Author's Note: Thanks again to MertleYuts for all your amazing feedback! Please review, everyone! I promise that this chapter is A LOT more exciting than the last one! ;)
Chapter Four: The Storm
Air. It burned. Nadine gagged and stumbled, feet scrabbling across the rocks of the smallest of the No Man's Islands. A Merteri amulet swung at her neck, hitting her collarbone. She landed hard on her knees, pain springing through her aching legs. She groaned, fingers clenching as shells sliced her knuckles.
Gulls shrieked, arcing through the sky. After the initial shock of breathing human air, she realized how moist and clinging it was—as though it was beaded with sea water. Still, it was difficult to suck in breaths. No wonder the Vizier had required this training before sending the Seven off to certain death. If they had gone on land with no preparation whatsoever, they would have stuck out as much as humans in the sea.
Nadine rolled over and sat up, panting. At her toes, the surf sucked at the shore before reeling away. In the distance, she could make out the towering cliffs of the south country humans called Ithanor.
"Ithanor," she said out loud, crinkling her nose at the odd-sounding name. Where was the musicality?
A squawk erupted from behind her, and Nadine jumped. Her heart pounding, she whirled around to face a large white gull. It cocked its head at her. "What was that for?" she snapped, wiping the sweat from her brow. She'd never realized how wet humans could get—but it wasn't a comfortable wet. It was hot and damp and sticky; it made her want to scratch her scales from the blubber.
It squawked again, and flapped its wings. A rush of air buffeted her face. Then, before she could react, it darted forward and snatched a string of squid flesh from her seaweed sack. She yelped and sprang to her feet, only to trip and fall flat on her face.
The bird shrieked its laughter, gulping down what was supposed to be her dinner for the rest of the day. On the way to the island, she and Esli had been attacked by a giant squid; Esli had stabbed its sack and rescued her from becoming squid-sushi. They'd agreed on having Esli bring the majority of the creature back to the City to be distributed, while Nadine took a portion to see her through her test.
Her test. Nadine scowled, flexing her toes. As part of the Seven, she was required to spend one night alone on the island, to make certain she could handle masquerading as a human. Tonight had been her turn—Esli, Mara, Telm and the others had all returned in one piece. But they hadn't been where she'd been, had never seen what she'd seen.
A tremor rushed through her. Already she could feel the heat of the blazing sun, though thick grey clouds smeared the sky.
The gull's jeering broke her from her trance. She glared at it, the stupid creature that was of neither land nor sea, yet benefitted by stealing from both. "Shoo," she said, waving her arms at it. It gave a little hop and with a shriek, took to the air.
Nadine heaved herself to her knees. It was time to practice standing and walking. Pushing her bangs from her face, she placed one foot on the pebbles. The rocks bit into the soft palm of the foot, shooting tiny spasms of pain up her leg. Her eyes widened and she wobbled. You've got this, she thought. You can do it. She couldn't let Esli and the others have another reason to think her incapable. She was tired of hiding behind stupidity all the time, tired of them assuming her a naiveté that did not exist.
She'd hurt, she'd grieved, she'd lost. She could do this one thing, conquer this one little hurdle. For Rurriel. For herself. For her people.
Come on! she thought. Come on!
And she was on her feet, balancing with precarious precision on legs that felt as bendable as weed and as stable as weather. She beamed. She'd done it!
She took a step.
And fell over.
She did it all again. And again. And again. The hours dragged by, discernible only through the fading rays of light that squeezed between the clouds. She kept trying, driven by she didn't quite know what.
Finally she could take baby steps without toppling. Exhausted, she flung herself to the ground and closed her eyes. Sleep came as soft as words, and as fulfilling as satisfaction.
Esli glanced at the surface, wondering what Nadine was up to. The water was dark, yielding no hints.
I didn't think you were worried about her, Telm said, deflecting her absentminded jab. He smacked the hilt of her sword, and it slipped from her fingers. With a sigh, he walloped the back of her hand.
She flinched. Ouch, she said.
Liar. He was trying to sound humorous, but she didn't think it very funny.
You know, he said, cocking his head to the side, I think you actually like her, as much as you pretend otherwise.
Esli stooped, scooping up her sword. He thought he knew her so well; he didn't know anything. Just because he'd known Nathanael, didn't mean he understood her! She scowled down at the sand. In some respects, Telm was just like his father, overestimating his own worth.
She glanced up at him. But in others… he did remind her of Nathanael, a little bit. The dark hair and eyes, the soft sand-brown skin. Every now and then she found herself drawn to him, because he was like a memory come to life.
I don't like her, she said. And you know why.
Telm was silent. Then he said, softly, Because she stole Nathanael from you?
She gritted her teeth. Maybe he did know her—No. No, he didn't. Only Nathanael ever did, and ever could. That part of her—and the demise that came with it—was hers to bear alone. You don't like her, either.
He shrugged. I don't dislike her, he said. She's just sort of blah, that's all. Like eating sand. Uninteresting. Unless… He fixed her in his gaze, eyes alarmingly keen. Unless you know something about her that I don't?
