New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Destiny

“Anyone cold?” Obsidian asked quietly. His boiling orb of heat entranced us all as we sat close together, warming ourselves. I shook my head lazily, chin propped up on my arms that were resting on my curled tail. Jia, who had finally regained consciousness only hours before, rested her head on my shoulder. She was still weak from healing Scarlet (a feat that she had accomplished by channeling the energy in her own body into Scarlet’s to speed up the natural healing process, she had explained) and I could feel her trembling still. Scarlet sat near Jia on the other side, obviously trying to comfort her. But I could tell from the way she squeezed her eyes shut she was struggling to keep Jia’s pain from becoming her own.

Brynn was silently entertaining herself by lighting up Obsidian’s makeshift fire and then transforming the colors. Our faces reflected a deep green then bright red and next a lovely violet. Just as the makeshift fire glowed a warm yellow, Zoey spoke. “He wasn’t right,” she said, without raising her gaze from the light before her. “His mind wasn’t all there.”

It was silent for a moment before Serena leaned over and placed a hand on Zoey’s arm. “What are you talking about?” she asked gently.

“It’s rare that a Great White will attack without reason anyway, but our combined powers should definitely have spooked him,” Zoey continued. Her eyes were glazed over and she didn’t seem to be aware of the words coming out of her mouth. “I couldn’t even reach him,” she whispered, “it was like an iron wall. Nothing like Cal, nothing like I’ve ever felt. It was like the beast itself wasn’t even in control, like someone beyond him was trying to keep me out…”

A slow cold crept down my spine and raised the hair on my neck, “Who?” I asked cautiously. “Who could possibly shut you out?”

Blinking like she’d just woke up, Zoey raised her eyes to meet mine and shook her head slowly. “I don’t know. The presence was huge though, and ancient. Whoever it was, they were prepared for someone with my powers to try to control their pet and they obviously have a much greater hold on the creatures they take over than I do.”

“Don’t blame yourself,” Crystal consoled her, “you barely had enough time to see him, let alone reach his mind.”

“I should have been able to do something.” Zoey growled quietly, lowering her gaze again to the now magenta light. “Who could it have been?” she added in a whisper that was hardly audible.

Suddenly, she froze. Amidst the whispering and general noise of the others, her silence alarmed me. Her head twitched just slightly to the side, like she was listening for something. My eyes darted around our circle quickly until one other silent figure caught my attention, hovering at the edge of my vision.

Excalibur lay beside Scarlet, unnaturally still. He had barely missed the fight with the Great White, scouting ahead like he often did. When he had returned only moments after the gigantic beast had disappeared, it took Obsidian’s and Zoey’s combined efforts to keep Cal from going after the shark. He hadn’t left Scarlet’s side since. Yet now, as I watched, he pulled back little by little and swam a tight, low circle around the group, pausing for the briefest moment behind Zoey.

The moment he slid back into place beside Scarlet, Zoey straightened. With a look of quiet resolve, she looked at Jia empathetically. “Jia, do you think you’ll be able to travel soon?”

Jia picked her head up off my shoulder and nodded, although I was fairly sure she didn’t feel as well as she acted. “I’ll be good as new within another day,” she said, voice rasping from the effort to speak.

Zoey nodded in approval and then turned her gaze to me. “How far are we from where we need to go?”

I paused and slid my eyes shut, feeling the pull toward our destination. I followed the outlines of the path in my mind’s eye and studied landmarks to remember it by. When the gaping trench came into view, I felt a chill. It was so dark, so deep. Who knows what could be lurking in those shadows…

With a shudder I pulled myself out of the vision. “If we slow our pace just enough for Jia, we should be able to reach the trench by this time tomorrow.”

“What say you, mates? Are you all ready for our next adventure?” Zoey gave us all a wild grin. She had an extraordinary ability to instill courage in even the most fearful coward with that passionate half smile of hers. Obsidian laughed at her enthusiasm, saying, “Well I suppose we’re in too deep to turn back now. I’m in.”

Nods and smiles met his statement and we rose to leave. As everyone began to gather their things, I glanced again at Zoey. She stared at the spot where Sid’s pocket of boiling water had sizzled to a small shimmer of warmth. I joined her quietly, not sure if she had even noticed until she spoke softly.

“Cal says it may have been her. The witch from Scarlet’s story.”

My heart sank and I took a deep breath. “Why would he think that?”

“He said from what I described, the control over the beast, it sounded much like her hold over the prince, Malik.” She kept her eyes down but her hand reached over to take mine and I could feel a slight tremor there. “What if he’s right, Destiny?” she whispered. “What if it is Calisto?”

“Then you’re about to show her how powerful Princess Zoey of the Coral Sea is,” I said adamantly, turning to face her. Her eyes crept up to meet mine as I spoke. “Your power is amazing, Zoey. It’s stronger than even you know. And the most important thing is that you use it for good. Calisto uses hers for her own selfish purposes. You can always count on that. And besides,” I smiled at her and gestured around at the other girls. “You’re not doing this alone.”

The familiar flicker of mischievous light entered her eyes again and her broad smile returned. “You’re right, mate. I don’t know what I was so worried about. Let’s beat this witch!”

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Jia

I knew the moment I saw Scarlet’s wound I would have to do it. I couldn’t even hear my own words when I told the others to back away. As I shut my eyes tightly in preparation, the images of the last time played across the insides of my lids. A feeble starfish with a broken leg. The shiver of energy that had coursed through my body. Akiko floating motionlessly to the ground. I pushed my hair out of my eyes and shook my head to clear the dangerous thoughts. This time will be different, I promised myself. I won’t mess up.

Focusing, I gently sewed the gash closed, although I knew the damage done to the inside of her body was the real problem. It went faster than I had expected, especially since I didn’t have Akiko at my side to help. She was surprisingly cooperative when it came to my healing. I cringed at the thought of her all alone right then.

Setting aside my needle and satchel, I studied my handiwork. The stitches were neat and tight and the bleeding had all but stopped. I took a deep, quivering breath in anticipation of the next step. With a grimace, I held my shaking hands as close to Scarlet’s side as I dared. I could feel the heat emanating from her body as it frantically worked to replenish the blood that it had suddenly lost, unknowingly thrusting her into further danger.

On the count of three, I thought. One…two…three.

Gathering my strength, I entered into a world where everything that lived pulsed with energy. I was keenly aware of the seven figures far to my right, each one with their own color and temperature and intensity. I felt the vibration of each plant and fish around me, from the horde of algae that grew upon the boulder behind me to the tiny plankton that were just floating past my shoulder. Most importantly, I became conscious of my own energy. It was intense and powerful with the rush of adrenaline in my veins.

I latched onto that energy, trying to stay calm and to reassure myself that this time it was my own. Once I was sure I had a strong hold on it, I glanced down at the weak form below me. Scarlet’s energy was ebbing away slowly, the brightest spot right at her side where everything was concentrated in a panicked effort to repair her gash. With the sensation of pulling against something inside of myself that was anchored deep down, I redirected the chaotic force coursing through my own body into one direct path. The humming river of energy poured down into my arms, through my hands, and out my fingertips. It met Scarlet’s supply with little resistance and I watched the two colors combine in odd patterns.

It was a curious thing to watch, like tiny dancing octopi wrapping their tentacles around each other and everything else they touched. Watching those tiny creatures, I began to relax even as the uncomfortable pressure on that anchor inside of me grew. In their patterns, I saw something strange. They fused and expanded, enveloping my entire vision until all I could see was blackness.

As steadily as it had come, the darkness began  to lighten and a picture formed in my mind. Figures in white hurried about a poorly lit room. A mermaid lay in the bed in the center of it all, hardly moving except to breathe infrequently. Her dark hair refused to lie down, twirling and chasing after every change in the tide, much like its owner seemed prone to do. She was waiting for something, I could sense it. She was barely holding on to consciousness but each time her head lolled, she pulled herself upright again. There was a rush of whispers and then one of the merfolk in white came forward out of the rest. She held a bundle in her arms and an odd shriek emanated as she set the still bundle down in the mermaid’s arms.

The mother pulled her child close to her chest and rocked her as best she could. With obvious anguish, she held the small baby up to her face and kissed her gently. “Goodbye, my precious girl,” she whispered in a voice so soft I was sure that only I had heard it. “Love your daddy with all your heart. He’ll need you when I’m gone…”

Content, the mermaid settled in and hummed softly to her child. The melody was warm and sweet, out of place in such a sorrowful setting. The child didn’t seem to mind, though, and promptly fell asleep on her mother’s chest. Just seconds later the humming trailed off, leaving a lonely silence that was both deafening and unmistakable.

Suddenly a tugging sensation ripped me away from the heartbreaking vision, back into my own skin. My eyes whipped open and without a second thought, I cut the energy flow from me to Scarlet. Everything seemed to go in slow motion after that. The world came back into view with its familiar colors and sounds and sensations. I watched Scarlet’s chest rise in a breath, and gave a tiny smile before the overwhelming exhaustion hit me like a rock to the head. I crumpled and heard my name called just as my vision went black for the second time.

“More tinsel!” Waverlee shrieked, tossing the glittering strings of gold and red over the deep green branches of the Christmas tree. Fergus barreled past her, a box of ornaments tied to his back and a sloppy grin wide on his face. As Crystal struggled to catch the slippery seal, Brynn groaned and shook her head. “More lights and ornaments and less tinsel, lass! You’ll have the entire tree lookin like a disco ball by the time you’re finished with it,” she grumbled good-naturedly at the giggling Pacific princess.

Serena chimed in. “Oh lay off her, there’s nothing wrong with a little sparkle.” Then as she passed by Brynn she muttered out of the corner of her mouth, “At least I got to the pink before she did. Red is much more bearable,” she winked at the other girl and they shared a smile.

“Destiny, pick up the music a little wouldja?” Zoey asked as she directed Cooper in his decorating. “I’m in the mood for some dancing!”

I bobbed my head as I started into “Jingle Bell Rock”, Pepper and Bubbles’ harmony joining in. “If only there was snow,” Scarlet sighed as she held an ornament still for Serena to paint a perfect snowflake on. Nodding, Brynn continued to search the tree for the perfect branches for her tiny orbs of light to perch on.

I watched curiously as Crystal smiled a little to herself looking a little mischievous. Backing away from the warm scene, she squeezed her eyes shut tight and suddenly the water before her began to freeze. The small ice sphere grew larger and larger until finally she peeked, seeminly satisfied. A playful grin on her face, Crystal vaulted her gigantic snowball above us and just as Zoey’s surprised yell sounded, it burst into a flurry of beautiful white crystals.

Shrieks of surprise and enchantment met Crystal’s gift. I paused my singing to allow my lips to stretch into a wide smile and then quickly started in on “White Christmas”, the excitement in my eyes dancing just as fervently as the snowflakes that fluttered down into my hair. Brynn, Scarlet, and Zoey didn’t hesitate to scoop up handfuls of snow and pack them tightly into snowballs for an epic battle. Serena took cover behind the tree while Waverlee stood in the middle of the warzone, a tantalizing target. Every snowball that came her way was mysteriously repelled by a curious wave and thrown back at its maker. Frank clung to Waverlee’s hair for dear life, refusing to touch the falling crystals after one landed on his head and gave him a brain freeze.

Just then, Jia appeared wearing a red velvet hat lined with white fur. She carried a large sack bulging with its mysterious contents. Akiko alongside her, she paused and smiled in wonder at the strange sight.

Waverlee’s eyes grew wide when she spotted Jia. “Oh are those the presents?” she squealed in delight as she rushed toward the newcomers. Eyebrows drawn in, she poked and prodded the sack. Jia laughed and shooed her away. “Yes, but you know the rules. No presents until Christmas day. And absolutely no peeking!” she added as she slapped Zoey’s hand away from the drawstrings of her bag.

“Aw come on ya Grinch!” Zoey complained, disgruntled. “They’re wrapped up tight, let us get a look at the packages.”

Jia crossed to the tree and, surrounded by the rest of the girls, opened her pack. Gasps and grins met the first gift to be drawn out, wrapped in a beautiful gold cloth and secured with long strings of dyed seaweed. “Tell us who’s it for?” Brynn asked eagerly.

“This one is for Serena from Scarlet,” Jia announced while she placed it under the tree carefully. Serena’s cheeks glowed a soft pink while her smile grew to a beam and she hugged Scarlet. “I wonder what it is,” she murmured as she settled down to stare at her present, fantasizing about the next morning when she would carefully unwrap the beautiful covering.

“Here’s Destiny’s,” Jia held up the next package, small but beautifully adorned with blue shimmering shells and purple sparkling gems. “From Crystal.” I hugged Crystal tight and then stared at my gift with wide mesmerized eyes as Jia set it down with care.

One after another, presents were removed from Jia’s sack until the large brown bag lay discarded and forgotten, empty of its treasures. Each mermaiden hovered near the tree, scrutinizing her gift hopefully and venturing quiet guesses as to what they were.

“I’m hoping for a new canvas,” Serena told me hopefully.

“Maybe a music box from the surface!” Waverlee whispered in rapture.

“A rare plant that I can add to my garden,” Jia ventured, voice laced with cautious excitement.

“Aw come on, lasses. All this hopin and wishin won’t get you any closer to opening your gifts tonight,” Brynn chuckled. “Let’s head to sleep and the morning will come sooner than you’d think.”

