Chapter 3
The ballroom was electric with anticipation—I could feel it as surely as I could feel everyone’s eyes on me.
I sat beside my grandmother on the dais positioned above a pool of rocks, toying with my charm bracelet and studying the opal clock on the wall.
It was less than an hour until midnight, until my birthday, until I would have to demonstrate my elevated powers to the hundreds of Mer gathered here tonight.
Most notably absent from the festivities was my mind. It was too busy running between worst-case scenarios.
My powers not manifesting.
My powers manifesting but being unable to control them.
My powers manifesting but getting dismissed as weak or unimpressive.
They all resulted in my very public humiliation and my grandmother’s rage. It didn’t help that time seemed to be moving at double the speed, heightening my anxiety as midnight grew nearer.
“Stop fidgeting,” my grandmother reprimanded. Still furious about the gown, she glared at me from her throne, which was fashioned from the white shell of a giant mollusk.
Remembering myself, I let my hands fall into the lap of my gorgeous, single-shouldered, sapphire gown. The figure-hugging silhouette was a far cry from the puffy mess my grandmother had selected for me, with its exposed section on the left side of the waist and a slit that nearly reached my thigh.
On my head rested a golden tiara ornamented with diamonds. My long hair, embellished with tiny crystals, cascaded in loose waves down my back.
I was a wreck on the inside, but at least I looked sensational. Straightening against my throne, I cast my gaze coolly around the room.
Statues made of water, depicting ocean waves and marine life, decorated the ballroom. Crystal sconces cast warm shadows off the aquamarine walls and blue agate floor. Magical bubbles floated through the air, rising to meet the ceiling, which was enchanted to look like the calm ocean on a sunny day.
Servants dressed in loose robes of teal weaved through the crowds, serving delicacies and beverages. With an oily sensation in my stomach, I watched revelers feast on crab cakes, dance, laugh and await the evening’s entertainment: me.
Ordinarily, I would be amongst them, dancing with handsome mermen and sneaking bottles of bubbling wine, but tonight I was expected to remain seated until my demonstration was over. A shame—I could have done with the distraction. And the wine.
Tearing my eyes away from the towering cake displayed on a pedestal beside the dais, I steered my attention towards my friends huddled together in a group.
Friends was probably too generous a term.
Court was a lonely place where sincerity was scarce and everyone vied to win the queen’s favor.
My grandmother taught me from an early age to trust no one, never let my guard down, and never show signs of weakness.
“If they scent weakness they’ll tear you apart like a shark would a seal pup,” she’d say.
The moment they felt my eyes on them, they all stopped whispering. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that they were hoping to see me humiliated tonight. What better entertainment for the cursed than the downfall of an heir?
I returned their fake smiles with a self-assured smirk. I’d be damned before I let them catch a scent of my inner turmoil.
My grandmother startled me out of my thoughts. “You know, you’re exactly like your mother was at these soirées. Restless, always so eager to dance.”
My heart swelled at the comparison. On the rare occasion she spoke of my mother, it was almost always to comment on our similarities.
“Sounds like she was a lot of fun,” I said, eying the crystal goblet in her hand. The things I would do for wine right now…
To my astonishment, she chuckled. “Certainly, a lot of trouble.” A flicker of sadness darkened her emerald eyes. She opened her mouth to speak, just as we were interrupted by one of her royal advisers, Dexamene.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty, but…” She leaned in and whispered something into my grandmother’s ear.
The queen’s expression turned stony. “Have extra guards stationed at the palace gates—all we can spare.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” Dexamene bowed and quickly departed, skirting around the crowd.
“What was that about?” I asked.
She took a sip of her wine. “A small disturbance outside the palace gates. Nothing for you to be concerned about.”
My spine locked up. “What do you mean ‘disturbance’?”
A muscle ticked in her jaw. “A protest against the restrictions.” She looked at me. “I have it under control.”
Not only had the curse removed our access to supplies from the outside world, but it also put constraints on our fishing territory.
As a result, my grandmother had no choice but to enforce severe restrictions on fishing.
That was when the protests started. Most had been peaceful, but a few had escalated into riots, something that seemed to be happening more regularly.
I chewed on my lip. Usually, I made a point of keeping out of these matters, but I couldn’t ignore it now that it had come to my doorstep. “What will you do?” I asked.
“The guards will see to it that nobody gets in. You’re sure you are prepared for this evening?” she asked, changing the topic. Clearly the protest was not up for discussion.
