Chapter 40
Forty
Twenty paddles southeast. Then four kicks north, fifteen kicks south.
Angie consulted the dive compass on her left wrist, where she’d transcribed Cyrus’ directions, using one finger to trace the path she’d followed. So far, Cyrus had been good to his word. She hadn’t seen one mer on her way down.
Her clothes created drag, causing her to exert herself more with each swim stroke and paddle.
If she knew she’d be going underwater today, she wouldn’t have put on heavy cargo pants and a long-sleeved cotton shirt.
She would feel like a soaked dishrag when she eventually got back to the surface, and muttered curses to herself until bright lights emerged from the fathomless deep.
She consulted her dive compass to get her bearings. Less than a quarter nautical mile to go until she reached the throne room, and she kept her head low. When she arrived, she slowed, her hamstrings and calves cramping from the ceaseless flutter-kicking.
She circled the seamounts surrounding the palace.
The front and sides of the palace were covered with floating sentinels, weapons at the ready.
The palace’s flank, facing another seamount range, was barren of guards.
She reached the back windows facing the throne room and took the moment to stretch out her legs before continuing.
Tiān, this was exhausting.
The back of Queen Serapha’s head came into view, as she gestured with exaggerated motions while speaking to Kaden. He floated upright with his hands behind his back, his handsome face holding a somber frown and fraught eyebrows. Two sentinels and Adrielle were on either side of them.
Angie pressed her lips together and shot one arm up high, waving with large arcs, fighting the water’s resistance.
It took Kaden a minute to notice her flailing, and once his eyes locked with hers, his jaw slackened.
Serapha and the sentinels turned around to see what he gawked at, and Angie darted underneath the long window and away from their sight, heart pounding.
More curses wove through her mind, and she didn’t have the first thought of what she should do now. She circled the pillar, hiding on the other side and pressing her back to the curved surface. Compared to the neutral temperatures this far below, the building radiated a dull warmth on her back.
A disturbance in the water alerted her, and she lifted her head. Kaden approached, and Angie relaxed her shoulders and arms.
Except Serapha and one of the sentinels were in hot pursuit, faces marred with fury. “Landwalker.” The word was notched with hate. “A spy? How did you—”
“Mother!” Kaden grabbed her arm when she passed him, preventing her from advancing further, and signaled the sentinel to hold back.
“What?” Serapha jerked her arm from him, her tail twisted upward and pointed at his chest, as if she were going to jab it at him.
“Wait! I have information you’ll want to hear. And you, too.” Angie raised her voice. “Let me say what I have to say. If you find that I’m lying, kill me. I won’t try to escape.”
“You will not be able to escape.” Serapha’s voice was cool and emotionless.
“It’s about Cyrus. And the humans are stealing your magic.”
“Did you say Cyrus?” A soft lilting voice joined the fray. Adrielle, with her rose-colored tail matching Cyrus’. Her voice quivered, but rose with hope. “Where is he?”
“How in the black fathoms do you know Cyrus?” Serapha barked.
“That’s what I came to tell you. No one is listening to me, and I need you to hear me out.” Angie kept moving her arms and legs to keep in place against the currents swirling around her.
“You can trust her, Mother,” Kaden said quietly.
Now Serapha looked as if she would murder them both. “How do you know?”
“Because I–I love her.”
Angie stared in shock, though a rush of heat jolted through her to hear Kaden say it to the queen.
“You. What?” Serapha spoke through a clenched jaw. Realization flashed. “That’s why you were going to the surface? For a landwalker?”
“Yes. I didn’t expect it to happen, but she’s been trying to help us. I swear to Sanyue.” The words shook, but Kaden held himself upright.
Adrielle nodded quickly. “Please, hear her out. If she has news about Cyrus, it may be our only chance to save him.” She looked to Angie, and put a hand over her belly. “I can vouch that she can be trusted.”
“Both of you?” Serapha looked like she was going to implode, and Angie didn’t blame her. It was a lot of news, all at once, and Angie was technically her enemy.
