Battlefield

Chapter 8

The world was blurry when I first opened my eyes, but after a few blinks, it cleared to reveal a brown-haired merman, one of Nepptheas' official messengers. His face was grave as he looked at me. It was only when I silently rose from my chair, Jay still sleeping soundly, that I noticed the dirt covering his shirt and torso, the cuts on his arms and face.

My mouth opened wordlessly as he handed me a sealed envelope. I opened it with shaking hands to reveal words written in a heavy, almost illegible scrawl. The familiarity with which he wrote filled me with anger. Hello, Nerissa. How's Jay feeling? Pity you didn't figure out my plan in time. You could've saved your city without having to risk bloodshed or death. Guess you'll be going back to pick up the pieces, huh? You'd better hurry. Time's running out.

There was no signature at the bottom, but it didn't matter. I knew who it was from. Anger shot through me like a rocket, heading straight for my heart. Fear was on its tail, racing through my blood like a shark on the ascent. The messenger had quietly excused himself as I'd read, leaving me with only my swirling thoughts for company.

Jay's injury, his involvement in all of this—it had been a façade to hide Naia's true intentions: to destroy the town, the people I loved, dearly. I'd barely taken a stroke before I swayed, bracing a hand on the side of Jay's bed to steady myself. How long had it been since I'd last eaten? Moved?

My muscles were tight and stiff as I pressed a kiss to his forehead and swam toward the door. David was outside, his grey eyes wide as he scanned me—the lingering exhaustion on my face and the crumpled-up note in my fist. What happened, he signed.

I shook my head, making sure my daggers were still in place at my sides. Stay with Jay. I have to go take care of something.

He looked inclined to object, but then noticed the ire in my eyes. Be careful. Please.

I only nodded, taking a steadying breath before swimming out of the hospital. Multiple sets of eyes fell on me as I swam, mermaids and mermen alike bowing as they noticed me. I paid them no heed, too focused on the task ahead. As if to warn me of the danger ahead, the pendant, which had been dull until now, started glowing, a bright light at my neck.

No ghosts appeared, which I took as a mercy. I could afford no distractions. Having to stop several times to rest and eat slowed my pace, but I arrived in Nepptheas, or what was left of it, around twilight.

I stopped at the entrance, a hand going to my mouth as I surveyed the damage. Almost every building had been reduced to rubble. Houses and businesses countless mermaids and mermen had labored to rebuild after the first attack—all of their hard work, wasted.

A mermaid was nearby, her three small children clinging to her. The youngest couldn't have been more than two. She noticed me and quickly dropped into a bow, nudging her children to follow suit. I quickly shook my head, grabbing my notepad. Did you see who did this? I handed her the notepad after I finished writing.

She shook her head. My name is Carla. This is Ella, Faye, and Drew. We used to live in that house. As Carla wrote, she pointed to a pile of rubble a few feet away— the contents of the house unrecognizable.

A sob rose in my throat, but I pushed it down, digging in my pocket and pulling out a few Perles. Her brows rose as she saw the money, about to protest, but I shook my head. Please. Take them. It's the least I can do. I'm sorry it isn't more.

As they turned to leave, after multiple attempts to repay me, a mermaid swam in front of me, a smug expression on her face. I gestured around me to the ruined buildings, the uprooted mermaids and mermen who glanced at her with expressions of worry and fear. Are you happy now? Why would you do something like this? My hands shook as I signed, a harbinger of the anger that was coming to the surface.

Naia smirked. Enjoy cleaning up my messes, Nerissa. There was no sign of the kind, concerned mermaid that had met me at the hospital yesterday. Before I could so much as move my hands, she zoomed away.

As if on cue, multiple bodies appeared on the seafloor, faces grey and eyes closed. Mermaids and mermen alike. I ran shaking hands through my hair, unable to take them all in at once. I started to swim towards one—a mermaid around Naia's age—when the pendant glowed brighter than I'd ever seen, momentarily blinding me.

When I could see again, hungry faces stared back at me, stealing the water from my lungs. I shook my head, whimpering. They followed me as I cleaned up the bodies, brushing a phantom hand across my cheek every now and then.

If this was a vision, it was stronger than it had ever been before. I made to swim home, but before I could so much as take a stroke, strong hands were under my arms, lifting me up. I only glimpsed wild red hair and dark blue eyes before I passed out.

I must've only been out for a few minutes, because when I woke up, I was being gently laid on our couch. Blurry faces swam in front of me, occasionally clearing to reveal eyes filled with concern. I bit back a sob as I met worried green eyes attached to a face grey with exhaustion.

Are you okay? The mermaid who brought you here said you passed out as you were leaving Nepptheas. Jay's hands were steady as I scanned his face.

Only when I leaned back into the couch did his words register. Did you get her name? Her blue eyes, so familiar it stole the water from my lungs, surfaced in my head.

Jay shook his head, wincing slightly. How are you feeling? It took me a few minutes to form the letters thanks to my hands shaking.

He nodded, brushing a lock of hair off my face. I'm okay. I'm more worried about you.

My eyes were frantic as I signed. Nepptheas is in shambles. Almost every building was a pile of rubble. The mermaid... she looked so familiar.

Exhaustion tugged at me, and for once, I let it drag me under, trying not to focus on the image of the mermaid in my head. If only I'd known who she was.

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