Chapter Two

Ariel

They were just drowning him.

My sisters from the sea, pulling him down, deeper and deeper without mercy, loving him, kissing him, killing him.

I had to stop them. I dove in between them and began to drag the boy away. I had no idea what his name even was, but I knew I couldn't let him die. I felt a strange connection to him. Weirdly.

And so here I was, sitting on the beach, staring at his legs. Human legs. How, I loved human legs. The way they had tiny toes at the end of them, knobbles at the middle called "knees." I loved every bit about it.

I wished for legs so badly.

I lie there staring at the boy, smoothing back his bangs.

He had dark brown bangs stretching all the way around his head, while the rest of his head was shaved. He had gray-blue eyes and a gold hoop piercing in his left ear. His eyes were closed and he was shuddering, coughing up water and breathing hard, but I liked him.

I watch as he stirs a little bit and his eyes open a fraction of a bit. His eyelashes bat a couple of times and his eyeballs stop to focus on me. I gasp, and then back up a tiny bit, then I gulp in seawater and disappear down below.

How can I breathe underwater, you ask?

No, I'm not your ordinary fifteen year old girl. I'm...a mermaid.

I wake up to have sunlight streaming down in a narrow shaft through the top of the waves. I'm lying there and I wake up to see all of my sisters goggling down at me.

"What the—" I goggle back up at them. My oldest sister, the proper Attina, who can't even eat dinner without making small talk with my uppity father, glares down at me.

"You're murmuring."

"So?"

Attina's eyes narrow down to tiny blue slits. "So? Whaddaya mean 'so?' Murmuring in your sleep about your true love."

This angers me. "Was not!"

Attina tilts her head. "Oooookaay, so you weren't talking about true love exactly. You were talking about a guy, though. A guy on the beach? Who almost died?"

My other sister Arista gasps. "Brown hair? Black t-shirt? No way!"

I watch her. "Arista, you were on siren duty yesterday?"

Arista slaps her palm to her forehead, her blonde ponytail swishing behind her, she sits on the clam bed next to me. "You're the one that saved him, Ariel? But why? We need the souls to keep us going!"

I sigh and bury my face into my hands. "I know, Arista. But I felt like he wasn't meant to die. He has a lot to offer the world."

Arista smirks and gets up. "Right. The juvenile delinquent? Always solar surfing, getting in trouble." She holds her thumb and forefinger a bit apart. "This close to going to juvenile hall. You think he has more to offer the world? You feel—let me guess—connected to him?"

I sigh yet again. "I dunno, okay? Just let it alone."

Arista shakes her head. "Ariel, I can't believe this. In case you've forgotten how Atlantica works, here's the report. Every night, the group of sirens on duty go up and seduce a mortal man, bring them into the water, and drown them! Their souls belong to us, and that's what keeps our kingdom thriving. That's what keeps our waters pure. That's what keeps us going. We needed him! Our kingdom is dying away as is!"

I look at Attina, who looks horrified as if I'd killed someone. "You saved him?!" she hisses. "Ariel, you're going to hear from Daddy. And the Council. You're going to be blamed big-time. Out of all of us, you're the princess that has to be dilly-dallying about, rescuing mortals. We needed that boy!"

I get up off the bed and swish for the curtains. "I'd wish you'd care a little more and nag a little less, Attina!" I focus on Arista. "And you. I wish you'd show a little support and side with me. Not all the time. I'm asking for sometimes."

"Now see here, Ariel!" Attina swims for me, ready to grab my arm and give me yet another long lecture about not respecting your elders.

I jerk away. "I'm sure there's another mermaid, or mortal, for that matter, out there whose siblings or family just don't care about them!"

Arista's eyes shine. "Ariel, wait. Listen, we're not trying to hurt you. We're just—"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, save it, Arista!" I swim out, tailed by a shocked Attina. Arista stays in the doorway.

"Ariel!" exclaims Attina. "Listen to me!"

"NO!" I scream. "I AM SO SICK AND TIRED OF YOU TWO CRITICIZING ME ALL THE TIME!"

"Ariel—"

I soften my voice to a dangerous low. "Leave. Me. Alone."

Attina finally gets the hint. She stares at me for a few seconds, then turns and swims back down the hallway to the main atrium.

I tear out of the palace at top speed and out towards the boundaries of Atlantica.

Then I start to swim for the surface.

Where was the boy I had saved last night? Did he still remember my face?