Wherever the waves would take her

The Guardians

Evie was seated in a lagoon looking at a mermaid who was seated on a rock next to her. She didn't remember shifting, but all of that was nothing compared to the mermaid in front of her that had a matching iridescent tail as well.

The mermaid in front of her had dark skin that glowed golden, reflecting the sun rays from the waterfall behind them. Her hair creating a crimson halo around her head.

"You." Evie lifted a shaking hand, pointing at the mermaid in front of her. "I remember you on the dancefloor."

The mermaid tilted her head in acknowledgment as her twists and braids cascaded down from her shoulder in long tresses. Evie also noticed with a start, that a familiar network of patterns travelled down her bare skin in blue.

Exactly like hers.

The mermaid in front of her seemed to come to the same conclusion as Evie, regarding Evie with soulful dark eyes that seemed to burn into her before she spoke.

"My name is Nyami. I've been trying to reach you through our connections as Guardians. We sensed your initiation a while back and have been waiting for you."

Evie looked back Nyami. "We? As in, there are others?" She dropped her voice a little, letting some of her emotions seep through as hurt and confusion flashed through her. "Why haven't you said anything?"

Nyami fiddled with imaginary lint on her tail. "It's been a while since another Guardian was inducted. We wanted to give you some time to come to terms with your powers first before we stepped in."

"And you thought that leaving me to my own devices would be the best option for me?" Evie couldn't believe her ears. "Do you have any idea how much I've been struggling to control my powers?"

The mermaid before her could only wince. "Yes, I can imagine."

"I thought there was something wrong with me." Evie stated harshly. "I felt so alone all this time and I would have given anything to not feel so alone in all of this."

"I know."

"I blew up the side of a building!"

"What would you have us do? You are constantly being watched, either by the Queensguard or by enemies. How do you expect us to approach you with a far fetched idea that you have only started to come to terms with?" Nyami splashed her tail back into the water below them.

"I don't know." Evie admitted.

Nyami sat back again as she smoothed out her hair. "No matter. That's not what I am here for right now. I apologize that it took us this long to come forward but given your relationship to the throne we needed to take time aside to assess your loyalties. Teaching you to develop your powers can come later." Cutting off the questioning look that Evie had given her, Nyami held up her hand. "Right now, you need to know the full story between Ehuang and the Guardians should you intend to face Eli."

Nyami placed her hands back in her lap as she surveyed the ends of her tail. "What Eli had told you was true, new Guardians were initiated in times of trouble between the formative ages of twenty-one to twenty-five. We don't know how that works or how a new initiate is picked, from what I have seen only candidates who exhibit a strong affinity for channelling magic. You are directly descendend from Ehuang, she was the original Guardian who held the same abilities as you do and you are her successor."

"Magic?" Evie couldn't help but marvel at how similar their tails are but snapped up at Nyami's last sentence.

"Magic, abilities. I suppose those terms are interchangeable, we seem to be the only ones amongst the Merfolk who are able to physically tap into those abilities like how the witches do so. Even though our branch of magic differs and we are the only ones of our kind who can do so."  Nyami smiled as her fingers danced in the air. "I have the ability to control water."