The Miracle's Curse

Plan A

Scowling down at her untouched drink, Mari Lynn clenched her hands into tight fists. With long, red-brown hair tied up into a ponytail, light skin and a small birthmark above her full lips, she had been called beautiful before. Not that she could see it, of course. She considered herself plain, with no makeup and straight hair that she strung up in the same style everyday. Even in her somewhat manly black uniform, men had made eyes at her. Even with her scowl. She was an Officer, a Guard, a Protector of the Three Lands. A black spear was slung across her back, made of carbon. A long, Shark Tooth dagger—the name was given to the weapon because one side of it held sharp, jagged teeth and the blade itself was curved—was hung on her leg in its sheath. Although firearms were not allowed in this Land, Atlantean Bay, she brought two packs of darts, which were hidden inconspicuously in her Velcro side pockets.

Her boot covered foot bounced irritably. Only moments ago she had been cast out of The Pearl, Atlantean Bay's central mansion that housed its famed Pure Bloods. She growled at the thought. Pure Bloods didn't have as much control over their Lands as the commoners seemed to believe. They were more like a mascot, in her opinion, although the Bloods met regularly in magnificent parties, each one more magical than the last. She had been to one before, on her first job as a Protector. It was jaw dropping for sure, but she had seen more than enough to realize the 'royals' weren't any more special than the bartender in front of her.

She finally noticed the bartender, a tall, plump man wearing a dark blue shirt and had freckles dotting his cheeks, staring at her as if he was waiting for a response. Her glare made him break into a sweat, and he stumbled over his words quickly, "the drink, madam—er—Officer lady, is a gift." He repeated.

Mari glanced briefly at a new, pink glass in front of her before she looked back up at him. She had no time for bartenders flirting with her, and had too much on her mind to gently put him down. "I'm not in the mood." Her voice was close to a snarl, and he shook his head vigorously.

"Not me, ma'am, the gentleman over there." He tipped his head briskly to a spot behind her.

She narrowed her eyes at him before she turned. A man with his blond hair clipped short on the side, but was wavy on top, with a golden band holding back the strands that fell too close to his forehead, had his brown boots propped up on a table. Half hidden under his maroon coat was a hint of a tattoo on his neck. His white shirt had three buttons unbuttoned near his collar bone. A white triton stood beside him, with silver tips, but he barely took notice. He didn't seem to notice anything, being so involved in a book.

If it was possible, Mari's scowl deepened. She knew what he was: a Man of the Triton. Or, at least, that's what the Officers called them. Common people knew them as Miracle Workers, for their reputation to pull off "miracles", for a price. But anyone with half a brain knew what they did was nothing magical, but highly illegal. Protectors hated them for their ability to leave no evidence behind of their activities, thus allowing them to continue on with no punishments.

"Send it back." She said, finally, to the bartender. His expression was caught between surprise and reluctance, but he only hesitated for a heartbeat before he took the drink away.

She went back to staring at her own drink, and wondered when she had emptied it. Too much was on her mind, far too much. Worries and fears clawed at the far reaches of her mind, held back only by her determination.

"Officer—lady...?"

Mari waved him off distantly, fully enveloped in her thoughts. Before she got too tangled in them, they were intruded upon once again.

"I get why you sent it back the first time, but a second time is just rude."

She lifted her brown eyes to him, a Man of the Triton, but her glare didn't seem to affect him. He was tanner than she had originally thought, and a white scar slashed through his chin. With defined cheekbones and gray eyes, she would've considered him handsome, if she had not despised what he was.