It wasn’t until he turned the corner that reality pooped on my rainbow. My mom had moved us often, and there was no guarantee that she hadn’t moved again. What if she wasn’t where I’d left her?
I sent off a quick series of texts to Oanen with all the prior addresses I could remember then went to the library. Even if he did find her, there was still no guarantee that she’d talk to me. After all, she’d left me here with no clue in the first place. I was tired of waiting. The information about oracles was a solid lead to get answers. And now, I also knew one lived on an island in the lake. Wouldn’t it be smarter for me to at least research what I could and know where she was if Oanen didn’t find my mom?
Researching in the library proved to be helpful for a change. On one of the lower shelves, there was a large book that had a hand drawn map of Uttira. The massive lake had a spell on it that reduced its size in the human world while maintaining its size within Uttira. It was easily half the size of one of the Great Lakes.
In the center of the water, the mapmaker placed a dot and called it the Isle of Woe. There were no other details and no other dots.
I headed out the door with the information and didn’t bother going to any of the other sessions. If I wanted to get to the island without Oanen’s help, I’d need a boat and some supplies. And a lot of real, practical advice about mermaids that I wouldn’t find in the books. I picked up my phone from the basket in the hall and sent a message to Ashlyn.
Do you have time to come over tonight? Or could I come to your place? I have some questions about the lake.
Sure. I’d rather you come to me.
I’ll be there by five, I replied.
Oanen would understand.
Sixteen
Ashlyn sat on the couch after offering me something to drink. She looked less sad now. The dark circles that had shadowed under her eyes during the first week following her uncle’s death were gone. Yet, I still saw hints of sorrow in her expression. It would likely linger for a long while. I couldn’t imagine how it must feel to be still living in this place after losing her family twice.
I took a seat across from her.
“I’m sorry we haven’t had time to talk much,” I said. “How have you been?”
“Good. Well, not good. But better. I like having Eugene, Zoe, and Kelsey here. Camil and I didn’t talk much even though we were close to the same age.”
I recalled the girl who I’d found dead in the dumpster and felt a pang of regret that things hadn’t changed in Uttira quickly enough to help her.
“How are they adjusting, in your opinion?” I asked.
“Eugene is embracing all of this. Kelsey and Zoe are taking it in. I think they’re still deciding what to do.”
“I wish the Council would just give them enough money to improve their lives and let them go.”
Ashlyn snorted.
“Your heart’s in the right place, but all the money in the world wouldn’t stop what would happen to them. They have no parents. No guaranteed safety net. No one to protect them from all the harsh things out there. After living here, you should know the human world that you saw isn’t what it really is. There are predators out there that will feed on the forgotten and unattached.”
A shiver ran through me, a nudge of anger that didn’t really have a source.
“Are you okay?” she asked. “Your eyes just flickered orange.”
“You’re safe; but no, I’m not okay. The talk of predators stoked the fires that have been kindling inside me since your uncle’s death. There’s an itch to do something about all of it. But, I’m stuck here.” I leaned forward slightly. “Do you know anything about the Isle of Woe?” I asked.
“No. What is it?”
“It’s an island in the center of the lake. There’s an oracle that lives there, I guess.”
Her expression changed to suspicion.
“Who told you that?”
“I overheard some mermaids talking.”
She shook her head.
“Don’t believe anything they tell you. They will do whatever they can to get you into their waters. It’s probably a trap.”
“That’s why I wanted to talk to you. You’re my best source of actual information when it comes to mermaids. What happens when they get you in the water?”
“I don’t know. Previous humans, who’ve gone in, haven’t come back. Ever.”
It was the same thing that Oanen had said. My outrage poked my fury anger, but nothing happened.
“I need to get to the oracle. Do you have any tips for me?”
“Yeah, don’t do it. As soon as you put a boat on the lake, the mermaids will try to tip it. You saw what happens when they get you in their water.”
“And you saw what I do.”
She studied me for a moment.
“You’ll need some extra weight in the boat to make it harder to tip. Some weapons to deter them wouldn’t hurt either. Probably a change of clothes. If it’s any amount of distance, you’re going to go in. More and more mermaids will swarm the boat, and they’ll work together. The sheer number will eventually tip you over.”
I thought about it and nodded. I wasn’t human. Even though I’d been hurt the one time I went in, they couldn’t seem to hurt me permanently. Was it a risk I was willing to take? I thought of Oanen’s burnt face and missing eyebrows. Yes. It was.
“When are you thinking of going?” Ashlyn asked.
“Soon,” I said. “Oanen’s trying to find my mom. He already checked her old address, and she isn’t there. Everything’s gone. This is my backup plan. I need answers, Ashlyn.”
“Whenever you do go, start out at dawn. They aren’t as active. And, promise to text me before you leave. I won’t try to stop you; but if something goes wrong, the Quills will need to know where to start looking.”
“Fair enough. Just make sure to give me a full day before raising the alarm.”
My phone beeped. I tossed aside the kitchen towel and checked the message. My heart thumped seeing it was another one from Oanen. He had been updating me on the progress of his search for my mom over the last three days, and none of it had been good so far. Being apart from him for this long might have been tolerable if he were at least finding clues about where my mom might have gone. But he wasn’t.
Each day, the need for him grew stronger, and I worried about what would happen when I finally did see him again. I felt so unstable inside. I needed answers. I needed Oanen so much it hurt to breathe. And, that worried me.
Struggling to stay calm, I read the message. It didn’t bring any better news than the last one.
Cali is another dead end.
I wanted to swear. Instead I typed out a relaxed message.
All right. Thank you for checking it.
How are you holding up? Want Eliana to take you to the Roost tonight?
I’d been stuck in the house for days. Truthfully, I was going stir crazy. But the last thing I wanted was a crowd of people and thumping music. I wanted to get the hell out of this damn town and strangle my mother. But I couldn’t tell Oanen any of that, or he’d fly right back to me.
The thought of seeing him made my heart race in excitement, and for the briefest of moments, I considered telling him to come home. The memory of his burnt face stopped me. So, I lied.
I’m doing okay. Just finished the lunch dishes. Not really in the mood for the Roost. Fenris would probably be there in all of his hugging glory.
I felt bad using Fenris as an excuse, but I didn’t want Oanen to make a call to Eliana despite my reassurances I was fine. Hopefully, his suggestion had nothing to do with what he might feel from me and had more to do with how well he knew me.
I miss you. I’ll be home soon, he replied. A second later, another text came through.
We’ll do some more research and try again in a few days.
My heart started to race in earnest. He was coming home? I squashed the panic and kept my reply cool.
Sounds good. I miss you, too.