Chapter 43
Forty-Three
Angie
Angie quickened her pace as the winds grew harsher and tightened her hood so it hugged her face. She went for a walk downtown after an early dinner, and she hadn’t timed her walk properly.
Governor Vester and Governor Taylor still hadn’t gotten back to her.
Now she was scurrying home as night descended. It was an icy, dark, zero-degree night, the Northern Lights swaying in purple and green sheets across the sky. Her nose felt so frozen it could fall off and she wouldn’t know.
She stopped short when she entered Mia’s house and found Bàba standing ramrod straight, even with two crutches jammed under his armpits, with Luke’s parents, Beau and Emily, in the foyer, all three donning house slippers.
Creston’s councilors. The three appeared deep in conversation and didn’t notice when Angie crept closer.
“Bàba.” She treaded softly into their space.
Their conversation stopped when she spoke.
“There she is,” Bàba said soft but firm, and Emily stepped aside to let Angie into their triangle.
“Bàba, you don’t want to sit down?” Angie motioned to the unoccupied ottoman behind him. He shook his head.
“We offered, but he said no,” Beau replied.
“I sit or lie down most of the day.” Bàba protested. “I’ll rest in the living room, if any of you need me.” Angie and Emily assisted him to a sitting position on the couch with his leg propped up, and they returned to meet Beau.
“You were looking for me?” Angie asked the mayor and his wife.
“Yes, is there somewhere private we can talk for a few minutes?” Emily asked.
“We can go to my room,” Angie offered, leading them up the stairs. The two followed, slippers scuffling along the floor.
Her room was down the hall from Mia’s and the kids’, and she sat on her bed beside Lulu while they took the two chairs flanking the small desk and rearranged them so they were sitting across from her.
“Governor Taylor told us what you were doing with your mer advocacy and looking for the Mer-Queen’s killers,” Beau said. “She’s had her hands full dealing with the aftermath of the mer attack, so she sent us to talk to you.”
Angie’s cheeks flushed, but she said nothing. That explained why the governor hadn’t answered her, and she imagined it was the same reason Governor Vester hadn’t answered either.
“We’ll have the proper authorities take over the investigation from here. You’re a civilian and aren’t licensed to conduct this,” the mayor continued.
“I’m only doing what’s right. The mer won’t rest until they find her killers. Look at what they did to the docks. And in Puget Sound.” She grimaced at the memory of Saeryn and Cassia’s devastating attacks on the docks, and at her school.
“We know you’re trying to do the right thing, but again, we kindly ask that you step back.” Emily’s tone was firm and, to Angie, not at all kind.
“We’ll be sending investigators to talk to you. Please cooperate with them,” Beau chimed in.
“Investigators? To ask me what? From where?”
“They’ll be from MDRT and they have some questions for you. We had to get the military involved, because unlike two years ago, this is getting too big for them to ignore,” Emily chimed in. She looked to the ground.
MDRT? Military? “My professor told me the government knew about the mer the whole time,” Angie started, taking in a shaky breath. “Did you know? Is that why they didn’t help us?”
Emily and Beau stared at her, their expressions unreadable.
“How did your professor know?” Beau’s voice cracked, and Emily’s grip visibly tightened around his hand.
“He works for SMOSA and said they’ve been researching and conducting experiments on them.” The memory of what Dr. Williams told her slowed Angie’s heartbeat to a crawl.
“I see. That might explain why they didn’t help us,” Emily said, words hardly above a whisper. “Awful they would come all the way here only to leave us to our own devices.” She cleared her throat.
“But that was then, and we need to focus on now. Angie, when MDRT comes, keep in mind how many people have died because of the mer. Including Luke.” Beau’s expression hardened, but she caught the quiver underlying his words.
“Let them do their job and help your fellow Alaskans and Washingtonians, okay? Before things get worse.”
Angie looked at her lap. It sounded like she had two choices for an answer: yes, or yes. “I–I guess.”
Emily and Beau stood in tandem with Angie, and she shook their hands, her grip loose and defeated.
When they left, she stayed perched on her bed, resting her hand over Lulu’s soft, fuzzy back. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for them to have lost their son.
If only Luke was still alive and people didn’t believe the mer were the villains.
She went downstairs where Mia walked through the door and hugged Angie in greeting, and they walked to the living room together.
“Hey, just dropped the kids off at Nick’s parents. You alright? How’s Bàba?” she asked, and Angie filled her in on her meeting with Beau and Emily.
“So, they’re probably going to send agents around at some point to interview me,” she muttered.
Mia nodded, sympathy flashing in her dark eyes. “Just tell them what they need to know and get them out of your hair.”
Angie nodded and followed Mia to the kitchen where they scooped out three bowls of salted duck egg, pickled vegetables, and pork congee, and doled them out onto the living room table.
“Ah, thank you for the xīfàn.” Bàba groaned as he leaned forward, setting his injured leg back on the floor. His pain medication was in a little plastic cup beside the bowl.
“Bù kè qi,” Mia replied.
“Bàba, what’s MDRT?” Angie asked as soon as they sat down. “I keep seeing them around but never heard of them.”
“Merfolk Defense and Response Team,” Bàba replied, raising a spoonful of congee to his lips.
“They were established two years ago as a precautionary measure if the mer ever decided to become hostile again. I found out through some of my Navy Vet friends; they’ve been working under the radar for a long time. ”
“That explains a lot.” Angie swallowed the salty congee and went for another scoop. “Beau and Emily said there were agents coming from there to talk to me about the mer. They also want me to stop my investigation into Serapha’s murder.”
Once she said Serapha’s name, Bàba nearly spat out his tea and said nothing for a stretched-out moment as he stared into his teacup. The color on his face drained, and the fingers holding his teacup twitched.
Angie looked at Mia who shrugged and shook her head.
