Battlefield

Chapter 12

Blood. Chaos. Fear. The latter coats my tongue and the former coats my hands. I am floating in front of and beside multiple bodies, some piled on top of each other, some laying side by side. Everywhere I look, swords and daggers are flying. I look for Jay and the others, but I don't see them. After grabbing a dagger from my waist, I swim out into the battle, swinging at any enemies I come across.

Realization hits me like a punch to the gut. This is a nightmare. I have only taken a few strokes when I spot a familiar merboy, his green eyes wide and skin ashen. Drew. What terrifies me, however, is the mermaid holding his jacket collar, her face a mask of iciness.

In my quick scan of his body, he seems unharmed, but the fear in his face is stark. Naia trains her gaze on me, releasing his collar. He trembles, but stays by her side.

You have a choice, Nerissa. Her hands are steady, her movements precise and calculated. One slipup from me and the dagger I know is hidden in her jacket goes through him. Tell me what you know about Barracuda and the boy lives. Lie or try to escape... well, I think we both know what would happen then.

Drew locks eyes with me, a tear slipping down his face. As if they had just been waiting in the shadows, two burly mermen appear, each with a dagger strapped to their waists. Mercenaries for Naia.

A shout works its way out of my throat before I even know what's happening. I quickly put my hands out in front of me, indicating that I am unarmed. They shake when I sign. Naia, please. You don't want to do this. I'll tell you everything. Just let him go.

She makes a show of considering my offer: tapping her chin while she thinks, blowing out a breath. Her grip tightens on Drew. He whimpers. Not even a minute has passed before she releases his jacket collar. I open my arms and Drew rushes to me, his body trembling. He wraps his arms around my waist; I hug him back just as tight.

Naia swims to me, her green eyes cold. Thanks to my hands shaking, it takes me a few minutes, but I lay the truth out in front of her. She smiles, but it lacks warmth. Before I can so much as blink, Drew is wrenched from my arms, his hands reaching for mine. My heart stops as I see a dagger appear in one of the mercenary's hands.

He screams. I try to swim to him, but the remaining mercenary swims to me, binding my arms behind my back. A flash of the dagger, then blood sprays on the ground as Drew's limp body falls through the water. My mouth is open in a silent scream as I stare at his motionless form on the seafloor.

I squeeze my eyes shut, hoping to wake up. A scream escaped my lips when I opened my eyes, tears making my vision blurry. I furiously blinked them away, revealing a face tight with worry. I took slow breaths as Jay scanned my face, focusing on my breathing.

Are you okay? What happened? His hands were steady as he signed.

The world spun in my vision as I rose and swam to the bathing room. I scrubbed until my skin stung, wishing I could wash away the memory of Drew's face. My hands shook as I got dressed and swam into the kitchen. That's when I noticed the note on the table.

The script was unfamiliar and there wasn't a signature, yet somehow I knew exactly who it was from. Brandon. Come to Nepptheas's border at midday. Don't be late.

I flinched as Jay put a hand on my shoulder. David and Bella invited us to breakfast. His eyes were full of shadows, indicating that he'd already seen the note.

I willed a tight smile to my face. Sounds great. Anything to distract me from the dream and Brandon's message.

We swam through Aegrem at a leisurely pace, stopping every now and then to speak to various mermaids and mermen. When we arrived in Pelathas, David and Bella waved from where they were floating under a resturant's overhang. The illuminated sign read The Bronze Mermaid. A large statue of a bronze mermaid was out front, meant to entice customers.

I smiled at David and Bella, but it felt foreign. We swam inside and sat at a booth, all of us ordering bubble tea. For once, I was glad that I wasn't being treated like Queen Nerissa. I didn't want my title to define me today. They all had easy smiles on their faces, not preoccupied with the prospect of the future like I was.

I was fidgety—tapping my nails on the table, toying with my hair. Jay noticed and put a hand on my arm, questions in his eyes. The server arrived with our drinks then, sparing me from having to explain. Or trying to.

David casually looked out the window as he raised the cup to his lips. He was about to take a sip, but froze as movement outside caught his eye. All the color drained from his face at whatever he saw outside.

I followed his gaze, a choked gasp escaping me. Brandon was outside, his eyes narrow and lips tight as he clutched the shoulder of a mermaid, who in turn clutched three little children. The youngest—Faye—was in her arms, while the older ones, Ella and Drew, were trembling against her.

My hands shook as I rose, my jaw clenched. I swam outside, the others on my tail. As soon as Brandon saw me, his lips stretched into a fake smile. A notepad was in his hands and he scribbled a message before handing it to me. You left me no choice, Nerissa. Now your people get to see who you really are.

The tears came before I was ready, slipping down my cheeks, one after another. He clutched at his neck, the pendant resting there. Not a moment later, multiple bodies appeared, exactly like they'd done so many months ago. Mermaids and mermen alike, skin grey and wounds covering their arms, faces, torsos.

A crowd had gathered by then, a mix of concern and confusion on their faces. Brandon turned to the crowd, a wicked grin on his face. He opened his mouth and spoke, his eyes on me the entire time. I could read his lips, but for the first time, I wish I couldn't.

"This is what your queen has been up to these past few months. She was working for the merman known as 'Tiger Shark.' He had ordered her to clean up his messes in exchange for protecting her family. After his death, her sister and I took over the operation. A few months ago, after finding out some... interesting information, Nerissa killed her own sister and covered her tracks. Is this who you really want on your throne? A murderer?"

I couldn't breathe. The weight of their gazes pressed in on me, stealing the water from my lungs. I stared at the ground, unable to meet any of their gazes. I flinched as I felt a hand slide into mine. Little Drew looked up at me, a determined look on his face. He then spoke, his hand trembling in mine.

Whatever he said clearly held some sway, because half the crowd split up, moving to float behind me. I looked back at them, my heart pounding. They all had kind smiles on their faces.

I let out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding. As I looked at all the mermaids and mermen around me, I knew I would remember this moment for a long time. But not even I could've predicted what would happen next. I couldn't hear the shouts of warning, of fear, as an unseen assailant's dagger came rushing through the water, aiming straight for my unprotected back.

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