by Amber Garr
I felt grateful for the physical relief from fighting, but my mind still seethed with anger. So much of me wanted to get rid of Brendan once and for all, yet the adult in me knew it was a hasty reaction. I didn’t have the luxury of acting on impulses. If I did, things would be much easier in my life. Especially the decision to leave Eviana behind.
We reached the boat without encountering any more attacks. Surprising, considering this was Lucian we were dealing with. Palmer and Graham had already shifted back to full human form and were waiting on the boat. I watched the three selkies launch themselves from the water, each landing hard on the bow but successful in their attempt. They quickly pulled out of their skins and slid on pieces of their clothing.
Troy and I kicked our way into the boat, my legs transitioning before I even finished the move. It appeared that my clan leader perks were back in full swing. Abhainn surfaced without Isabel and I checked his face to see if something was wrong.
He smiled. “Thank ye fer yer concern, lad. But she is going to stay with her kind fer a while. They ‘ave some catching up to do.” Abhainn floated up out of the water and hovered over the boat for a moment before gently lowering into the driver’s seat. “Where is Eviana?” he asked, looking all around.
“He left her,” Brendan growled.
“What?” Graham and Palmer asked at the same time.
“I will see her again in a few days. She has her reasons and we all need to trust that she knows what she’s doing.” I directed my comment to Brendan, but it was Abhainn who spoke next.
“Interesting.”
“What’s interesting?” I asked.
He waved his hand and started the boat engine. “Nothing to be concerned with, lad.”
We jerked forward and I nearly fell off the side as Abhainn turned us around. Someone pulled on my shoulder.
“Why did she stay?” Graham yelled into my ear over the noise of the engine.
“She said that she needed to find out more from Lucian.” I looked at him square in the face. “And I’d also like to talk to you about that as well.”
Graham smirked and then glanced off into the distance. Something about his reaction bothered me, even though I couldn’t place exactly what it was. I think it was almost as if he expected it.
I noticed Palmer sitting with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders and a paleness to his skin that I hadn’t seen before. “Are you okay?” I asked.
He tried to smile. “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?”
I knew he was worried, and rightly so. He was his cousin’s primary protector. “Yes. And when we get on the plane, I’ll explain everything to you.” I patted his shoulder and he nodded. Palmer was a loyal friend.
The surprisingly calm water cooperated with our escape for most of the ride. But as we got about halfway back to the mainland, the swells increased and we were forced to slow to idle speed.
“What’s going on?” I asked Abhainn, who concentrated on his driving. He shook his head. “Do you think we should just swim?”
“Aye, perhaps that would be better.” He motioned for us to jump overboard. Swimming under that water was much easier in a storm than swimming on the surface.
I looked up into the sky and wondered if there was something else going on. Not one single cloud hid the millions of stars and there was very little breeze. Why did the ocean turn so rough?
As if answering my question, Graham suddenly stood and thrust his arms out to the side. Almost immediately, the water split around the boat and curved up to join in the center above our heads. We were surrounded.
“Good idea, Master Forrester,” Palmer said with a smile. It appeared Graham had subdued the waves.
But then I saw the expression on Graham’s face. Something was off and it sent a shiver down my spine. He threw his arm up into the air and I watched in horror as a giant wave slammed into the front of the boat, knocking every selkie overboard. In another quick move, Graham managed to wrap Abhainn in a water tunnel, effectively freezing him in place. Abhainn’s face mirrored the horror of my own when we both realized that we’d been duped.
Palmer attempted to attack Graham, but just as he was about to touch him, he screamed out in pain and grasped his head. Falling to his knees, Palmer was helpless as he rocked back and forth in the boat.
Graham looked at me. “Why are you doing this?” I asked. “She trusted you!” I attempted to fight against his water control by throwing a wave or two at him myself. It knocked him around, but he still maintained his grip on Abhainn and Palmer. Two tendrils of water shot out from the top of our aqueous tunnel and grabbed Troy’s legs. They lifted him up and pulled his body in opposite directions until his screams pierced through every one of us.
“Stop this!” I yelled, pushing my own water control onto Graham. It was enough for him to drop his hold on Troy, but the merman fell back into the boat and I thought I heard something crack in his neck. He landed hard and he didn’t move.
“I am going to leave here and you are not going to follow me.” I thought Graham was talking to me, but then noticed that he was looking at the three selkies who were trying to climb back on board. “If these guys make any attempt to come after me, you will kill them. Do you understand?”
A chorus of affirmatives filled the night. Graham had control of everyone on this boat in one way or another. He was as powerful as Lucian if not more. Why did Eviana want to help him?
“What about her?”
“Who?” Graham asked nonchalantly as he squeezed Abhainn a little tighter. This was every sprite’s worst fear; being trapped in the water by a merman.
“Eviana! She wanted you to help us.” I tried to move closer to Graham, but stopped when he looked at me.
“Uh, uh. Not one more step or I will have these selkies tear into each and every one of you. However, not before I squeeze the life out of this one,” he said nodding at Abhainn, “and make his head explode,” he finished with a look at Palmer.
“We will come after you,” I snarled.
