Everblue (23 page)

42

ASH

Somehow, I managed to pick up the pieces of my sanity before Mom ordered the guys with the white coats to come and take me away. Of course, that wasn’t before she arranged an appointment with a psychologist. I could only imagine the doctor’s reaction if I explained the truth about what was really making me batty.

My little bout of hysteria kept me from school another day and Mom later apologized for pushing too soon for me to return. I’d retreated back to my room, away from the whispers of my family and decided to keep a watchful eye on the lake through the window. I had an eerie sense something bad was about to happen and that Fin and Tatchi needed my prayers.

Questions swirled in my head as I replayed the events of the abduction yet again. Little by little the pieces fell together. Unlike the old eighties movie
Splash
, water didn’t necessarily make them merpeople. Then what did? Tatchi was never out past sunset, complaining her parents enforced a curfew. Did the sun have something to do with it? Was that why she couldn’t spend the night at my house way back then? I gasped. That had to be it—the big secret her dad busted the cabinet over. Of course. They were merpeople only at night and they couldn’t control it.

Criminy! How many had I come across and didn’t even know it? Like their cousin Colin. Was the entire family mer people? Were they born this way? Have they always lived in the lake? How have they kept it a secret for so long?

Then it hit me.

This whole time I believed an angel saved me from drowning when that wasn’t what happened at all. I’d heard Fin’s voice and saw his face right before I fell unconscious, but thought it was a dream. Had it really been him after all? My head ached in confusion.

As a merman he would obviously have been able to endure the frigid temperature of the water. But that was during the daytime. Could he will his tail in and out of existence? Then how did he get me to the Ranger station and why didn’t the Ranger see him?

“Oh,” I whispered as my lips suddenly tingled, a memory of Fin’s lips touching mine.

He did. He carried me. It was his warm body next to mine, his voice that told me to fight, to live. My heart swelled. I no longer cared the facts didn’t make sense. All that mattered was Fin. He was the one I’d been dreaming about this whole time. The one I wished for. The one I’d fallen in love with. The one taken from me.

Then I remembered all the horrible things I’d said, the way I’d overreacted when he came to my door. Was he about to tell me? Was my refusal to help why he was captured? My gut clenched. I’d turned him away and now he was gone, pulled under the waves by evil mermen to a place called Natatoria. Why didn’t he make me listen? Was he afraid I wouldn’t understand? Am I that stubborn he wouldn’t even try?

Heartsick, I moved to the window and touched the glass, desperate to touch his beautiful face instead, wanting to beg for forgiveness. He had to come back. If he never returned, the longing would slowly chip away at my soul, robbing me of my sanity.

 “Fin,” I whispered as I brought my fists to my face, wiping my tears with my sleeves. “I’m so sorry. Please come home.”

I couldn’t stop the dread. I’d failed him.

43

FIN

Somewhere else in the palace, Tatch was getting ready, too. Mom had rushed off to find her, leaving me alone in a guest room. Of course, there was a guard outside the door preventing me from following or trying to duck out early. The King assigned my sister guards as well, along with a female chaperon instructed to stay with her at all times since she’d incapacitated all the men in my escape.

I clenched my hands to calm my nerves. Act happy. That was what my mother’s orders were, but this whole charade made my stomach roll. I’d not seen Lily since we’d almost kissed at Badger’s—a different time, a different me. The last thing I wanted to do was lead her on. Maybe I’d get a chance to let her off gently before the festival. Before we smiled and waved for all the mers to see.

In front of the mirror, I pulled at the silly sleeveless vest I wore and laughed. Who’d made this monstrosity? A beauty school beginners sewing class disaster, no doubt—mine being the first victim.

I turned to answer the knock at the door, expecting Mom, and tensed. Badger floated with Lily at his side instead. She’d never looked more beautiful in a long white gown.

“Oh good, it fits you.” She smiled warmly, eyeing my attire. “You weren’t around to measure. Everything happened so fast, I didn’t think I’d have it ready in time.”

I tugged on the bottom of my vest, glad I didn’t comment first. “Like a glove.”

Mom and Dad were right. Arranged promisings were awkward. How was I supposed to act when I knew behind closed doors Lily’s parents wrote up a proposal like we were cattle and sent it to my Mom via courier for approval? How was that romantic?

