Battlefield

Chapter 15

Pain. Fear. I could feel them in the water as I watched the scene unfold in front of me, mouth open in horror. Isla, one hand clutching David's shoulder, the other clutching a grey pendant on a chain.

Cold dread sluiced through me. I had never seen it before, yet I knew what it was. The Loyalty Pendant. Identical to the Lost Soul Pendant in every way—except one. Instead of taking souls, it swore them into the service of whomever was wearing the pendant.

I had read about it a long time ago, but had assumed it was a hoax. David's face was bright red with fury as he struggled—then his hands went limp at his sides as his body slackened, an idle expression replacing the fury on his face. His gaze was blank as he stared at nothing.

I swam to her, stopping a healthy distance away. My hands were trembling, but I raised them nonetheless. Please! Stop this. I'll do whatever you want. Let David go.

Amusement lit her grey eyes as she made a show of considering. She whispered something in David's ear, his face revealing nothing. I didn't have time to scream.

Faster than I could blink, he was in front of me, one hand on my shoulder, the other holding a dagger to my throat. I struggled, but quickly realized its uselessness as David pressed the point of the dagger into my neck, drawing a thin line of blood.

She grinned at me. The Lost Soul Pendant. Where is it? Her signing was flawless.

I blinked, taken aback. I hadn't seen it since the day Jay got rid of it. I'd had that intense battle with Naia and passed out afterwards. I shrugged. I don't know.

The pressure of the dagger increased on my throat and I had to bite back a cry of pain. Please. You have to believe me. I don't know where it is!

She turned to David, malice replacing the amusement in her eyes. Luckily, she was still facing me, so I could read her lips as she spoke. "I didn't want to have to do this, but you really left me no choice." Isla gestured to David with a wave of her hand. "Kill her."

My heart stopped dead as David roughly gripped my arm, that cold expression piercing my heart. There was nothing of the friendly, kind-hearted merman in that gaze now.

I could do nothing but hold my breath and brace myself. Even so, I was totally unprepared when he struck. The dagger pierced my flesh, slicing through muscle and tendon until I felt my arm go limp. Every nerve and cell in my body exploded in pain, living bands of lava moving through them. It felt like I had been stung by a dozen jellyfish—repeatedly.

Hands were on me as I threw myself awake, the phantom pain lingering like fog in my body. Green eyes met mine, filled with worry. I visibly flinched as I noticed David. Even though I knew he wouldn't do anything to harm me—neither of them would—the fear and wariness from my dream lingered.

Who's Isla Flannery? My hands were surprisingly steady as I signed.

It was his turn to flinch. He paled, eyes darting between me and Jay. The tension in the water was palpable as we waited.

She's a mermaid Bella used to play with when they were little. Her parents were lowborn and served as a maid and a butler, respectively, in the palace. A few years ago, she reached out to us, claiming she had news about a merman known as 'Barracuda.' David's face was unreadable, though pain clouded his eyes.

He took a breath before continuing. When Bella and I met up with her, I immediately noticed the change in her appearance. Her normal attire—dresses and jewellery—was gone, replaced with a short black shirt and a dagger at her hip. Before either of us had time to react, a merman appeared at her side, a sadistic grin on his face. I'd never felt more powerless in my entire life when he locked eyes with me. Bella was frozen at my side, face bloodless, eyes wide with terror.

His hands shook and he took a moment to collect himself. She swam to us, a mocking grin on her face. When she mentioned Barracuda a second time, I knew she had information about the Lost Soul Pendant.

I was surprised to find my own hands trembling at my sides as he continued. Instead of telling me the origin of the pendant, however, she started talking about something else—the Loyalty Pendant. Identical to the Lost Soul Pendant in every way—except one. Instead of taking souls, it swore them into the service of whomever was wearing the pendant.

A chill ran down my spine as he signed the last words. Bella swam in a moment later, tears staining her pale cheeks. Her eyes were frantic as she signed. Isla—she took Meri.

Fear slackened my whole body, every muscle going limp. I vaguely registered Jay and David coming to float on either side of me, each of them grabbing a hand. All I could focus on were those three words playing in my head over and over, again and again: She took Meri.

I wasn't entirely in control of my body as I swam to our bedroom, grabbing my daggers and securing them at my waist. Jay was on my tail, halting me with raised hands as he signed. Think about what you're doing. This could be a trap.

I turned back to face him, eyes filled with grim determination. I can't just let this go. This is my sister, Jay. I swam back inside the living room, stopping at Bella's side. I looked into her tear-filled grey eyes. My hands shook as I grabbed my notepad. It took me a minute, but my message was clear when I handed her the notepad. Where?

She swiped at her cheeks, sniffling. A mermaid that I spoke to as I was leaving Pelathas said she saw someone that fit Isla's description with another mermaid near Aquireth's border. The mermaid was reed-thin, her face pale and haggard.

Meri. My heartbeat sped up as my hands clenched into fists. I swam back to Jay, looking into his eyes, and pressed a kiss to his forehead. I love you. I'll be back before nightfall.

I had no idea how I would get to Aquireth, nor any plan once I arrived. Swimming would take me most of the day, not to mention severely deplete my energy. I only had a few perles, certainly not enough to last me the rest of the day. Grabbing my bag, I swam outside, hesitating as I looked back at the house, as if I could see through the door to the mermaid and mermen inside.

I looked at the entrance to Aegrem, taking a deep breath as I gathered my strength. The swim to Aquireth indeed took me most of the day; it was late afternoon when I finally arrived. Mermaids and mermen alike bowed as they noticed me. I scanned every face I saw as I swam, occasionally stopping to ask a passing mermaid or merman if they'd seen two mermaids that fit Meri and Isla's descriptions.

I was about to turn back, discouragement gnawing at me, when a familiar, yet foreign smell filled my nose. I steeled myself as I swam towards it, halting a heartbeat later as if I'd hit a brick wall. A mermaid was motionless on the seafloor in front of me. Beautiful red-gold hair fanned out in the water, the strands separating one by one in the current. Her brown eyes were frozen open, mouth open in a silent scream.

Meri. I was too late. The water left my body in a rush, leaving me gasping as I sank to the ground, unable to move or breathe. I didn't see Isla anywhere, but maybe that was a good thing; I wasn't sure I'd have been able to restrain myself if we ran into each other. It was only when shivers began to run down my spine that I realized how late it had gotten.

Though I hated to do it, I picked Meri's body up off the seafloor, gently closing her eyes as I steadied her in my arms. Sobs wracked my body as I swam, making it impossible to see beyond a foot in front of me. I was completely numb when I arrived home, my entire body trembling.

My gaze was blank as I swam inside, shutting the door behind me. The grief in my eyes was clear when the others looked at me. Jay swam to me, his expression filled with concern as he put his arms around me. Exhaustion hit me head-on the second we swam into the bedroom. I turned my tear-streaked face toward his after we'd gotten into bed.

Are you okay? His eyes were on my face when he signed. The sobs returned in full force as he signed the last word.

My heart felt like it'd cracked in two. I shook my head. Meri. I was too late. She's dead.

He wrapped his arms around me as I laid my head on his chest, feeling the vibration of his heartbeat. I don't know how I managed to fall asleep, but my eyes closed as exhaustion quickly overtook me.

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