Droplets (DROPLETS Trilogy Book 1) (25 page)

     “Just let her go,” Daggin pleaded. Tunder was motionless, at a complete loss of what to do.

     “You know my conditions,” the raspy voice of the large man snapped across the clearing full of hatred and disgust. “I came here for a purpose and if what I came for is not provided soon, then this pretty young thing will be dead before either of you can move.”

     As he spoke, blades came out of his forearm and he rested them right against Nixie’s neck. I let out a small shriek and tried to stand, but Patrick’s hand clamped down on my mouth and pulled me against his chest withholding me. I turned my head to look at him, my eyes filled with horror. He slid his hand off my mouth and placed it around my shoulders, holding me close to his body. 

     Nixie’s tears continued to fall, dripping to the front of her dress. She struggled to breathe as her emotions got the better of her. The sheer panic in her eyes reflected the danger she was in.

     “Nixie, you can’t,” Daggin begged. “You can’t leave me, just for—” his voice broke and he had to pause to try and compose himself. I wondered why Tunder didn’t do something. What was it that this man wanted? Why didn’t he just give it to him?

     “I know,” Nixie said solemnly as though she was accepting death. My eyes widened as I waited for what she would say. “But I can’t give her up…”

     She said something else, but I didn’t hear it because Patrick gasped sharply. His arm that was around my waist yanked me backward. I followed, confused. We walked fast in a crouched position for a few steps and then Patrick straightened up.

     “Run,” he said. It was a command not to be questioned. 

     My legs obeyed immediately, and I realized the danger suddenly. The face of that merman in the meadow was one of the Hyven. I recognized him from the night I had been changed. They had come for me.

     Holding my dress in a bundle above my knees I ran, my feet pounding across the earthen floor and Patrick beside me. He was glaring intensely around us, searching for some sign of danger. Eventually the sound of pounding feet rang through the night behind us, hot on our trail. Patrick swore under his breath and dropped behind me slightly.

     I pushed my legs to go faster even though they were tiring rapidly. My muscles strained and blood pumped furiously though my veins. I could hear my heavy breathing, and knew it wouldn’t be long before I would have to slow down, but the fear of what was to come kept me going. I knew that this creature behind us had an advantage. I worried just who this creature might be, but pushed the thought aside. It couldn’t be
him
. Fear shot through me in a new wave of desperation. My body strained to move faster, but my legs slowed slightly. Patrick groaned.

     “Come on, Lissie, come on,” he said, breathlessly, egging me to keep going.

     I pushed myself, trying as hard as I could. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second to gather my strength so I could burst into speed. With my eyes open again, I pushed off my right leg with more power than I had used before. It wasn’t as painful as I had thought it would be. This gave me courage and I continued to dash forward with more power in each push. Patrick kept up with me, but the heavy footfalls behind us were getting louder.

     All of a sudden I tripped over a root and fell flat on the ground, my chest hitting the earth with a reverberating thud. Patrick shot past me and the merman behind us thundered ever closer. I could see his long legs and remembered him from the night I was changed, he had been the tallest in the group of mermen that night. A momentary feeling of relief filled me when I realized it wasn’t Morven, but when the merman’s blades flashed from his arms I scrambled backward on the ground away from him. His eyes gleamed with a fiery expectation and achievement when a furious yell resounded behind me; the voice was one I knew and adored, but the tone was so malevolent that it frightened me.

     There was a whoosh of wind as Patrick flew past me, running directly at the merman. A loud thump echoed when he crashed into the surprised merman and tackled him to the ground. I watched in horror as the two men wrestled for a moment and then they were both on their feet.

     The merman’s blades shined in the moonlight. In panic, I looked at Patrick to see what he would do. He held his dagger before him, no longer than five inches. Crouching low, he shifted his weight lithely from foot to foot waiting patiently. I noticed he never let the merman get a free run at me, from where I was still splayed on the ground motionless. I didn’t care if Patrick had a machine gun in his hand, I didn’t want him to fight this vile creature.

