane and he gave me an odd look. I heard gasps from the other Mers around us. Starla was as white as a sheet.

  “Was is it?”

  “That’s—”

  Dane shook his head and interrupted.

  “It’s about to get real.”

  “Real?”

  “Serious. Stay close.”

  Beazil swam directly above me, with the Stingray above Dane.

  “He’s huge.”

  Dane gave a distracted laugh.

  “He’s a she. Her name is Zyrina.” He saw my look of wonder and added, “You never have to fear her.”

  I cringed as a mean-looking swordfish appeared above Juno. Behind us, I saw a giant jelly above Jaynelle. Typical. She wasn’t much better than a jelly herself! Still, it was a useful familiar for battle. Its stingers hung down nearly ten meters, floating around her harmlessly. But I knew that if I were to brush them, I would be seriously injured, or worse. Rip’s familiar was a large eel. I was pretty sure it was looking at me. It swam closer and I felt it bump against my head.

  “He likes you.”

  I reached up to pet it and it curled around my forearm.

  “He’s never done that before.”

  Rip was grinning at me, which was kind of stupid considering we were in the midst of a battle. He didn’t see the spear barreling toward him from behind.

  “Look out!”

  I shoved him aside and brought up my daggers, crossing them in front of me to deflect the throw. Then pandemonium broke loose. I saw Dane engaged in hand-to-hand combat with a surly looking Mer in black. Starla was watching his back, her small weapon held at the ready. Above us, our familiars began fighting with other, thankfully less fearsome, familiars.

  I saw Beazil take a bite out of a large tuna before I was distracted again. Juno was in the thick of it, tossing Mers this way and that. I shuddered, grateful that he was on our team. I wouldn’t stand a chance against someone of his size, never mind his naturally vicious nature.

  He was born for this.

  The crowd surrounding us thinned as more and more Mers were frozen in place, then removed by Medic teams wearing white tunics. I saw a few familiars being taken away, including the tuna Beazil had battled and defeated.

  Honestly, I wasn’t so sure the tuna was going to make it.

  Marcum, the three-eyed Mer, swam past us in the momentary calm, followed by an ancient-looking tortoise. He was being chased by a group of larger Mer, which instantly filled me with righteous indignation.

  “Hey, you! Pick on someone your own size!”

  I swam out to him without a thought of what I was doing. He shot me a grateful glance as we positioned ourselves back to back, fighting off a group of Mers I recognized. One Mer, in particular, filled me with dread.

  Thalia.

  “Well, sister, I should thank you for making things so easy for me.”

  She sneered as she struck at me, her swords flying. She was covered in gilded armor, with her many weapons looking polished and recently sharpened. Still, I didn’t want to fight her.

  “You are more ambitious that I thought, Thalia.”

  I wouldn’t let her force me backward, but her attack was vicious and more skilled than I anticipated. I held my ground, slashing and blocking as best I could.

  “I’m going to end this now.” Her perfect white teeth flashed in an unfriendly smile. “I want you out of the way.”

  My eyes widened at the implication. At least one of her weapons was obviously not spelled. I was sure she thought her mother’s connections would get her out of trouble for breaking the rules. But it wouldn’t matter to me if she landed a killing blow.

  I wouldn’t be here to complain about it.

  I heard Dane shout in the distance, but the arena was filled with noise—the crowd cheering, Mers screaming in anger or pain, the clash of weapons, and the roars of the familiars.

  One mistake. That’s all it took. One moment of distraction. Her sword found its mark, diving deep into my belly. I stared down at the blade sunk into me, too shocked to feel pain. Then Beazil was there, biting into Thalia’s arm.

  No, not biting. He tore it clean off.

  She screamed in agony, driving yet another blade into Beazil’s eye.

  “Noooooo!”

  I reached for her, ready to pull the blade from my body and drive it into her black heart. She’d killed my familiar. And she’d done it deliberately.

  He twisted grotesquely in the water, his huge body thrashing.

