World of Aluvia 2 (24 page)

“We will make you look like a princess, Miss Phoebe,” whispered the one.

“But you don’t have royalty,” Phoebe replied.

The other winked. “Maybe not, but we have leaders whose families have led for eons. Same difference, if you ask me. And Tristan, well now, he’s going to need a partner one day, won’t he, to lead well? I think your blue scales match him very well.”

Phoebe turned even redder than her hair, and the two seawees giggled.

“Will you sing us a song while we work, milady?”

Ah yes. They were from the crowd that used to come hear her sing along the shore, then. She chose a song from those long-ago days, a simple tune of hope and joy, and sang softly as the girls continued to braid. Their motions were gentle, and peace covered their faces. The seawees crooned along with her, giving happy sighs when the song was over. They brought her a mirror and said, “Now you’re ready for those old barracudas on the council.”

Phoebe took one look and nearly dropped the mirror.

They had braided and twisted her hair until it was safely contained in graceful coils. Her head felt wobbly, like a heavy crown sat on her scalp, and indeed, her braids crisscrossed and wove together in a way that brought a crown to mind. No doubt, done on purpose by the mischievous little seawees.

With her hair out of her face, Phoebe’s eyes looked even larger than usual, deep brown and long-lashed. Her skin was pale, as always, but now had a creamy richness she had never noticed before. Two spots of pink highlighted her cheeks where her flush still burned. Her neck looked long and swanlike with all of her hair on her head, and her deep blue scales looked positively royal.

She hadn’t really had a chance to examine herself yet as a mermaid. Things had been so hectic, so chaotic, and she had been concentrating so fiercely on the problem of the wraiths, she almost forgot at times how she had been changed. The pearl necklace still glowed against her skin, and the scales that began just under her arms left her shoulders bare with her hair pinned out of the way. She felt very grown up. She actually even had a bit of curve at the waist and hips that was discernible in this form, she realized to her delight. Her tail fin spread like a fan below her, tipped with indigo and purple. The scales and water deepened the sometimes carrot hue of her hair to a rich deep red, making her look older. For a long moment, she wondered,
Who is that girl?

Tristan appeared behind her, and she spun to greet him. Her mouth dropped open, and his did the same. His green hair hung smoothly down his back, loose but for several thin intricate braids. A necklace of shells hugged his neck, and a thick band of gold gripped one bicep. His muscular arms and chest were impossible to miss, along with the red welts along his ribs from their sea dragon encounter and the faded marks on his neck. He was so handsome that her chest hurt.

His eyes were huge as his gaze traveled up and down Phoebe. The two seawees giggled and excused themselves, zipping out of the room, leaving her alone with Tristan.

“Phoebe,” he whispered. He wasn’t smiling now. He looked tremulous, almost shocked, nearly afraid.
Why?

“You look… amazing,” he said, swimming close and laying one hand against her cheek.

Her breath caught, and her eyes fluttered shut. When she opened her eyes a moment later, he was so close to her that she could see the tiny gold flecks in his green eyes. She had never felt so much like a young lady, ready to receive a suitor. And she had never wanted anything more than in that moment to have him be hers. From the way he was looking at her and the way he held her earlier and the kiss they shared, maybe a future wasn’t impossible after all?

“You look worried,” she whispered.

His eyes roved over her face, as if seeking answers to a question only he knew.

“Just trying to decide if your powers have grown, or if it’s just how beautiful you are that makes me want to promise to be your servant always,” he said with a wry smile.

Her heart stopped, and she recoiled from his touch.

“I’m joking, Phoebe. Not about your beauty. But I’m not your slave yet. Don’t worry.”

He reached forward and slid his hand under her palm. Lifting the back of her hand, he placed a soft kiss there, keeping his eyes on her. Their gazes locked. Phoebe was a statue, unable to move, afraid of shattering the moment.

“Well, yes, you look much more appropriate, don’t you, dear?” Odessa’s voice broke over them like a cold wave, and Phoebe shimmied back in the water, jerking her hand away and shifting it behind her back. Tristan stared after her, looking a bit dazed, hand raised as if he still held her palm.

Mina peeked out from behind her mother and gave a broad grin. She wiggled her eyebrows toward her brother, and Phoebe smothered a smile.

Odessa sighed and shook her head. “Phoebe, place this upon your finger.” She held out a ring, one with a crystal that glowed deep green.

“What is it?” Phoebe managed to croak as she took it, avoiding Tristan’s gaze.

“It’s a symbol of my favor. It will allow you to speak among the elders as my representative. My champion, if you will.”

Phoebe’s eyebrows flew up to her hairline, as did Tristan’s. That was a bit more than she had bargained for.

“What if I represent you poorly?”

Odessa quirked her lips. “Oh, I think you’ll do just fine, as we share the same goals. The merfolk are in danger from the wraiths and Baleros. We aren’t equipped to fight with force. But where there is a lack of force, we can use cleverness and stealth. When combined with our magical abilities of old, we will be victorious. There is no reason why we should not grow in strength as our brethren on land have. You will see. Let us go.” Her eyes hardened as she straightened her shoulders and left without waiting to see if they would follow her.