With nods, yawns, and sleepy smiles, we all slowly rose to leave, most of our animal friends already asleep in our arms. The lights Brynn had left behind stayed lit and they danced a little to give each of our retreating shadows a tiny quiver of anticipation. The excitement was palpable even as Frank and I slipped into my warm bed and burrowed deep within the furs and cushions.

“Hurry Christmas,” the whisper seemed to echo throughout the room, a longing and eager plea that resonated through every girl’s mind. “Hurry!”

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Waverlee

It took less than four hours after we had started before Zoey turned and spotted Obsidian, Destiny, and Serena catching up to us. We slowed our pace just enough to let them join us, but not enough for me to lose track of Brynn and Scarlet ahead. I felt a pulse in the water around me as my wave returned and suddenly the picture in my mind grew sharp again. The two feisty mermaids ahead argued as they swam past a blue tinged reef teeming with tiny golden fish. I smiled and opened my eyes as a thrill ran down my spine at the sheer adventure of it all.

Suddenly Destiny appeared in front of me, stunting my progress. “And where do you all think you’re sneaking off to?” Her hands were on her hips and, with one eyebrow arched impressively high, she glared at Jia, Zoey, Crystal, and me each in turn.

Zoey started forward again, forcing Destiny to swim backward to stay ahead of her. “You know exactly where we’re going,” she rolled her eyes impatiently as she swung Destiny around to swim alongside us. “And before you go on about how we didn’t take you, I’ll have you know that it wasn’t personal. Jia woke up shortly after Brynn left and nearly bashed my head in tripping over me and when I yelled, Waverlee woke up. And of course Waverlee can’t keep her trap shut so Crystal, who’s a light sleeper apparently, insisted on coming. Honestly I’m a bit shocked that any of you could sleep through all the racket these three made.”

“Hey! I can too be quiet! Besides, it was your loud mouth that woke me up in the first place,” I countered.

Zoey huffed and turned back to Destiny. “Anyway, we knew you above anyone could find us without a problem. And we were right,” she grinned broadly, obviously very self-satisfied. “Now we’re glad you caught up but you’re slowing down our pace so would you mind moving aside?”

Destiny, still a little flustered and peeved, seemed to resign herself to our story. “Fine,” she grumbled. “But I still think you should have woken us all up.”

I laughed and patted her arm. “No offense sweetie, but I’m not sure we could have woken you up if we’d tried. You’re a deep sleeper. I mean, you’d have to be, to snore as loudly as you do.”

Destiny’s protests were hardly heard over the chorus of giggling that followed. I laughed delightedly and put my arm around Destiny’s shoulders to hug her close as we continued on. Obsidian drew up next to me on the other side. “I have a question. How were you all following Brynn and Scarlet without Destiny?”

I coughed a little uncomfortably while Zoey, Crystal, and Jia left the question to me. “Well,” I started, very aware of Destiny’s questioning gaze. “I’ve kind of been messing around with my waves since we got those pearls at the MerCouncil. A little while back I realized that if I send a wave out for a while and then draw it back in, the current retains the sights and sounds that it just passed through. So basically I’ve been using that to track Scarlet and Brynn. My waves have a tiny reach compared to your power,” I nervously rushed to tell Destiny, “it’s just a little trick.”

Laughing at my anxious expression, Destiny dispelled my worries. “That’s amazing Wave, great job!”

“We told her you wouldn’t be angry but she didn’t believe us,” Jia teased as she nudged my shoulder with hers. Destiny chuckled and added, “Of course I’m not angry. Besides now I can sit back and let you do all the trivial work.”

I smirked and turned to respond just as my latest wave came rushing back over me, cold and frightening. I froze and wheeled around, thrashing at the image that came crashing down around me. It was so vivid I forgot for a moment that the enormous Great White Shark that was sliding toward two unsuspecting mermaids was much farther away than it loomed in my mind’s eye. I was faintly aware of voices around me, asking what was wrong. Wrenching my eyes open, I searched for Zoey among the cluster of faces, tails, and hands all around me.

I found my voice quickly, though squeaked as I spoke. “Zoey, it’s a shark. A Great White Shark and it’s heading right for Scarlet and Brynn!”

Zoey’s face paled but she turned and was out of sight before any of us could speak. Jia helped me up from where I’d sunk into a crouched position. She nodded at Obsidian and Crystal, who dashed away after Zoey. Destiny and Serena hovered as they watched Jia study my eyes and then place my arm around her shoulders. “She’s fine,” I heard Jia’s voice say, though it sounded muffled and faraway. “Come on, Waverlee,” she coaxed. “I have a feeling we’re going to need you out there.”

We swam at a moderate pace until everything slowly came back into focus. I wasn’t sure what had happened but soon I could swim without Jia’s help. The cold grip of fear washed over me as I began to recognize the path we took. The terrain was rockier now and uneven. Just as we rose over a slanted hill of gray stony sand, a blast of light appeared just ahead of us. I fumbled, putting my hands to my eyes, dazed and slightly blinded. I heard Destiny grunt beside me and Serena yelped.

Blinking furiously, I waited impatiently for the black and red spots on the inside of my eyelids to go away before I struggled forward, arms raised like a zombie. Someone yelled my name and then two strong arms were around me. “Obsidian?” I croaked, parts of his face flashing in my vision.

“Waverlee, I’m here. It’s okay, it’s gone now,” his voice still carried a hint of panic and his crushing embrace was too tight for comfort. I grabbed at his face and held his forehead to mine until finally, finally I could see his clear blue eyes. A smile came to my lips but as I lifted my head to survey the rest of our group, it quickly disappeared. The red tinge of the water billowed from one source. “What…” My voice eluded me.

“The Great White caught them by surprise just before we got here. Zoey couldn’t get its attention, it was too wild. Crystal and I got a few good hits in but the thing was relentless. It only seemed to be focused on…” Sid’s voice faltered. We passed by Crystal, who was holding Zoey as she mumbled to herself with wide eyes. “It wasn’t right…it was like it was possessed…I just couldn’t get into its head…”

My eyes were fixed on Jia’s hunched shoulders. She crouched over Scarlet’s motionless form, working furiously. Brynn paced opposite her, but she stopped when she saw us coming. “Destiny, I don’t know what happened. She was right next to me and then all of the sudden that thing came out of nowhere. I tried to pull her out of the way but it caught her side with one of its teeth. I tried, I really tried…”

I pulled her into an embrace and stroked her hair while she continued to babble apologies to anyone who would listen. “Shh,” I whimpered softly, fighting back tears. “Shh, it’s okay. It’s not your fault. You did your best.”

Destiny rushed past us, despite Serena and Obsidian’s combined efforts to hold her back. “Let me see her,” she cried angrily. Jia looked once over her shoulder and shook her head, motioning Destiny backward. “No,” she said calmly. “I need space. Everyone back away.”

I took Destiny and Brynn and moved them away while Crystal gathered up Zoey. Serena and Obsidian followed us closely. We all watched, holding our breath as Jia sewed Scarlet’s wound closed carefully. But the blood still clouded the water at an alarming rate and as time went on I could see Jia’s hands trembling.

And then in one sudden movement she stopped. She placed both her hands over Scarlet’s wound and she froze. Seconds passed, then minutes. All of our eyes were glued on Jia as a faint light began to glow from her hands down into Scarlet’s side. Then, simultaneously, Jia slumped over, eyes rolling back in her head while Scarlet shot up, gulping in water like she had been starved of it.

We were all too shocked to do anything but stare. Scarlet noticed Jia collapsed next to her and, picking her head up to lay it in her lap, she looked up at us. “Help me,” she demanded impatiently. “There’s something wrong with her.”

I stood and floated toward the two of them cautiously. Scarlet was bent over Jia, her wounded side turned away from me. Despite her demands for help, I ignored her and slowly circled the pair of them. When I saw it, my breath caught in my throat.

“What are you looking at?” Scarlet challenged.

“Nothing,” I told her as I stared at the spot on her side where just minutes ago there had been a gaping hole. “There’s nothing there.”

New Mermaid Tale from Mermaiden Serena

“Serena wake up! Come on!” I woke to Destiny’s hands on my shoulders, shaking me from my dreamless sleep. Her loud whispers were harsh to my awakening senses and I clapped my hands over my ears to shut them out. Seeing that I was awake, she quickly pulled me from my cozy bed and dragged me across the length of our sleeping quarters to the door. I wondered drowsily why all the other beds we passed looked empty, but I dismissed the thought as a product of my tired eyes and the lack of light.

Destiny had marched us down a few halls and directly up to Obsidian’s door by the time I had finally rubbed the sleep from my eyes. She entered without so much as a knock, releasing her crushing grip on my arm to my relief. Then there was a scuffle, a grunt and a surprised yell, and suddenly Destiny reemerged, dragging Obsidian behind her by his ear. His chorused ‘ow, ow, ow, ow, ow” provoked a small laugh that escaped me, despite trying unsuccessfully to cover it with a cough.

Obsidian, now released, rubbed his bright red ear and winced. “So, not that that wasn’t exactly how I wanted to be woken up in the middle of the night but what in the name of Poseidon could have possessed you to do that?” His voice that had started out calm grew in volume and intensity with each word. In his anger, I finally saw the similarity between him and his father, though I realized this probably wasn’t the time to point that out.

Destiny crossed her arms and matched his pointed gaze. “Everyone is gone.”

Our confused silence didn’t seem to convince her that we understood the situation. She sighed and tried again.

“Scarlet, Cal, Brynn, Waverlee, Jia, Zoey, and Crystal are all gone. When I tried locating them, The Pull was taking me out of the palace. As far as I can tell Jia’s family is still here, but all the girls are just gone.”

“Wait, Crystal is gone?” Obsidian’s anger quickly transformed as his eyes went wide with fear. “Destiny, we have to go. We have to find her. Please, please tell me you can find her.”

“Calm yourself, Sid. Of course I can find her. That’s not the problem. I’m wondering why in the ocean they would run away in the first place, especially leaving us behind!”

“Well,” I finally spoke, struggling to form the whirling thoughts in my head into words. “We know why Scarlet and Cal left. Obviously, to find Scarlet’s home. But after our talk earlier, I thought everyone else was convinced that running off was a bad idea. Although it may have been a spur of the moment thing.”

Sid and Destiny were staring at me with open mouths. “What?” I asked nervously. Destiny snapped her jaw shut and shook her head. “Serena, you’re just a genius sometimes.”

She started to pace, thinking out loud. “Of course it makes sense that Scarlet wasn’t content with our reasoning not to run off. She does whatever she pleases without a single thought about the consequences. And now that I think about it, her things were gone as well, so she obviously planned it all. That also explains why they’re spread out…”

Sid held up his hand. “Woah, woah back up. They’re not all together?”

“No. I tried to locate each one individually and The Pull was stronger for some girls than for others, which means that some are closer than others. Waverlee, Crystal, Jia, and Zoey were closer than Brynn, Scarlet, and Cal. That makes sense though, since Brynn would be selfless enough to go after Scarlet, but too headstrong and independent to take someone with her.”

“And Waverlee would never go without a friend or two, probably Crystal and Zoey. I assume Jia woke up at all the noise Wave was making though, and that’s how the second group was formed,” I finished for Destiny.

“Exactly!” Destiny and I grinned at each other, momentarily excited by our sleuthing skills.

Obsidian cleared his throat to interrupt our proud moment. “You know, we could have just asked the girls about it when we got to them.”

Destiny came to life. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Sid. Let’s go, you two.”

As we turned to leave, I was struck by a thought. “Wait,” I told the others. “I have to grab something. I’ll be right back.” I flew back to our sleeping quarters and entered the room quietly, even though I knew it was uninhabited. The eerie silence was unnerving in the darkness. I floated carefully to my one bag I’d brought from home and dug around until I found the small leather pouch I was searching for. Just to be sure, I tugged on the little straps to open it and let the contents pour out into my cupped palm. Twelve tiny silver pearls rolled out, instantly lighting up as they touched my skin. It comforted me to hold them, even for just a moment.

Carefully, I placed the pearls back into their pouch and headed for the door. Just as I reached it, I heard a weak trill. I turned to see Picasso, hovering in the middle of the room and staring at me with his big sad eyes. My heart dropped a little as I held out my arms and he came hurdling into them. I pulled my little fish friend tightly to my chest, whispering, “I’m so sorry, little guppy. You can’t come this time. I need you here so that I know you’ll be safe and sound. Be a good boy for me, okay?”

Behind me, Destiny poked her head into the doorway. “Serena, we need to go.”

I smiled gently at Picasso and motioned for him to go back to my bed. The usually disobedient triggerfish did so without a fight. I slipped out the door with one last whispered, “Goodbye, my little guppy.” Picasso’s miserable trill echoed in my mind as I swam through the palace doors and into the cold night.

A New Mermaid Tale from Mermaiden Brynn

It was silent for a good long while after Zoey had finished her tale. Even Scarlet, who was hearing her story for the second time, sat completely still and stared forward like she believed that if she didn’t move, her mind would catch up more easily. Cal hovered between Zoey and Scarlet, glaring at each of us in turn as if daring anyone to doubt Zoey’s words.

I held Fergus on my lap and petted his silky skin gently to coax him to stay asleep while I struggled to grasp everything I’d just heard. A missing kingdom, a hidden princess, and a wicked sea siren? This sounds like a bedtime story my ma would tell my little siblings, I thought. Around the room, I saw expressions that varied from fear to confusion to doubt.