  I watched in horror as blood poured from his body. Then Juno was there, lifting his sword. But not to protect me.

  He meant to finish what Thalia had started.

  I saw a flash of shiny spikes, and Jaynelle was beside me, grabbing my arms and holding me still so Juno could finish me off.

  I saw Dane and Rip a moment before the sword came down. Rip shoved Dane aside and thrust himself in front of me. The blade sank into his muscular shoulder, nearly tearing it in half.

  One of Jaynelle's spikes pierced me as she, too, screamed, “No!”

  She must actually care about him, I thought as consciousness fled. I was bleeding so badly now. And my dear, sweet Beazil was alone, most likely dying.

  But I couldn’t help him. I couldn’t do anything. Judging from the rapid rate that blood was leaving my body, we’d be together soon enough anyway.

  That’s when I felt myself being lifted. I glanced down, and the stingray was carrying me up and away. She was so large that I felt like I was riding a magical carpet, like one of the stories my father had told me as a child. I reached for Beazil as I passed but the ray was too fast. It was Dane’s familiar. He must have sent her to save me.

  But without my own familiar, I wasn’t sure I wanted to live.

  And what of Dane and Starla? They were alone now without Beazil or the ray to protect them. Rip and I were gone, betrayed by the other half of our team. I shook my head, trying to tell the ray to stop. Dane’s familiar was swooping toward camp, not in the arena where she was needed.

  But I was too weak. Too lightheaded. I doubted I would last another five minutes.

  I could barely keep my eyes open as I was delivered to the Med tent by the stingray.

  I saw Mers bowing as we landed, which seemed odd. I was gently lifted from the ray. I reached out to stroke her velvety skin. Her eyes were intelligent as I gazed into them.

  “Goodbye. And thank you.”

  And then I gave in to the darkness.

  Chapter 22

  Pain. Sadness. Fear.

  I tossed and turned in a half-dream state until heavy hands pressed down on me. I felt thick straps placed over my body at intervals, holding my shoulders, middle, and tail to the cot I lay on.

  Cot. Med tent. Trials.

  Thoughts trickled in, like unwelcome visitors. I was in pain. More pain than I’d ever known.

  Not dead then, I thought with a bittersweet sigh.

  Beazil. Dane. Starla. Rip.

  Not dead, but perhaps I should be. I’d be better off gone if my friends were all lost to me. But they had still lived when I last saw them. Dane was alive. Not Beazil. Surely not Rip, after the blow he’d taken for me. Juno’s spelled blade had frozen him, but the force was too great not to tear his flesh apart. I wasn’t sure about Starla or Marcum. The truth was, anything could have happened. We’d been winning. In a tight formation. And then disaster struck.

  All because of those two treacherous Mers.

  Not to mention my dastardly half-sister. I saw her dagger slide into Beazil’s eye, reliving that awful moment in excruciating detail. I felt my anger. My impotent fury. My rage.

  I woke with a gasp, my back arching and my eyes wide.

  “She’s saying something! Annaruth!”

  Dane was by my side. I stared at him, frantically trying to get loose. The love
ly High Priestess appeared by my bedside, joining Dane. She leaned over me, listening to my words.

  “What is she saying?”

  She leaned up, giving Dane a wry look.

  “She’s saying that she will kill her, over and over again.”

  Dane stifled a laugh. Annaruth wagged a finger at him.

  “It’s not funny.” Then she bowed her head slightly. “Your Highness.”

  I groaned, half paying attention. I pushed futilely at the straps that held me down.

  “Get. These. Off me!”

  This time, they both laughed. Annaruth waved her hand over my bonds, and they lifted away, dissolving into a sparkling dust that was quickly swept away in the water.

  I glared at them both.

  “Tell me.”

  “Tell you what, Tri?”

  “Tell me who is dead!”

  “Get her something for her throat. She sounds awful.”

