In Too Deep

Chapter 7

What time is it? 

 Oh, that's right, merpeople don't use time here. That's what Dylon told me last night. He was still sleeping on a bunch of seaweed. 

 I guess this was a chance to explore the cave a bit. Dylon did say there was a deeper part to this rock...

I begin to swim towards the deeper part until I hear a groggy male voice.

"You're already up?"

I guess not. The cave can wait until I get rid of Angelica.

"Yeah. I woke up a few minutes ago."

"Alright. I guess it's time to leave the cave then. We'll get to the sea castle faster if I speed swim you and I there."

"You can speed swim us both? At the same time?"

"You say that like it's a bad thing," Dylon says chuckling.

"I guess it isn't. I was just wondering," I say getting out of the magnificent-looking cave.

"You ready?"

"Yes," I answer but shake my head no at the same time.

"It's okay. Don't worry. It's really fast. You won't feel anything. Now come on. Hold my hand."

I take his hand and the warmth of it relaxes me. Our eyes connect but I look down quickly. 

There was no point in starting anything with him because I'm not staying down here. I belong in a place where there aren't blowfish guards hunting me down.

Zoom! 

We are off. Everything else is going in slow motion when he's speed swimming. I finally feel like everything is going to be okay. 

 With him beside me, I actually think we'll be able to defeat the Siren, but that doesn'y mean I've forgotten about Bubbles and Leimomi. I'' never froget them. Ever.

He started to slow down after a few seconds. Wow, that was fast. Dylon lets go of my hand, the warmth leaving me, and looks at me straight in the eye.

"Are you alright? Dizzy?"

"Nope. That was amazing. Everything else seems to be going in slow motion. I was able to think.  It's calming."

"I know. That's what I love about my power. The peacefulness."

There's a moment of comfortable silence until I start swimming away because my cheeks start to become bright pink.

"Which way to the palace?" I ask while swimming.

"Straight ahead. It's not so far from here. Should only take us about ten minutes or so."

Ten minutes. In ten minutes I'll have to take on the Siren and her blowfish guards. In ten minutes I'll be risking my life for merpeople I don't even know...

"Mel, wait."

Dylon grabs my hand and pushes me towards him. This is close. Too close for my liking.

I just met this guy!

"Nervous?", he says in a lower tone.

"Very. How did you know?" I'm breathless.

Dylon gives a husky laugh. 

"Well, you are going to fight the Siren for the merpeople."

"Yeah, I know. How can I forget?" I say, looking up in his dark eyes. His pupils look dilated.

He then lets me go. Ugh. I really wish he didn't. 

We swim in a couple moments of silence, but I can't bare it so I start to think about how much I've been through in the last few days or so.

I recall the time Bubbles told me the story about the music at the Pink Sands. About the girl who sang beautifully and got yelled at because it wasn't allowed. He didn't even get a chance to tell us what her name was. Dylon also said he can sometimes here singing in the endless cave. 

A lot for singing seemed to happen in the ocean.

Wait. 

The cave that went somewhere else. A girl long ago used to sing beautifully. But had to stop because it wasn't allowed. What was a siren? I've never thought that until now.

"Dylon, what's a siren?"

"It's a mermaid who lures all males by her enchanting voice. They're very dangerous."

Siren? Angelica the Siren? It all made sense now.

"Why? Melody, what's wrong?" Dylon asks with concern.

"Dylon, we've been wrong the whole time. We're heading the wrong way."