42. Erin
Chapter 42
Erin
D uring the night, the calm of the sea slipped into a vicious storm. Loud thunder rattles the boat, making sleeping impossible. Not that sleep would have come easily anyway. Atina let me bunk with her, away from the rest of the crew. I’m thankful for that, considering how many people stuffed themselves below deck.
However, the makeshift cot is scratchy, and the blanket is threadbare. I don’t want to seem ungrateful because Atina has already done so much for me, so I simply go along with it for the night. I manage to doze off for an hour or so, but the constant motion of the boat and the loud storm brewing outside make me ditch sleeping after several attempts.
Atina is no longer in the room when I finally get out of my cot. I tame my hair back as best I can and then give up, realizing I’m about to brave the elements. There’s no use in trying to look presentable when, the moment I step out of this room, I’ll be drenched .
When I reach to open the door, it blows back, nearly hitting me in the face. The wind whistles an ominous howl, flapping through the sails. Rain pours down in abundance. Lightning makes visibility possible, if only for a few seconds. Which is how I see Atina in the midst of all the chaos.
I feel my way along the deck. Multiple times, I bump into something hard or trip. Images of me falling overboard assault my mind. Being lost at sea terrifies me, even with my ability to breathe under water.
It takes an embarrassing amount of time to finally reach Atina. I’m soaked, feeling a chill deep in my bones. I shiver just as she reaches for me.
“What are you doing up? You should be sleeping,” she yells over the storm.
“You expect me to sleep in this?” I counter.
“A seasoned seafarer could,” she says, and I just stare at her. If my lack of —shipping? Boating? Pirate-ing?—wasn’t obvious before, it is now.
“Right, forgot this is new to you. When I first started, I don’t think I slept for weeks. It gets easier,” she says.
I believe her, but I don’t want to stay on the ship for that long. Ideally, I don’t want to be on a ship after this for a long time. I’m starting to feel sea sickness on this rocking vessel.
“Where are we?” I ask in her general direction because, once again, it’s pitch-black out here. A lightning strike shows Atina looking at a small gold compass.
“We are…here. I think,” she says, and I suck in a breath .
“Here? Like here as in the prison holding the Leviathan?” I ask, as if we were looking for anything else.
Atina nods, but my confusion only grows. “Wouldn’t we be able to hear them?”
“We did the last time we were close, but I think the thunderstorm is a blessing in disguise. It’s blocking out the sounds,” she says. “Their song is also not continuous. They have to break.”
Well, yay for small miracles.
“And you are certain this is it? That we are above them?” I don’t mean to sound condescending, but we are working on borrowed time. Every second counts.
“This should be it. It’s the coordinates I’ve written down,” Atina assures. “We need to get you ready.”
I’m already wearing leggings and a form-fitting shirt, ready to be back in the ocean. “No, I’m ready. Are you going with me?”
Allarick told me Atina didn’t go into the ocean because of the judgment of their people. However, none of the merpeople judged her while we made our rounds the other day, checking to see if everyone had what they needed.
I think her fear lies within the ocean itself and her ability to navigate an unfamiliar world. To feel like a stranger in one's own body. It’s a feeling I know well and one that’s hard to overcome.
But this is her brother’s life.
Another flash of lightning illuminates the indecision on Atina’s face. I know her answer before she speaks, but it still disappoints me to hear. “No, I’ll find someone else.”
“I will go with the queen,” a new voice sounds from behind us, startling me. Next to me, Atina sighs.
“I suppose he works as good as anyone,” Atina mumbles as Delmare approaches us. She feigns annoyance, but there’s also an undercurrent of relief.
I want to tell Atina that she doesn’t get to be picky about who accompanies me when she is refusing to come, but I hold my tongue. Besides, I hoped it would be my guard.
“Delmare, what are you doing up? Is Iris okay?” His wife seemed uncomfortable sleeping on a ship earlier this evening.
“Iris is fine. Asleep finally. But I couldn’t. I thought I heard something above deck and came to check it out. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. Most of it, anyway,” he says.
“Shouldn’t you at least tell Iris that you plan on accompanying me?” I think of my maid waking up in the morning only to find her husband is gone.
“She will understand, my queen.” He doesn’t elaborate, and I don’t get a chance to ask.
“Can you get her to the prison site from here? It’s straight down, but I’ll give you the exact coordinates,” Atina says.