  Annaruth nodded, bowing again, and left the screened-off partition. That was odd. I’d never seen her bow before. Dane looked at me, his smile huge.

  “Well?”

  He nodded, clearing his throat.

  “There were quite a few casualties, Mer and familiar. They will be honored by the Elite during the naming ceremony.” I opened my mouth to tell him to hurry up, but he held out a hand. “None of your friends, or loved ones, are on that list.”

  I blinked at him, opening and shutting my mouth like a fish.

  “None?”

  He shook his head, smiling.

  “But Beazil . . .”

  “He lost an eye, Tri. It was serious but he’s alive.”

  I fell back on the bed, pale bubbles pouring from my eyes. I reached for him and he took my hand. I exhaled shakily.

  “Starla? Rip?”

  “Both alive. Starla was ferocious once she saw what happened to you. She saved my neck more than once.”

  I smiled.

  “She’s fine. She barely had a scratch at the end. Rip’s injuries should have been fatal, like yours. But they were able to save you both. He won’t be throwing spears anytime soon.”

  I closed my eyes, still crying.

  “Tri?”

  “Yes?”

  “I know she betrayed you, but—”

  I knew he was speaking about Thalia. I knew it. I cut him off before he could say another word.

  “Do not ever say her name to me again.”

  “Okay. I just thought you might want to know what happened to her.”

  I closed my eyes and nodded imperceptibly.

  “She lost her arm. She nearly lost her life. And . . . well, she’s being sanctioned for what she did, bringing unmagicked weapons into the arena. Some wanted her put to death. I . . .”

  I cracked my eyes open and looked at him.

  “You what?”

  “I argued for mercy. I didn’t think you would want her put to death.”

  “You? But why would they listen to you?”

  He looked down, then lifted his eyes to mine.

  “Tri, there’s something I have to tell you.”

  My heart started thudding. Something was wrong. He had lied about Beazil. Or Starla. Or—

  “You’re alive!”

  Starla threw herself on me as she burst in without warning, hugging and squeezing me harder than I would have thought possible. She was stronger than she looked. I could barely breathe, she was hugging me so hard!

  “Starla! Her wounds!”

  I grimaced as she pulled away, touching my belly. It pulsed with agonizing clarity. Not drugged anymore then. Great. So did my back, though that was more of a stinging sensation. I winced, remembering the blade sliding into me. Then I remembered Jaynelle’s spikes as they pierced the flesh of my back through my tunic.

  Ouch.

  Annaruth was back, scolding a blushing Starla for not being gentle. She winked at me and then went back to looking stern.

  “I’m sorry.” Starla turned to me. “I’m sorry. I’ve been so worried. It’s been days and there was so much blood—”

  I must have turned green because Dane took one look at me and interrupted.

  “Not helping, Starla!”

  “When can I see Beazil?” I tried to sit up, grimacing in pain. “And Rip?”

  Dane’s expression darkened somewhat when I mentioned the other Mer, but he nodded.

  “Rip will be easier to manage. Beazil was treated and left the camp. No one has seen him since.”

  “He will be back. I have something for him.”

  I stared in awe as Annaruth opened her hand. A dazzling crystal eye lay in her delicate palm.

  “Does it . . . work?”

  She nodded.

  “Quite well. He’ll see better than you or me.” Her eyes twinkled. “He may even see a bit of the future.”

  All the talk of eyes made me gasp.

  “Marcum! Did he make it?”

  “He’s alive. And he is sure to be honored for his bravery.”

  I exhaled in relief. Starla helped me sit up, plumping the pillows behind me.

  “I only have one more question.”

  Three beloved faces stared back at me expectantly. I had lived. My friends had lived. My familiar had lived. I was overjoyed. Other than seeing my friends and my familiar, I only wanted one thing. And I wanted it very, very badly.

  “When can I eat?”

  Chapter 23

  The chosen Mers were dressed identically in flowing white robes. There were fewer than a hundred of them, out of the many thousands that had begun the Trials. There was only one row of us this time instead of two, since there was no longer an equal number of boys and girls.

