Zoe zipped towards her cousin but stopped just short of tackling her.
“Do you feel better?”
Fiora nodded and frowned at the dark bruises on Zoe’s torso.
“How do you feel? Why haven’t they healed you?”
Zoe shrugged.
“They did, but it will take time for the marks to fade because they were so deep. You’ve got a new scar as well!”
Fiora glanced down at the thin, silver scar across her tail. Apparently the mirror had cut deeper than she realized.
“Is everything alright? The kraken are under control?”
Zoe nodded.
“And the choirs are searching for Leander.”
“He disappeared into a mirror. I doubt they’ll find him.”
Fiora couldn’t begin to understand how that enchantment worked. Perhaps she and Gustave could figure it out together.
Gustave. Was he well? Had he suffered any injuries from being transformed into a statue?
Fiora combed through her hair, searching for the pearl ring. She knew she shouldn’t use it. The forbidden magic was dangerous and unpredictable.
But surely one more day wouldn’t hurt? She would go to Montaigne and explain everything. Explain why she had to leave him.
Or maybe, if he still wanted her, she would stay. The magic was risky, but so were a lot of things in life.
Fiora’s hands combed through her hair and found nothing. She twisted her hair together and pulled it around so she could see the ends.
The ring wasn’t there. It must have come loose and fallen out during the fight. Her heart sank.
“Fiora, are you alright?”
Fiora shook her head. Without the pearl, she had no way to be with Gustave. Well, no way that lasted more than three days at a time. Not to mention the enchantment would take her voice and cause her pain.
How much was she willing to sacrifice to return to the shore?
Zoe noticed Fiora’s distress and wrapped her in a hug. Fiora returned it. Maybe she could find the ring someday. It was probably buried in sand by now, but she could dig. Maybe she would find more of Dale’s forks while she was at it.
“Everyone is meeting in the throne room,” Zoe said. “They’re waiting for you to wake up before they decide anything important. Race you there?”
Mischief gleamed in the young mermaid’s eyes. Fiora grinned in spite of everything and flicked her tail to claim a head start.
It was fun, racing Zoe through the summer city. Moving was easier underwater. Like flying. Fiora turned a somersault even though she knew it would give Zoe time to catch up.
Zoe grabbed her hands and spun her around. Fiora’s hair streamed behind her. Zoe’s short hair stuck out from her head in all directions. The sight sobered Fiora’s mood.
Much had been sacrificed last night. For her.
“I’m sorry about your hair, Zoe.”
The mermaid shook her head, sending her short hair flying through the water.
“It’s fun, although I feel a bit naked.”
Fiora laughed, and they continued towards the castle. They swam up the sides of the building and darted through an opening in the ceiling.
Trays of food floated throughout the room. Fiora grimaced. Some things never changed. The disgusting blobs that passed as food underwater were apparently one of them.
“Fiora! Are you feeling well?”
Kathelin beamed as Fiora swam into the room. Althea looked angry.
But then, she always looked angry.
Behind them, Queen Gallerus beckoned for Fiora to come closer. Madame Isla floated beside the queen. The mermaid held a fishing net full of lumps of cloth that had probably been dresses once. Fiora hoped Madame Isla wasn’t preparing for another seduction.
There was no point without the ring.
She swam to her grandmother and touched her tail to her forehead in a bow.
“I understand you helped in the defeat of Leander and the kraken,” Queen Gallerus said.
Fiora nodded.
“He was working with a human. Combining magic. My magic is already combined since I’m half-human, so I was able to counter his charms.”
Queen Gallerus nodded. Doubtless she already knew all this information, but she still looked pleased.
“If one merman working with humans caused so much chaos, it seems wise for us to seek out human allies who could help us understand their ways and prevent further disasters. The royal family of Montaigne seems trustworthy. Do you agree?”
Fiora nodded, too surprised to speak.
“Tell me about them,” Queen Gallerus said.
“They were kind to me. They’re kind to everyone. And honorable. And-”
She stopped because her grandmother was looking rather amused.
“Princess Fiora may be biased about the humans of Montaigne, but I believe she is also correct,” Madame Isla said.
“And they know sign language,” Kathelin said. “A most useful quality for human allies.”
Queen Gallerus looked to Althea. The mermaid gave a sharp nod but said nothing.
“You gave him the message?” the queen signed.
“And he agreed,” Althea signed back.
Fiora raised an eyebrow. Everyone in the chamber understood the signs, so the private conversation was hardly private.
Although she still had no idea what they meant.
“Very well,” Queen Gallerus said. “We will proceed as planned. You all will go to the royal humans in Montaigne and begin negotiations for a treaty. Madame Isla has secured clothing for you.”
Madame Isla waved the fishing net full of fabric with one hand and lifted a familiar conch shell with the other.
Fiora blinked when she realized that she was being included in the group.
“Is it safe for me to use the transformation song again?”
“You don’t need to,” Kathelin said. “You can use this.”
She held up the ring. The pearl gleamed in the shifting underwater light. Fiora laughed with relief.
“You found it!”
She grabbed the gem and held it close to her heart.