     The merman moved slightly, teasing, and testing Patrick’s defenses. Then he attacked. I screamed as he ran forward, his blades brandished violently. My eyes were wide with horror as Patrick and the merman wrestled, blades flashing. I saw blood, and there were groans of pain, but I didn’t know who had been hurt. They wrestled a moment more and then broke away.

     Patrick was breathing heavily. His left arm revealed a bleeding gash, but he didn’t seem to notice. The merman was now limping, however. A cut ran along his thigh, oozing blood into the dark pants he wore. As they stood, their bodies heaving from exertion, they both became aware of another sound. There were others running our way.

     Excitement and relief built within me. There was no doubt in my mind that those feet belonged to someone who could help us. Just then the merman smiled at Patrick in such a spiteful manner that my hopes were crushed. The consuming fear again seeped in my veins. My mind wheeled, unsure of what to do.

     “Go, Lissie!” Patrick growled over his shoulder at me. His voice was angry, but there was also panic.

     “What?!” I yelled at him, my mind moving so slowly I could hardly think of what he meant.

     “Run!” he yelled, never taking his eyes from the merman, who was looking more and more confident.

      Somehow the word “run” triggered an instinct in my legs. I scrambled to my feet and again picked up my dress, running as fast as I could away from Patrick and the merman. The dreaded sounds of chasing feet filled my ears. Whoever was chasing me was faster than the other merman. Their footfalls were quicker and more sure-footed.

     I put on another burst of speed, but they still came closer. My only thought was to get to the ocean; maybe I would have some chance of escape if I reached the water.
Patrick
. His name repeated in my mind as I thundered through the branches and jumped over roots.

     The feet behind me slowed, but only slightly. I dashed this way and that, trying to shake them off, but my lungs were heaving, my throat dry. Sweat trickled down my neck but I kept pushing, thinking I could get away.

     Then all of a sudden my chaser picked up speed. I tried desperately to go faster, but my legs were exhausted. A cold hand reached out and grabbed me by the shoulder. A blood curdling scream fell through my lips. I hoped desperately that someone would hear and come help me, yet knew there was no hope. 

     The hand pushed me and I fell to the ground, skidding in the dirt and wrestling with my captor. I scratched and clawed wherever I could, still not getting a good view of who had attacked me. Then I was suddenly pinned on my back with my arms held tight at the wrists. A sharp hand smacked me hard against the cheek. It stung while I blinked back the annoying tears that rose into my eyes.

     Looking up, I was astonished to see that my chaser was a mermaid. She was beautiful in a provocative, evil way. Her eyes were a deep gold color that scorched into mine. She stared, daring me to make another move. I didn’t. This woman frightened me more than the merman that was fighting Patrick somewhere behind us in the woods. The mermaid looked away from my eyes so she could tie my wrists together in front of me. When she had completed her task, she glared at me again.

     “Get up,” her high voice ordered, and I obeyed.

     She stood taller than me by a whole head. Her body was thin, almost too thin. She was a vision in black with her dark curly hair pulled into a messy bun and her pale skin contrasting against the tight black shirt and pants she wore. Everything about her radiated hostility. I gulped, trying to find courage somewhere but coming up short. 

     The mermaid grabbed me under my left arm and started to walk. I had no choice but to follow her wherever she was taking me. Part of my mind started to think about whom she might lead me to, but I shoved those thoughts aside.

     As we walked I stared at the ground, but I knew we were headed for the meadow as the muffled sound of voices grew louder.  Approaching the edge of the meadow, we stepped into a pool of soft light. The scene before my eyes was drastically different than before. 

     The Lathmorians were in regimented sections, the blades of the mermen shining. The mermaids behind them flashed their own blades in a hostile manner, trying to send a message to the group of darkly clad figures surrounding the merman who still held Nixie within his grasp.

     They were the Hyven. Goosebumps rose on my flesh and I scanned the scene until my eyes landed on Patrick. His hands were tied behind his back and there was a small cut on his face. A merman stood slightly in front of him, but then Nixie gasped and drew attention to my presence. 