Nothing. Nothing at all. She said the words too quickly and with too much force; he frowned.
Then why does my father have you follow her?
Esli tensed. What do you mean?
I overheard him telling you to go to island and watch her, to see what she does. Why?
She shook her head, slipping the sword into its sheath and turning away. It's none of your concern.
He gripped her wrist, his hand sliding up her arm to cover her brand. The touch startled her with its intensity. His fingertips burned into her skin, hotter than flames. She froze, half-glaring, half-hoping he couldn't see past the anger to the twisted knot inside. When will you trust me? he asked. I'm not going to betray you like Natha—
She slapped him across the face. His hand flew to his cheek, his eyes widening. Don't you ever, she snarled. Don't you ever… She ran out of words. Don't! Before he could see the scales slipping from her tail, she whirled and raced into the barracks.
Nadine woke to grey light and icy fingers trailing across her skin. Her eyes flew open. A thick, roiling blanket smothered the horizon, spreading its bulk across the sea. Her pulse raced and a low thrum rippled through her. Her nostrils flared, the tang of the ocean mingling with the moistness of the breeze. The sky was preparing to burst.
She smiled, crawling to the edge of the island to dip her toes in. Chills shot up her legs. She shivered, laughter bubbling in her stomach. It was almost enough to compensate for her lost dinner the night before—the chance to live out a storm.
The wind's gnarled fingers snapped her hair from its braid and whipped it across her eyes. She pushed it aside, focusing on the southern coast. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be looking for, or if perhaps the test was already over. All she knew—or felt—was that the Vizier was trying to draw her secret out somehow. If he thought sending her to the surface would bring this about, he might order her to stay there indefinitely.
She snorted. He wasn't getting this part of her—never. Resting her chin on her arms, she found her thoughts drifting. They bobbed through her head, broken pieces of some sort of ship that hadn't yet been completed. If her memory was a ship, it was in desperate need of repair. Some things were clearer than knowledge, and others as dim as far-off dreams. Her parents' faces, Nyla… and someone. That someone was important, was part of her identity, but for a reason she couldn't explain, he or she was just… gone. An ache she couldn't heal, an itch she couldn't relieve.
Her fingers curled into her skin. Why couldn't she remember? Why was it just that one Mer?
She tried to escape the feeling, conjuring Rurriel's laugh to dowse her confusion with grief. The old familiar pang returned, but it brought no spasms of anguish. She only wished that he was still alive, that his life hadn't ended so young. With this came the realization that she hadn't truly loved him, which wasn't all that surprising.
She sighed. It had been the idea of love, that all-consuming passion that blinded one to the pain of the world and brought them joy even in the deepest, darkest moments of doubt. She'd wanted him to save her, which was a stupid notion considering he hadn't even been able to save himself.
A shrill cry startled her from her thoughts. She glanced up to see a gull circling overhead. She fancied it was the same one from last night, come back to see if she had any more food. Greedy little land-air-grubbing-beast-bird-thing. She wondered what poached gull might taste like, and hefted a rock in her palm.
The bird swooped in, made a grab for the rock, and squawked as it realized its prey was a lot heavier than it'd bargained for. With a scolding cry, it abandoned its effort at stealing her sustenance and took off over the sea.
"That's right! That's what you get!" Nadine shouted after it, enjoying the way her voice echoed out across the water, bold and free. Here, there was no Vizier ripping her open with his eyes, no Esli to treat her like a child. She almost liked it. "Scuttle away, you blood-sucking—" Her eyes trailed the bird's path, and the words died in her throat.
On the surface of the sea, a lone boat bobbed across the waves.
Nadine's toes tingled. Panic laced her spine, scattering gooseflesh. She drew back, scrabbling over the rocks as she retreated further inland. But the No Man's Islands were volcanic, very young in the age of the world. Few trees and but a scattering of mosses and flowers thrived here—there was nowhere to hide.
She stopped. What was she running for? Her fingers closed around the amulet at her neck. In the water, she would have all the power.
Do not forget your promise.
The words lanced through her. It was like a spear through the stomach, and she keeled over. "Damn you!" she shrieked. Even now, four years later, his voice haunted her. His promise, which tore her from her very nature.
"Nadine!"
Nadine startled so violently she lost her balance. Esli found her on the ground, trembling and clutching her amulet, ancient Mer prayers pouring over her lips. Esli glared down at her, her hands on her hips. "What are you doing? Didn't you see the boat?"
Nadine shuddered. Boats. She'd been on boats before, scales torn off by netting that sank into one's blubber, dragged across floors harder than ice.
Esli dug her toe into Nadine's ribs, a sharp jab that distracted Nadine from her fear. "I saw it," she said.
Esli rolled her eyes. "Then why aren't you going after it? I came up to check on you, and all I see is you here, cringing like a coward!"
Nadine flinched. "I didn't ask to be a warrior."
Esli barked out a laugh. "Oh," she said. "So you think we still get a choice? Would you believe me if I told you I don't like this, either?"
