Mermaid Queen by Anna Santos
Chapter 1—The Lycan King
WE ALL DIE ALONE.
I'm feeling cold and unfulfilled even if I'm fighting for a higher purpose—to keep my kind safe. But, I leave no descendants. I have not loved without reason or explanation. I'm alone.
My body tenses and coldness numbs my limbs as I fall into the darkness of the ocean. My eyes are wide open, watching the fire consume my ship. Yet I can't move. The explosion threw me off my vessel when a deafening cannonball blast turned wood into tiny shards that pierced my men's chests.
The undead vampire warriors dive to kill whoever survived. I can see their red eyes observing and hunting their prey. Maybe I can survive if I move and reach the surface.
My arms and legs don't obey me. I'm stuck.
Suddenly, my body moves. Hands grab my arms, and I brace myself to meet my end. There's no dagger piercing my flesh. Instead, I see strands of long hair floating, and a woman's face appears before my eyes. Her own eyes glowing white. Not red.
Air. I have none. My lungs burn as my mouth exhales my last breath that forms bubbles and they hit the goddess' face that my bemused mind conjures.
I move. Fast. My body penetrates the water as if propelled by the wind powering the sails. My head pops out of the water first. Then, my body follows, piercing the water like a dolphin reaching the surface. I breathe, sucking in as much air as I can. There's only me and the night. The moon remains big in the sky, unfazed by anything that happens to us. My mighty goddess. Maybe she sent the girl to save me. Perhaps she's my goddess in human form. Her steel-colored eyes are a hint.
My body returns to the liquid surface, and I battle to remain with my head above water. Arms lace around my chest and pull me across the ocean at an unimaginable speed. I look down, watching the moonlight reflecting on the surface, and I squint my eyes at the coral scales of the fishtail that is moving under my legs.
I cough. Dizziness clouds my mind.
My boat and my men. Where are they? Were they saved?
I faint only to regain consciousness with the girl in front of me, smiling.
“My boat!” I raise my hands as if I could reach it even if I have no idea where it is. “My men.”
We aren't swimming anymore. I’m floating but no arms are securing me. I move my feet, so I don't sink.
The girl remains quiet, blinking her moonlight eyes at me with an unfaltering smile.
Circling, I try to understand where I am. Her head appears in front of me again. Her dark hair falls loosely about her face as she aims her gaze at me. She's a beauty with a round face, petite nose, and plump lips.
“Where are we?”
She continues to be mute.
I'm sure that we are in the middle of nowhere. There are no traces of the battle that raged between my ships and the Vampire King's.
“I need to get back to save my men.”
She shrieks, and I cover my ears to block out the piercing sound. Her hands fly to her mouth, and she submerges with a haunted expression.
“No!” I reach to grab her shoulders. “Land. Take me to my land.”
Unsure if she understands me, I point my hand to nowhere specific. My life depends on her.
My heart stops beating when her arms circle my torso and her head lies against my chest. Her breasts press against my stomach, and her tail rubs against my legs. I'm not sure what's going on.
Why is this mermaid hugging me? Why did she save me?
As I calm myself, I relax and put my arms around her petite and delicate figure. Half woman, half fish. I thought they were myths told by disillusioned sailors.
Looking at the moon and the stars, I ponder about my location. If I go south, I will find my home. The war took place not too far from my island.
I should be cold, but I'm not. The water around me feels warm. Staring down, I notice how it glows silver and blue like the color of her tail. The ocean is calm when it should be curling with waves.
What power does this mermaid have? What does she want with me? I have heard stories that say that they drive men to insanity and take them underwater to kill. Others say that they eat us.
This one saved me.
Chapter 2—The Shipwreck
I'M DRAWN BY THE PERSISTENT humming, the constant melody that plays all around me. Despite being forbidden, I have to leave the safety of my kingdom and venture outside. I need to find out where the melody is coming from. The pulling is too strong.
“Mirella, wait!”
My sister follows me, but I swim faster and prevent her from grabbing me and taking me back to our father.
I'm known for being impulsive, reckless, and a daydreamer. I want more for my life. More than the magical walls that protect the underwater kingdom ruled by my father. The merfolk don't mingle with humans or other species. I think it's a silly rule.
“Mirella, I'll call father if you don't return this instant.”
I stop and turn around to see my sister, Sybil, balling her hands with puckered lips while her purple hair floats around her face.
Sybil is the oldest and the prettiest. One day, she'll rule the Atlantic Sea and protect our people from outsiders.
I put my hands on my hips and grumble, “I need to find the source of the music.”
“There's no music. You are the only one hearing it. Just stop this nonsense and come back. It isn't safe during the night.”
“It's close. I can feel it.”
“It's dark. There are outsiders on their vessels nearby. Father ordered everybody to stay inside the walls of our palace.”
I shake my head. “My intuition tells me that I must go. Just go back. I'll be home before Father knows I'm gone.”
Sybil sighs and waves her hand, invoking her powers over the sea. A columnar vortex of water moves in my direction.
Holding my ground, I launch my hands forward and stop her offensive attack. The water halts, and I smirk.
“I'm stronger than you,” I remind her.
“I'm the oldest one. You need to obey me and return to safety.”
I open my arms in exasperation. “I'm safe.”
As if the God of the Sea wishes to contradict me, a loud explosion is heard, and orange lights the bottom of the ocean where once the medusas were swimming happily around us, providing light. The ominous sound ripples throughout the ocean and screams inside my head.
“What was that?” I ask as I look at my sister.
Sybil swims to my side. “War.”
Another explosion follows by several flashes of fire that come from the surface.
I look up. Not far from us, I see the vessels that humans use to travel across the water fighting among themselves. Maybe pirates are attacking a merchant ship. I've heard of it but never witnessed such an assault.
My sister grabs my arm. “It's not safe here. There are too many ships.”
I follow my sister's gaze and see the bottom of the ships navigating as they shoot fire and wreck the wood into pieces. Soon enough, bodies will be hitting the water and sailors will die.
My heart shrinks inside my chest. “Why are humans so violent?”
“It's in their nature,” Sybil answers with Dad's standard reply.
“I still hear the music.” I look above and point. “It comes from above, from one of the vessels.”
“All I hear are screams and explosions,” Sybil retorts.
I release myself from her hold. “Something is telling me to go up.”
“You are going to get yourself killed,” Sybil yells.
Ignoring her, I speed to the surface.
The first bodies fall into the water and sink.
I halt. “We should help them.”
Sybil is behind me. “They are doomed. Plus, you know what they would do to us if they found out that we exist.”
“They are fighting too close to our kingdom,” I remark.
“We are safe. Let's just leave them to their petty wars.”
Sibyl pulls on my arm, and I let myself go as the orange flashes keep coloring the surface. The farther we move away, the more my heart aches and my vision blurs.