Serena was the first to break the silence. Her hands rose to her hair while she started to talk, nervously braiding small pieces, only to untwist them again immediately. “So…what are we supposed to do about this? We have a tiny idea of what’s going on but we still can’t see the whole picture. Our parents, the merfolk who probably could do the most, have no idea what’s been happening and I know that, at least for me, the thought of going home to tell them what I’ve really been up to for the last couple of weeks is a little unappealing…” she trailed off uncertainly.

Jia was quick to pick up where she left off. “Not to mention, my father didn’t exactly give Zoey permission to tell us this so we have to assume he still thinks it’s a secret between her, himself, and Cal.”

“For the record,” Zoey started with her hands up defensively, “you lot begged me for a while before I gave in.”

Crystal, sitting beside her, looked at Zoey with mild curiosity and amusement as she said softly, “I seem to remember your exact words being ‘hey mates, it’s story time’ when you entered the room.”

“None of this matters,” Scarlet interrupted as she turned to direct her next words to Zoey. “You, my friend, have finally given me the answers I’ve spent my life searching for. I couldn’t be more grateful, truly. However,” she rose from her seat and crossed our sleeping quarters to where her belt rested, “now it’s time for Cal and me to finish this adventure the way we started it: alone. We’ll be leaving now.”

Everyone but Destiny seemed too shocked to move. The curly-haired mermaid sighed and swam over to her friend, taking the belt from her with a surprising lack of resistance, then grabbed her by the shoulders and steered her back to her seat. “No. Sorry Scarlet, that’s not how this is going to happen,” Destiny told her. “Listen, this whole situation no longer involves just you and Cal. This is much, much bigger than that. A whole kingdom just vanished into thin ocean! And not one of our parents has bothered to tell us about it? All merfolk have just agreed to forget about the Mariana Kingdom? None of this makes sense Scarlet, and if you think for one second that we’re just going to let you go charging blindly into the middle of whatever this is, then you are very mistaken!”

“Yeah!” Waverlee chorused, pumping her fist and leaning forward eagerly. “We’re coming with you!”

Wait, what? I decided it was time to intervene.

“Aaaalright lasses, calm yerselves. Now each of you knows I’d be the first in line to leave this bonnie life behind, journeying Poseidon knows where, doing Poseidon knows what, but I have ta remind you. This cover for what we’re doing here is all fine and good, but if we go gallivantin’ across the whole big blue ocean, sooner or later our parents–and mind, our kingdoms–are going to wonder where we are. The last thing we want is for merfolk to start asking questions, especially about a subject as tetchy as this. Besides, not many of us here have ever faced a peril the likes of which we can only imagine might be waiting in the Mariana Trench, er… Kingdom. It makes my stomach queasy just thinkin’ about sea hags and black magic.”

My words seemed to have somewhat of an impact. Everyone was quiet for a moment, their minds hard at work to find a solution to my sound logic. At last, Scarlet growled in frustration and fixed me with a tired glare. “Fine. I suppose you win. I’ll stay for the time being, but as soon as I figure out where to find more answers, I’m leaving.”

Relieved, I nodded in agreement. Next to me, Crystal stifled a yawn. Obsidian gave her a fond look, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her tight to his side. “Well, I don’t know about you lovely mermaids, but I’m exhausted. I think I’ll get some sleep now. Have a good night everyone.” His warm gaze glanced over each of us as he left the room, lingering on Waverlee the longest.

One by one, each of the girls said their goodnights and retreated to their soft beds. I was the last to leave our circle, taking my light that hung in the center of the room with me so that darkness fell over us. I slipped Fergus, who was by some miracle still asleep, into one of the many hollows in one wall that served as an air pocket for the animals that can’t breathe water, then headed to my cushioned sleep space. Within a few minutes the giggles and whispers trailed off, and the room fell silent.

I was on the very brink of unconsciousness when I heard the tiniest noise. It sounded like metal clinking softly against itself. Don’t worry about it, a voice in my head said. Go back to sleep.

Another voice in my head was just a wee bit louder, though. Wake up, it demanded. Just open your eyes and take a peek.

With an agonizing amount of energy, I slid one eyelid open and let my pupil adjust to the darkness. Slowly, shapes began to take form out of the nothingness and as I pictured the room in my mind, there was something out of place. Something or someone hunched over a stone table at the far end of the room. As I studied it as well as I could in the dim light, they suddenly straightened. The figure floated silently towards the door, taking a path that would lead it right past me. I quickly made up my mind.

Bracing myself, I timed the shadow’s pace and just as it passed by me, I sent a flicker of light to illuminate the tiniest bit of its tail. As I’d hoped, the spark went unnoticed by the figure. But it had lasted just long enough for me to glimpse a color. Scarlet.

My mind was completely alert now. As soon as the door shut behind her, I waited for two long breaths, trying to calm my rapid heartbeat. What in Poseidon’s name does she think she’s doing? She’s going to get herself killed. I thought she had more sense than this!

A river of thoughts ran through my mind until I finally and unhappily settled on my only option. “I swear,” I grumbled in an inaudible whisper, “if she doesn’t get us both killed, I’ll strangle her myself.”

Then I pushed out of the soft warmth of my bed and darted out the door as quietly and quickly as my tail could take me.

New Mermaid Tale from Mermaiden Zoey

I took a couple of calming breaths before I entered King Takumi’s quarters, where I was greeted by the familiar sight of the old merman sitting tall in his seat  while Cal floated before him, eerily still. Both creature and king looked toward me simultaneously as I approached. King Takumi, old-fashioned as he was, stood abruptly and inclined his head as he began to speak. He gave me a fatherly look of kindness and gratitude as he extended his weathered hand and clasped mine. “Thank you for joining us, Princess. I know there are many other things you’d rather be doing with your valuable time, so I thank you again for the services you’ve rendered. I promise this will end soon.”

I nodded, unable to speak for fear that the strength I’d mustered from a good night’s sleep would slip from my mouth between the spaces in my words and evade me. Takumi guided me toward Cal and I sank to the seat beside the swordfish who then laid his head in my lap and allowed me to brush my hands against his smooth skin. “Hello there,” I muttered softly.

“So,” the wizened king started as he lowered himself down in his throne on the ledge above us. “Let’s discuss what we’ve learned.”

I brought down the barriers in my mind, relaxing and reaching out to Cal so that if he had anything to offer to the conversation, he could do so. He had become better at sinking slowly into my mind, like an anchor descending to the bottom of the sea, slowly and steadily falling in place. I tried to keep my mind mostly on the diverting conversation rather than the uncomfortable weight that was settling in, while still allowing the open contact between Excalibur and myself.

I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes closed. “Right,” I began the practiced and scrutinized list of things Cal had told us so far. “Hundreds of years ago, there were not only seven merkingdoms, but eight, the eighth being the Mariana Kingdom. The Mariana Kingdom was incredible, built of the strongest rock and mineral to be found in the Seven Seas. It was a black fortress, easily defended and impossible to attack from the outside.

“There came a time, in the more recent history of the Mariana Kingdom, when a young merman by the name of Caspian became the ruler. Although young and sometimes radical, King Caspian was a passionate leader and led his subjects honorably. He inspired loyalty and admiration in all that he met.

“As he grew, King Caspian began to understand the dangers that threaten our world. Seeing the need for peacekeepers within his own and other kingdoms, he gained the permission of the MerCouncil and amassed an army of extraordinary size. His kingdom was focused around the building of this militia, to defend the Seven Seas from any threats it may have faced.

“Excalibur was Caspian’s most trusted guard. He had remained by his side since the merman was just a young prince, and had watched him grow into a respected and honorable king. And while Cal completely trusted his ward, he was wary of the merfolk his friend chose as allies, so he often hid himself nearby as Caspian met with the many merfolk that journeyed in and out of his kingdom. Cal swore to protect his king and, later, the wife that Caspian married. She was a lovely teal-blue finned mermaid, with eyes as blue as the sky and hair as dark as an orca’s skin. Her name was Mia.

“For many years, the Mariana Kingdom flourished and steadily grew. Everything was organized and precise; disputes were dealt with quickly and justly. King Caspian was adored by his subjects and soldiers alike. Yet, as time went on, Excalibur sensed something was wrong. There were too many whispered conversations, too many new faces, too many hidden secrets. The king gave Cal strict instructions to stay close to his queen, and to drive away any merfolk that lingered too long where they weren’t welcome.”

I paused as I remembered Cal’s words when he had come to this part of the story. ‘I fear my instincts driven by this order may have overcome me as I watched the Princess Crystal loitering behind the painted column. I struck her before I realized she was not a threat because, in that moment, she appeared to me as someone else from my past.’

I closed my eyes and continued my account. “There was one merman that Excalibur distrusted above all. He, unfortunately, was the king’s younger brother, Malik. For many years Cal had seen jealousy festering within Malik, who was the opposite of his brother in most ways. Where Caspian was open, friendly, and a natural leader, Malik was reserved and cold. Instead of proving he was capable of handling power, he demanded it from his brother and abused its privileges. Caspian was forced to take away what little influence Malik had been awarded at their father’s death, and the many burdens the brothers could have shared then rested on the young king’s shoulders alone.

“To make matters worse, Malik gained a certain friend near his 26th birthday. Cal began to notice a beautiful mermaid hovering about Malik, whispering to him, flattering him with her lovely words and unwavering attention. Her name was Calisto and she was quite possibly the most gorgeous mermaid in the entire sea. She could have had any merman she wanted, so it was easy for her to catch the eye of the handsome but flawed Prince Malik.

“The moment she appeared, Cal sensed that something was strange about Calisto. She hung on Malik, feeding ideas into his mind that quickly took hold, like poison. Malik grew darker and more dangerous the more time he spent with her. Cal tried to warn Caspian, but for some reason the king seemed distracted. At the very mention of Calisto’s name, fear would overtake him and he refused to speak of her.”

I had fully expected to stop my tale then, but the words flooded into my mind and Cal’s voice resonated through my entire being until the only way to release them was to open my mouth and allow him to speak through me.

“The day came when I entered the king’s throne room through a secret passage only I knew of, and I saw her. Calisto, pressing herself up against a stone pillar, was eavesdropping intently as Caspian gave classified orders to one of his commanders. This was the final proof I needed to confirm my suspicions. I charged at her, and though I intended to slice her ear for her eavesdropping, Calisto turned and my blade slashed down the side of her face, cutting her from  eyebrow down to her chin.

“So many things happened in the next few hours I had no time to process them. Malik whisked Calisto away to a healer, while many guards came to collect me. For all they knew, I had merely attacked a close friend of the prince’s. Caspian, to my utter confusion, allowed me to be thrown in a dungeon and locked away.

“What felt like days must have only been hours before the door swung open and Caspian rescued me from my cell. My old friend took me to his chambers and just before we entered, a line of merfolk emerged. I heard a strange sound from within the chamber and as I looked at Caspian, there were tears bubbling from his eyes. We went into the dark room quietly. I followed Caspian to the bed which was in disarray. Mia lie there, looking smaller and paler than I had ever seen her. In her still arms lay the source of her sickness and strange disappearances in recent months. The baby was tiny; premature, I was sure of it. She had long black hair and a lovely teal tail to match Mia’s. She was asleep with her whole hand curled around her mother’s one finger.

“In the moments before the chaos began, Caspian held his baby girl in one arm and his wife’s lifeless body in the other. Tears ran down his cheeks and into Mia’s hair. He kissed her gently and laid her down, covering her with the delicate lace webbing the healers had left for her. It was as good a burial as any she could have at that moment.

“Then he raised his tiny baby to his eye level and kissed her forehead and nose and cheeks. ‘Goodbye, my beautiful princess,’ he said as he cradled her close. ‘I love you, Mariana.’ He wrapped the tiny Mermaiden in a warm seal skin and then tied it securely to my back. ‘I couldn’t save her mother, but I’m not going to watch her die as well,’ he told me. And so I took the princess and just as I was slipping away in the night, I heard the heavy cracks against the door. I fled the unbreakable kingdom I had guarded all my life, and as I did I watched from a distance as it began to break from the inside, and then sink into the bottom of the ocean.

“I know nothing more than what I have told you except this: Scarlet’s true name is Mariana and she is the long lost Mermaiden of the Mariana Kingdom.”

The ballroom was finally finished only hours before the guests were set to arrive. Seaweed webs decorated each corner, with painted black crabs scuttling over them. Carved pumpkins sat on every surface, even suspended from the ceiling to capture the spooky feel of the night. Orange, yellow, and purple glow stones were the only source of light, spread few and far between. Black catfish mewled eerily in the shadows, while glowing white jellyfish roamed the room like haunted spirits.

Waverlee stood in the center of it all, surveying the decor with barely contained excitement. Clapping her hands together, the lovely golden haired Mermaiden twirled and flew from the scene of the party. Within moments, she was hurdling into a very different room with a very different atmosphere.

Vampire Jia & Akiko the Bat!