They did, without question.

The four left Tristan’s room behind and swam into the darker waters of the far corner of the mer-village. The lantern fish had been set free, so only the pearly light of the three glowing merfolk led the way.

“We’ve retreated to the most hidden part of our village,” Odessa whispered.

Around the corner of a ledge, a different cliff wall appeared out of the darkness, smaller in stature than the main part of the village. No lights were visible, but thick curtains of sea fronds hung over many openings. The four of them sank to the very bottom and swam through what turned out to be a tunnel that opened into a giant room, a cave so big that the top disappeared past the dim illumination offered within.

A collective of merfolk, maybe two hundred strong, sat reclining on giant sea sponges and clam shells. The crowd spread before a platform at the front of the cave, where six mer-elders already reclined. Odessa took the empty spot among them and gestured for Tristan and Phoebe to take their places at the center of the stage.

“Go get them, tigerfish!” Mina said and slid onto a clam shell in the front of the audience members, winking at Phoebe.

As soon as Phoebe and Tristan reached center stage, the merman who had shown such anger toward Phoebe leaned forward. Elder Seamus. He swam from his sponge-chair and addressed the assembly.

“We are here to discuss the likelihood of defending our home from the water wraiths that have already killed at least two merfolk, possibly more. For those who have not heard, young Liam is now presumed dead as well. May the ocean guard his soul.”

“No!” exclaimed Mina, covering her face with both hands for a long moment.

The crowd members murmured to each other, a babble of noise that resulted in Seamus emitting a high pitched shriek in their language that settled everyone down quickly. He consulted a piece of coral with dark scratching on it that must have been some form of writing, because he furrowed his brow as he read it, then looked up, clearing his throat.

“Now,” he continued forcefully, “Elder Odessa also brings forth a plan to build magical shields over our city to defend it from Baleros, as if this kind of magic is possible anymore.” The tone of his voice clearly implied that the very idea was ludicrous.

Elder Maher called out, “Elder Seamus, we have gone over this. The human girl has shown evidence of such magic. Tristan has so testified in the temple. How can you doubt?”

Elder Seamus ignored this comment and went on, “Furthermore, Elder Odessa brings forth the motion that this human girl, this
Phoebe Quinn,
can teach us to use magic as the merfolk of old did. We will somehow learn to create this mythical city-shield. I doubt this. I think she is a fraud, using her black magic only to ensnare us, not to assist us. Therefore,
I
propose she prove that she is worthy to be the teacher of merfolk, even though she is a human. No matter what her appearance. She should have to defeat Baleros, if he is truly rising. If she’s so strong, that shouldn’t be a problem,” he said with a sneer.

shock ran through Phoebe.
She
was supposed to fight the rising evil sea beast? The dark shadow that stole her ability to even remember why she should live?

She thought she was going to
help the merfolk learn magic
. This was an entirely different proposition. Sierra would tear the village down around their heads if she knew what they were suggesting.

Tristan grabbed Phoebe’s hand and turned to face his mother.

“What is the meaning of this?” he growled.

Mina darted forward onto the platform and grabbed Phoebe’s free hand.

“Phoebe will do no such thing. It’s ridiculous for the elder to even propose such a risk,” Mina said, for once all trace of flirting and fun gone from her voice.

Elder Seamus said, “Mina, don’t say another word. Hush, Tristan. Your mother has given her ring to Phoebe, who has accepted it. Your mother is not able to speak on the issue at this time, not while her chosen representative is here.”

Odessa gave a small, triumphant smile.
What’s her game
? Phoebe wondered. She knew Odessa wanted her people to be safe. Somehow, the mother mermaid believed that Phoebe was her best bet.

Phoebe pulled herself from her friends and turned to face the assembled crowd. Two hundred looked like a lot in a cave, but they were small in numbers compared to their history.

How did a species capable of building that sprawling ancient city dwindle to a mere couple hundred members? And how many more would be lost if they didn’t learn to protect themselves with magic as they once could?

She cast about for a plan. What could she offer them? She wondered what Sierra would do. In fact, what
did
she do when she had to get Phoebe out of a dangerous location? Sierra used her magic to shake the very foundations of the earth. Maybe Phoebe could be as dramatic in a less violent way. As confident as she was in her magic now, she could never forget the horrific despair that had clenched her when the red and black shadow slinked from the cave with the wraiths. That evil was more than a single girl could face alone, mermaid or human.

“I have seen the water wraiths,” Phoebe said, projecting her voice to carry to the back of the cave. “Twice I have escaped them. I’m not sure how, but I do seem to be able to fight them. Tristan has helped me harness this power today, and I have better control now. I believe you could once again use magic like the ancient merfolk. As adults, you’ve all been to the original city. Do you recognize how much power they had? I want to help you use this power as they did. You could learn to protect yourself before it’s too late.”