“Are you sure this charm is safe to use?” Queen Gallerus said. “This magic is forbidden for a reason.”
“We’ve taken precautions,” Althea said. “And we will take further measures if he doesn’t keep his word.”
“That won’t help her if she’s dead.”
“But it will make us feel better.”
Fiora raised an eyebrow. Was her aunt making a joke?
That would be a first, but it was difficult to tell for sure.
What on earth were they talking about?
“Let’s go!” Zoe said. “We’re going to see the humans!”
She grabbed a golden ball from beside the queen’s throne, tossed it up, and caught it as it slowly descended in the water.
Queen Gallerus nodded.
“That human charm will be quite useful. Capture everything you see, Zoe.”
“Of course!”
And that seemed to settle the matter. Fiora, Kathelin, Althea, Zoe, and Madame Isla swam towards shore. Althea and Kathelin took turns singing to create currents that pulled the mermaids quickly through the water. They swam towards the docks, but Fiora directed them to the empty shoreline by the castle instead. Five mermaids emerging naked from the water in the middle of a shipyard would cause chaos for multiple reasons.
They hid behind a rock while Madame Isla pulled the gowns out of the fishing net and laid them out to dry. They were in varying states of decay and looked like they had come from a variety of countries at various points throughout history.
Spot landed nearby and studied the mermaids hopefully. Fiora hummed a tune, pulled a fish out of the water, and threw it to him. The gull squawked and flew away with his prize.
Fiora lifted her ring, preparing to transform into a human.
“Wait.”
Madame Isla offered Fiora a small vial of liquid.
“
Would you like to remove the squid ink from your hair first? I still think changing your appearance is a good way to catch the attention of a human man.”
Fiora laughed. Madame Isla didn’t give up easily.
But she took the bottle. She had spent enough time hiding. This time when she returned to the human world, Fiora would do so as herself.
75
Gustave hurried to the dining room, silently scolding himself for sleeping so late. He had intended to get up early and have a private conversation with Father, Grandmother, and Collette.
Instead, he was late for breakfast and hadn’t had a chance to warn anyone about what would happen today.
And a lot would happen today.
Gustave stopped to gather his thoughts before he entered the room. He needed his composure for this. He needed to be king.
He swallowed when he saw how full the dining room was. It made sense for the royal gala guests to attend the meal, but Gustave had forgotten about them after everything that had happened last night.
When he had pictured the scene, he had only imagined his family.
They were there, of course. Collette, King Francois, and Dowager Queen Bernadine sat at the head of the table. Thomas hovered beside Bernadine, translating the numerous conversations happening as best he could. Prince Leonardo, Princess Lenora, Prince Edric, Lady Annabelle, and Elaine sat on Collette’s side of the table.
Princess Serafina and Prince Massimo were absent. Serafina had announced last night that they would rise early and sail with the tide. Unlike Gustave, it appeared that she had followed through with her intentions and woke up on time.
Marquis Corbeau, Marchioness Rouge, and several other council members sat on the king’s side. Captain Whist and Dale the merchant sat with them.
The chair at the other end of the table was empty. Waiting for him.
Gustave took it and gestured for the head waiter.
“Have five extra places ready to set if necessary,” he whispered. “I’m expecting a few more guests. I’m not sure when they will arrive, but they may be here before the meal ends.”
The waiter nodded and hurried away to make the preparations.
“I apologize for my tardiness,” Gustave said.
“It is quite understandable, Your Majesty,” Prince Leonardo said. “You had an eventful evening last night.”
Gustave waited for more questions, but no one asked. He looked to Collette.
“I’ve already told everyone what happened,” she signed. “And slipped the important details to the most gossipy servants, so the whole castle should know by now. I thought it would be awkward if everyone kept asking about your bride.”
Yes, that would be excessively awkward. With everything else that had happened, Gustave had almost forgotten about his wedding.
Granted, he couldn’t remember much of it even when he tried. Just a golden fog and blissful happiness.
And dull regret that he couldn’t shake no matter how many times he told himself that he had been cursed. That what happened with Elspeth had not been his fault.
“We’ve annulled the marriage on grounds of magical coercion,” Dowager Queen Bernadine signed. “Believe it or not, there is a precedent for that.”
Gustave believed it. He nodded his thanks and looked out the window to the sea. It stretched to the horizon, gray and empty.
Please let them come. Let the mermaids keep their word and come.
“You look well, Father,” Gustave said, forcing his attention back to the dining room.
King Francois smiled at his son.
“I feel well, although I have a lot to catch up on. I apologize to those present if I am a little behind in matters of state. Spending a year as a statue will do that to you.”
He cast a curious look at Prince Edric but said nothing further.
“The growing frequency of magical attacks is rather alarming,” Prince Leonardo said. “I’m going to urge my father to work with Montaigne and Aeonia to find the cause. Perhaps with a free exchange of information we can better understand what is happening.”
“We don’t have much information to exchange,” Elaine said.
“That may be true, but you seem to have a knack for finding what is available. My library is at your disposal if you wish to use it for your research.”
“Oh. Thank you!”
Elaine’s eyes glittered with excitement at the prospect of exploring a new library.