“Has anyone seen my claws?” Brynn’s voice always dwarfed the others’ but tonight the Scottish mermaid had some competition. There were mermaids everywhere: yelling, laughing, singing, and shrieking. One corner was completely devoted to face painting and hair dressing. Serena, as the most artistic, dominated the station. She had hardly begun to get ready herself, still hard at work on Destiny’s intricate makeup. The Caribbean beauty was dressed in a tight blue blazer with a yellow undershirt and a skull pinned at her throat. Her costume as a “Day of the Dead” spirit was completed by Serena’s white skeletal face painting and a tall blue top hat. Beside her, Frank sat unhappily in an emptied pumpkin, carved with holes in the sides for his arms and one in the front for his extremely peeved expression to show through.

“Zoey had them last I think,” Jia tossed her answer over her shoulder while she fixed her fangs in the mirror. Her purple cape complemented the streaks of color Serena had combed through Jia’s slicked back hair and even the pupils of her eyes were transformed from their normal brown to a vivid magenta. As she turned toward Zoey, Akiko, dressed as a bat, came to rest on her shoulder, completing her menacing look of a vampire on the prowl.

Werewolf Brynn and Mermaid Fergus!

Across the room, Zoey turned from where she’d been brushing Crystal’s long locks with the hairy claws on her fingers and sheepishly pulled Brynn’s werewolf gloves from her hands. “Oops,” she laughed, passing them back to their owner. Brynn chuckled as she took them, placed them on her hands, and turned towards the mirror to survey the finished product. Her fur claws, ears, scarf, and tail paired with piercing yellow eyes made for quite the terrifying werewolf! She nodded in approval and then turned to slip Fergus into his own costume: a very pretty purple mermaid tail with a yellow clamshell bikini and a blonde wig. “Don’t you make for a sweet bonnie lass?” Brynn teased when she’d finished, holding him up for everyone to see.

“Okay, I’m finished!” Serena exclaimed proudly. She tossed her brush aside and rushed to get dressed while everyone admired Destiny’s face paint.

Meanwhile, the first guests began to arrive and the palace guards, dressed as old fashioned butlers, started to show them into the ballroom. Crystal, still tying pieces of seaweed into her long platinum hair, peeked her head out the door to watch the waves of merfolk flow in.

Just as she began to draw back, however, her ice blue eyes caught sight of a familiar face. A handsome young merman with long blonde hair, unruly the last time she’d seen him but neater and shorter now, was just entering the ballroom. His dark brown eyes met Crystal’s for the tiniest moment, just long enough for her to be sure it was him. All too quickly, he was lost in the crowd. Heart beating rapidly, she shrank back against the wall, the tips of her tail trembling too much to allow her to move.

“Everything okay, Crys?” Waverlee was nearly finished with her costume now, although no one could fathom how she could put herself together so immaculately when she was flitting and bouncing around the way she did. Crystal’s terrified expression quickly melted and she found her voice after a moment. “Oh, um, yes everything is perfect,” she stammered, trying to restore her previous excitement in the face of her anxiety. Holding up the last piece of her costume, she asked, “Waverlee, will you help me with this sash?”

Mummy Crystal & Pepper the Ghost!

“Of course!” Waverlee pinned back one more bouncy curl with a pearl clip and then sprang to assist Crystal. She adjusted the white, torn tunic the Arctic princess wore and then tied the blue sash securely around her waist. “Perfect!” Waverlee cried as they peered at their reflections in the mirror ahead of them. They made a strange pair, a pale zombie with a gaunt complexion hovering next to a magician’s assistant with a curly ponytail and a deep purple dress.

“Well,” Crystal sighed. “I suppose I should probably track down Pepper and get him into his costume.” She held up a small piece of white cloth with two holes cut into it. “He’s a ghost,” Crystal clarified when she saw Waverlee’s questioning look.

Magician Bubbles & his assistant Waverlee!

“Oh!” The other mermaid laughed in approval. “Bubbles is already dressed…he should be around here somewhere.” As though he could sense that he was needed, the dolphin swooped up beside Waverlee in an adorable magician’s costume complete with a cape, tall hat, and monocle. “Oh there you are, silly boy! Come on, the party’s starting!” Waverlee threw a wink at Crystal and then slipped out the door with Bubbles in tow. Crystal’s smile vanished with them, leaving room for her worry to return.

Serena appeared at Crystal’s shoulder with Picasso under one arm, trying to wrestle cat ears onto the enthusiastic little fish. His tail was fanning the water so quickly it seemed as if he would shoot forward like a torpedo if Serena let him go. Turning, Crystal let out a little laugh at her friend’s predicament as she offered to hold Picasso. Serena smiled gratefully at her and finished securing his costume while Crystal held the excitable fish fast.

“Well then, I guess it’s time to go join the party ourselves don’t you think?” Serena straightened her purple witch hat and tucked Picasso back under her arm. “Ready?” she asked Crystal, excitement lacing her voice. Crystal shot one last look at herself in the looking glass and then turned toward the door. “Ready.”

Zoey the Lion Tamer and Cooper the little Lion!

The ballroom was filled to bursting. There were ghosts and ghouls, mummies and monsters. The water was murky, creating a very mysterious feel. Zoey, dressed as a circus performer in her red tailcoat and bowtie, held her top hat in one hand, waving it around to beckon merfolk to watch her act, while in the other she held a striped hoop through which Cooper leaped repeatedly. Delighted to have so much attention, he shook the golden mane tied around his head and ‘roared’ like a lion as he weaved through the hoop and back again. The small crowd around the two performers laughed and applauded at the silly circus act.

In another part of the party, Brynn sidled up next to a slender merman with light brown hair and a brilliant blue tail. She poked him in the ribs sharply and smiled adorably up at him as he jumped in surprise. “Hey! Watch it,” Finn’s mock serious face was given away by the little dimple that appeared in his cheek whenever he tried to keep from smiling. His nose was painted black at the tip and he had yellowed seagrass sticking out of his plaid shirt at odd angles everywhere. Brynn fixed him with a much better impression of solemnity and leaned close to ask, “Or what, scarecrow?”

“Or I’ll do this.” His hand had reached up and plucked the wolf ears off of her head before she could even register what he’d said. In an instant, he was halfway across the room, laughing with his prize held just where she could see it. Brynn’s eyes narrowed in resolve and she shook her head before giving chase. “The wee scoundrel will just never learn that I’m stronger than him and faster too,” she said exasperatedly as she passed Jia, who shrugged her shoulders with a knowing smile.

Jia floated upright next to Destiny just in front of the stage, both mermaids swaying along to the music provided by a small group of musicians. The hired singer hadn’t shown up yet and, as the music was Jia’s responsibility, her nerves were on edge. “Do you think I told her the right time?” Jia asked, her words fast and messy, slurred a little by her vampire fangs.

“I’m positive you did, I was there remember?” Destiny put her arm around Jia’s shoulder and squeezed her tightly. “I’m sure everything will be fine. She’s probably just running a little late.”

Jia bit her lip and was silent for another long moment. Suddenly an idea came to her. “Wait, Destiny, you’re a singer!”

Destiny’s eyebrows rose warily as she nodded. “Yes, I sing. Nothing like a professional though…” she ventured, hoping that the other mermaid wouldn’t ask her the question she knew was coming. Jia nodded her head in understanding, but began to drag Destiny towards the stage.

“I know, I know, but I wouldn’t need you to sing for long, just until the singer gets here! You’ll be like… the opening act.”

Destiny shook her head quickly, straining against Jia’s surprisingly strong grip. “But I’m really not a professional and you hired a real singer for this party!”

Jia stopped at the edge of the stage and pulled Destiny to face her. “Please Destiny, I know you have a beautiful voice. I really need this favor! I promise, I’ll get some dancing going on in here and then no one will even be watching you.”

Destiny stared at Jia’s pleading violet eyes for a moment and then glanced at the stage. I guess it couldn’t hurt…

“Oh fine, I’ll do it.” Destiny sighed in resignation, allowing Jia to wrap her arms around her in delight.

“Thank you, Destiny! I owe you.” Jia rushed to tell the band what to play as Destiny swam up to the spotlight. There are so many merfolk! she thought, panic rising in her throat. Behind her, a new song began. It was an old merfolk tale put to music, the haunting melody making it perfect for background music at a Halloween party. Jia hovered near the edge of the stage, motioning Destiny over.

“Is this okay? I can make them play something with a good beat next,” Jia reassured her. Destiny smiled and nodded. “This is perfect, Jia. I’m really sorry that the singer didn’t come but I’m hoping I can do a good job for you.”

Jia laughed, “Are you kidding? I was going to ask you in the beginning to sing but I figured you’d want to be out there dancing. Sorry again,” she winced. Destiny smiled and patted her friend’s hand, then returned to the spotlight as the last notes of her introduction began.

As Destiny’s smooth voice filled the room, Crystal entered it with Serena. Her eyes were flitting from one face to the next, trying in vain to spot him. Serena quickly excused herself when she spotted Leon talking with Waverlee and Obsidian. As Crystal watched the two couples together, something about them reminded her of her own parents.

Sure, her father could be tough sometimes, but she had always loved the way that at the end of a long day, he would gather his queen into his arms after dinner when Crystal and her siblings had excused themselves. They would dance together, swaying slowly as they told one another the details of their day. She made him laugh and he sang to her softly. It had always been one of Crystal’s favorite things to do, sitting invisibly just outside the door to watch them together.

Just as she was beginning to lose hope of ever finding him, a voice behind her sighed. “You know, the moment I got home, I pieced it all together.”

Crystal turned to see Jax, repentant in his posture but the look in his eyes was anything but. She felt her lips turn up in a smile just as her cheeks began to burn. He floated a little closer to be heard over the music. “I thought to myself,” he continued, “why would such a classy Arctic mermaid bother spending an evening associating with me, a scallywag from the West, hardly worth her attention? And then of course, there was the very proper demeanor and posture, the obvious elegance, and the authoritative airs. Who else could you be but the one and only Mermaiden Crystal of the Arctic?”

His teasing smile encouraged her to reply with a little more sass than was normal for Crystal. “Authoritative airs, hm?” one of her long pale eyebrows rose. “Well I’m sure if I was demanding, you most certainly needed the reprimand. I seem to remember your behavior was rather scallywaggish.”

“But somehow it was you who kissed me, wasn’t it?” Crystal’s eyes went wide at the casual mention of her impulsive kiss, embarrassment nearly lighting her cheeks on fire. Jax laughed again at the sight of her panic and took her hand gently, guiding her onto the dance floor. “Relax Princess, I haven’t told a soul. I like to tease but I’m harmless… mostly,” he winked.

Crystal sighed gratefully. “I wanted to apologize for that. I have no idea what I was thinking, that wasn’t like me to be so forward. I guess I just figured I’d never see you again. I’d like to forget that it happened at all.”

“I wouldn’t.” Jax’s response threw her off. She stared at him for a long moment. But just as she opened her mouth to speak, a little white bullet shot down from nowhere and barreled into Crystal’s arms, which had instinctively opened to meet Pepper. The penguin had somehow tangled himself irreparably in his ghostly costume and, despite his many attempts, had only achieved freedom for one of his flippers and his beak.

“Well,” Crystal smiled fondly at her favorite little friend as she worked to release him, “this costume lasted much longer than last year’s at least. An octopus,” she added for Jax’s sake. He laughed and took the bundle of Pepper to hold him still while Crystal finished untying the knots around his feet.

Suddenly, two hands clasped Crystal by the shoulders and Brynn’s voice came from behind her. “Is he still there? Where is he?”

Jax’s eyebrows furrowed but his smile grew. He ducked his head a little and whispered back at Brynn. “Where is who?”

Brynn’s voice was exasperated. “Finn! The crook stole my ears!”

“Really? Your ears? What an odd choice. If I was him, I would have gone for the eyes. Those are actually worth a fortune, especially green ones.”

Brynn’s head poked out from behind Crystal’s back and glared at Jax, who was surprisingly good at keeping a straight face. The Scottish Mermaiden narrowed her gaze and then turned to whisper in Crystal’s ear. “Who’s this bonnie lad and why’s he sassing me?”

Crystal shook her head and shrugged innocently. “I have no clue. I think you should probably teach him a lesson though. No one sasses you and gets away with it.”

“Good thought. But I think I have enough on my plate now, with Finn and all. But you teach him a lesson for me now and I’ll be back later to get my word in with him, aye?” Crystal nodded obediently. Brynn patted her shoulder and then fixed Jax with a glare. “And you, mind what she says. She may look like naught but a wee bonnie lass, but she’s got an icy bite.”

With a self-satisfied smirk, Brynn turned and strutted off, swimming only a few paces away before a thin merman with light brown curls and a mischievous smile dove right behind her and swiped the furry tail from where it was tied round her hips. “Finnegan!” she roared, leaping into the chase. His gleeful laugh sounded like that of a much younger boy as he spun through the crowd, disappearing with his stolen treasure.

Witch Serena & her Cat-Fish Picasso!

The two Scottish troublemakers weaved in and out of the crowd of guests, Brynn barking insults and Finn tossing back encouragement. They zipped past Waverlee, who was having fun of her own teasing Serena.

“Well done, Serena! Leon is perfect for you. You better watch out or someone might steal him from you,” she added with a flirty wink. The two girls laughed as they watched Obsidian and Leon moving toward the buffet to get their dates something to eat.

“I’m not too worried. His mother likes me and so do his brothers so I’m as good as part of the family.” Serena glanced sideways at Waverlee before continuing. “Obsidian seems pretty smitten with you. And, oh, isn’t that a coincidence that his twin sister happens to be one of your best friends? I guess I’m not the only one trying to score points with the in-laws, hm?”