“I can.”
Having Delmare by my side makes the tension ease inside of me. He’s strong and capable and knows these waters better than most. “Do you have something to block out the noise once we get down?”
“I do. Carry them with me everywhere these days.” Ever the faithful guard .
“Good. Then I’m ready to go,” I say.
“You’ll need your harp. I’ll carry it down,” Delmare says.
I thank him because I hadn’t even thought of how I’d get that down.
“This way then.” Atina takes my hand.
I reach for Delmare to keep my balance, and we walk as a chain to what I presume is the side of the boat. I peer over, looking at the dark sea beneath. Fear threatens to overtake me, but losing Allarick is scarier.
“Allow me to go first,” Delmare says.
“We’re jumping?” I squeak. I should have guessed as much, but the scary water takes up residence in my brain and doesn’t allow me to think of much else.
A light splash is the only answer I get. He already jumped.
“Your turn, queen,” Atina says. “I’ll toss your harp to you. I swear you chose a large instrument on purpose. Ever heard of a harmonica?”
“I think you’re joking, but I’m too scared to think of something witty to say.” My body shivers at what I must do. I know if I think about it too long, I’ll talk myself out of it. I can’t do that though. I need to jump. With shaky legs, I climb the side of the boat.
And then I jump.
I fall for what feels like an eternity. I expect the water to hurt when I fall, but it doesn’t. Hands grab for me, pulling me up before I can sink and fall away from him. “Good job, my queen.”
“Harp overboard!” Atina grunts from the ship above us. Something splashes down next to me, and Delmare grabs for it.
The water is cold, but not unbearable. Still, I shiver, equal parts from the temperature and my own fear. Delmare gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s go. It won’t be long now.”
With me and the harp in his hands, Delmare starts his descent into the sea. I don’t know how he knows how to navigate these waters, especially when it looks pitch-black to me. His tentacles work quickly, moving us effortlessly through the eerily calm waters.
It’s so vastly different under the sea. No roaring storms, only peaceful quiet. It’s almost scary how quiet it is out here. Not even a single fish swims by us. It’s…haunting.
I don’t know how long we swim, but every second that passes feels like an eternity. This far down, bioluminescent organisms light our path in a faint glow. For the first time in hours, I hear a soft humming noise. It grows louder the farther down Delmare goes. It’s not a beautiful song per se, but it’s one that holds deep emotion. Pain. Anger. Vengeance.
I know we’re close.
Distracted by the song, I don’t realize we’ve hit the bottom of the sea until my feet touch the floor. We land in the middle of a mostly barren area. Few seaweed and coral decorate the floor. Before us, off in the distance, is a massive rock structure leading into an underwater cave. The rock is sculpted in three large arches with moss adorning the surface, making it appear lost in time.
The sound is louder here. More urgent and pressing. It’s not pretty but otherwise doesn't bother me. Delmare visibly tenses next to me, so I know this is hard on him.
I squint, and that’s when I see the middle arch is alight with a white glow. It looks like chains across the area. Something large bobs in front of the entrance. Several somethings, all reaching toward the slight opening in the white chains.
No…not something.
Merpeople.
And in the middle of them is Allarick, his back toward me. He’s screaming at the unmoving men around him to focus, but none of them heed his orders. They reach past him, trying to make their way inside the arched gate.
To the Leviathan.
Dark shadows slither through the cracks of the gate. Black hand-like shapes reach through, attempting to grab the next victim.
“Delmare! He needs your help! Go!” I yell, but the guard doesn’t hear me. Of course, he doesn’t because of the noise cancelers.
I don’t think. I just act. I swim for the harp, tugging it out of Delmare’s hand. Finally, with his attention on me, I frantically gesture to Allarick and his men by the gates. Delmare looks like he wants to argue and stay with me. I don’t have time to fight with him, though, so I push him as hard as I can toward Allarick—which, admittedly, doesn’t move him much.
I turn my back on my guard and drag the harp closer. I fear I won’t be loud enough, but I have to try. For Allarick. For Tetria. Hell, for Mescos .
Absolutely no pressure.
Before I can let the fear of the repercussions of losing this battle immobilize me, I stop dragging the harp and position it the best I can without a proper seat. I don’t ease into a song, I just start playing, as loud as I can, a melody I hope will overpower the Leviathan’s song.
And because I need to give Allarick the best fighting chance, I begin to sing.