But it was more than that. Moonlight streamed through her window, telling her that it was middle of the night.
A cool breeze washed over her, blowing wisps of hair across her face.
The window and curtains had been closed when she fell asleep.
Fiora sat up and froze.
There was someone in her room.
A woman. She wore a black cloak with the hood pulled over her face and hair. She was nearly invisible in the shadows, and she tensed when Fiora moved. Then she edged closer and reached for the conch shell.
Fiora tried to scream, but no sound came out. The woman laughed softly as she claimed the shell and put it in a satchel strapped around her waist.
Fiora jumped to her feet, ready to fight and retrieve the conch.
But pain shot through her legs when she stood. She collapsed back onto the bed.
The woman stayed still, watching. Fiora panted for air and tried to push away the agony. What did the intruder want? Would she be satisfied with the shell? Or was she here to do more than steal?
The woman seemed to be considering this as well. Fiora was an easy victim. Silent and helpless.
She took a step forward and reached into her satchel. For a weapon?
Fiora grabbed the nearest thing to her. The bell on her nightstand. She raised it, meaning to throw it at the intruder in defense. It made a loud clang, so Fiora shook the bell instead, ringing it and making as much sound as possible.
The woman sprinted out the door. Fiora dropped the bell and ran after her, fighting through the pain and forcing her shaking legs to keep moving. She needed that shell! Sweat beaded on her forehead as she pursued the thief through empty, moonlit hallways.
Fiora lost sight of her somewhere near the library. She leaned against a wall and gasped for air as tears ran down her face.
The curse was getting worse, and someone had just stolen the song she needed to break it.
A soft sound echoed through the hallway. Someone humming? Fiora limped towards it until she reached the library. Flickering light streamed under the door. Fiora pushed it open.
Elaine sat at a table reading and humming to herself as she worked. She flipped through pages and took notes with a quill pen. She had a streak of ink across her nose.
She didn’t look up, and Fiora watched her in silence. Had Elaine stolen the conch? She had studied magic, so it was possible she recognized the mermaid charm and wanted it for her studies. She would have had time to remove her cloak and hide it somewhere before Fiora came in.
But how could she have known the shell was in Fiora’s room?
Fiora swallowed. If Elaine was responsible for the theft, she might be dangerous. But if she wasn’t, she might have seen the person who was. Was it worth the risk?
At this point, Fiora had no choice but to take risks.
She knocked on the open door to get Elaine’s attention. Elaine looked up and blinked in surprise as if waking from a trance.
“Oh, Lady Mer. What are you doing up so late?”
Fiora raised an eyebrow, reflecting the question back at Elaine. The girl made a face and scratched her nose, leaving another streak of ink across her skin.
“They kicked me out earlier, so I waited until everyone went to bed and sneaked back in. This is the most comprehensive book about curses I’ve ever read. There has to be an answer in here somewhere.”
She didn’t look guilty. Fiora might as well ask a few questions and see if she could gather any information.
“Did you see anyone run past?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t quite catch that. Could you spell it for me?”
Fiora hesitated a moment, then walked closer so Elaine could see her in the candlelight. If Elaine attacked her, Fiora wouldn’t be able to run fast enough to escape. She would only make the other girl suspicious if she kept her distance.
Fiora repeated her question by slowly spelling out the words. Elaine shook her head.
“I haven’t seen anyone. Why do you ask?”
Fiora considered how to answer. If Elaine had stolen the shell, she would doubtless deny seeing anyone. Then again, she was often so engrossed in her books that she failed to notice what was happening around her.
“I t-h-o-u-g-h-t I h-e-a-r-d s-o-m-e-o-n-e.”
There was no point in explaining the robbery. If Elaine was responsible, she would deny everything. If she wasn’t, mentioning the shell would raise questions that Fiora would rather not answer.
Questions like why a robber would take a seashell instead of a silver candlestick. The silver was far more valuable unless you knew the conch was etched with a magical song.
Fiora’s heart sank. She hadn’t memorized the song. She had almost won Gustave’s love, but that wouldn’t help her without the song. Even if she recovered her voice, she wouldn’t be able to break the curse.
She massaged her forehead, trying to push back the headache and panic building in her skull. Surely one of the mermaids knew the notes for the transformation. If she did manage to recover her voice, they could copy the enchantment for her.
So why would someone steal it?
Elaine watched her with concern.
“Are you well, Lady Mer? Perhaps you should sit down.”
Fiora sank into the chair Elaine offered. Losing the shell was bad but not the end. She would simply need to find a mermaid who knew the song after she won Gustave’s heart. It would cut her precious time a little shorter.
More concerning was the fact that someone in the castle knew she was a mermaid.
And they wanted to keep her silent.
Were they working with Leander? Was this connected to the earthquakes and the kraken attacks?
Why were they so determined to sabotage her life?
Fiora looked to the statue of King Francois. The kraken had been trying to recover it. Maybe whoever wanted her quiet had also cursed the king.
Elaine followed Fiora’s gaze and frowned at the statue.