Waverlee gasped and bumped Serena with her shoulder, giggling. “Hey! I would never connive like that! I’m not as devious as you,” she smirked, both of them laughing by now.

“What’s so funny?” Leon asked as he and Obsidian returned, hands full of tasty Halloween treats.

Waverlee and Serena shared a smiling glance before Waverlee quickly answered. “Oh, nothing. Just girl stuff. So, boys how are you liking the party?”

“It’s fantastic! And who’s the singer? Her voice is amazing!” Leon bobbed his head along with the music as all four of them turned to take a look at the stage.

“Woah! Is that Destiny?” Serena asked, shocked.

Waverlee squealed with excitement. “I think it is! Come on, let’s go!” She grabbed Sid’s hand and hauled him toward the stage, Serena and Leon right behind them.

Destiny smiled as she saw the group of her friends making their way toward her. Despite her original doubts, she’d had a lot of fun singing tonight! She had watched Brynn and her merman friend wreak havoc on each other and many of the guests. She had seen Crystal and her nameless new splash dance and laugh together. She had laughed as Zoey and Cooper put on a show for a group of guests. Even Jia seemed to have relaxed about the musician not showing and was enjoying herself.

As she finished her song, Waverlee and Serena met her at the edge of the stage. “Why didn’t you tell us you were singing tonight?!” Waverlee shrieked.

“I didn’t know! Jia’s singer didn’t show up so I agreed to do it.”

“And you’ve been much better than any professional I could have hired.” Jia joined the conversation. “Thank you again, Destiny”

“Don’t mention it,” Destiny smiled. “Besides, you were right! This has been so much more fun than I ever would have imagined!”

“Hey! Don’t stop now, get on with the music, mate!” Zoey sprang to sit on the edge of the stage next to where Destiny knelt, Brynn appearing beside her, looking ruffled but smug. Zoey glanced at her and then did a double take. “What’s the smirk for?” she asked warily with a hint of excitement.

Brynn chuckled. “Let’s just say scarecrows are surprisingly easy to scare.”

Just then, Crystal appeared with Jax in tow. “What are you all meeting up here for?” she asked curiously, trying to hide the fact that hers and Jax’s hands were linked together. Brynn glared while Waverlee beamed. Destiny smiled quietly to herself and then announced, “Because, I have a special song coming up!” Rising up tall she addressed the whole crowd. “All in favor of the ‘Mermaid Splash‘ next?”

The musicians took the happy roar of the guests as a yes and the music started up again. “Come on everybody! Let’s dance!” Waverlee grabbed Obsidian’s hands and twirled under one of his arms. Laughing and singing along, the rest of the group joined in. They all danced long into the night, zombies, werewolves, and vampires alike. And even when the music had faded and many of the guests had gone, a small group of monsters and miscreants remained, filling the hall with their happy laughter.

Happy Halloween!

A Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Crystal

I fought hard to keep my smile inward as I peeked around the pile of furs and cushions that I had barricaded myself behind. In a moment of overwhelming chaos, I had separated myself from all my noisy friends and found a hiding place in a small nook of our living quarters, which was usually empty during the day. I’d nearly fallen asleep, all wrapped in heavy furs and cuddled down into the cushions when I had heard people entering. Thankfully, I realized who it was before I spoke up. Obsidian and Waverlee were now deep into their flirtation. I settled in to listen with a silent grin on my face.

“No really, you can’t possibly believe that Wave! Why would Serena ever make up a fake boyfriend?”

“I don’t know! But all I can think of whenever she starts talking about him is that no merman is that amazing,” Waverlee’s laughing voice always rose in pitch when she flirted. It was so high now, I was worried it would disappear altogether!

“Hey,” Obsidian chuckled. “No merman?”

“Nope. Not one,” Waverlee teased.

“Really? Because I seem to remember you saying something yesterday about how I was pretty amazing as well…”

“Hmm…” I could almost picture Waverlee in my mind, tapping one of her long fingers against her lips, the way she’d taught me to do when I wanted a boy to notice them. I closed my hands over my mouth to stop from giggling at their ridiculous games.

“No, that doesn’t sound like me. Are you sure you’re not mistaking me for some other mermaid? After all, Crystal’s informed me that there have been quite a few that have caught your eye.”

Obsidian groaned like he’d been punched in the gut. “Ouch, low blow, Your Highness.”

Waverlee’s laugh was musical. I bit my lip to keep from joining in. I’m definitely going to remember this so I can tease him later, I thought. After a long moment of silence, I began to think they’d left. I slowly lifted myself a little so I could see.

Obsidian’s hands cupped Waverlee’s cheeks as he kissed her lightly. Her eyelashes fluttered and her arms dangled to her sides, as if she wasn’t entirely sure what to do. In a moment of surprise and immaturity, a noise escaped my mouth. “Ewww!” I squealed, while laughter bubbled up right behind the word.

I wasn’t sure who moved faster but suddenly they were on opposite ends of the room, Obsidian running his hands through his hair and looking smug and guilty at the same time, and Waverlee wrapping her arms around herself shyly and twisting her head away from me into her shoulder to hide her blushing grin. I took my time to compose myself and then silently rose. Folding my hands behind my back, I casually swam forward taking my time. Then, when I had reached the space right between them, I stopped and shook my head slightly, looking to each Waverlee and Obsidian in turn. “Tsk, tsk,” I said softly, my cheeks almost splitting from my effort not to burst out laughing. Then I continued on in a meandering pace right out of the room and down the hall.

As soon as I turned the corner, I doubled over giggling. It wasn’t that I hadn’t seen my brother with mermaids before, but I had never seen him kiss one! There had been something about seeing his face so serious and then so guilty that had struck me funny and even thinking about it now threw me into another round of laughter.

Luckily, I had just recovered when Waverlee rounded the corner. She started a little at the sight of me and I covered my mouth to keep from letting her see my lips curve into a smile. Her eyes were wide and she was blushing furiously. She began to stutter. “I…um…that wasn’t what you think it was…we were just…uh…” Then she sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I’m so sorry,” she whimpered softly. “I shouldn’t be making excuses. That’s your brother and I shouldn’t have kissed him without your permission. But Crystal,” suddenly her hands were wrapped around mine and her eyes were wide and very close. “I know you all think that I’m a flirt and a heart breaker, but I like Obsidian a lot and I would never hurt him. Besides,” she shrugged and backed away a little, smiling but looking somewhat embarrassed, “that was my first kiss.”

I blinked once slowly so that I would have time to get over my shock. Waverlee’s little laugh told me I hadn’t done a good job of it, however. “Please don’t tell anyone!” she begged with a pitiful smile. “I don’t mind the way people think of me. I’d rather let people criticize me for something I know isn’t true than hear them attack the things that I beat myself up over.”

I knew I looked like a guppy with my jaw opening and closing so finally I shook my head and smiled at my friend. “Of course I won’t tell anyone! And how could you think I would be angry with you, Waverlee? You may put on a show, but I’ve seen how good your heart is.” Waverlee lifted her chin at that and beamed at me. “Besides,” I continued, “I’ve never seen Obsidian act around any other mermaid the way he does around you. He’s a better person around you. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d rather he be with.”

Waverlee for once didn’t seem to have anything to say so she hugged me tightly and we stayed like that until Obsidian crept up on us. “There are my two favorite girls!” he bellowed as he grabbed us both and lifted us in his huge embrace, his earlier embarrassment completely forgotten.

“Come on you two, let’s go find the others,” he smiled as he released us, keeping one of Waverlee’s hands wrapped inside his own. “I feel the sudden need to get Brynn good and riled up so she’ll yell at me in that lovely Scottish accent.”

Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Jia

I waited impatiently outside the door to my father’s throne room, watching for any sign that it might open soon. Just as I began to think I might have miscalculated the timing, the door slid aside and Zoey slipped out. She looked paler than usual and she was shaking so badly I immediately swam forward to let her lean on me. Excalibur emerged next and sidled up next to Zoey so she could rest one hand on him to steady herself. They had bonded through their taxing conversations, it seemed, and the swordfish protected her nearly as closely as he did Scarlet.

“That session was longer than normal,” I ventured, hoping that she would want to talk as we made our way back to our sleeping quarters. My father still hadn’t agreed to let me stay in the room when Zoey spoke with Cal, so I had to try to get information out of her while still respecting her boundaries.

Zoey groaned and nodded. “I felt strong enough to go on for a while longer. Now I think it might have been a mistake. I feel like I haven’t slept for days and every muscle in my body aches.”

“I’m so sorry, Zoey. Just wait until we get back to the room and I’ll grab my satchel. We can start right away on the aching and I’ll give you something to help you sleep better.” I paused for a long moment and then continued. “Did you learn anything useful today?”

Zoey cracked a weary smile and glanced at me. “Come on Jia, you know I can’t tell ya. Your Da’s rules, not mine.”

“Well, I don’t think he said directly that I’m not supposed to know anything. He just didn’t want me in the room while—“

“He said, and I quote, ‘Don’t tell anyone anything that happens here for any reason,’” Zoey interrupted. “And yes, you are included in ‘anyone’ so don’t try to convince me otherwise.”

We arrived outside our room, where Zoey heaved herself off of me and quickly went in so she could collapse in her sleeping area. Thankfully, we were barely noticed as we slipped inside, since everyone was involved in a game of freeze tag, literally. Crystal was “it” and whoever she touched found themselves quickly frosted with a thin layer of ice. I would have loved to stay and watch the amusing scene, but I had to tend to Zoey first. I hurriedly gathered my satchel and swam over to her, rummaging in the bottom to find the supplies that I needed. I found a soothing paste and rubbed it into Zoey’s back and arms and the tips of her fins. Then I made her drink a remedy that I’d concocted for my mother’s nightmares years ago and she promptly fell into a deep sleep. I smiled down at her as the taut muscles in her shoulders relaxed and her breathing slowed.

Akiko raced up beside me, eager to play after spending so much time being ignored. “Hey there, girl,” I mumbled, stroking her head with one finger. “I’m sorry I haven’t had time to play with you,” I gathered her in my arms and hugged her tightly to my chest, moving toward the game to sit and watch for a while. As I curled up on a cushion, Fergus and Picasso came swimming toward me, each looping around the other with silly grins on their faces. They settled themselves in around my tail, Fergus nuzzling my chin while Picasso gummed the tips of my fin. Before I knew what was happening, Bubbles plopped into the pile with Pepper on his back and Cooper right on his tail. I laughed as all the creatures gathered close around me, chewing the tips of my hair, burrowing behind my back, or sprawled across my tail.

“What in the Seven Seas is happenin’ here?” Brynn chuckled as the game came to a halt so everyone could appreciate the strange sight. Destiny beamed and quickly put one hand in her hair, searching; it reemerged with Frank clutched tightly. She ignored his angry cries and dumped him into my lap, saying, “Behave!”

The poor crab scuttled onto my shoulder, grumbling. “Zis is no way to treat ze crab, mademoiselle! He has done nothing but kindness to you and you reward him like this?! Dumping him among creatures such as zis?” Frank pointed toward Cooper, who was drooling on the ends of my hair. He gave a sloppy smile when he realized he had the attention of the whole room and it brightened as we all laughed at his adorable grin. Frank looked at him with disgust and shook his head. “Francois cannot help these pitiful miscreants. Zey are beyond his assistance.”

Just then, Picasso looked up from his nest in the crook of my tail and squealed. He lunged at Frank, who was still in the middle of his reprimand, and had Frank halfway inside his open mouth before anyone knew what was happening. The room exploded as Frank’s yells of anger turned to shrieks of terror. Serena sprang forward and grabbed at Picasso, who nearly evaded her. He had the crab entirely in his mouth now and the only reason I knew he hadn’t been swallowed yet was because of the string of curses that was still being screeched from inside the fish’s lips.

Finally, Crystal reached forward with both hands and slapped Picasso’s cheeks, torpedoing the crab straight out and toward her face. She caught him gently in her open hands and held him up to her eye level. We all crowded around to inspect Frank, who was covered in fish spit and lay face down with his jaw hanging open. I bit my lip to stop from laughing at his utter shock. I saw Brynn doubled over beside me gripping Waverlee’s arm to keep herself upright, while the Pacific princess’s face turned a deep red as she covered her mouth with her hands.

Suddenly, Crystal squeaked, and then began to laugh. It was like a cue for the music to begin. We all bellowed in laughter as Destiny gathered poor Frank in her hands and, still giggling herself, went to wipe him off. I settled down on a cushion again and gathered Akiko in my lap.

“No eating Frank, you hear?” I told her, smiling. She whinnied happily and licked my face. “I know,” I laughed and winked at her. Then I added in a mischievous whisper, “Sometimes he looks tasty to me, too.”

Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Destiny

I watched Scarlet swim back and forth across the large sleeping room as I lounged on the ledge by the window, holding Serena’s rainbow fish Picasso in my lap and stroking his fin. I glanced out the diamond glass at the others, who were playing a game that involved tossing around Cooper’s shell like a ball. The poor turtle was probably so dizzy by now he didn’t know which way was up and which was down! I laughed when Crystal dove out of the way to avoid the turtle shell streaking toward her, while Waverlee unsuspectingly turned away from talking to Jia just in time to catch the makeshift ball right in her stomach.