But to make things worse, Badger hovered behind Lily and beamed with pride, believing we’d be family soon. I took a deep breath and looked away. After the truth came out, he’d hate me for sure.

“I think we best be gettin’ down to the festival,” Badge said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Good idea.” I moved ahead of them, wondering if I should take Lily’s hand or not, and decided the less attention I gave her the better.

I’d only been to a festival once as a kid so I had no idea what awaited us. Back then, the couples swam in a long line and waved to the crowd. It lasted way too long and was a complete and total bore. I imagined this would be the same.

The goon squad followed close behind and I caught Lily watching them and me with curious eyes. Part of me found her reaction comical. I guessed no one bothered to tell her she was engaged to a criminal.

As we exited through the palace doors, a line of buggies that looked like cars in amusement park rides spread as far as the eye could see on the shiny golden street. Dowels protruded from each corner of the car; shells and other shiny crap decorated the outsides. Most of the cars already held anxiously awaiting couples. We followed suit and waited alongside the other mer couples to speak with the coordinator, a woman dressed entirely in purple.

 I craned my neck to find my sister, but neither Mom, Tatch, nor Azor were among the crowd.

“Tatch?”
I asked mentally.
“Are you here somewhere?”

No reply. Knowing her, she’d locked herself in a closet, refusing to come out.

“What a lovely couple you two make!” the woman in purple said to us as she held a thin slab of rock covered with writing. “Your names?”

“Finley and Lily.”

“Elizabeth,” Lily corrected.

I looked at her quizzically as the knot tightened in my stomach. We were complete strangers. How could she so easily want to form a lifelong bond together after only a few short visits?

“Here you are: Finley Samuel Helton and Elizabeth Katherine Oakley. Please report to carriage number twenty-five.”

When I didn’t move, too stunned by the craziness of the whole charade, Lily grabbed my hand and pulled me towards our carriage.

“Are you okay?” she murmured under her breath as we took our seats. Badger hovered off to the side, glancing from the car to the lady with the rock slab and back again.

“I guess so. You?”

She wrinkled up her brow, but continued to squeeze my hand. “I’m a little nervous.”

Everything inside me wanted to take my hand back and refrain from skin contact, but I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.

“I’ll be back with ya in a moment, kids,” Badger said and left to talk to the lady in purple again.

“This is coming about a little faster than I hoped,” Lily said quickly. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like you and everything, but—it’s just—I don’t know you all that well yet.”

I exhaled, relief washing over me like a cool shower. This was my perfect escape. We could announce a long engagement that hopefully would never come to fruition. “You’re right. We
should
get to know each other better first.”

“What?” she asked and blinked back at me with a sudden frown. “
You
were the one who wanted to get promised right away.”

“Me? No . . .” I backpedaled in my brain for a moment. The King said the families were coming to Mom asking me to become promised to their daughters, not the other way around. “How did you get
this
proposal?”

“By letter. How else?”

“What?” I jerked backward in my seat. “I’d never send a letter. I’d do it in person. I was told that you—”

I clammed up as soon as Badger appeared no longer feeling safe to talk casually anymore.

“Told what?” Lily demanded.

I looked up towards Badge and Lily let go of my hand.

“Aye. I’m supposed to be sittin’ with ya accordin’ to Purple Petunia over there. Sandy’s goin’ to have me hide fer not dressin’ the part,” he said as he settled into the seat behind us, tilting the carriage backward with his weight.

“Uncle Badge, you look fine,” Lily said, flipping on the charm though I knew she was angry with me.

Four goons came over and took up our buggy—two at the back and two in the front. I glared at them, unappreciative they kept such tight tabs on me. What was the purpose of the bracelet if I had to have guards too?

“I don’t want some bloke towin’ me about,” Badger grumbled under his breath behind us.

Lily turned and swatted his arm. “Shhh.”

“Aye,” he barked and got out. He shooed one of the goons away and took up the back right corner. “I’m more fit to be carryin’ this jam jar than he is.”

Lily threw her hands in the air and faced forward.

At the blow of a horn, the parade was officially underway. All the mermen lifted the cars in unison and everyone cheered except us.