No. Nadine wouldn't. Esli seemed created for action—her confident stance, glittering eyes, firm chin. And yet… there was a vulnerability, too. In the slight pucker of her brow, the puffy circles rimming her eyes… Nadine, intrigued, sat up and leaned closer. Esli tilted her chin, obstructing Nadine's view.
"Are you coming?" she snapped.
"Esli, please—"
"I'll tell the Vizier," Esli said fiercely, spitting out the words through her teeth. "So help me, Nadine, don't—" She stopped, her dark hair lashing against the wind.
Fear pricked Nadine at the mention of the Vizier, but she pushed the words out anyway. "Don't what?"
Esli's fingers clenched into fists. "Please," she whispered, shoulders drooping. She sounded so tired. Forlorn.
Nadine swallowed. She didn't want to do this, didn't want to meet her own doom in the guise of a broken promise. In this world, promises were curses.
Yet she did want to be brave, almost more than she wanted to be safe. Her knees knocked against one another and her insides felt like sand. But as Esli turned and strode away, she followed.
Nadine slid into the ocean, tearing the Merteri amulet from her neck and slipping back into herself. Her legs melded and scales pushed through the pores, their miniscule vents acting as gills to allow her to breathe underwater. She gulped in a salty burst and pumped her tail. Down here, she didn't feel quite so vulnerable.
The top of her head skimmed the surface as she raced toward the ominous shadow of the boat, the currents dragging her and Esli along at a pace that made her scales sting. Above, lightning flashed, cracking the ceiling of the sea into fragments of green-yellow flames. Thunder cracked, its echo rippling through the waves. Rain sluiced the surface, filling everything with music.
They burst through the surface beside the boat, Esli tossing her streaming hair from her eyes. Onboard, a human child stood at the helm, struggling to manoeuvre the vessel through the waves. Nadine yelped as the current pummelled her against the helm. She sank below the water. Esli's hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her back up. Don't be a baby, Nadine! Use your tail, and pump!
Can't we—Her words were lost to the wind as Esli leaped at the boat. The child caught sight of her and screamed. Gripping the railing, Esli hauled herself aboard. Nadine hesitated, churning water. Spindly gold sticks on the side of the boat caught her eye; she peered closer, wondering what they meant. They seemed to be in some form of pattern…
Esli shrieked. Nadine's head jerked up. Her heart dropped. There, looming over Esli, was a man that flickered white in the ghostly glow from the lightning. Another roll of thunder shook the horizon. The little boy was still at the wheel, screaming and trying to turn the boat around. The waves grew, rising higher and higher. They clawed at the hull and crawled up the sides, creeping over the deck. Esli slid from sight.
Esli! Nadine screamed.
No answer.
Nadine lunged for the railing. Her hands closed over the slick cold rim, fingers slipping. She lurched again, panic mounting as Esli stayed silent. If Nadine hadn't been such a coward…
Rain trickled across Nadine's lip. She swallowed water that didn't taste like salt and grimaced. She found a grip on the rim and finally clambered onto the boat deck.
She froze, memories assaulting her. Screaming, blood, being dragged across wooden floors… The final whisper of a Mer song from those that withered to death…
Esli lay motionless, pale face turned to the merciless sky. The glowing man stood over her, but he didn't seem to be making any move to harm her. Nadine stared, too confused to understand what to do.
Then she noticed the little boy creeping up behind her, face white. In his hands he gripped a large rock. Nadine squeaked and threw herself out of the way.
Esli groaned and shifted, raising her head. Her eyes fell on the glowing man and a snarl twisted her lips. She lunged at him.
Nadine's mouth dropped open. Esli's hands went right through the man, as though he were woven from the air itself. Esli tried again, with the same result. Her eyes flicked to Nadine. Grab the boy!
The man whirled. "Joey, the nets!"
Nadine's throat constricted. Not nets—how could she have forgotten the nets? Esli, jump! she screamed.
It was too late. From secret compartments in the railing, nets sprang out to wrap around the Mer girls. Nadine grunted as she landed hard against the deck, her tail pinned under the weight of the ropes. Esli thrashed and screeched, pulling the cords tighter. This was one thing the warrior had no experience with.
Stop struggling! Nadine cried. Her fingers wrapped around her dagger. She started sawing through the cords, teeth gritting together. The waves slammed against the boat, setting it to rocking.
"The Dead Man's Zone!" the man yelled. He was at the wheel, shouting directions in the child's ear. "You have to jump!"
"I don't know how to swim!" the boy screamed.
Nadine sawed faster. Esli was ripping at the ropes as well, her movements frantic and jerky. If they crashed in the Dead Man's Zone—the coral reef—they'd all die. The sea witches had harnessed the majority of the sea's magick to protect the Mer Valley; any boat that even skimmed the reef burst into flames.
As the boat drifted closer and closer, the knot in Nadine's stomach tightened. The rope was so thick…
A choking sound erupted from Esli's throat. Nadine flicked the rain from her eyes, too feverish to pay attention to anything but the entwined threads. So thick…
Esli's hand gripped hers. Nadine, we're not going to make it. I have to tell you something—
The boat hit the reef with a grating screech. Nadine's dagger slid into air.
Everything exploded, and flames of darkness swallowed the sky.