“Oh how could he do this?” Scarlet huffed as she flung herself onto one of the large cushions. “How can he refuse to tell me things that he learns about my own past! It’s selfish and arrogant and …”

“Hey,” I warned, silencing her with a look. “Don’t speak like that about Jia’s father. He’s doing everything he can for you. He’s been nothing but kind and generous. Besides, I trust his judgment and I think you should, too.”

Scarlet sighed and buried her face in her hands. “I’m sorry,” she muttered through her fingers and a few pieces of hair. “I just…I’m so nervous about this whole thing. And whenever Zoey looks at me, I just feel this overwhelming sadness and pity exuding from her and it makes me want to grab her by the shoulders and shake the reasons out of her!”

I paused, not sure if Scarlet’s odd choice of words was a mistake or a clue to something more interesting. I tried a subtle probe. “Wait, did you say you feel sadness coming from her?” Well…maybe not so subtle.

Scarlet went rigid, hands still covering her face but noticeable horror settling over her. She slowly lowered her trembling fingers to uncover her panicked expression, skin pale and eyes wide. “I meant…um…I didn’t mean…” she fumbled, her lips moving at a much faster pace than her voice. Then she slowly sunk farther into the down cushion, looking as if she wanted to melt into the floor. Her shocked and terrified expression remained even as I came to sit next to her, settling in for a long silence before she would be ready to talk.

The pause wasn’t as long as I expected, but several minutes later, Scarlet opened her mouth. “I was born with it. I’ve always felt it, even since I was a tiny child. My first memories aren’t so much involved with sight or sound or touch, but with emotion. It started out I could only feel the emotions of merfolk touching me or directly beside me. But as I grew older, my ability grew stronger. Soon, I could feel every person’s feelings within a hundred tail lengths away. I couldn’t stop myself. I felt the anger, the sadness, the excitement, the pain, the guilt, the fear. I felt it all. I didn’t know what was happening to me. I would run away and hide, covering my ears to try to block it all out. But I couldn’t. I asked my adopted parents about it but they didn’t understand.

One day, I was in school and the boy in front of me was pulling a younger mermaid’s hair. I could feel her pain. Two girls behind me were whispering about their friend. I felt the embarrassment of their victim who heard what they said. Then the teacher called on a student who hadn’t been paying attention. I felt his panic. Suddenly, it was all too much. I got up, threw myself out of the schoolroom, and started swimming away as fast as I could. I didn’t stop until I couldn’t feel them anymore, until all that was around me was a big blue ocean of nothing. Suddenly, I looked around and I felt free. There was no one to press their emotions on me, no one to even make me feel happy if I didn’t want to. It was my own happiness I was feeling and it was so much better.

“I grew to know that I wasn’t like normal merfolk and as long as I was near them, I couldn’t be free. I couldn’t feel my own emotions and decide what to do based on them, so I knew what I had to do. It was too hard to explain to the good merfolk who had raised me why I had to leave, so I left a note saying I was sorry and that I loved them and then I disappeared.”

I was distinctly aware that my jaw was hanging open, but the muscles in my jaw wouldn’t respond when I commanded them to shut it. I sputtered like a fish out of water for a few moments before Scarlet sighed. “I can feel your confusion and fear. I’ll leave if you want me to. Being around this many merfolk and all their emotions has been taxing anyway.”

“No!” I blurted out suddenly, causing her to jump a little. I giggled nervously before continuing. “No don’t go. I just needed a minute to process this, but I’m not afraid.” Scarlet looked at me dubiously and I corrected myself. “I’m not afraid of you, I mean. I’m afraid of what this means. Only royalty are born with gifts like ours. What’s going to happen if random merfolk across the ocean are developing powers? Not everyone would use their gifts for good, I’m sure of it.” I bit my lip, my mind flashing through the worst scenarios.

Scarlet sat up and grabbed my hand. “Destiny, promise me you won’t tell anyone about this. I’ve never told a single soul besides Cal, but I’m trusting you with this. Please,” her eyes held such a fervent plea that I didn’t even have to think twice. “Of course. I promise never to tell anyone.”

Her shoulders sagged like she’d been carrying a whale on her back and she had just now been relieved of it. I smiled at her and then returned to my spot by the window. In just a few minutes, I heard the slight bubbling that meant Scarlet had fallen asleep.

A few pieces of my hair twitched and then Frank came sliding down one of my long curls. I had forgotten he was up there, he had been so quiet! My funny little crab friend settled himself down on one of the decorative clam shells around the window. He closed his eyes and spoke like he didn’t care whether or not I’d find his words interesting.

“You know, mademoiselle, ze crab has not heard of other ‘random merfolk’ possessing gifts such as the princesses, other than the red one, have you?” I shook my head slightly, partly in answer to his question and partly at his nickname for Scarlet, which he used only because it irritated her to no end. “No,” I murmured softly, lost in thought. “No I haven’t.”

Frank opened one eye halfway and focused on me. “And even now King Takumi is investigating the possibility of a lost merkingdom, is he not?”

My insides began to churn slowly as I turned to look at Scarlet, curled up cozily on a cushion on the floor. No, I thought. That’s not possible.

“You said it yourself, Your Highness.” Frank yawned flippantly. “Only royalty are born with powers.”

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Waverlee

“Order! I demand order!” I yelled vivaciously. A few giggles met my cry, but mostly the girls around me kept up their noisiness. I huffed and collapsed back down into my seat, feigning exasperation. We’d all been in an “ambassador meeting” for a couple hours now, which actually consisted of loud, hour-long conversations that had to do with anything but what we were supposed to be discussing.

“What are ye raving about, ya loon? My spirit fish would NOT be a puffer fish!” Brynn pounded the stone table with her fist and glared across it to where Serena and Destiny sat laughing. I giggled at the mental image that popped into my head of a red faced Brynn ballooning up like a puffer.

Obsidian slid his chair closer to me from where he sat to my right. “Well, I say we’ve made serious progress this time,” he nodded as he leaned back and put his hands on the back of his head, stretching. “Destiny wishes her tail was blue, Crystal wonders what it would be like to be a starfish, Scarlet’s favorite place in the ocean is the coast of Madagascar, Brynn’s spirit animal is a puffer fish, and Serena is still annoyingly without flaws.”

“Impressive memory,” I turned to him and felt my heart leap into my throat like it always did when he looked at me. “What about you? What are some fun facts about Sid?”

He smiled and thought for a moment before leaning forward to respond. “I’ve always wondered what having legs would be like.”

I gasped exaggeratedly. Sid nodded and continued, “I’ve always wanted to be a human, just for a day. To see how fast I could run, or how high I could kick one of those round things they play with. I want to feel gravity and see what’s in those little dwellings beyond the sand. Oh, and I want to find out what those contraptions are that fly through the air above the water.”

I watched him as he continued, motioning with his hands and his eyes dancing with excitement. I felt a thrill just hearing him talk about all the things he wanted to see and do among the humans on dry land. Obsidian was so animated, so hopeful, and yet I knew he was content to live the life he was living now just as happily. When finally he had wound down, the others were still chattering away. He sighed serenely and then leaned on the stone with one elbow, head in hand while he studied my face. “So what about you, Waverlee? Tell me something about yourself that you’ve never told a soul.”

My smile held nearly enough sass to be a smirk as I scoffed. “Never told anyone? Well, that is a challenge. As you may know I’ve talked my way through most of my life. Hmm…how about this,” I leaned forward over my tail so we sat closer together and I lowered my voice, smiling coyly. “About two years ago, I saw a very handsome human boy on the beach. I was watching him talking and laughing with a pretty human girl and then all of a sudden a crazy wave came crashing down on them. It soaked her and dragged him nearly halfway out to meet me!”

Sid arched his eyebrow as he chuckled. “A rogue wave, hmm?” I shrugged one shoulder with a innocent look. “Maybe, maybe not.”

Suddenly I was very aware that the whole room had gone silent. I glanced to the side to find a pair of wide brown eyes alarmingly close to my face, flicking back and forth between Obsidian and I. Destiny’s head was propped up by her hands on her cheeks and her elbows on the table as she lay on her belly on the table facing us. She was grinning and as my gaze traveled above her mess of black curls, I could see the other six mermaids peeking out of random gaps and holes in her jungle of hair. “Whatcha doin’?” Destiny sang through a wide-eyed smirk.

“Talking,” I ventured.

The girls all giggled. “What about?” Crystal asked.

Obsidian rewarded them all with his lovely grin as he said, “Well ladies, it’s a good thing you all butted in when you did because we were just having a discussion concerning you all, weren’t we, Waverlee?”

“Yep!” I said without missing a beat. He flashed me a wink before continuing. “We were just getting into a spirited debate over who would win in a fight between an angler fish and a box jellyfish. Waverlee is in favor of the jelly, but I say no way. The angler is so much more powerful, it would eat the jellyfish in one bite.”

I jumped in, “And then the box jellyfish would sting it from inside and kill it instantly! The angler would not only have to kill the box jellyfish, but avoid touching it while it did! There’s no possible way, the angler fish are so dumb.”

“Now that may be true but angler fish have the advantage of seeing in the dark, so obviously—“

“But what if the fight doesn’t take place somewhere dark?” Brynn pointed out.

“Or what if it does?” Serena wondered.

Half an hour later, Zoey entered the room to see our little group split into two, with one side cheering on Obsidian, Brynn’s light suspended in front of him to make him a more realistic angler fish, and the other side rooting for Jia, who was uncharacteristically animated as she held out her arms like tentacles. As soon as the Australian Princess stepped inside, everyone froze.

“Well…erm…I must say this is one of the odder things I’ve caught the lot of ya doing. What’s happening?”

I spoke up. “Obsidian and Jia are demonstrating a fight between an angler fish and a box jellyfish to see who would win…”

There was a brief pause while Zoey thought through the predicament with mock seriousness. Then suddenly she motioned to continue, yelling, “What’re the lot of you thinking? Of course the jelly would win!” And the chaos resumed.

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Serena

“Alright, follow my lead,” Obsidian commanded. We all nodded our heads, glancing around at each other in excitement. “Okay, let’s do this,” Sid muttered. Motioning with his hands, he concentrated on the water in the middle of our circle and suddenly it started to move. Boiling and gushing, a steady sphere of searing hot water appeared, to our delight.

“Now, Crystal!” Obsidian ordered. His sister’s pretty face scrunched up a little as she focused and slowly a thick layer of ice enveloped the spinning ball, although neither extreme of water was quite touching.

“Aaaand Serena.” My stomach jumped into my throat when I heard my name. Concentrate, I reminded myself, closing my eyes and picturing the frosty blue tinged ice. As I watched it change in my mind, I peeked with one eye to watch the real thing transform. The crystals took on a purple hue, with golden flowers blooming like stars in a violet night sky.

“Brynn,” Obsidian’s voice reminded me to focus. Brynn, unlike most, seemed to relax as she unleashed her power. While most of us had to concentrate to push our powers forward, it was as if the Celtic Princess was constantly restraining her light and it was a relief when she could finally let it shine. I smiled at the joy on her usually serious face as she lit up Obsidian’s orb of heat, illuminating the stained ice and casting a beautiful reflection of my art across the entire room. Even Scarlet, who sat with Jia, Zoey, and Destiny, allowed herself a tiny smile.

“Now, Waverlee,” Obsidian urged. Waverlee tossed her lustrous hair behind her shoulder and beamed. The waters around us rushed forward, sweeping past my tail and torso like a school of fish. The glowing sphere began to rise, rocking precariously at some points. Finally, it came to a steady halt near the ceiling and with practiced efficiency, Zoey and Destiny dashed into play. Zoey, communicating with Cal, ordered a hole be drilled into the ice nearest to the ceiling. With one decisive punch of his long blade, it was done. Destiny was then ready with the sturdy chain she’d found earlier. She lowered it into the hole made by Cal, and Crystal quickly sealed the chain in place.

“We did it!” Waverlee screamed.

Jia and Scarlet applauded us as we all congratulated each other. “Beautiful, Serena, really beautiful work,” Obsidian smiled at me and patted my shoulder.

“We make a good team, you and I,” Brynn grinned at me. I smiled back at her and spun Crystal into our conversation as she tried to scoot past. “Don’t forget about Crystal. I wouldn’t have any canvas if it wasn’t for her.”

“Well of course not! I say we have all the talent we need right here in the three of us. Come on lasses let’s go take the Seven Seas!”

Obsidian appeared behind us just then, wrapping his arms around Crystal’s shoulders and letting his weight fall on her. “What’s all this about ruling the world?”

“Ooo I want to rule the world. Don’t you think I’d look just perfect in a crown?” Waverlee perched herself in Brynn’s arms and smiled adoringly at her. Brynn looked at her with a serious expression and said, “Oh, of course you will. But aren’t you worried that the gold of your hair will clash with the gold of the crown, yer Highness?”

Waverlee’s eyes went big. “Oh…I, um…hadn’t really thought about it…” Suddenly she turned on me and, with a wild look in her blue eyes, she yelped, “Change my hair color, Serena! I can’t be a queen without a perfectly matching crown!”

Everyone laughed and I rolled my eyes at Brynn, gathering a panicked Waverlee in my arms and explaining to her that I could very easily turn her crown any color that she wanted. “This pretty hair of yours should always stay golden, dear.”