“The royal family of Montaigne would be happy to share-”
Gustave didn’t get the chance to finish his offer. The doors burst open, and five women walked into the dining room.
Everyone gasped. The women did make quite a spectacle. Their hair was tangled and tousled from the wind. Their clothes were damp and wrinkled and clung to their skin. The women dripped on the floor, creating five sizable puddles around their bare feet as they stood in the doorway.
Gustave shook off his surprise and looked closer at each of his guests.
Madame Isla wore an ornate gown that was probably red at one point, but had faded an unappealing shade of pink. The bodice was too small and strained at the seams, while the large puffed sleeves drooped around her arms like soggy pastries. Her white hair was pinned up with a number of forks.
Dale leaned forward in his seat and studied the forks with interest.
Althea and Kathelin wore matching green dresses that were far too big for them and hung awkwardly around their bodies. If anything, the matching outfits only highlighted their differences. Althea looked displeased with everyone and everything in the room, while Kathelin looked delighted.
Zoe’s dress was bright yellow and in worse shape than the rest. Its fabric was so threadbare that the sleeves had difficulty supporting the garment. The seams had already torn in several places, and the whole thing looked like it might disintegrate at any moment. The color might have been flattering before it was exposed to sea water, but Gustave doubted it. Nevertheless, the young mermaid beamed as if she was dressed to the heights of fashion.
Then Gustave saw Fiora and forgot everything else in the room. She wore a wrinkled blue dress and held her chin high, as if daring anyone to criticize her appearance. The skirt was too short and showed her bare feet and ankles. As far as he could tell, her feet were no longer in pain.
Her hair was red again and hung loose around her shoulders. Gustave had forgotten how bright and brilliant it was. How it complimented her blue eyes.
She took his breath away.
Then she looked at him, and Gustave forgot how to breathe altogether.
Her eyes were sad, and it broke Gustave’s heart. Did she still feel unsure of him because of what had happened with Elspeth?
Or did the sadness have something to do with her past? With the story Althea and Kathelin had told him last night?
Madame Isla signed something too quickly for Gustave to catch. Fiora nodded.
“On behalf of Her Majesty Queen Gallerus of the Ocean, we royal sisters have come to negotiate a treaty of peace with the humans of Montaigne.”
Her voice was so rich and confident and perfect that it took Gustave a moment to process what she had actually said. Her Kellish accent only added to the allure.
The rest of the diners reacted slowly as well. But her words caused a stir once they sank in. Everyone at the table turned to their neighbors in surprise.
Then they turned to Gustave.
He looked to his father. Surely King Francois would prefer to handle this? After all, he was king now.
But his father shook his head and nodded at Gustave. Gustave swallowed.
“It is an honor, ladies. Please, join us for breakfast.”
He nodded to the waiters, who hurried to add the extra chairs to the table and set extra places. The spacious table was suddenly rather crowded.
And rather more exciting.
Zoe tossed a golden ball into the air a few times, then stuffed a croissant into her mouth.
Gustave stared. Was that Carina’
s golden ball? Where had the mermaid found it?
“This food is amazing!” Zoe signed. “Try some, Fiora.”
She reached across the table for another croissant. Her sleeves tore as she moved, leaving the bodice supported by only a few threads.
Zoe seemed completely unconcerned with her dress disintegrating, but Fiora and Gustave shared a wary look.
“I wonder if the royal household of Montaigne would like to provide more durable clothing for my cousin as a gesture of goodwill?” Fiora signed. “Perhaps a certain sweater?”
Gustave choked back a laugh. Fiora’s expression remained calm, but her eyes twinkled with amusement.
He summoned the head waiter again, whispered a few words, then picked up his fork and took a bite of scrambled eggs. Madame Isla stared at him with her jaw dropped. He nodded politely at her and took another bite.
The white-haired mermaid watched his every move. Then she pulled a fork from her hair and carefully took a bite from her own plate. Gustave tried to keep eating, but it was difficult to enjoy the food with a mermaid mirroring him.
He set down the fork, feeling too self-conscious to eat anything else. Madame Isla started copying Marquis Corbeau instead. He glared at her, and she smiled back.
“Are you well?” Gustave signed to Fiora.
She nodded, and her brilliant red hair shimmered in the sunlight as she moved.
“Is he trying to seduce her?” Zoe signed to Madame Isla.
Madame Isla didn’t answer. She had switched her attention to Lady Annabelle, who was eating soup with a spoon. The mermaid picked up a spoon and tried to mimic Annabelle’s movements. She spilled most of the soup on her dress, but seemed content with the small amount she managed to get into her mouth.
Lady Annabelle turned her attention to Prince Edric, trying very hard to ignore Madame Isla. The mermaid didn’t seem to mind.
“Perhaps we could stop speaking in signs and have conversations that everyone can understand?” Marquis Corbeau said.
“The enchantment that allows mermaids to become human also takes their voice,” Fiora said. “I’m here to translate as necessary.”
“But they understand speech?” Dale asked.
When Fiora nodded, he turned to the mermaid closest to him.
Princess of Mermaids Page 39
