World of Aluvia 2 (12 page)

Phoebe only knew that each tattoo pattern held deep personal meaning. The dark lines of their tattoos stood out against the glowing luminescence of their skin, leaving a breathtaking design across their bodies. Despite their wild beauty, most did not look well, appearing even thinner than Mina and Tristan. The lines on their faces were too sharp; their collarbones jutted out, all points and angles. The scales of some of the merfolk were dull and even cracked.

They were speaking. Phoebe could understand most of what they were saying in trade speech, as most merfolk rarely spoke their native language anymore. Tristan and Mina had explained to Phoebe that the constant use of trade speech required during their years of slavery to humans had left its mark on their culture. Just one more reason for merfolk to resent humans. All seawees still learned the merfolk language, of course, but only the most staunchly conservative elders spoke it regularly.

“I’ve seen one, I tell you!” a seawee was saying, face red. He couldn’t have been more than eight or nine, and his skin shone like diamonds. He did not cry, but if he did, surely a fountain of tears would leave an avalanche of pearls to wish upon. His anguish made Phoebe want to comfort him.

An elder made a noise, but the seawee refused to acknowledge it.

“Liam,” the elder tried to sooth him again.

“You think I’m crazy, but I’m not! I saw a water wraith! It looked just like every story I’d ever heard, and it looked at me and hissed! It was huge.” He shuddered.

An agitated murmur rolled through the crowd.

Phoebe stiffened, and Tristan reached back to put a restraining hand on her arm.

“We all know things have been hard for you since the disappearance of your father last month,” continued the elder mermaid, whose arms were covered with tiny dolphins and whale tattoos. “Perhaps your grief has led to some confusion?” The old mermaid raised one eyebrow, as if to suggest that, obviously, this was the explanation.

The little seawee glared at the elder, causing a number of matronly-looking merfolk to shake their heads at the youth.

“This is not our way,” the elder admonished. “You must control yourself, Liam.”

Several seawees floated closer and closer to Tristan, tiny frowns on their faces. One craned her neck past Tristan and met Phoebe’s eyes. The little one’s eyes lit up. The seawee grabbed the arm of her friend and pointed over at Tristan. Any moment now, Phoebe was going to be exposed, she just knew it.

“Are you going to tell them what I saw?” Phoebe whispered to Tristan.

He spoke low over his shoulder. “Wait. Let Mina see if she can find out anything. She knows Liam. His father often disappeared for days at a time, and she always kept a special eye on Liam.”

Mina’s face was ashen from Liam’s intense distress. Even the little seawees who had spied Phoebe paused in their pursuit, staring over at Liam.

“Those eyes! You’ll never forget them once you’ve seen them. And if we don’t do something, you will see them! You’ll all see those blood red-eyes―and you’ll die! They’ll steal your life, strip you bare!” The boy was raving. His voice rose shrilly.

The chill of the water reached Phoebe for the first time since Tristan saved her. A number of mermen gathered the seawee up in a hurry and carried him off while he jabbered about the end of the world. Mina stared after them.

Phoebe couldn’t stand it anymore. She pulled herself from behind Tristan and announced loudly, “I saw it, too. A water wraith tried to kill me.”

A groan and a quiet curse came from behind, and then Tristan took her hand and swam forward with her.

proar ensued as the merfolk caught sight of Phoebe, holding hands with Tristan.

“
Human
!” one of the merfolk shrieked, while an elder made a piercing squawking sound from the old language.

Phoebe winced at the high-pitched screech.

Tristan pushed her back behind him and said, “No, please, listen! She has news you need! She also has seen this creature that Liam speaks of! We are in danger!”

Silence filled the water except for the nearby lantern fish nets creaking as they swayed in the currents. Phoebe swam sideways out from behind Tristan. She wouldn’t hide again today. The merfolk had to believe that seawee.

They gazed at her with shock. Mina peeked out from behind a taller merman, and her own eyes were wide. A dozen seawees swarmed Phoebe, cooing and patting her arms and hair. Their hands tickled like starfish, and their giggling was a loud babble of sparkling noise.

“Enough!” called one of the elders with ominous-looking shark tattoos lining his arms and chest. Wrinkles creased his face, but he had a dart pipe attached to his hip belt, along with a pouch full of stinger fish, which were no easy prey. The little seawees darted away like startled minnows.

The elder approached her with a thunderous expression. “Who are you? And why do I feel like I know you?” Each word seemed as if it were pulled from his lips against his will. Fear, tinged with righteous anger, blossomed in Phoebe.

She drew herself to her full height as best she could in the water. “I’m Phoebe Quinn, sister to Sierra, fairy keeper. My sister and I were involved in the fall of Port Iona four years ago.” She forced the words out though shyness wrapped itself around her throat and squeezed.

The merfolk erupted in cries of surprise and recognition.

“The singer? The one who always draws our little ones away from their chores with her songs?” said one, wrapping her arm around a little seawee.

“The human Tristan helped,” one whispered to another.