Once Waverlee’s mild panic attack had subsided, I studied the room as we all sat down to admire the beautiful lighting. Zoey was gone again, and so was Cal. As I glanced at the door, Jia slipped inside, unnoticed by the others. I narrowed my eyes as I watched her quickly join the group as if she’d never left. It wasn’t the first time I’d spotted Jia or Zoey sneaking around, and the others had noticed, too. But whenever anyone commented on the unusual absences, Destiny or Scarlet would reroute the conversation with impressive skill. Maybe they have another surprise for all of us! I thought hopefully. Yeah that must be it. They wouldn’t keep secrets from us otherwise. I settled back more comfortably, deciding not to worry. I can trust them, they’re my friends.

We were all quiet for a while, thinking and watching the suspended globe above us. I let my thoughts wander from friends to Leon to painting, back to Leon and finally resting on my little sister. I stifled a giggle as I recalled an old memory from home.

My sister and I were playing together, our imaginations untamed by age and experience. She held my hand as I whisked her through the many halls and rooms in our diamond palace. “Quickly, Nadine! The piranhas are catching up with us! They’ll eat all the skin and meat off of you and use your bones as toothpicks!” She squealed at my gruesome words and flipped her little pink fin as fast as it would go. Finally I threw myself into the tiny room that we’d claimed as a hideout and yanked Nadine in with me. “Ouch!” she cried, rubbing her arm and pushing her bottom lip out to pout. “Shhhh!” I reminded her. We pressed ourselves up against the wall adjacent to the partly open door and listened intently. After a few moments, a shadow appeared outside our hiding place and a deep growl sounded close to the wall. All of the sudden, two hands attached to strong arms pulled us from where we sat and then we were screaming and giggling as our father wrapped us in a big hug and rubbed his whiskers against our faces as he roared playfully. From a few paces away, our very pregnant mother smiled at us. She had her hands interlocked in front of her big belly and she laughed at the way Daddy tossed us around, pretending to eat our chubby little hands and cheeks. We all crowded around Mom, whispering to her belly and the two babies inside, begging them to be girls. Dad straightened and kissed Mom right on the lips, to Nadine’s disgust and my delight…

My memory was interrupted as Obsidian poked me teasingly in the side. “What’s the smile for?”

“I bet I know,” Waverlee smiled slyly at me and batted her eyelashes. “Leeeeooonnnnn!” she dragged out his name dramatically and I felt myself blushing.

“Look how she grins at even the sound of his name,” Brynn chuckled.

Crystal laid her head on her arm, lounging on a long cushion. “Tell us about him,” she said. “Yeah, tell us!” Everyone chorused.

“Alright, alright,” I caved. “But if I do, then we have to go around the circle and everyone has to tell us about their own splash!” Groans and squeals met my terms but everyone agreed, except Obsidian, who quickly made his escape amid a string of hurried excuses.

Then we talked and laughed and blushed and awwwed together for hours on end. And all the while I pictured Leon’s perfectly green eyes, and his sweet dimples, and that one lock of caramel hair that never quite stays put.

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Brynn

… Continued from “Crystal Hears a Secret”

Everything became a blur of loud voices, moving bodies, and warm water clouded with blood. I barked orders to the other girls to stay put in one corner while Jia and Obsidian tended to Crystal. Sid cradled his little sister in his arms and whisked her away to a spare room, Jia in the lead. I held out my arms wide to keep the rest of the girls corralled behind me as we slowly backed away from where Zoey stood holding Excalibur frozen in place with her power.

“Let him go! He won’t hurt anyone,” Scarlet tore away from my reaching hands and lunged toward Zoey. With one more word, Zoey reinforced the hold she had on Cal and then turned to meet the furious red-tailed mermaid. Her eyes were flashing dangerously, which caused even Scarlet to falter a bit.

“He won’t hurt anyone?” Zoey hissed. “He won’t hurt anyone? How can you say that? We just watched him try to gut the gentlest creature in this room. I won’t be letting him out of my sight for a good long while.”

“You have no right to restrain a creature, to take away his will and agency. Let him go and we’ll leave. That way he can’t hurt anyone.”

Zoey’s stare was intense and long, giving me time to realize that the thudding in my ears was the sound of my own heartbeat. Finally she let out her breath and muttered something unintelligible. Cal came back to life and quickly hurried forward to wrap himself around Scarlet in the odd way that he often did, like a shield made of blade and scales.

Scarlet began to retreat across the room, murmuring to her friend as she went. All the rage inside her had not yet dissipated, though, because suddenly she spun round and glared at each of us in turn. “I knew I should not have trusted such spoiled brats to help me. You are so caught up in yourselves you can’t see beyond your own egos and powers.” She aimed her next words at Zoey. “You, you are weak. Your powers are untrained and wild.”

“Enough!” I bellowed. I was so angry I couldn’t see straight so I looked down at my clenched fists and counted to ten. Then I raised my chin and took a deep breath. “Lasses,” I addressed the three Mermaidens standing behind me. “Please go to our room and make sure everything there is prepared. You too, Zoey, please.” The Australian Princess was quivering with anger and for one wee moment I thought she was going to pounce on me. But with Serena and Waverlee on each side of her and Destiny behind, she was finally persuaded to leave the room. Silence settled on both of us as I tried to dispel the frightening amount of anger I felt.

“Look, lass. I don’t know you. You don’t know me. And personally, I’m rather glad we’re not acquainted because you don’t seem the type of merfolk I’m likely to respect much. So,” I growled, “I’m going to make this clear. You keep your insults, your fish, and your general nastiness to yerself. Ye’ve got no business tryin’ ta stir up trouble when it was your fish in the first place who went looking for it.” I sighed, calming myself a little. “Now. What in this great blue ocean got into him?”

Scarlet took her time responding, finally looking a wee bit apologetic now. “For as long as I can remember Cal has been there. He’s always protected me from everything that could have harmed me,” as she spoke, she petted the swordfish fondly. “He would never harm anyone who he didn’t think was a threat.”

I snorted. “Crystal? A threat? Crystal’s only threat is to your conscience when you realize just how good she really is.”

“What was she doing lurking behind that pillar anyway?”

I opened my mouth but nothing came out. “She…I mean she probably…” I trailed off. What was she doing all alone back there?

“Well,” I announced. “That’s a good question. And I’m going to go find out.”

I didn’t wait for a response. I turned and went to find Crystal. It wasn’t hard to follow the lingering cloud of red tinged water and I entered the room just as Jia and Obsidian were leaving. “How is she?” I asked softly as they slid the door back into place.

“She’ll be just fine. It wasn’t that deep of a cut; it just bled a lot,” Jia told me. “I just put her to sleep and sewed it back up. Obsidian said I should stitch it the old-fashioned way so she could have a ‘cool scar’.” We both looked at Sid as he shamelessly shrugged and grinned. “What? It would be cool.”

I could tell he was shaken up, even though he seemed calm and collected. His laugh was shaky and he fidgeted constantly. “Where is that sack of blubber anyway?” Obsidian asked me. “I’m going to roast him for cutting Crys.”

Jia intervened before I could. “Crystal is fine, Sid. There’s nothing to be worried about, and I’m sure she wouldn’t ever want you to hurt Excalibur for what he did. Besides, you shouldn’t judge him too hard. There are reasons  why he does what he does.”

Both Sid and I perked up at that. Jia swallowed hard, looking suddenly guilty. “I need to go,” she said as she darted away. Sid glanced at me, mouthing What? before giving chase. I almost followed, but suddenly I felt so tired, I couldn’t make myself curious enough to swim after them. I slumped to the ground outside Crystal’s room and closed my eyes.

I felt such a knot in my throat from fear and anger and sorrow, I finally just began to laugh. I laughed at our game of sharks and mermaids. I laughed at the last thing Finn had said to me before I left home. And then I laughed as I remembered Damon.

The stupid merman had nagged me for two weeks, grilling me about my powers, my contact with humans, my friends, and my family. And not only that, but I was constantly finding his cuttlefish friend Noodles creeping around too. Once, I caught a glimpse of him while Finn and I were out exploring a shipwreck. I casually threw a wee bit o’ my light in his direction, sending Fergus splashing after it. After that I hadn’t seen the little sneak for a while.

Thankfully, Damon had left three days before I’d gotten the invite here. He had cut his visit short, something I found remarkably odd as he usually overstayed his welcome. He cornered me just as he was saying goodbye to us all and took his time whispering how lovely it was to see me and all his usual bonnie lies, when suddenly Fergus spotted a wee little light on the top of Damon’s head. The outcome was even better than I could have imagined. The silly seal scrambled off his back where he’d been lying, bounced off of Noodles on his way up—sending the cuttlefish into hysterics—and slapped Damon twice in the face with his tail as he chased the disappearing light. I couldn’t have stopped myself from laughing even if I had wanted to, much to the annoyance of my parents.

As my chuckles at the memory slowly subsided, the door next to me slid away and Crystal sank down beside me. She looked a little paler than usual, but the cut on her arm was wrapped and she moved slow and steady, despite the blood loss.

“What’s so funny?” Crystal asked softly, studying me with her big blue eyes.

“Are you going to pass out if I make you laugh?”

“Maybe. But it’ll probably be worth it.”

I chuckled softly. “Aye, lass. So here goes…”

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Crystal

“There you are! We’ve been expecting you. How was your journey?” Jia pulled me into her arms as soon as Obsidian and I were within reach. Obsidian hung back, wrestling Pepper and holding back his huge orca Snowflake from pouncing on Jia in her excitement. Jia laughed as we watched my brother finally slump to the ground, panting from exertion. Snowflake, delighted at his surrender, collapsed on top of him while Pepper finally freed himself from Sid’s grasp and zipped up to me and perched himself on my shoulder in a little ball of down and fuzz. “You win, you all win,” Sid moaned as Snowflake re-situated herself. Jia and I shared a laugh.

We hovered outside her home, my mind only partially caught up in the conversation as I took in the magnificence of her kingdom for the first time. The architecture was strange, but beautiful. Each structure was a work of art, but one couldn’t mistake the efficiency either. The structures were sturdy while still appearing elegant and fragile. Just like ice, I thought, smiling as a thin webbing of crystals formed between my fingers at the very mention.

I dragged my mind back to the present conversation as we entered Jia’s home and she led us through the open hallways and into a sunken room in which sat six Mermaidens. I felt my cheeks lift instinctively in a big smile as one by one each girl came hurdling toward me. Arms and tails and heads collided as we all giggled and talked and squealed at the same time. Pepper immediately began performing for his captive audience.

“Alright, alright let her be.” My smile widened as Brynn forced her way through the crowd and pulled me quickly into a tight embrace. Then she shooed everyone back to their seats and we all made ourselves comfortable on the cushions that were scattered across the floor. I noticed Waverlee choose a seat close to Sid, who also took notice and puffed out his chest a little larger as a delighted smile spread across his face. His gaze caught mine before I could look away and he winked.

“So, Jia. You’ve got some explaining to do,” Brynn took control of the informal meeting. She arched her eyebrow as she continued. “What are Quarterly Ambassador Meetings and why didn’t we hear about them until just now?”

“And where’s Zoey?” Serena piped up.

“And who’s that?” Waverlee pointed at a mermaid in the corner who I had overlooked at first. As soon as I noticed her though, I couldn’t see how I’d missed her in the first place. I’ve never seen a tail that shade of red before, I thought.

“Woah, woah, slow down girls,” Jia laughed. “First of all, this is Scarlet, a friend of Destiny’s.” She beckoned toward the red Mermaiden in the corner, who barely lifted her eyes in acknowledgement. Jia continued, “As for the Quarterly Ambassador Meetings, that’s what Destiny and I decided to call them. We thought that, if it’s okay with all of you, we’re going to start meeting as a group four times a year so that we can discuss our ambassador duties and achievements! And also just so we can see each other more often,” she added with a wink.

Waverlee’s answer rose amid the excited squeals and surprised gasps. “Yes, yes, yes!” she squealed, throwing her arms around Serena, who sat beside her. The Mediterranean Princess looked a little uncomfortable but smiled anyway. I laughed as Brynn knocked me with her elbow and bellowed her approval, but as I studied the girls’ faces around me, my eyes settled on Jia.

While she wore an obviously genuine smile, her breathing seemed shaky and I realized that her hands, which were laced behind her back, were trembling a little. Destiny noticed too. She rose beside Jia and they shared a small nod. Destiny took over.

“Girls,” she started, with a mischievous smile, “you all are going to love the surprise we have for you. King Takumi, Jia’s father, has set up one gigantic room to be our sleeping quarters for the next couple of weeks. Sorry Obsidian, you’ll have your own room,” she threw a flirtatious wink at Sid, who gave a nonchalant shrug and grinned. “Aw well, if I must.”

“There’s going to be music and food and games—“

“Did I hear someone say games?”

The strong Australian accent echoed through the room and Zoey marched in, Cooper tucked beneath one arm and her fist on her hip. “Zoey!” the chorus met her just before we did and she was buried beneath a mound of Mermaidens. “That’s it, gather round, ya beasties,” she laughed as she wrapped us all in a huge hug. “Come on! There’s room for everyone.”

“Where have you been?” Serena asked, as we all stepped back to give her space.