“I’ve read everything in this book about breaking curses, but I haven’t found anything useful. True love’s kiss is a common method, but everyone with any connection to the king has already tried that.”
True love’s kiss. Fiora wished her enchantment could be broken so easily. Of course, that would still require her to win someone’s love.
Elaine continued, talking to herself as much as Fiora.
“From what I understand, how to break a curse is usually woven into the way it is cast. So if we knew how King Francois was transformed, we would know how to free him.”
Fiora raised an eyebrow. That seemed a difficult thing to discover. It wasn’t as if King Francois could tell them. Elaine shrugged.
“I know. It seems hopeless. The other common way is exposure to the type of magic that cast the curse. For example, if mermaids cast this, mermaids would have to break it.”
“I d-o-u-b-t i-t w-a-s m-e-r-m-a-i-d-s.”
Elaine’s eyes sparkled with interest.
“Oh? Do you have experience with mermaids, Lady Mer?”
Fiora glared at her and folded her hands into her lap. Elaine stared at her for a few moments, then shrugged and turned back to the books.
“It is also common for curses to bind their victim with a set of constraints. Things they can’t talk about without severe consequences.”
She said this casually, but her eyes glittered in the candlelight. Fiora fought to keep her face neutral.
“I-s t-h-a-t s-o?”
Her own situation was more complicated than that, but Elaine was less likely to ask inconvenient questions if she thought Fiora was unable to answer rather than refusing to do so.
“I’ve read that mermaids like to decorate their hair with bits of glass and shells. There are several accounts of sailors seeing them do it.”
Fiora’s eyes narrowed. Elaine was far too close to the mark for comfort. Likely the only thing keeping her from asking outright if Fiora was a mermaid was her belief that Fiora was bound by the constraints of a
curse. Even if she hadn’t stolen the shell, she was dangerous.
“G-o-o-d-n-i-g-h-t.”
Fiora stood and left the library as quickly as she could without limping. She reached her room, closed her window, and pushed a chair in front of her door. Would that be enough to keep out intruders?
Maybe she should report the theft to the guards. She could at least tell Gustave.
But the story might make him suspicious, and she needed to keep her secrets until she won his love. She was so close now.
Fiora looked at her pearl ring. It shimmered in the moonlight. Only a tiny part of the surface was dull now.
Was it enough to break the enchantment?
She tried to sing the part of the song she remembered, but her voice remained out of reach.
50
Gustave awoke to the sound of singing. Not just any singing.
It was her.
The song filled his head and twisted around his heart. Why had he been wasting time dancing with Lady Mer and looking for his father when the woman he loved was somewhere out there?
Not out there. She was here. Close enough that he could hear her song.
Gustave reached for a robe, remembered he was still dressed, and hurried through the hallway. The song grew louder, casting a golden haze over the moonlit stone. Everything was brighter when his love was near.
Her voice led him to the library. The melted remains of a candle sat on the table, but the room was empty. Gustave walked around the unopened gifts and past bookshelves searching for the source of the music. The statue of King Francois gleamed silver in the moonlight, but Gustave needed gold.
He caught a glimpse of light in the corner of his eye and turned towards it.
There. The mirror’s golden frame sparkled in time with the song. Gustave walked towards it, letting the music and light fill his senses. They washed away memories of the past few days. Nothing mattered but his love. Nothing ever had.
Gustave stood in front of the mirror. Instead of his own reflection, he saw her. The girl he had been searching for since his accident. The golden mist made it difficult to see her face, but blue eyes shone through the gold. The blue that Gustave had been chasing since he woke up on the beach that day. For a moment he thought she was Lady Mer, but that wasn’t quite right.
Golden hair with a hint of red brushed against her shoulders, moving in a breeze that swept through the library even though the windows were closed.
She smiled when she saw him but never stopped singing. Her voice consumed him. It was the thing he had been searching for. The part of him that was missing. It had been missing since that day on the beach.
The woman winked and reached her hand towards him. In the dimly lit room, it almost seemed that she was reaching through the glass. That if Gustave reached for her, he could touch her. Grab her hand and feel her warmth and finally know that she was real.
Gustave stretched his hand forward. The girl sang softer, drawing him in. He stepped towards the mirror, reaching for her and her song. She leaned forward, coming ever closer.
“Gustave?”
Collette’s voice pierced the fog like a knife. Gustave blinked, and the woman disappeared. He stared at his reflection in confusion.
What had he been doing?
He turned and saw Collette standing beside the statue.
Why was he in the library? He must have been sleepwalking.
Strange. He had never sleepwalked before.
“Are you well?” Collette asked. “I know you’re worried about Father, but you need to sleep.”
“I could say the same to you.”
“I don’t have to deal with a ballroom of eligible young ladies tomorrow. Marquis Corbeau has a very full schedule planned for you.”
“I suppose he expects me to become engaged by the end of the night now that I’ve found Father.”
Collette made a face.
“Something like that. He’s very excited about a royal guest who apparently agreed to come at the last minute.”
“Who is it?”
