Tangled Tides (The Sea Monster Memoirs) (21 page)

Pango held my hand when we got closer. "You ready?"

His soft hand felt huge closed over mine. It made me wish for Treygan's lean, rough fingers entwined with mine instead. I looked back at Treygan.

"Take a calming breath," he said.

Pango and I rounded the hill which opened up into a massive valley with a lake in the center. When I saw all the people I wanted to run in the other direction. Treygan said there would be just over a hundred of them, but to me it looked like a million.

The mob of people gathered around the lake had skin in varying shades of white, silver, copper, or gold. Their hair represented every color of the rainbow. Some sat on blankets, others stood around talking. Several kids ran around laughing, chasing each other or tossing beach balls in the air.

"Miss Yara!" Kai shouted. She was at least fifty yards away, waving vigorously while a red-haired toddler pulled on her other arm.

More than a few heads turned in my direction. The crowd quieted as more people looked. Silence fell as everyone stopped moving. They were all watching
me
. I squeezed Pango's hand so hard I thought it might break, but he didn't flinch.

"Am I supposed to do something?" I asked Pango, trying not to move my lips.

"Just wave."

My fingers barely flexed open before I shook my hand back and forth. As if on command, everyone broke into applause. Terrified, I glanced up at Pango, but he laughed and brushed his knuckle against my cheek. "We'll sit over there. It's the best view."

I glanced over my shoulder again, but Treygan had disappeared. I scanned the people around us, searching for him, but Pango kept pulling me along, so I concentrated on not tripping on my dress.

Merrick spread a blanket over the grass. Most people had returned to their conversations and sat down facing the lake. Blues or Indigos were spaced around the perimeter every few feet. They stood watching the sky and each other like they were waiting to dive into the water at the same time.

"This is crazy," I murmured to Pango. "All these people are here just because I've been turned into a mermaid?"

"Yes, twinkle bug. You're quite the celebrity in the world of sea monsters. And wait until they find out you and Treygan are falling in love. The paparazzi will have a field day!"

"What! Falling in love?"

"Oh, please. Have you seen how giddy you are around him? Have you seen the way he looks at you, and protects you like you're his precious jewel?"

"He's doing his job as my guardian." I looked for Treygan again and found him standing in the distance.

"No, seriously." Pango adjusted one of the pins in my hair. "I'm asking if anyone has showed you yet? Because if not, I'll take you into my pretty head right now and let you watch the magic the rest of us see. It's better than any reality TV show the human world has come up with."

A high, whistling sound cut through the air, interrupting our conversation. Delmar pointed across the lake. Treygan stood a few feet away from him, squinting in the same direction. I looked at where Delmar pointed and saw the top of the sun peeking over the horizon.

A man blew into a conch shell and the sound echoed over the lake. The crowd fell silent again. Someone started singing a song I hadn't heard before, then all the Blues and Indigos joined in. On one particular note they all opened their hands at their sides, and for a minute—when the singing stopped—I thought we were being hit by an earthquake.

The still surface of the lake trembled. Then the water rippled outward toward the shore, creating a giant cyclone-shaped hole. The reflection of the rising sun melted into the lake, creating a swirling pool of orange, but in the center was empty darkness. I leaned forward, half expecting the large funnel to suck us all in, until a glint of ivory sparkled in the center of it. Something was rising out of the water.

Pango leaned against my shoulder. "Paragon Castle, in a fanciful light."

The highest turret rose in front of us, then another, and another, followed by the rest of the huge palace. Underwater I hadn't appreciated the exquisiteness of the castle. The exterior shimmered like mother-of-pearl. The windows and doors made of different colored sea glass reflected beams of rainbows across the lake. As it continued to emerge, towering high above us, water dripped from its roofs and walls like a giant god rising out of a bath.

I realized I had been holding my breath and let it out. "It's gorgeous."

"Yes, it is," Pango sighed, holding hands with me and Merrick.

As the castle finished settling on the lake, I watched Treygan. He and the others circling the perimeter were in the same stance: arms low at their sides, fingers stretched wide, focusing fiercely on the water.