     Everyone turned to stare at me, but all I could do was look at Patrick. His eyes were filled with a fear I had never seen before, but it wasn’t for himself but rather for me. He strained against the men who held him. There was true apprehension and horror in his face, and his eyes flickered from mine to a merman who had his back turned to me. I moved my gaze too, and watched as the merman slowly turned around, knowing who it was.

     A fear and dread as I had never felt before consumed me and I halted where I stood, drawing back from the mermaid who held my arm and ignoring the pain of her nails digging into my flesh. My insides crippled as I watched his familiar, evil smile spread across his face. A whooshing roared past my ears and my hands turned cold. It was as if I was trying to maintain consciousness.

     “How nice of you to join us,” he began, his voice filling the meadow. “
Marina.
”

25. Hyvar

The dreaded name washed over my ears sending fresh waves of fear coursing through my body. This was the voice I had kept at bay for so long, the voice that made me cripple in terror if I thought of it. The memory of him. The memory of my nightmares. Before my eyes flashed the recurring nightmare of Patrick dying on the beach while Morven pulled me away.

     I breathed loudly as the sounds and images around me faded. My captor pushed me forward, but all I could see was Morven. He was all that existed. His dark clothing blended with the rest of his followers, making him look bold and powerful. A soft shudder crept to the top of my spine, but I forced it away. I wouldn’t let him see me cringe; I wouldn’t surrender to his will. To let him see my fear would be accepting my fate without a fight.

     The mermaid that roughly held my arm came to a sudden stop. I stood next to her, glaring at Morven with all the fury and hatred I could muster. If he wanted to take me, then so be it. But he wasn’t going to obtain the power that he wanted easily—I was going to resist him every chance I got.

    We were now standing in the open space between the two groups of merfolk. The Hyven stood to the left and the Lathmorians to the right. Patrick was directly across from us, his eyes flickering from me to Morven and back again. There were two of the Hyven standing with him, one on each side. I noticed that neither of them was the tall merman that Patrick had fought in the woods.

     “Thank you, Verna,” Morven said curtly to the creature holding me. “You have proved your worth again.” The mermaid straightened her posture proudly.

     Morven waved his hand in dismissal and she stepped away from me, clearly disappointed. Her absence left me feeling even smaller, alone with no one to separate me from the monster.

     Morven looked away from me for the first time, his gaze landing on Nixie who stood like a statue in her captor’s arms.

     “Release her,” he said. His voice was a command that was not to be questioned.

     The merman dropped his arms and Nixie almost collapsed to the ground. Slowly, she steadied herself and began to walk cautiously across the gap to her new husband. Morven’s eyes followed her. As she got closer to Morven, he moved toward her. I held my breath, frozen where I stood. She cringed as he reached a hand toward her and stopped when he blocked her way.

     There was a low grunt to the right as Daggin was being held back by Tunder. His eyes were alive with anger but Tunder held him fast, his large arms bulging beneath the white dress shirt. Daggin’s jaw was taut while he strained against Tunder’s restraint, his eyes intent on Morven’s back.

       With two fingers, Morven brushed Nixie’s cheek gently. She closed her eyes while her chest heaved and a tear slipped from her eyes. I remembered all too well how his touch felt and I cringed as I watched.

      His hand came to a stop on her throat. The long fingers wrapped around her slender neck easily. Nixie’s eyes flashed open, the horror clearly written in her face. The king moved forward, his hand outstretched, but was uncertain of what to do or say. Everyone waited for what seemed like hours and then Morven withdrew his hand, obviously pleased with himself. In a manner of flare he stepped out of Nixie’s way, motioning with his hand that she could proceed forward. The amusement in his eyes made the anger I felt toward him even more passionate. His only goal was to control. 

     Nixie stepped forward cautiously, passing Morven carefully, and then darted quickly into her new husband’s waiting embrace. Daggin scooped her into his arms and retreated behind the other Lathmorians as her muffled sobs slowly disappeared into the night. 

     Morven shook his head and laughed loudly. The sound was so deep and horrifying that it quivered my soul. He continued to laugh for a moment and then stopped with that evil smile still spread across his face. He glowered at King Oberon who had slightly separated himself from his people.