“He’s keeping her a secret, but I suspect she’s his new favorite for your bride since Lady Annabelle has been such a disaster.”
Gustave frowned. The last thing he needed was more surprises and marriage prospects.
“It’s only one night, Gustave. It will be fine.”
She hesitated, clearly having more to say. Gustave waited, knowing she would continue in her own time.
“Are you sure about escorting Lady Mer, Gustave? We don’t know anything about her.”
Gustave sighed.
“I know you don’t like her-”
“No, it isn’t that. I actually do like her now that I’ve given her a chance. I just- I don’t understand why you prefer her to Kara. Someone you’ve known your whole life. Someone that we know is a good person who would make a good queen.”
“Collette, nothing is official.”
“Isn’t it? Asking to escort her to the gala is rather official, and I’ve seen how you look at her. The whole court has. I just want you to be careful. Gustave, I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Gustave looked up at the statue of his father.
“There are no guarantees, Collette. There will always be something that can hurt you.”
Collette leaned close to her brother and stared at the statue. Gustave wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“We’ll find a way to save him,” he said. “There must be a way.”
“I hope so.”
“I heard Marchioness Rouge is impressed with your budgeting.”
Gustave hoped the praise would cheer his sister, but instead she looked at him with concern in her eyes.
“I never meant to take your job, Gustave. As soon as the gala is over, I’ll step into the background again. You don’t have to implement my plan if you don’t want to.”
Gustave frowned.
“Is that how you see your role? As someone standing in the background?”
“You’re the king, and I support you. Isn’t that how it’s meant to be? You’ll take over the budgets, and I’ll go back to tending the gardens.”
The words were innocent enough, but the hurt in Collette’s voice caught Gustave off guard.
“I thought you liked the gardens.”
“I do like the gardens. It’s just-”
She sighed in exasperation.
“Gustave, it’s fine. Truly.”
It clearly wasn’t, but Collette was wearing a stubborn expression that said she was done discussing the matter, so Gustave let it drop. There would be time later to figure out what was bothering Collette and make it right.
They stood together with their father a few minutes longer before leaving the library and going back to their rooms.
This time Gustave changed into pajamas and settled in properly. He dreamed of his true love’s voice and golden mist until the sun rose.
51
Fiora awoke to sunlight streaming through the window and birds singing in the garden. She lay in bed, listening for the fainter sounds of gulls and the ocean crashing against the shore. The song of the sea pulled at her heart, making her feel alone and out of place.
She tried to sing, but her voice remained as out of reach as ever. No matter since she didn’t have the shell, but it would have been reassuring to have her magic back so she could run to the mermaids and ask for their help to recreate the song.
Fiora glanced at the door to make sure the chair still blocked the entrance. Then she checked her ring. The pearl glistened in the sunlight. Only a tiny streak across the side remained gray. If the ring was accurate, she was very close to winning Gustave’s heart. It seemed impossible, but he had asked her to go with him to the gala. He hadn’t admitted his feelings, but there was something in his eyes when he looked at her.
Or maybe she was imagining everything.
But he had asked her to the gala in front of everyone, and the pearl had regained its sheen.
So why hadn’t her v
oice returned?
Fiora sighed and stared at the ring.
Perhaps it wasn’t working because he didn’t know who he actually loved. Perhaps a relationship based on deception didn’t count.
Fiora pulled the bottle of dye removing potion out from under her pillow and held it up to the light. The glass glistened like a jewel, and the liquid inside rolled like ocean waves.
Should she tell Gustave the truth? She could wash away her disguise and attend the gala as Fiora instead of Lady Mer. She could explain everything.
Or not. She wouldn’t have to tell him about the mermaids to reveal her human identity. Perhaps admitting her name would be enough.
Fiora closed her eyes and squeezed the bottle tight, trying to convince herself that Gustave’s feelings wouldn’t change if he knew who she truly was.
But instead of Gustave, she saw the face of every prince who had rejected her at the Princess Tests. She went through them in order, slowing down when she came to the two most recent.
Prince Darian, who had chosen no one and risked starting a war because he found her and every other woman completely inadequate.
Prince Alaric, who had ignored the rules and centuries of traditions to avoid choosing her in favor of a mysterious stranger.
She had won in Aeonia, and still she had lost.
And it wasn’t just the princes. The royal women hated her as well. Princess Collette had been rude simply because Fiora reminded her of the Princess Tests. Lina and Carina had teamed up against her, as had countless others.
Her own father had found her so useless that he sent her back to the sea without even saying goodbye. Her stepmother had looked at her as little as possible and never had a kind word to say in the rare moments when she acknowledged that Fiora existed.
And Elspeth had pretended kindness only to turn a blind eye any time Fiora needed help.
Fiora shoved the bottle back under her pillow. She couldn’t do it.
She couldn’t tell Gustave and risk losing the one person who actually liked her. Even if that affection was based on a lie, it was all she had at the moment.
She stood, drawing breath in a sharp hiss when her feet touched the ground. How was it possible for the pain to keep getting worse?
Princess of Mermaids Page 28