Zoey kept one arm around Destiny’s shoulders and leaned into her a little. “Well, I was helping Jia’s Da out with something and our meeting ran a little long. So sorry to keep you Sheilas waiting! Now, shall we play a game? Maybe sharks and mermaids?” The girls all squealed and scattered in anticipation. I hung back a little, floating behind a nearby pillar to watch. I wasn’t too fond of games. I watched in amusement as Brynn and Sid immediately volunteered to be the sharks, while Scarlet stood awkwardly next to Waverlee, who seemed to have adopted the poor Mermaiden. Destiny stuck close to her though, and Serena shadowed them quietly.

I was smiling at the look on Scarlet’s face as Brynn charged toward her, arms wheeling to find her target when I heard Jia’s voice. She was talking to Zoey, both of whom hadn’t noticed that I was hidden nearby. “I hate keeping secrets from them all,” she said quietly. “It doesn’t feel right.”

“But it’s the way it has to be,” Zoey sounded exhausted. “And it’s not for too long.”

A pause came as the girls watched Obsidian, blindfolded with his back hunched and arms outstretched and Pepper standing on his shoulder, chewing on his ear. There was a great burst of laughter as Sid lunged and grabbed a giggling Waverlee and held her above his head in triumph.

“How was the session today?” Jia’s voice came again.

“Tiring. I get so angry that I can only do a little at a time. I feel weak.”

“You’re not. What you’re doing is amazing. And you’re getting stronger every time. It’s like a muscle. You have to keep tearing it to build it back up stronger than it was before.”

“Yeah, you’re right I guess. You usually are.” I heard the faint smile in Zoey’s voice.

Just then Brynn’s voice roared into the conversation. “Zoey! Jia! Get yerselves down here and play the game!”

“Aye, aye, yes sir!” Zoey and Jia swam past my hiding spot, close enough to make me jump and bite down on my knuckles to keep from making a sound. I tried to slow my spiking heart rate by pushing myself harder against the stained red column, gripping at the wood like it was an anchor. I calmed myself enough to peer out at the girls, all laughing and playing games. “What are you hiding?” I whispered softly as I watched Jia and Zoey. Just then I felt a searing pain slice across my bicep and I turned, screaming, to find myself face to face with an enormous swordfish.

…to be continued…

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Zoey

I lay on my back in a shallow but secluded reef, concentrating on listening to everything around me. The ocean waves lapped above me, only a tail length from my face. The pink and gold coral beneath my back reflected off the underbelly of each roll of seawater and shimmered before my eyes. My senses were so heightened from apprehension, I felt like I was seconds away from exploding into nothing from the stress of it all.

Zooeeeyyyyy!

“Alright, that’s it!” I bellowed at Cooper, who eagerly zipped around me. “I know it’s you, ya little squid, so tell me how you’re doing it!”

Cooper grinned at me but the voice didn’t enter my thoughts again. I heaved a sigh and flopped backwards, not caring that I looked crazed with my hair uncombed and flying about, and the bags under my eyes creating shadows that weren’t there before. For the past two weeks I’d been hearing things–whispers and voices in my head. I wouldn’t have minded so much if it was just my subconscious getting a little chatty, but I knew they weren’t my own. They said my name, they warned me when merfolk were heading my way, they had even guided me home when I ‘d gotten lost. They were everywhere but nowhere to be seen.

I was miserable, a feeling that was very far from my normal energetic self. “I miss being me,” I whispered to the voices. They ignored me and instead told me of six travelers that awaited me at home, a dark-skinned beauty with a head full of brown curls and a red crab perched inside, one with silky black hair and beautiful slanted eyes with a green seahorse zipping in circles around her violet fin, and a lovely scarlet-tailed mermaid with streaks of red in her dark hair and followed by a fearsome swordfish.

Destiny and Jia! Cooper and I were nearly home before I realized that the third mermaid was one I didn’t recognize. Even when I sailed to a halt in the front courtyard of my Coral Palace, wrapping Jia and Destiny in my arms, I still failed to identify the beautiful mermaid with the cold expression. I managed to tear my gaze away from her, though. “Destiny! Jia! Good to see ya, mates! What’s the occasion? Does my father know you’re here?”

Destiny’s smile dampened a little and Jia looked uncomfortable. “We’re just here for a visit,” Destiny said happily. “King Takumi contacted your father earlier today. He must have wanted it to be a surprise for you. We just checked in with your parents and they said we’d find you somewhere along the reef.” Jia spotted me studying the stranger and enlightened me, “Zoey, this is Scarlet and her friend Cal.”

When I turned to greet Scarlet, though, the giant swordfish’s eyes caught me and held me in place. They seemed to want to tell me something, a story of some sorts. Without thinking, I extended my hand and, inching forward, I waited for Cal to accept my touch. The voices around me had stopped, holding their breath in anticipation. His hundred-year-old eyes stared at me, guarded yet simultaneously inviting. He closed the gap between his head and my fingers slowly and just as the first of my fingertips brushed his smooth skin, a blaring voice forced its way into my mind, my eyes closed and everything went dark.

I felt a hand on my arm and I heard two voices softly speaking. “Girls,” Jia’s voice sounded right above me. “She’s awake.”

“No, I’m not,” I muttered, for which I earned some nervous chuckles. I sat up and clutched my head in both hands. “Owww. I feel like I was clubbed over the head with a pufferfish and the spines are still sticking out of my brain.”

Destiny placed one finger under my chin and turned it to the right and then the left. “Nope, no spines, but maybe Jia could help with that headache.” Jia smiled and began to massage my scalp. Everywhere she touched instantly released its tension and I sighed, relaxing back into the cushions of my bed. When I pried open my eyes again, everyone was staring expectantly at me. “What?”

Destiny cleared her throat. “So, um, what happened?”

I sighed. “I don’t know. I just touched your pointy friend there,” I glared at Scarlet and nodded toward Cal, who was curled up in one corner of the room. “And then I collapsed, I guess. It was like his influence was too big and forceful for my head to handle. I’ve never felt like that before.” I looked down at my hands that were still shaking a little. “I’m guessing since my mum isn’t hovering over me that she doesn’t know. How did you bring me up here without my parents seeing you?”

Jia answered. “We sent Akiko up through the palace since she’s small enough to hide and she unlocked the window. Then we just swam you up here.” Jia’s face grew serious then. “But that doesn’t matter right now. Listen to me, Zoey. My father needs a favor from you and you’re going to have to keep it a secret from your family. Is that something you can do?”

My stomach dropped. “It depends on what the favor is.”

Jia looked up at Destiny and Scarlet, who looked at each other. Scarlet nodded and then began to speak. “King Takumi believes that your enhanced powers may now allow you to not only speak to creatures but to hear them as well. Cal has something to tell us, something very important. If you are able to communicate with him, we would need to take you back to Jia’s kingdom so that you could speak with her father and he could direct you in what to learn from Cal. But we need to know if you’re strong enough to speak with him first.”

Something in her tone and her dubious comment about my strength made my lips curl into a smirk. “Of course I am,” I replied calmly.

“Wait a second, Zoey, I don’t know if this is the best idea…”

I cut Destiny off quickly, “King Takumi needs my help and I’m going to help him.” I didn’t break eye contact with Scarlet until I turned toward Cal. “What do you say, Cal. Wanna give it another go?”

The swordfish glided to my bedside as I struggled to right myself. I pushed myself toward the big fish and put my hands on his side quickly to deter the fear creeping up my throat. Nothing happened. I bit back a groan of relief. Then I leaned close to the beast and concentrated. “Come on, Cal. Talk to me.”

I closed my eyes and started to shake as slowly I felt the pressure of someone entering my mind. The weight was extraordinary, like I was carrying a humpback whale in my arms, on land. I shook harder and bit my tongue to keep from yelling.

Then a voice as deep as the ocean resonated throughout every corner of my mind, filling my head with nothing but the sound of its words.

“Hello Princess. I am Excalibur. I have a story to tell you.”

New Mermaid Story from Mermaiden Jia

I was lying on my stomach in my garden, trying to coax a bed of buds to open when I heard the shouting. Curious, I poked my head from the cover of my garden dome, content to stay hidden if I wasn’t needed. I saw a flash of orange, then red, and suddenly I was pushed backwards as three someones entered my refuge.

I floated backwards silently for a moment, open-mouthed and voiceless. Destiny was at the opening of my little garden, breathlessly pressing herself against the sloped wall, peering out as if to make sure no one was coming. Beside her, and looking much less interested in being inconspicuous, was a tall and very beautiful mermaid with a red tail, pouting lips, and an unfriendly expression. Behind her, a swordfish with a nose as long as my upper body prowled impatiently. As I looked closer at the ancient looking fish, I noticed a hook that pierced his dorsal fin, looking rusted and painful. The area around the hook looked raw and infected. I tore my gaze from him and refocused on the matter at hand.

“Destiny!” I finally blurted. “What are you doing here?”

Destiny turned from her hiding place and beamed at me. “Jia!” she rushed forward to hug me. “I’m so glad we found you! Your kingdom is so much bigger than I expected.”

“Who were you hiding from?” I asked with interest, peeking out the opening.

“No one!” Destiny answered cheerfully. “Hey, so let me introduce you to someone! This is Scarlet.”

The name clicked as I studied the sultry visitor again. “Hold on,” I said uncertainly. “Scarlet? As in Scarlet the Pirate Thief?”

The red-tailed mermaid looked weary, but she nodded all the same. Destiny looked from her to me, her pretty features scrunched up in confusion. I explained. “For the past ten years there’s been a legend of a beautiful mermaid with a blood red tail that follows pirates while they sail across the Seven Seas and just as they find their reward, she steals the treasure and stashes it somewhere. There have even been some that now devote all their time just to finding Scarlet’s hidden stash. No one has ever found it.”

“And no one ever will because it doesn’t exist,” Scarlet muttered.

Destiny studied her companion for a moment. “Well,” she said suddenly. “It doesn’t matter. We’re here for a very different reason. Jia, what do you know of the Mariana Kingdom?”

I thought for a moment. “Nothing. I’ve only heard the name once. I overheard my father say something about it once but when I asked him, he told me it was a tragedy that happened a long time ago and to forget the name. Why?”

“Well,” Destiny glanced at Scarlet. “We need to know more about it. We need to talk to your father.”

“I doubt he’ll tell you anything. When my father chooses to keep a secret, there’s no one in the entire ocean who can convince him to divulge it.”

“We’ll see,” Destiny said determinedly.

I sighed and shook my head. “Alright, I’ll take you to him. But don’t expect anything.”

I led them all inside, wary of the swordfish that still sulked about and whom everyone seemed content to ignore. As soon as the palace doors swung open to permit us to enter, Akiko zipped to my side with her usual enthusiasm. She licked Destiny’s face, nibbled on the end of Scarlet’s knife sheath, and even gave the swordfish a friendly whinny.

“Your friend is quick,” said Scarlet as we angled our ascent to the next level, towards my father’s throne room. “None of the seahorses I have ever met can swim well.”

I smiled. “Yes. It was a side effect of my healing. When I first found him, his fins were badly torn and broken. I mended them and now they’re better than new.”

“Oh? So you have a power too? To heal?”

“Yes. The Mermaiden from each sea has a power.”

“What are the others?”

“Creating ice, communicating with animals, controlling color, producing light, and forming waves.”

“Fascinating,” was her only reply.

We stopped outside my father’s throne room. I knocked twice and the doors slid open. As we made the long swim to where my father sat patiently, I tried to suppress my rising hope that Destiny and Scarlet could somehow convince him to give up his long kept secret.

“Jia,” my father’s gentle but firm voice resonated as we drew closer. “Introduce your friends to me.”

“Yes, Father. This is Destiny, Mermaiden of the Caribbean Sea. I think you met at the MerCouncil.” Destiny gave a friendly curtsy and my father smiled at her. “And this is her friend, Scarlet and her…um…companion.” My father’s eyes widened just the tiniest bit at the mention of Scarlet’s name but then his eyes shifted to her swordfish and his jaw dropped open. Scarlet bowed deeply. “His name is Excalibur, Sir. Or Cal, if you wish.”

My father rose slowly and descended his throne, amazement in his dark eyes. “Excalibur,” his voice sounded choked with emotion. “It is an honor to meet you again.”

I froze. Destiny’s mouth moved silently and she sputtered like a fish. Scarlet found her voice first. “What do you mean by again, Sir? Where have you met Cal before? Do you know about the Mariana Kingdom?”

Father looked up from where he stood in front of Excalibur, looking like he’d been woken from a very deep sleep, a dream (or possibly a nightmare) that took place far from where we were. It took a moment for him to realize that her barrage of questions had been aimed at him. Then he set his jaw and I knew he had made up his mind.

He turned to seat himself back on his throne as he began to give orders. “Jia, gather provisions for a short journey for you and your companions. You will travel to the Coral Sea tonight with a few of my select guards. You will use the transport caves to save time and you will take Excalibur to Mermaiden Zoey so that she may try to communicate with him, try to hear his thoughts.” I looked at Destiny to see if she was as surprised as I was that Zoey might be capable of hearing animals’ thoughts. From the confused look on her face, it seemed she was.

“If she is able to communicate with Cal, you will bring her back with you when you return,” Father continued, “If not, thank her for her efforts and return without her. You are to tell no one of this expedition and complete your journey as quickly as possible. I will contact King Brock and tell him to expect you for a short visit. Go.”

His tone left no room for discussion and we turned to go immediately. “Good luck, my daughter,” I faintly heard my father say just as we slipped out the gigantic doors.