Of the Twisted and the Lost

Chapter 48:

Weariness settles through the atmosphere, sucking away all traces of a good mood that Junjie might've had. 

"What's going to be in the harbor tonight?" Sam whispers. 

War, Junjie thinks grimly. 

For he discovered something that Sam hadn't: 

Jared. 

Uma. 

Nathan. 

It didn't matter who it was or what their race was or what their genders were — someone's out to get Junjie, and they don't care who's blood gets spilled. 

"Sera," Junjie says instead. "She'll be here." 

"Oh." Sam's eyes widen in understanding. "So we're going to do what again?" 

The clouds turn a darker shade of quicksilver grey, unease sweep through Junjie's body. "We're going to trap her," he says. 

"Uh, we already tried that," says Sam. 

"If that doesn't work, we'll murder her then." 

"I'm not even sure if you're joking." 

Junjie glances at the brooding horizon. "I never joke." 

"So we're going to murder Sera?" Sam looks slightly speechless. "That sounds very dark." 

"I know. But if that's the only way to stop her from killing more people, then I guess it's a decision I'm willing to risk." 

"So our plan is to murder someone," says Sam, before tilting his head. "Sounds legit." 

Junjie nods— 

And that's when he hears it: the thunderous pulse of something, almost like a heartbeat but more rhythmic. 

The sound of low singing, sweet and honey-like, making Junjie stumble forward. The music is alluring and gorgeous, yet there's a tinge of danger, a small warning that nudges at Junjie's body. 

The thunderous sound grows louder, bigger, and more real until Junjie realizes it's coming from the ocean. 

The blue water is mixed with foamy white, as the ocean swirls and dances about, stirring faster and faster and faster, until— 

Sam shrinks away, as small droplets hit his arm, flinching. Fear arises through his expression, as he stares at the harbor, filled with. . . 

People with tails. 

"I just peed," chirps Sams, as he gazes in horror at the merpeople, who are all glowering at them two with a murderous expression. "When I took on this assignment, did they mention anything about merpeople holding weird staffs? No! They mentioned none of that." 

"I don't think anyone really cares that you urinated," Junjie says, though his voice trembles slightly. "Please keep that information to yourself." 

"I think we're actually going to die today," Sam remarks. "Just saying." 

Junjie scowls, though his stomach turns. 

"Yeah," he finally says. "The probability of us dying is a huge percent, considering the fact that we're facing merpeople." 

Sam gasps, whipping around— 

The ocean opens up once more to reveal. . . 

Junjie's breath escapes him. 

A boy with bronze hair and piercing green eyes sits from atop a throne made of seashells, his lips curling up. His skin is pale, almost looking like porcelain and glass. His white shirt is loose, revealing rippled muscles. 

Junjie's eyes move lower, noting the blue-green tail, glimmering under the soft light of the moon. 

But it isn't the sight of the teenage boy, atop a throne and with a tail, that makes Junjie freeze. No, it's the other person sitting on the throne. 

A raven-haired girl simpers, a coy smile playing across her blood-red lips, a white dress that clings onto every part of her curves, and a tiara that's atop her glossy locks. 

A tug of familiarity resounds, as Junjie's eyes snap towards the crown. It resembles the picture the merperson-expert had shown him a few months ago. 

"Sera," he rasps out loud, eyes widening in horror. "What are you doing?" 

Sera leers, slowly rising from the throne, her movements slow and calculating. "Junjie," she purrs, and that's when Junjie realizes one thing: this isn't Sera. 

At least, it's not the Sera he had fallen in love with. 

Not the cheerful and enthusiastic Sera, who had thrown tanbark in his hair and pinky promised to be his best friend forever. 

Not the beautiful Sera, who smiled, despite the world being a sucky place. 

Not Sera. . . 

"And Sam." Sera directs her gaze towards Junjie's partner, before letting out a tinkling laugh. "Oh, I thought by the end of the week, you two would've killed each other. Honestly, that would've made my life easier." 

Junjie's heart beats faster, sputtering out one word: fear. 

It's a scary feeling, one that makes your stomach turn and your hands clench into fists. One that makes your blood dance and heart pound. 

And for the first time, Junjie doesn't know what to do. 

How do you defeat a whole army of merpeople? he asks no one in particular. How do you bring back the girl you loved once, the girl whom you broke her heart? 

"Shut up," Sam seethes, standing his ground. 

Sera saunters closer, gliding across the ocean, before stepping on the stone cement. 

"That's a bad boy you're being," whispers Sera, chocolate-brown eyes twinkling, before she spins towards the merboy sitting on the throne. "Caspian, what do we do to bad little boys?" 

Sam snorts, cutting off the merboy. "His name is Caspian?" he snickers. "Jesus, you merpeople have terrible names. I thought it'd be much cooler, like 'Poseidon' or 'Triton' or something like that." 

In a flash, Sera presses a dagger, digging deeper into Sam's windpipe. 

"Help," he wheezes. "Stop—" 

In the moonlight, Sera glistens, glancing at Sam through lowered lashes. "Much better," she murmurs. "Now behave. Or you'll receive something worse than getting choked." 

Sam backs away, terror flooding his eyes. 

Caspian smiles softly, lowering his lashes. "That's my queen," he murmurs. 

"She's not your little queen," Junjie spits out, moving forward, eyes narrowed. "She doesn't belong to you!" 

Caspian squints. "Who's that boy?" he asks Sera. 

Sera shrugs dismissively. "Long-term crush," she yawns. "Got over that months ago. He was just a fling." 

Junjie jerks away, stung. 

"Isn't this ironic?" Caspian's grin widens, before he winks. "Call me Caspian. I'm Sera's new boyfriend."