The Rules Keeping Us Apart

August Aure

I peppered Aunt Coral with questions.

"Language isn't passed down, how come I can understand landfolk language?"

"Vocals work differently with Sirens."

"Were you and my mother really best friends?"

"Yes, I miss her every day."

"Do you think you'll see her again?"

"If the stars favor me."

I tried to scratch ticks into the wall, but nothing could mark the stone. Plus, I couldn't tell the passing of day and night.

One day all the torches were burning low and I was trying to sleep. I hadn't been given good food or any water for maybe a few days now, and I felt exhausted all the time.

I heard a click and the sound of the cage opening.

Good try, Grave, I thought tiredly. But I'm not going to fold and betray my friends just yet.

"Wake up!" hissed a woman's voice.

I sat bolt upright. Not Grave.

It was hard to see, but a pirate woman with her hair tied under a rag was crouching in front of me. A plate was in front of her, and a cup of water. The shadow of a person waited outside.

"Hurry and eat," she whispered, pushing the plate towards me.

Poison. I'm not that dumb. I turned my head away.

The woman put her hands on the side of my face. They felt soft and familiar. "August," she murmured. "Please."

I started. I hadn't said my name to anyone on land beside my friends who were all at the cottage.

I heard Aunt Coral wake up and gasp. "August!" she cried. "Stay away from him!"

The woman spun. "There's someone else in here?" She walked to Aunt Coral's cell and held the torch to her face.

"August, run," Aunt Coral said.

"No," the woman contradicted, looking at me. "August, don't."

"That was merfolk speak," I whispered."She understood merfolk speak."

"That's right. Now, miss, who are...you... oh my stars."

Aunt Coral's breath caught. "No..."

"Coral?!" the woman breathed, fumbling with her keys and unlocking the cell.

"SPRING?!" Aunt Coral cried. She pushed out of the cell and pulled the woman into a tight embrace.

"Spring?" I whimpered. "Then that means you're my..."

She came over to me next and pulled me into a soft hug. "You're all grown up, August. I'm so proud."

"Mom," I said. "You're my mom."

The shadow I saw before spoke. "Spring, please, this is beautiful but we have to go."

Spring had Aunt Coral and I share the food and water. My mind reeled. My mom was one of the bad guys?

"Come on, August," Spring whispered, pulling me up. "We're getting you back into the ocean."

I didn't question it- I was still too dumbfounded. We walked down the winding dungeon hallways, and I asked the other person- a man named Darius, why he was helping us.

"My girlfriend is merfolk," he answered simply. "You must know of her."

"I need a name," I answered.