Blood On The Altar

Chapter 6

Unsurprisingly, Aunt Naia haunted my nightmares as I slept—fitfully, I might add. Her emerald-green eyes were piercing as she stared me down. "Join us, Isadora. We can be a family again. Just like Tiger Shark wanted."

I bit back a shiver at the mention of my grandfather. Even though he was dead, his activities were well-known. When she pulled the Loyalty Pendant out of her pocket, I had to clap a hand over my mouth to muffle the scream building inside me.

My eyes were pleading as I stared at her. "You can do whatever you want to me. Just please, leave my family—and Kai—alone. They have nothing to do with this." I'd do anything to keep them safe.

She grinned. "I was hoping you'd say that." Grabbing my wrist, she placed the Loyalty Pendant in my hand, closing my fingers over it. "You can carry on with your daily life—just be ready when I summon you. I'm sure your grandfather still has some loose ends to tie up." The grin was still on her face as she began to turn away.

At the last second, she turned back around, a warm expression on her face. "Congratulations on the wedding. I hope you and Kai are happy together."

Before I had time to puzzle over that closing remark, I woke up. The sun streamed through my window, lifting my mood ever so slightly. A faint headache pulsed at my temples, but other than that, I felt fine. As I pushed myself into a sitting position, movement out of the corner of my eye made me flinch.

Even though it'd only been less than a day since the attack, I was hyper vigilant, always on alert. Mom and Dad had already started training new guards, but the scars of the attack still remained, both physically and mentally. We'd lost multiple servants, so the palace itself was a bit quieter now. The servants that survived had been nursing their wounds and grieving for those who'd died, but that was to be expected.

Dad was a bit more withdrawn, his smiles few and far between now. The only time I got to see him was during meals, and even then the mood was somber. Mom was the same way. Rochelle and Stella had managed to hide out with the other servants, so they miraculously escaped with no injuries.

As sky-blue eyes filled my vision, I loosed a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. Rochelle smiled at me, her cinnamon hair tied up in a messy bun. "Your mother wanted to see if you were feeling up to breakfast. She said she has a surprise for you."

I got dressed faster than usual, my mind racing. When I went to put my own hair up, I froze at the sight of something glinting on my dresser. A grey pendant lay there, beckoning to me. Though every muscle in my body was screaming at me to leave it alone, I stuffed it inside my jacket pocket.

Aunt Naia's words surfaced in my head, like a recurring nightmare. "We can be a family again, Isadora. Just like Tiger Shark wanted."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, pushing the anxiety and fear of the nightmare out into the water where it couldn't touch me. Could Kai be downstairs? Or was it something —or someone—completely different? I prayed with everything I had for the former.

As I swam down to the dining room, a deep guffaw could be heard, followed by a quieter feminine laugh. A merman's voice could be heard, filled with emotion. "You have no idea how good it is to see you again, son. And it's so good to finally meet you in person, Nerissa. You are just as beautiful and charming as we'd hoped you'd be."

I didn't need to be in the room to know Mom was blushing. I waited all of ten seconds before rushing in, fully aware of the multiple pairs of eyes that slid towards me. My gaze was fixed on the mermaid and merman floating in front of my parents.

Dad's eyes were wide, his gaze fixed on his parents as if he was afraid to take his eyes off them, lest they disappear. I shyly swam beside Mom, glancing into the warm blue eyes of my grandmother. She gasped, a hand going to her throat. "Is..." She trailed off, tears filling her eyes.