Oracles of Ice

Oracles of Ice 2

Gaielle sunk to a rock and put a finger in each ear, rolling her eyes at her brother. She was sick of hearing the annoying prattle and lectures. Since they were little merchildren he had acted as if he was her master and not her older brother. She clenched her eyes shut to block out the sight of Merrick and forced the air from her water lungs out, sending bubbles screaming toward the air pocket at the ceiling of the reef chamber. He gripped her wrist and pulled, but she fought him, refusing to listen. She'd had enough.

"You're acting childish!" Merrick yelled. She could barely hear him, his voice muffled. He was much stronger than she was. It was the way of the sea. Males had more physical strength, while mermaids had power in their voices. His hand clenched on her wrist until she feared it would break, and she relented.

"You're a shark!" she spat out. "You can't just mind your own business, can you?"

"You leaving the reef to wander around on the surface is my business. I'm your brother. I'm supposed to watch out for you."

"I don't need a babysitter, Merrick. I'm a grown mermaid."

"Who treats the law and the crown with disrespect." Merrick's nostrils flared, and his cheeks burned bright red. He combed his hand through his golden curls and glared at her. His eyes burned holes into her skin.

"The law was meant for those who have no curiosity or imagination." Gaielle pushed Merrick back. He floated through the water and scowled when he slammed into the reef. "Just leave me alone."

She forced her fin through the water and headed toward the portal that led to the open water. Merrick really was just being nosy. If she wanted to go ashore and walk through the trees, finding berries and nuts to snack on, what was it any of his business? Yes, the law of Pelagius dictated merpeople were to never venture ashore, something about a frozen mermaid, but that was just a myth. No one had actually encountered a mermaid who was frozen, and there was nothing legitimate passed along in oral history—only hearsay. Gaielle felt her tail fin being yanked on, and her forward progress halted. She jerked around to see Merrick holding her fin.

"Let go, you imbecile."

"I will not. Not until you promise me you won't go ashore anymore."

Gaielle thrust the strong muscles in her fin and wriggled until she was free of his grasp, propelling herself through the kelp curtain anchored in the portal opening. She dived down low, skimming the silty seabed. Crabs scurried out of her way as her body cast a shadow over them. Merrick had followed just as she expected he would. He always lectured her, and she couldn't even get her parents to make him stop. If she told them of his treatment of her they would demand to know why, and she would get even worse lectures from them.

"What would Julian think if he knew?" Merrick tossed a new weight on her shoulders.

Julian was one of the main reasons she went ashore. Betrothed to him, Gaielle found him detestable, cold, and impersonal. She'd had her eye on several suitors previous to him, but her father had selected Julian for her future husband because of the connection it would create between Ceto and Berth.

"I hope he would think of terminating the marriage agreement." Satisfied she had won the argument, Gaielle crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips.

"You can't mean that."

"I do." She nodded, reaffirming her statement.