Deep, blue secrets

Chapter 4

Christopher and Alessandro led me down corridor after corridor, and I marvelled as the walls passed by, occasionally trailing my gaze to my tail floating and flexing behind me. "Where are we going?"
"The queen wishes for you to be questioned," Christopher replied.
"That doesn't really answer my question," I exclaimed. Christopher stopped suddenly, taken aback.
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" He guffawed, I quirked my eyebrow, "I am the Prince's guard; you do not talk to me like that, much less the sovereign prince himself!" His voice raised from a joking tone to threatening within seconds.
"Sorry," I muttered sarcastically as he spun back and tugged my arm rather more forcefully than necessary. Through all the turns, we ended up in dingy looking dungeons, lit only by the occasional guard holding torches. The light glinted off their intricate metallic helmets, casting strange shadows in the hallway. Christopher's mood had not improved, and he shoved me towards an open door, "Get in." He commanded. I stumbled gracelessly into the rough wall before attempting to swim through the door. Before I even had time to turn to him and ask what was happening, a loud slam and gush of water propelled me into the back wall, and the cell was shrouded in darkness.

Muffled sounds came through the heavy door and suddenly the door was heaved open. A weak beam of light joined it and I felt the cooler water begin to mingle with the thick, hot water that surrounded me. The dark haired prince glided through the door, followed by his blonde companion.
"Hello," I tried hesitantly.
"Don't speak until spoken to," the dark haired boy snapped. He looked to Alesandro and they shared a knowing look, "Let's get started then," he sat on a seat that I hadn't seen in the rush and gestured for me to do the same. I tried to manoeuvre my tail and finally settled, with far less grace than the this merman. Alesandro  remained standing, holding a torch that lit the room.
"So, let's start with your name."
"Oh, uh, Ammy - Amelia."
"Just Amelia?"
"A-Amelia Smith, I'm from England."
"Well then, what are you doing all the way over here?"
"Holiday. My friend and I -" I trailed off, suddenly remembering Rachel, her pale face drifting away into a cloud of sharks. He glared at me impatiently. I felt my eyes grow hot as I began to cry, my tears drifting off in the water "We were on holiday," I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to make myself small - trying to simply disappear.

"We don't usually get people from England anymore," the prince muttered.

"Why have you come here?" Christopher asked, his patience evidently wearing thin. I didn't know what to say, a few garbled sounds came out, but I couldn't form a sentence. The Prince swam forward, placing a hand gently on Christopher's shoulder, "Chris, go easy, she's hurting. I'm going to my mother with this information and I'll leave you to it." The prince whispered in Christopher's ear.

Christopher nodded in response, and he seemed to soften a little, relaxing beneath his Prince's hand. The Prince moved back and quietly slipped out of the door.

"So..." Christopher started again, his tone gentle "You seem to have had rather a shock," he paused "about your friend - I mean," I sat numbly, unable to respond. He sighed. "I shall try a different method then; my name is Christopher, head of the Royal Guard of Atlantis," he gently took my chin with his thumb and lifted it, leading my eyes to his. They were rich and syrupy, almost black in dim light of the room. 

"I know this is hard. It is clear you were very close to her, but we can help you. We can find out who hurt her," Suddenly, there were shouts from outside, and both our heads snapped to the door. "Please talk to me; it's the only way I can help you - to stop this happening to anyone else."

This person was entirely different from the impatient man who had shouted at me before - softer. 

"I- I know who did it," I stuttered, still seeing blood - her blood whenever I closed my eyes. The shouts were reinvigorated and were shortly followed by a gold clad guard barging into the room; "Sir, we - " He cut himself off, looking at me before dropping his voice. "We have another one - dead."

Christopher winced. "I'll be back - don't worry," he said gently before making his way through the door, closely followed by the guard.