“As prepared as one can be for a test they cannot study for,” I said wryly.
Her lips pressed together as she studied me with narrowed eyes. Disapproval summoned the faintest of lines to her otherwise ageless face.
My eyes fled my grandmother’s piercing gaze to return to the clock. Midnight was uncomfortably close. Minutes away, in fact.
“We cannot allow for any mishaps.”
She spoke as though any aspect of the demonstration was within my control. “Have you prepared yourself for the possibility that I might not ascend?”
Her eyes flashed. “Impossible. Eldoris blood runs through your veins. You come from a line of the most powerful Mer in history. You will ascend just as all who came before you.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she raised a bejeweled hand to silence me.
“It’s time.” Power swelled off of her like waves crashing off the rocks.
The entire room went silent. Even the musicians stopped playing their instruments.
“Come,” she said, standing abruptly.
As she descended the rock steps, the crystals embroidered into her ink blue gown caught the light and shimmered like stars against an eventide sky. A flowing train cascaded elegantly behind her.
Feeling as though every muscle in my body had locked, I rose and trailed her statuesque figure, eyes trained on her exposed back.
Tonight, she wore her favorite crown—a grandiose gold creation with points encrusted with diamonds, pearls and fragments from the same aquamarine used to construct the palace.
The crowd parted as their queen made her way to the glass doors that led to an open-air pavilion overlooking the palace’s private beach.
Bedecked with large vases of native flora, overstuffed cushions, tables, and canopy beds with drapes that fluttered in the breeze, the pavilion was designed for leisure.
I’d attended enough of these things to know that revelers would migrate to the pavilion over the course of the evening.
They’d drink and laugh and go for late night swims, with no intention of returning to their beds until the sun greeted them.
Myself included—if all went according to plan.
I followed her down the steps onto the beach. Tonight, a pathway was lit with rows of potted bioluminescent plants. We followed the pathway to where the waves met the shore. I shuffled my weight from side to side, inhaling sea salt in increasingly shallow breaths.
The sky was a dark pasture. The moon and stars hid behind the flock of clouds huddling in the heavens, like black sheep.
Once a crowd had gathered, humming with excitement and anticipation, my grandmother spoke.
“I’m delighted to welcome you all here on this momentous occasion.
As a kingdom, we have navigated immensely challenging times, but tonight,” she paused to look upon the collection of faces before her, gaze and posture confident, “we come together to celebrate Princess Alara’s coming of age. ” She swept a hand towards me.
I dipped my head at the acknowledgment. With the way she’s smiling, you would think she was proud of me.
“Tonight, we thank the goddesses for their many blessings and we call upon their favor as Princess Alara enters the next stage of her life. May Vell bless you with good fortune in all your endeavors. May Ceda grant you enduring health. May Seru give you wisdom and knowledge, and Tuli the gift of love. Friends, let us embrace this occasion with joy, as we await the elevated powers the goddesses have chosen to bestow upon her.”
Elevated powers were impossible to predict.
They could include almost anything, but the most common power was saltation—the ability to travel instantly from one place to another.
In some cases, elevated powers were linked to elemental powers.
My grandmother, for example, could saltate, as well as command currents, storms and sea creatures.
Once one elevated power manifested in a Velcarin, others could follow over the months to come.
With a plastered-on smile, I cast my gaze out to the sea of faces watching me with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. Scanning the crowd, I caught sight of a familiar shock of long white hair. Doran’s nod of encouragement did nothing to ease my heart palpitations.
A hush fell over the assembled crowd. The sound of waves colliding against the shore seemed to grow louder, as if the ocean was raising its voice in defiance.
Then I saw it. The bioluminescent flowers had begun to bloom, unveiling vivid petals of blue, purple, and yellow. The assembled crowd collectively gasped at their beauty.
My stomach dropped. Midnight.
I reached for the source of my power and felt… the same.
Slowly, all focus turned to me. Guards encircled me, shielding me from the crowd.
Sweat, unwelcome as dirt in my mouth, slicked my body.
Once again, I reached for my power. Squeezing my eyes shut, I focused on summoning it.
Then, I felt it.
A chilling gust of wind stirred the air, causing sand to dance and fabrics to rise. The enchanted lights illuminating the pavilion flickered and died, the bioluminescent plants wilted.
But it was not the wind that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. It was a feminine voice, high-pitched and mocking. “Am I late for the party?”