"Are they lifting it?" I asked Pango.

"Merfolk are up here and down below, working together and controlling the water to make it rise. Next they'll create a plate of hardened water beneath it so it remains above the surface for the rest of your celebration."

How freaking cool. "They do this for every new merfolk?"

"What can I say? We love a reason to celebrate."

I looked around at the crowd. Most people watched with a smile, but some hardly paid attention. To me, a glistening castle rising out of a lake was the most unbelievable thing I had ever seen, but most merfolk almost looked bored.

Merrick leaned over Pango's lap and winked at me. "Wait until you see the parties we throw in our realm."

That explained it. As spectacular as this seemed to me, it was probably tame compared to what these people were used to. But how could anything be better than this?

My focus landed on Treygan and my question was answered. He would make anything better. Even from a distance I could see the muscles in his forearms, taut and flexing. The guy could lift castles into the air. Eat your heart out, Cinderella.

The main doors to the castle opened and Indrea and Caspian walked out first, followed by the other Violets. Like the rest of the crowd, they were dressed in fancy clothes. I was thankful Koraline had planned ahead and picked out an appropriate dress for me.

"Caspian and Indrea are like the king and queen of the Violets?" I asked.

Pango chuckled. "Not according to them, but we all think of them that way."

"Why?"

He plucked at the grass by his feet. "Do you know about the day the gates closed, yet?"

I nodded sadly.

He twisted a blade of grass between his giant fingers. "None of the Violets were in this world when the gorgons sent word about the curse. Violets, Indigos and Blues rarely left our realm. When Caspian and Indrea realized how many merfolk would be trapped here, they chose to be trapped with us. While everyone else rushed through the gates to get home, those two were leaving Rathe behind, volunteering to help us survive." Tears pooled in his eyes and Merrick rubbed his shoulder. "Can you imagine?" Pango fanned himself and sniffed. "Such selflessness. They are two of my biggest heroes."

I stared at Caspian and Indrea with a new respect. Not that I didn't think highly of them before, but wow. They gave up a world they loved for the unknown. Rownan said everyone assumed those trapped here would die. They knew they might die, but they did it anyway.

I could only dream of being that brave.

Caspian began a speech, welcoming everyone and thanking them for traveling to be here. When I glanced at Treygan again he was watching me. I sat up straight, taken aback by his attention. I gave a timid wave but he looked away, focusing on Indrea as she spoke.

Then I heard my name.

I didn't catch why Indrea said my name, but she stopped talking and everyone stared at me.

I reached for Pango's hand, but he pushed on my back. "Go," he urged. "Indrea requested that you join them."

My hands shook. Not excessively, but enough to make me fumble with my skirt when I stood up. The grassy distance between me and the castle was only twenty feet or so, but my legs were trembling. I would trip or pass out from fear, I just knew it. I had the undivided attention of way too many people.

"Yara, please, come join us," Indrea said, loudly but pleasantly.

I couldn't walk. Pango pushed the back of my calf, but fear had anchored my feet to the ground. Birds chirped, people shuffled around on their blankets, children giggled and whispered.

Treygan appeared at my side. He lifted his elbow, offering me his arm. I clung to it like a lifeline.

"Deep breath," he whispered to me, flashing a grin at Indrea. "Perhaps Yara was confused about how to reach the castle. Delmar, Sixel, the bridge please."

The quiet didn't feel so deafening with Treygan beside me. People seemed to relax and move around again. Delmar and another Indigo were positioned in front of the castle entrance. A span of water separated them and the Violets. They both made a simple hand gesture and water rippled upward, forming a transparent bridge.

Treygan placed his free hand over both of mine. My nails dug into his arm, but I couldn't loosen my grip.

"Shall we?" he asked, taking a step forward. Somehow I uprooted my feet from the ground and walked beside him. With each step I felt a fraction better, knowing Treygan wouldn't let me fall. But when we reached the bridge he lowered his arm.

"This part you have to do alone," he said softly.

I glanced at the bridge, then at the Violets. They were all smiles on the other side. The bridge wasn't long, but it had no railing. That, combined with the fact I could see through it, convinced me I would fall off into the water.