The mer-queen’s fists were clenched at her side, and her cheeks and neck flushed red. “Fine,” she said finally. “You get one chance. You’re lucky Kaden and Adrielle convinced me not to kill you where you float.”
When they reached the throne room, Serapha moved to wrap her tail around her throne, and Kaden, Adrielle, and the sentinel flanked her on both sides.
It looked so ominous, like she was facing judgment for a heinous crime.
She supposed that wasn’t too far off.
“How are you here?” Serapha asked, leaning forward, her tailfins grazing the coral pillar.
Angie took a deep breath.
Stick to the facts.
“Cyrus gave me his magic—”
“Why would he do that?” The queen’s eyes narrowed.
Angie wiggled her fingers and toes, growing uncomfortable. Serapha must suspect that Cyrus knew her, given Adrielle and Kaden’s defense of her. Still, she didn’t want to be the one to implicate him.
“They are familiar,” Adrielle spoke up.
Angie’s shoulders collapsed with sweet relief. She told herself to keep breathing, to keep her voice steady, and especially not give away the terror she felt inside at facing Serapha.
The mer-queen’s eyes softened in an instant. “So, he lives?”
Angie bowed her head in a show of respect.
“Yes. And the mermaid, Aurora. Though, her lifemate is gone. I also have to warn you, my people found a way to take the magic, and they’ve been draining it from the mer they’ve captured.
My people have discovered what it could do for them.
” Angie paused for a breath. “Once the word spreads, they’ll gather an army and kill all of you. ”
Serapha gave a harsh bark. “They can certainly try. They think to invade our territory and survive to tell the tales?”
“They found Father here. If they take our magic and return, they’ll be able to see the palace,” Kaden interjected. “We don’t know when they will strike. Or where. And they may kill Cyrus.”
Serapha thinned her lips, a crack in her hardened veneer.
Angie squeezed her eyes shut and took the plunge with her next, impassioned plea. “Will you consider negotiating with my father?”
The mer-queen chewed on her lower lip.
Angie raked her hands through her fanned-out hair, awaiting her decision.
Serapha stayed quiet for a torturous moment.
A halibut skittered under Angie’s feet, and she pumped her arms in a reverse breaststroke, moving her back to give it room.
Angie’s breaths became shallow. Kaden looked from Adrielle to Serapha, to Angie, to the sentinel.
“Your father is willing to negotiate?” Serapha finally asked. “How do we know that Cyrus will return to us alive? That they haven’t killed him already?” Her melancholic tone struck Angie’s heartstrings.
“He was awake before I left. And they’re intent on keeping the mer alive until they’ve learned all they can from them, and drained their magic. I’ll come up with a plan to help him escape.” Her mind worked to come up with possible solutions. “Even if it means I have to break him out myself.”
“I’ll consider it. Why are you so invested in helping us?” The question Angie dreaded.
There was no hiding anymore. She told the truth, speaking slowly, deliberately. “We’ve lost a lot of people. Some were my friends. So, I would be helping my family, too. And I love your son. With everything I have.”
Another long stretch of silence ensued. Angie’s head pounded, her neck sore from tensing her shoulders.
“We’ll see what your father says, and I will determine if what he says is acceptable,” Serapha said, through gritted teeth. She presented herself as an impenetrable fortress, but her posture was rigid, her back pressed flush against the pillar. “I assume he runs the dock.”
Angie nodded.
Serapha motioned for Kaden to lean in, and they talked amongst themselves. Back and forth, eventually bringing the sentinel into their conversation. Angie kept turning the watch on her right wrist, over, and over, until Serapha faced her again.
The sentinel left the throne room, returning a moment later. He carried a bottle with a piece of kombu kelp inside. Similar to what Kaden had done for her earlier that summer.
“I asked him to write the letter. Give that to your father. Before I change my mind. I expect an answer within the day.” She pushed the bottle at Angie, and Angie swam forward, holding it like it was treasure.