“I have no doubt,” Graham said with an arrogance unmatched by anyone other than Lucian. “Tell Eviana I’ll be expecting her.”
With that, Graham dropped the tunnel and flooded the entire boat with a thousand pounds of water. It landed hard on top of us and I tried to cover Palmer with my body the best I could. Abhainn yelled and dove over Troy who was still completely unconscious. By the time the wash of water subsided, only the seven of us remained. Graham was long gone.
“Dammit,” Julian cursed and let out a frustrated sigh. It had to be hard for them to be so susceptible to merfolk compulsion.
“What was that all about?” Brendan asked, coughing and spitting excess water from his lungs.
“It appears Master Forrester was a part of this all along,” Abhainn snarled.
“Do you think he’s going back to her?” I asked.
“No. This was part of a plan. He will not return to the island.” Abhainn sounded so sure of himself. He stood in the center of the boat and helped Troy to his knees. Thankfully he wasn’t hurt too bad. “We have to abandoned ship.”
“Huh?” Palmer asked, rubbing the sides of his head. I still didn’t know what Graham had done to him. It wasn’t possible for merfolk to control each other. Or was it?
Abhainn gestured to the front of the boat which was quickly taking on water due to the excess weight from Graham’s wave. Gathering what bags were still within reach, we jumped into the water and continued to the mainland.
I thought about what just happened. Lucian didn’t appear to be the only powerful one, and when Eviana mentioned that Council members were involved, I wondered if she realized just how right she had been.
I wouldn’t let her go to that Council meeting alone. I was going to be there and I would make sure that she came home with me this time.
Eviana
Hours passed. Or maybe time slowed while I waited for someone to realize what had happened. I listened to the selkies stirring, at least t
hose that were still lying in the boat house. No more ratchets appeared to intimidate me, which made me think they were pursuing my rescue team.
A huge wave of relief swept through my bones. They’d found me. Despite what Lucian said, I still had friends and family who cared enough to get me away from him. I didn’t need the Council. I had Kain and Abhainn. And Brendan.
The sudden stab of guilt hit me with an unexpected punch. What did I have to feel guilty about? He’s the one who left me. I was allowed to move on. But then he also came back and risked his life for me. I wanted to be mad at Brendan for all of the pain and torment he put me through. Doubting myself and wondering why I wasn’t enough had wrecked havoc on my mind and soul. To be discarded so easily…that was a tough notion to get over. Brendan didn’t think I was sufficient for him but Kain never stopped loving me.
Kain. Excitement swirled in my stomach at the thought of what we just shared. He’d always accepted me and even though I wasn’t perfect, his belief in me never wavered. I still didn’t know why it had taken me so long to understand all of this. Kain and I should be together. It’s what our families always wanted. It’s what was best for our clans. It’s what was right.
I couldn’t help but cry when I thought about what my mother would be thinking right now. “Finally,” she’d probably say. Then my dad would give me a hug that made me feel safe and loved. He always was the more nurturing one of the two. Perhaps that’s because of my mother’s family. Now that I knew a bit about her history, I suddenly felt sad for her being forced into a life that she didn’t want. Although she did choose my father, much to the dismay of her own.
We were much more alike than I’d ever realized.
Exhausted from crying and fighting, I wished that someone would hurry up and find me. Going back to the house didn’t seem like the right option. I needed Lucian to know that I chose to stay behind. It might help my chances of survival.
A muffled voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “Get up!” it commanded. Almost at once, the selkies on the floor began to move. The smallest one rubbed his head in confusion before focusing on me. His green eyes filled with anger while he curled his lip up into a snarl. I unconsciously slid away from him, not even thinking to reach for my powers.
Pulling himself up to his hands and knees, he crawled toward me like a hunting cat. I looked toward the other two selkies for help, but they were still trying to orient themselves.
“Back up,” I said a little too weakly, so I threw up my hands in front of me to ward him off. Clearing my throat, I tried again. “Stay away from me!” The selkie growled, an odd sound coming from a human.
“Enough!” Lucian demanded the second he stepped through the boat house door. “Leave us and gather the rest.”
It was as though the selkie flipped a switch in his brain. One second he was a snarling, fighting animal ready to kill me, and the next he was a docile servant. The selkie nodded to Lucian and helped lift his buddies off the floor. I stayed crouched in the corner, trapped between the watery cage and my evil father hovering in the doorway.
Focusing on the retreating selkies, I tried not to look at Lucian. My heart thudded in my chest, anticipating the worst response. So when he smiled at me, I should have felt relieved. But the thin line of his lips and the hollow look in his eyes frightened me to no end.
“You’re here,” he said coolly. I could only nod my head. The lump I was trying to swallow held on for dear life. “I am surprised.”
“I decided to stay,” I managed to whisper.
“I see that.” He walked a few steps closer and put his hands on his hips as he looked around the room. “And Master Forrester?”
I forced myself to stand, angry with my legs for being so shaky. “He’s gone.”
“Gone?” he asked in amusement.
“Yes, he’s going back to the Council to tell them everything.”
Lucian’s dark and evil laugh made my skin crawl. “Oh, I’m sure he will.” He reached for me. “This pleases me very much.”