“You could act a little happier about being promised to me,” Lily said through her teeth while forcing a smile.

“I am.” I grabbed her hand to prove it.

But she kept her hand limp when I tried to entwine my fingers with hers. Once the line proceeded away from the palace towards the town, Lily softened and waved to the cheering crowd. I tried to smile, but my lips pulled into a frown as I looked for Tatch again. They probably put her at the very end in some special float reserved for royalty.

“I need to talk to you later,” I said as Lily blew kisses.

“It’s a little late for talking, don’t you think?”

True.

I sighed. So much for acting happy. All I could wish for was the dumb parade to end soon and a private moment so I could just break things off. Forget the long engagement idea.

Once we maneuvered around the last corner, the royal balcony finally came into view. My chest tightened when I spotted the royal couple—a sharp contrast. Queen Desiree appeared to be enjoying herself, while King Phaleon stayed stoic. But once he spotted our carriage, the corner of his lip lifted. I had news for him. His plan to grind my family into submission was about to come to a screeching halt. I’d never submit.

“Smile,” Badger whispered behind us. “The King and Queen are watchin’ ye.”

Lily eagerly waved at the royal family, but when I didn’t respond, she jabbed me in the side with her elbow. I finally raised my hand, but gave him an evil eye instead. Watching him birthed my deepest wish; that someone would overthrow him and set the people free of his overbearing command. Mers deserved to promise to the ones they loved without chaperons and parental interference, and they deserved to be given some credit and live where they wanted.

From the edge of the balcony, I spotted Chauncey floating over and he whispered something in the King’s ear. Whatever he said wiped the smirk right off the King’s face, his glare finding me. Normally I would have reveled in anything that annoyed King Phaleon, but this time I had a feeling it had something to do with Tatch and why she wasn’t at the parade.

a

When the parade ended, Badger didn’t speak to me and immediately took Lily home. I was ushered back to the palace by the same annoying goon squad.

“Get comfortable,” the scrawnier one said before he shut the door and bolted it on the other side.

Comfortable? All that was in the room was a mirror, a table and four ornate chairs carved from rock. Why were they still holding me hostage when I had the bracelet on? Dread choked me as I noticed bars covered the windows, making my guest room a renovated jail cell—a new addition while I was at the parade.
Nice.

From outside I heard people chatter excitedly about their upcoming futures together. I wondered what Lily told her parents about how I behaved today. I could only hope the ceremonies wouldn’t be for a while with all the Queen’s lavish plans. Far enough away for us to escape.

I awaited news from someone about what happened with my mom and sister, continuing to telepathically call for Tatch without any return response. My plans when I got out weren’t complicated: free Tatch, get the bracelet off, and escape Natatoria with my family. How, was a different question.

Could someone get word to Dad instead? Besides Badger, I didn’t know who I could trust to help me. I was a pawn in a game the King controlled. He probably reveled in what was to come—Dad’s not so joyous homecoming filled with news that not one, but both of his kids were promised in his absence. Nice reward for risking your life, leaving your family, and doing a secret job to help the King. Another insult to an injury Dad didn’t inflict so long ago.

The bolt on the door unlatched. I stood upright.

“Son,” Mom said and rushed to me, hugging my neck tightly.

“Mom?”

She wouldn’t stop hugging me and then I realized she was crying.

“Mom!”

“I’m sorry, Fin,” she said, her face pained. “I’m trying to be strong. Your sister—she fell apart today and refused to go to the parade. We did everything we could to convince her. I even secretly told her the plan to escape, but she’d wouldn’t fake like she supported this. Once the King heard she wouldn’t cooperate, he got very upset.”

I stared into my mother’s ashen face and my dorsal fin flexed. “What did he do?”

She looked up at me sadly—nothing but failure behind her eyes. “He’s arranged a private ceremony for you and your sister. You’ll be promised tomorrow.”

“No,” I said, backing up as if I was cornered. “I won’t do it. Lily doesn’t even want to. The King tricked her parents. She said I’d asked for her hand by a letter, but you said they asked you.”

“It doesn’t matter. There’s nothing any of us can do. The King firmly believes if the two of you are promised, you won’t cause him anymore grief.”