Had he struck up a friendship with her in the years she was at school? He’d never mentioned it and it seemed Mia didn’t have the first idea, either. “Bàba, you, okay?” Mia poked his shoulder.
Bàba regained his composure and set his teacup down. “I’m still mourning the loss of our treaty and the peace we had with them.”
They finished dinner, and though Bàba tried to get up and put the dishes away, Angie and Mia beat him to it.
It was eight in the evening, and even though they hadn’t left their family room, Angie relished the time they had together.
She loved it when the kids were around, but the bonding time between the three of them was precious to her.
Especially now that the mer were attacking again, and Bàba was hurt.
“What exactly happened to you?” Angie asked once they sat back down.
“I was overseeing a fishing boat we purchased before the mer attacked us. While we were doing inspections, something slammed hard into it, and it tipped. All four of us went over.” Bàba furrowed his brow, continuing his story in a matter-of-fact tone.
“Two of us were closer to the shoreline, but the boat fell onto my leg and lower back.”
Angie winced as she visualized his story.
Bàba wiggled his toes and flexed his foot forward and backward.
“My colleague helped me get to shore. The others—” He choked up.
“—were never found. But...” Bàba sat up straighter, a flicker of confusion appearing in his gaze.
“I saw something else that gave me concern.”
“What?” Angie rubbed her hands on her pants legs, her hands clammy with what he might say next.
“There weren’t only mer there. We also saw two orcas and a large shark with them. And they disappeared with the mer as soon as the ships, and people on it went under.”
Beside her, Mia sucked in an audible breath. Angie’s fingers inadvertently tightened around her pants, bunching them into her fists.
She knew the mer had a symbiotic relationship with sea life. But to have marine animals joining them in their fight, some of which were the biggest and most powerful animals on Earth?
The sea was revolting, and she didn’t know whether to feel terrified, or in awe of nature’s synergy.
The seas would never be safe for people again.
And if the attack on her school and their docks were any indication, they weren’t safe on land either.
At ten o’clock, when everyone, including Lulu had gone to sleep, Angie lay in her bed after showering and brushing her teeth, fiddling with the seaflute.
She longed to hear Kaden’s voice and she traced his Renyuhua name onto the seaflute.
“Angie? Are you okay?”
“I miss you,” she replied. “I’m in bed, wishing you were here.”
He replied in that sultry voice she loved so much. “I wish I was next to you to, as well.”
She told him about Beau and Emily, and about MDRT and their visit. “I feel awful, you know? I came home and my dad is hurt, and the docks are completely shut down.”
“I saw what happened when my uncle attacked the docks.” Kaden’s voice laced with sadness. “I tried to stop him, but his sentinels escorted me away.”
“My dad told me there were marine predators fighting with the mer. I didn’t expect that.” Abject fear laced her words. “How? Why?”
“They are trained specifically to fight with us in the rare moments we require their aid, and we must earn their trust. But they live wild and free,” he replied.
“It is solely their choice if they wish to aid us, and we ensure they are always protected. We would give our life for theirs, and they are released right after their service. We cannot compel animals who are born wild.”
In these moments, Angie wanted nothing more than to touch him, or hear what he was doing, or him breathing. But she heard only silence and the occasional rush of water. “I understand.”
“I wish I was there to protect you. At the docks, at your school. You shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of my people’s fury again.”
She twisted the edge of her comforter into a bunch. “I know you would have protected me. And I’m glad you’re okay, too.”
“I would drown the world if it meant keeping you safe,” he said softly.
Angie stared at the seaflute. “No, don’t say that! It wouldn’t make you any better than your uncle and aunt.”
A long pause sat at Kaden’s end. “You’re right. But that doesn’t hide my meaning.”
Angie rested two fingers over the seaflute’s smooth, cold body, imagining it was Kaden’s soft skin she was touching. “Speaking of your family. How’s Cyrus?”
“I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like he’s getting better, others, he seems to regress. But when he’s healed and it’s safe for us to see each other again, I can take you to see him?”
“I’d like that. But maybe have another mer give me breath?”
“I hope by the time that happens, I’ll be healed.” Kaden’s voice sounded far away.
“How are you doing?”
“Marginally better. Still can’t swim too fast or for too long, and I’ve been doing my best not to use magic.” Another moment of silence. “I’ve also been thinking a lot about what would happen if I succeeded in taking the throne.”
“Talk to me,” Angie urged him.
“I’m terrified the queendom is too divided and Uncle Saeryn did too much damage for me to repair.
I miss my parents terribly. I wish Cyrus was able-bodied.
I fear for Queen Cassia and King Varin in our sister queendom.
I have no guidance with ruling, and that’s likely my own fault for not paying more attention to their lessons; I assumed they were for Cyrus anyway.
He’s been teaching me, but I’m sure it won’t compare to having to be king.
I only do this for the mer, since Adrielle can’t take the position.
Nor would I ask her to with her responsibilities. ”
Ancestors, Angie couldn’t imagine how it must feel for him to be carrying his thoughts around like rocks weighing his mind. “It can’t be easy for her with Cyrus sick and two babies,” she replied. “Hmm. All this talk is making me miss you more.”
“Do you–do you think we could try to meet up? Even if I could see your beautiful face, gaze into your eyes for the briefest of moments...” He stopped. “No, we can’t. It’s not safe and I would never forgive myself if I put you in danger.”
Angie took a deep breath and filled her lungs to the fullest. “You’ve changed a lot in the past few months. I understand it has to be this way, but I hate that I can’t see you.”
“Our time will come, and it will be so much sweeter when it does.” His tone was sultry, laced with warm honey. “But that doesn’t mean we have to deny ourselves tonight.”
Angie’s fingers curled around her oversized night shirt’s hem, sliding it up her legs. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”