I had just taken a step closer to Lucian when I froze. “What are you talking about? Did you even hear what I said? He’s going to tell them everything. You’re finished with this stupid war.”
Again, he cackled like a witch stirring her magic cauldron. “Far from it, daughter. Come now. We have many preparations to make before the meeting.”
“I’m not going anywhere until you tell me what’s going on.” And like a stubborn two year old, I slammed my foot on the ground and crossed my arms.
Lucian sighed. “You really need to represent yourself better.” He moved to the door. “I will explain inside. I’m starving and I want to eat.”
He left the room without looking back, assuming I would follow. I guess I didn’t really have much of a choice. He didn’t seem to be angry with me, in fact his reaction was rather docile. Maybe I would survive until the Council meeting after all.
Lucian sauntered along the sandy path with a trail of selkies following behind. Many of them were limping or holding a part of their body that had been injured. Selkies had always been dear to me, however, these ones picked the wrong side. Granted, many of them were consistently under Lucian’s control, but he didn’t force them here in the first place. They’d sided with a monster.
The sinister ocean slammed against the shoreline, creating rough surf and enough noise to almost drown out my thoughts. Although when I realized this, I also noticed the sudden lack of heads patrolling the liquid perimeter. The ratchets were missing. I personally saw two of them die and I imagined Abhainn did his fair share in hurting the rest. The evil twin in me smiled.
Upon reaching the house, Lucian dismissed the selkies, telling them to fix their wounds and rest up. He and I passed through the joined living and dining area out to the back patio. It was dark and late, but my adrenaline spiked as I waited for our conversation to begin.
Pulling two wicker lounge chairs together, Lucian gestured for me to sit. “Snacks will arrive soon. Can I get you something to drink?”
I hesitated. Why was he being so nice to me after what just happened? “Water, please.”
He smiled and jerked his chin. The little selkie women stuck her head out of the sliding glass door and focused on Lucian while he gave her our orders. I wonder how she felt about only using her selkie abilities for maid duties. It must be frustrating.
“So, you decided to stay? How intriguing.” He paused for a moment and stared out at the sea. Even though there wasn’t a moon, his blond hair glowed. As much as I hated to admit it, there was something mesmerizing about him. That sentiment creeped me out immediately.
“I wanted to hear more about your plan,” I said.
“My plan? My plan for what?”
“World domination,” I replied and he laughed.
“Well, this little escapade tonight was a part of it. Step two of my evil agenda begins at the Council meeting.” I couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not.
“You do realize Graham escaped and my friends tried to rescue me, right?” I asked, not liking the nonchalant way he was handling this conversation.
“Tried being the opportune word here. Yes, I know this. Graham was supposed to escape, although I am disappointed with the mass exodus of the sprites. I wasn’t anticipating that.”
Ignoring the ratchet comment for a moment, I focused on the important part of his words. “Graham was supposed to escape? What are you talking about, Lucian?”
He looked over at me then. At first his expression was one of annoyance but it quickly shifted into surprise. I watched his eyes twinkle and his jaw drop. “Are you really that naive?”
“Lucian…” I pleaded with him to get on with it.
“My, it seems as if I need to give Master Forrester credit where credit is due. He had you completely fooled.”
A sickening pit opened in the bottom of my stomach. Replaying every beating, conversation, and meeting amongst the two or three of us, I couldn’t help but shake my head. “He w
as a prisoner too. You beat him!”
“First of all, you are not a prisoner…” He held up his hand when I tried to protest. “And second, Graham agreed to the beatings.”
“What?”
“He said that it needed to look authentic or you would never buy it. I must admire how well he knows your psyche. You really are a good match for each other.”
The selkie returned at that moment to deliver chips and guacamole. My appetite was long gone and the second she went back inside, I started grilling him.
“I don’t believe you. You’ll say anything to have the upper hand. You’re just mad that we figured out how to get away from you.” I ground my teeth together to hold back some of the anger. And the growing deception I felt toward Graham.
“You didn’t all get away,” he said and raised his eyebrows. “And this was my plan from the beginning.”
“Graham wouldn’t do that to me,” I whispered, suddenly aware of how small I felt.
“No?” Lucian asked.
“No.”
“It always amazes me how much physical attraction can blind natural instincts. Your mother and I were like that. When the bloodline desires a mate, it is hard to see their flaws.”
“He’s been tainted by your schemes,” I said surprised I was defending Graham when he’d done nothing but hurt me.
Lucian laughed again. Biting into a chip, I watched a piece of guacamole fall from his mouth. It reminded me of all of those he hurt; one wrong move and you’ll be consumed. Forever trapped in his world or digested and expelled like the waste. This man could not rule our kind. I needed to figure out how to stop him.
“Why did you say that the drugs were setting me free?” The sudden change in topic seemed to catch him off guard if the stunned look on his face was any indication. Lucian rarely broke his composure.
“Because they are. Your mother’s refusal to teach you anything has left me with little choice. I am running out of time and this is the only way to make up for eighteen years of neglect.” He sipped what I assumed was a margarita with its lime shade and salted rim. Smacking his lips together, he continued. “Can you feel it taking effect yet?”