     “May I congratulate the father of the bride. She
is
a pretty thing.” The Lathmorians all shifted, each one ready to move in to attack. The king stood still; his calm face gave me an explanation of why he was the leader of these merfolk. He looked down on Morven as though he was a small child. I slowly gained the courage I needed to face him. “But she is not as beautiful as my Marina.”

    Morven turned back to me and I dreaded what was coming. The steps that brought him closer seemed like they were in slow motion, each one a proclamation for the looming future.

     “You see,” Morven’s voice was loud and clear as he spoke, “Marina is a beautiful creature. The type that I find attractive.” Morven smoldered me with his eyes. My heart plummeted—he was going to humiliate me in front of everyone. He had reached me by now and spoke even louder and clearer to make sure everyone heard.

     “She has sinful eyes, her locks of hair are tempting.” At these words, Morven ran a hand through my hair. My muscles locked up. I forced them to stay put and not to fight the disgusting hand that touched me. “And her body is just—”

     “Take your hands off her!” Patrick’s command sliced the air like a knife. My nerves almost gave out at the sound of his voice. I panicked, not sure of what to do next.

     Morven slowly turned to look at Patrick. I couldn’t see his face, but I could imagine the dark look that came from his eyes. I had seen it too many times to not know what it would look like. Morven stepped to the side, giving me a clear view of Patrick.

     “And why not? Why can’t I touch this lovely shaped specimen? She is mine, so why can’t I touch her?”

     Patrick did not answer, but instead looked at me, his eyes confirming the same feelings  I felt. He was as scared for me as I was for him; he was frightened that we would not be together, that this was the end for us. The recent revelations of who Morven wanted us to be throbbed through my mind as I desperately tried to let him know I would be alright.

     Tears filled my eyes and I blinked to keep them at bay, but they broke through and blurred my vision. Glancing at Morven, I saw him looking back and forth between us. A huge smile split across his face. He began to chuckle again and shook his head.

     “This is just too good.” He turned back to me. There was a loud grunt and the sounds of a scuffle. Morven whipped around and I stared in horror at the sight before me. Patrick had broken free of his bonds and one of the merman that had been holding him was pinned to the ground. He straddled the merman’s stomach and had both of the man’s arms held to the ground with his knees. His hands were wrapped around the merman’s throat. The other guard who was standing by himself looked lost and frightened that he had not reacted sooner.

     “You let her go, or I kill him.” Patrick’s threat filled the air. Morven stared back at him, clearly unperturbed. When he didn’t respond, Patrick tried again. “I’ll go with you freely if you let her go.” His voice was serious, with no hint of fear or regret. My heart thundered in my chest. “I already killed one of your men tonight, let’s not make it two.”

     Light whispers spread throughout the meadow. Both sides seemed surprised by this information—Patrick’s skill with a knife was apparently better than anyone had predicted. I glanced at Morven and saw that this was new knowledge for him, too. Even though he tried not to show his surprise, the slight falter of his smile gave him away. With a very controlled face Morven looked back at Patrick and pursed his lips.

     “Tell you what,” he said, glaring malevolently. With one quick move he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me in front of him. I inhaled sharply as his strong arm grasped my waist. “You go ahead and kill him. When you do, I’ll slit her throat. And don’t think I’ll hesitate, there are plenty of others who are just as useful and pretty as she is.” Patrick waited, the threat hanging in the air. He seemed unsure of whether Morven spoke the truth or not. I breathed in short gasps as Morven’s grip tightened around my stomach. His right arm lifted toward my neck and I cringed away from it, knowing his blades could appear at any moment. 

     Patrick stood slowly and moved away from the merman he had pinned to the ground. Two more of the Hyven came forward and quickly tied his hands behind his back.

     “Well,” Morven said, as his arm beside my neck dropped to his side, “I thank you all for the lovely visit. It turned out even more successful than we could have hoped.” While Morven spoke he looked at Tunder, but just at the end he glanced at Patrick. The way he looked at him sent terror through my veins.