Hmm. Looked like Phoebe was famous among the merfolk. Well. Infamous, maybe, based on the glares from many of the adults. The young ones, though, beamed at her like a long-lost friend.

“Quiet!” shouted a merman with ships tattooed along his shoulders and arms. The clamor ceased. The silence was almost more frightening.

“We have a few questions for you, Phoebe Quinn, Singer, sister of the fairy keeper.”

Phoebe gulped and gathered her courage around her like a shield. Too bad the shield was full of holes. She leaned against Tristan and took comfort in the curl of his fingers against hers. At least they were together. For now.

“Describe what you saw today.”

Phoebe glanced at Tristan, who nodded and whispered, “Elder Maher is fair.”

Drawing a breath, she reminded herself to be as clear as possible.

“And why should we trust you, a human?” the merman with the shark tattoos interjected before she could speak. Her heart seized at his expression. So much fury. But she’d never done anything to harm him. She wished he wasn’t armed with a dart pipe. Surely he wouldn’t use it. The merfolk were pacifists.

“Elder Seamus!” one mermaid objected.

“I’ve always been a friend to the merfolk!” Phoebe said.

“No human is our friend,” snarled the brown-eyed merman, the one called Elder Seamus.

A flurry of voices broke out at his angry words.

Tristan straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. His voice was deep and strong, carrying like the deepest note of a cello through the hubbub. “She’s been a true friend to my sister and me all these years.”

“Yes, and we will address your disobedience later, Tristan,” a striking mermaid with deep black and silver hair said, scowling.

“Those who disobey the elders repeatedly are not likely candidates for leadership, wouldn’t you say, fellow elders? Especially when the disobedience involves cavorting with
humans
?” Elder Seamus said, his voice dripping with disdain.

Phoebe flinched. So did Tristan. He lowered his head for a moment.

Seeing him hurt lit the fuse of her own anger. She might deserve their scorn, but Tristan most certainly did not.

“I think you’re missing the point, with all due respect,” Phoebe interrupted, amazing herself and shocking the elders into silence. She could almost guess their thoughts: A human daring to speak against an elder?

Mina’s lips twitched suspiciously.

Phoebe continued before she lost her nerve. “Tristan brought me here knowing he would be punished. But his concern for his people’s safety overrode his concern for his own comfort and security. I think he holds the very essence of a leader. He’s willing to admit there’s a problem. And that problem is what brings me here now.” She pulled her pant leg up to show the red hand print still vivid on her skin. “The problem that did
this
to me.”

“Anything could have made that mark. It means nothing.” Elder Seamus dismissed her leg with a wave.

“We will discuss your claims,” Elder Maher sighed, sending a quelling glance at Elder Seamus. “But it would be helpful if we had this message from any other creature. I’m sorry to say so, Mistress Quinn, but your species has not comported itself in a trustworthy manner as of late. Nor in the past, for that matter.”

Phoebe nodded. “I do not deny it. It shames me greatly. But I’d like to show you I am sincere. How can I do that?”

“There is one option, but it is a novel one. All elders must be in agreement, and it cannot be discussed in front of you. For now, young lady, go with Mina. We’ll call for you when we decide.”

Tristan turned to leave with Phoebe, but the mermaid with black and silver hair called sharply, “Not you, Tristan. You need to stay.”

Phoebe gulped and met his eyes.
I’m sorry,
she mouthed.

He offered a ghost of his usual smile and mouthed back,
Don’t be.

“Come on,” Mina said, taking Phoebe by the hand.

As she moved through the village with Mina, she caught numerous merfolk staring as if trying to place where they’d seen her before, their faces alive with curiosity. But she was sure she’d never met them―other than some of the seawees, who swam alongside her with welcoming grins. Some of the adults even glared at her like Elder Seamus had.

A few minutes later, Phoebe slumped wearily in a shadowy cave empty except for a few small boulders dotting the sandy floor. She was too tired to even appreciate the iridescent seashells lining the roof. Had she really felt safe with Tristan and Mina just a short while ago? When she imagined swimming to the rescue of the merfolk and warning them of a dangerous threat, a pack of angry, disbelieving merfolk hadn’t been in her plans. It made her doubly glad she’d never confessed her true feelings for Tristan. He’d never be permitted to be bondmates with a human, even if he wanted to. That much was painfully clear.

She was shocked at the strife among the merfolk. It looked like they were at war, but against what? Not warring against humans. They were angry at humans, yes, but clearly not planning on fighting back. But something else was wrong. Whatever it was could make things even worse for Tristan.

Even without any added problems, he was in serious trouble. At least neither he nor Phoebe had mentioned that Mina had been a part of Phoebe’s journey to the village. They’d severely underestimated how badly the merfolk would take Phoebe’s arrival. None of the elders understood that what she had to say was more important than breaking the rules about humans in the village.

With Tristan gone, Mina sat with her instead, the mermaid’s skin producing only the faintest shimmer. The silence of the cave was a relief after the commotion below. Phoebe asked Mina, “What’s happening? What does all of this mean?”