  I was at the tail end of the line, with only Dane behind me. Starla was much farther forward. Rip was a few spots ahead of us, sporting a sling that held his arm against his chest, with Marcum between us.

  I was going to be assigned a position in the Elite today. All of us were. But it was my presence here that was hardest to believe.

  Me. The lonely little orphan Mer with nothing but her wits. I had finished. I had survived.

  Thalia was not in the lineup, though I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. She’d lost her arm to Beazil’s bite. He’d spat it out, not having a taste for Merflesh, thankfully. But I was sure she would cause trouble down the line.

  I still couldn’t believe she had tried to kill me.

  Not liking me was one thing, but murder? And with an illegal weapon on top of it. I knew she would be punished for what she had done. However, I had chosen not to know the specifics. I couldn’t think about it too much.

  Today was the day I had waited my entire life for. I would enjoy it, at all costs. I would honor my father and my mother with my composure.

  I would be dignity personified.

  “You okay, Tri?”

  I turned sideways to look at Dane.

  “Yes, why?”

  “You’re bouncing all over the place.”

  I smiled sheepishly.

  “Maybe I’m a little nervous.”

  “Why?”

  “Because we are all the way in the back! What does that mean? We’re going to have to wait the longest to know!”

  He laughed at me.

  “Silly Mer, it’s a good thing.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes. It’s almost certain that we are both going to be made Spark.”

  “What?”

  “Well, I’m not sure about Marcum, but they name Spark last. I can’t imagine they will choose me and not you.”

  “Don’t tease me, Dane. You are certain?”

  “Almost certain. And Tri?”

  He suddenly looked worried about something. His blue eyes were more serious than I’d ever seen them. I immediately wanted to reassure him with a hug, but I held back.

  No one wanted to be the Mer who hugged too much.

  “Yes?”

  “Try not to hate me, okay?”

  I tilted my head to the side.

  “Ha
te you? You mean if you’re named Spark and I’m not?”

  He shook his head.

  “Just try not to hate me.”

  I gave him a wide smile. He was worrying over nothing. And I was so happy, it defied reason.

  “I could never hate you, Dane. Even if you get Spark alone. You’re my friend.”

  He opened his mouth to speak but the horn cut him off. It was time to go in. I squared my shoulders and followed the line into the arena.

  We were guided into neat rows of twenty or fewer, five rows deep. The Royals sat comfortably on a platform, elevated above the stands at the edge of the arena. I saw Annaruth sitting by the Queen.

  It seemed as if the High Priestess offered me a tiny smile, but I couldn’t be sure.

  The ceremony began with music and dancers. Then the naming began.

  The first ten Mers were assigned to the Military. I saw Juno and Jaynelle in that group. They would be excellent soldiers, though I would never trust them again. Even though we were all now on the same team.

  Next came the Royal Scribes. It seemed odd that Scribes were chosen through battle, but Annaruth’s visions had played a part in that. And any of the Elite might be called upon to defend and protect the Royal family at any moment.

  Royal Musicians were also chosen, as well as Advisors and Personal Guards. And then it came time for the Messengers. Starla was one of the first awarded, though she was named Messenger In Training, most likely due to her size. As Annaruth waved her hand over the small Mer, her robes dissolved to form a handsome uniform. I clapped giddily to see my friend so honored. If nothing else, I knew I would be joining her in the rank of Messenger.

  Beyond that, I was afraid to hope.

  The ceremony paused when they got to Rip. I held my breath as they assigned him to be the Secret Messenger, who would carry the private messages of the Royals themselves, not merely governmental missives. It was a true honor and would keep him more than busy for the rest of his tenure.

  Then Marcum was called forward. We held our breath, wondering what assignment he would be given. Everyone gasped as he was named Royal Seer. His uniform was a dark blue, nearly black, and covered in a pattern of gold and silver stars.