“If he agrees, we’ll immediately uphold our side of the terms. What I’m asking is fair: Cyrus back and well, my lifemate’s body, and you stop polluting our home.
In return, we’ll supply your village with enough fish to sustain you, and we’ll stop killing you. And you will stop courting my son.”
Angie hesitated, rubbing the bracelet on her wrist. She could feel Serapha glaring at it as if she wanted to rip it off and scatter the beads across the sea. Angie’s gaze flickered to Kaden. His jaw was clenched. Turning back to Serapha, she gave a slow bow.
Serapha gave her a brief nod. “Kaden, see her out. You and I will talk later.”
Kaden led Angie away from the throne room, and Adrielle made her way out after them.
“Tiān, I’m so glad that went alright.” Angie let out a long, relieved sigh.
“She can be talked to when the time is right,” Adrielle said.
“She’s already sorrowful this has led to the loss of her lifemate and capture of her oldest son, and she cannot bear to see it be the end of me or Adrielle and the grandbaby, too.
” Kaden’s eyes glistened with hope. “The hope of having Cyrus back alive and knowing that we may no longer be hidden to humans was motivation enough for her to agree to negotiate. Thankfully you came when you did, dangerous as it was. I’m glad Cyrus helped you. ”
“Adrielle, why did you tell her that you knew me? I thought you and Cyrus didn’t want to get involved with our relationship.”
“Because she didn’t seem fully convinced when it was just Kaden speaking in your favor. I do not care about any punishment she may inflict on me. Cyrus’ life is at stake,” she replied.
Angie forced a small smile. “His tail color is the same as yours.”
“Because I am expecting. I learned of it during low suntide.” Adrielle looked toward her still-flat abdomen.
“My sister is expecting, too.”
“Then this is joyous news.” Adrielle gave her a warm smile. “When will you be able to save Cyrus?”
“By tomorrow, I hope.”
“Then I will wait for you by the shore. Take care of her, Kaden.” She turned tail and swam in the opposite direction.
“Ready to go?” Kaden asked, clasping her hand.
Angie nodded, her free hand clutching the bottle. “Yes.”
Angie and Kaden burst from beneath the waves, and Kaden kissed her before Angie climbed out of the water, pulling herself ashore.
She stopped dead halfway standing up. Four pairs of booted feet greeted her, and Kaden sucked in a sharp breath at her back.
“Mer!”
It was Nick.
A sharp gunshot tore through the air, making her ears ring and pound, and Angie’s heart all but stopped. Air caught in her lungs.
When she spun back to face Kaden, he was gasping, holding a hand over his upper arm. He faced Nick and Bàba, the fingers on his free hand fanned across his breastbone in an expression of shock. His biceps were contracting, protection from the pain.
“Kaden!” She rushed to him and fell onto her knees, blocking Nick from getting another clear shot. “Oh, tiān, are you okay? Can you still swim?”
“Yes,” he rasped.
“Then you have to run. Now.”
“No.” His chest heaved with labored breaths. The edges of his hand were covered with blood. “Not until I know you’re going to be okay.”
“Angela, get out of the way.” Nick warned.
She turned to see him raising his gun again, this time aiming it at Kaden’s head. “I need you to get out of here!” When Kaden still didn’t move, she shoved his shoulders, hard. The bottle with Serapha’s message inside flew out of her hand, landing in the sea behind him. “He’ll kill you!”
At that, something seemed to snap in him, and he fled back into the sea without another word.
“Nick!” Angie rose up to her full height, looking around for the bottle. It was nowhere to be found, and the currents must have carried it somewhere unknown.
She mentally cursed.
Bàba and Nick stood before her, flanked by two other workers. All four were armed.
The passing breeze was colder, and the fine hairs at the back of her neck stood at attention.
Nick’s eyes met with Angie’s, his expression stony. He lowered his gun.
“Angela,” Bàba said, stepping forward. His tone was eerily neutral and measured. “What is this?”