Delmar made an ushering motion, urging me to cross.

I mentally repeated Treygan's words,
deep breath, deep breath,
but my legs were rooted in place again. Then Treygan's breath warmed my ear. "The sooner you get over
there,
the sooner you can come back
here,
with me."

That's all it took. I walked forward, my skin tingling. Whatever the Violets wanted me for, I hoped they would hurry up. I wanted to be back by Treygan's side as soon as possible.

Each Violet hugged me like they had known me all my life. One of them brought out a chair made of wood and stone. Caspian laid a shimmering fabric across the seat and Indrea invited me to sit down.

Pango mentioned I would have to sit for a long time while each person gave me a token that represented their wishes for me and my future. I figured it would be later in the day, but after I sat down and looked out at the grassy bank of the lake I saw a line of people forming. Treygan wasn't one of them.

Caspian went first, handing me the largest pearl I had ever seen. "Yara, my wish for you is eternal joy."

"Thank you." I paused way too long before remembering my line. "I wish you the same."

He kissed my hand and walked away. Thank goodness Pango had told me what to say. Otherwise, I would've had no idea how to respond.

Indrea placed her fingers on my shoulder. "You may place it in the bowl now."

"What?" I glanced up at her and the glass bowl she held. Pango hadn't mentioned a bowl.

"You accept each wish with fresh hands."

"Oh, right." I placed the pearl in the bowl and it rolled around, making a smooth, hissing sound.

"No need to worry." Indrea smiled. "They are yours to keep in the end."

A stocky Violet with chubby fingers handed me a pearl, smaller than the one Caspian gave me, but eggplant-colored and very pretty. "I wish you excessive, heartfelt laughter."

"Thank you." I contagiously smiled at his chubby-cheeked grin. "I wish you the same." I admired the pearl again before placing it in the bowl.

The next mermaid approached shyly.

We went on like that for a long time. Almost everyone gave me a pearl of some kind. Big, small, perfectly round, oval, black, silver, champagne and every color or variety I could imagine. By the twentieth one or so, I started asking each person where they found it and what kind of pearl it was. That led to them sharing the story of why they chose it or what it meant to them, which made each pearl and person even more special to me.

Pango gave me a baroque abalone, the most unusually-shaped of any pearls I received. The blue-green coloring reminded me of a peacock feather. He explained it was rare and abstract, like he and I were. After kissing my hand he stepped aside.

That's when I saw Kimber for the first time.

Delmar stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her curvy waist. Her sparkling eyes matched her curly, sky-blue hair. Her skin was as pale as Delmar's, but her hallmarks were silver, and while he wore a huge grin, Kimber had a closed-lipped mouth of stone.

"Yara, this is Kimber," Delmar announced, a hundred times happier than I had ever seen him. His skin and hallmarks had a yellowish hue. "The love of my life."

Kimber stepped forward. Her eyes were smiling, but her lips didn't move, of course. She handed me a teardrop-shaped pearl that was a lustrous mix of silver and blue. Then she handed me a small note card. Inside it read:

Dearest Yara,

My wish for you is that you always follow your heart.
No matter the risk.

With love,
Kimber

I stood up and hugged her. "Thank you, Kimber. I wish the same for you."

She squeezed me tighter and Delmar chuckled. "She has that effect on me too. But move it along, your fans are waiting."

I sat back down, watching her walk away and stand beside Pango. Sections of her skin were streaked with purple. I wondered what emotion that meant for her. Delmar placed a black pearl in my hand and I startled, realizing I hadn't placed Kimber's pearl in the bowl yet.

"It's all right." He closed my fingers around both pearls. "We're a package deal." He crouched down in front of me, still holding my fist in his hand. "Yara, my wish is that you see deep inside of a person, past any insecurities, walls, or stony exterior, because it's the heart and soul that truly matter."

How could I have ever thought the sweet, sentimental man in front of me was scary?

"Thank you, Delmar." My voice cracked. "I wish you the same." I felt ridiculous saying it. He had already looked past Kimber's stony exterior. I had never seen two people so visibly in love with each other.