     We left the clearing without hesitation, Morven holding tight to my arm and pulling me behind him. The bonds around my wrists constrained me tightly. The two members of the Hyven holding Patrick followed, but the rest remained in the meadow.

     As soon as we entered the cover of the trees, shouts rang in the meadow. Glancing over my shoulder I saw a swarm of Lathmorians surge like a wave toward the Hyven, their blades flashing. Morven began to run and pulled me behind him.

     We reached the edge of the island and halted, standing on a precipice high above the water. Morven dragged me forward, but I resisted with all the strength I could muster. Irritated, he tugged on my arm and enclosed me in his embrace. I squirmed as Patrick cried out.

     “Now listen to me,” Morven said, only for my ears. Spit flew as he spoke. “I will kill him if you make this any harder than it has to be.”

     Defiance like I had never felt before rose within my body. “You wouldn’t kill him. You’ve spent too many years searching for him.”

     Surprised, he narrowed his eyes at me. “But I can make him suffer more than necessary.” His threat hung in the air as the wind whipped my hair and dress about us. He knew he had the upper hand. “Now let’s move,” he said as he tugged me closer to the edge.

     Looking over my shoulder, I watched in fear as Patrick was blindfolded. His arms strained against the man who held him, but he couldn’t break free. One of the men nodded to Morven when the job was complete and Patrick was shoved closer to the edge beside us. I desperately wanted to reach out and touch him, to let him know I was there, but the space was a chasm of darkness impossible to cross.

     In a lithe move, Morven leaned over the edge pulling me with him, and we hurdled toward the water with tremendous speed. I withheld the scream in my throat, and we crashed through the salty water and into the darkness of the ocean. My fins sprouted, extending out the end of the dress I wore. All the lavender was almost too much to look at.

     Morven pulled me up toward the surface and I watched as the two mermen yanked Patrick forward off the precipice and into the water beside us. He came up choking and gasping for air, the only one having to use legs to stay above water. The blindfold had fallen from his eyes and the wet cloth hung around his neck. One of the Hyven soldiers moved to retie it, but Morven called him off.

     “Leave it,” he commanded. “It doesn’t matter.”

     The merman nodded and with his partner grabbed one of Patrick’s arms. Together they forced Patrick to lay back and float in the water. Morven nodded and tightened his grip on me. Without a word we proceeded forward, flying through the water. Morven pulled me behind him just below the surface. The mermen allowed for Patrick’s head to stay above the water as they followed right behind us. My heart thundered as I tried desperately to think of something,
anything
, that could help us.

     The sound of approaching fins reached my ears, but Morven made no recognition of arrival. Suddenly the mermaid Verna appeared. Her fins were a dull, deep red that reminded me of blood. 

    
They are following
, she reported quickly, waiting for instructions.

    
Good, keep them busy
,
Morven commanded and she fled off into the darkness.

     We pressed forward and my eyes darted around as I tried to see. The sounds of blades and shrieking filled the water behind us, and my whole body tensed in terror at the thought of what might be happening. The sounds were horrible, but even more terrible when I could no longer hear them. The silence only confirmed what I felt in my heart.

     Approaching fins roared around us and together a group of the Hyven pressed onward in the ocean. My only thoughts were for those we left behind and for the man on the surface, as we shot through the water like a bolt in the night sky.

_______________

     Hours passed and I grew tired, trying desperately to keep up with the harsh pace Morven set. His hand was present on my wrists, his grasp pulling into my flesh as I was dragged behind him.

    The water was like ice, even though my body was able to balance out the cold liquid, I still felt a great chill inside. What worried me was what the water might do to Patrick. Every now and then I tried to look up above us and catch a glimpse, but each time I did Morven jerked me forward even harder. I could hear their presence; the two mermen were kicking ferociously above their leader as they heaved Patrick’s weight between them. 

     All of a sudden Morven pulled up, relaxing his grasp upon my wrist. I tried to slide out of the closed fingers, but they would not budge. The Hyven soldiers up above stopped in response and with one easy kick Morven took us up to the surface. My head broke through the water to cloudy, stormy skies and waves threatening to toss us from where we floated. The water was no competition for our natural fins, however.