Blood On The Altar

Chapter 24

I tossed and turned that night, a whimper slipping out every so often. My hand closed around an invisible dagger as I fought an unknown and unseen foe: myself. Or, rather, all the negative and horrible thoughts that had been forming in my head the past week. They manifested as ghosts, each one wearing the face of someone I knew. "Such a weak and broken princess," one hissed, the words coated with venom.

"You never deserved to be a princess," snapped another, closer this time. When I looked it in the eyes, I shook my head, scrabbling backwards. Ronan. The platinum eyes were locked on mine, filled with disgust. His mouth was twisted in a sneer. "Now, I can finally get justice for my sister."

Before I so much as opened my mouth, he put a transparent hand on my arm. It went right through me, but a cry slipped from my mouth. Visions filled my head, each one more agonizing than the latter. Faces. So many faces.

Some were familiar (Aunt Meri, Eliza), while others were cold and unforgiving as they stared at me. "You're just as bad as your mother. Such a disappointment. You never deserved to be a princess."

Hearing that sentence again snapped something inside of me. Anger like I'd never felt before boiled up inside me, starting at the tip of my tail and traveling to the top of my head. Hands curled into fists, invisible daggers pointed upward, I started swinging. My hands moved uselessly through the water, never coming into contact with anything. Yet I found I couldn't stop. The anger had manifested into something else, something I couldn't control.

I was sobbing through clenched teeth, tears making it difficult to see. All I could hear was Ronan's voice, malice coating it. "'You never deserved to be a princess.'"

Pushing through the voices, however, was a familiar voice, filled with worried concern. "Izzy? Can you hear me? Wake up. It's okay. Just wake up."

A cry burst from my lips as I opened my eyes, glancing wildly around the room. When I noticed the pairs of eyes staring at me, filled with concern, I almost recoiled in fear. I focused on Kai's eyes, the warmth and worry in them. "Are you okay?" His voice was soothing as he spoke.

Mom, Dad and Kai surrounded me, blocking the light from outside. I struggled to get my breathing under control, to remind myself that I was safe, that nothing could hurt me. As if sensing my unease, Mom swam to one of the windows, opening it all the way. The refreshing water caressed my sticky face, instantly calming my racing heart.

Hesitantly, Dad put a hand on my cheek. I leaned into his cool touch, concentrating on my breathing. When it finally steadied, I opened my mouth. "Any progress on finding Ronan?" I tried to keep the fear out of my voice.

Mom shook her head as she swam back to me. Her hands were raised before she'd even opened her mouth, as if anticipating my question. No. But we've got guards blocking the entrances and exits of all the realms. When he reappears, we'll know.

As much as that relieved me, it did nothing to quell the fear left over from the dream. Sensing my unspoken words, Mom and Dad both gently squeezed my hands before leaving. As soon as Kai and I were alone, I opened my mouth.

"It was horrible," I breathed, voice shaking. "All the bad thoughts I'd had over the past few months manifested themselves as a mermaid or merman. The way they looked at me..." I trailed off, shuddering. "Ronan was probably the worst of them all."

Kai put a hand on my arm, anger and concern warring for control of his emotions. "Ronan was there? Did he say anything to you?" His voice was controlled, though I could sense the hidden anger buried underneath.

Tears formed in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks as I nodded. "The worst part is he was right." I inhaled shakily, struggling to push through the hopelessness that had surfaced with the dream.

I looked up at Kai as his grip suddenly tightened on my arm. "What did he say," he repeated. It wasn't a question.

My voice broke as I spoke. "He said I never deserved to be a princess. That he could finally get revenge on Mom for what she did to his sister." I put my head in my hands, fighting the fear and depression that was struggling to consume me.

Kai took my hand, his grip warm but firm. "Come on," he said, inclining his head toward the door. "Get dressed."

I shook my head, confused. "Where are we going?" The thought of going out and facing anyone else... I didn't know if I could bear it.

He repeated the gesture, his eyes locked on mine. "Just trust me."

I took a steadying breath, then let it out slowly. He'd never let me down before, so why should I stop trusting him now? I quickly got dressed then followed him outside, the current full of mermaids and mermen out enjoying the beautiful day.

My mind wandered as we swam, curiosity replacing the knot in my stomach. I smiled at everyone we passed, but inside I was a mess of shame and depression. When we finally came to a stop, Kai tugged on my hand. I dragged my gaze up to see a statue of a mermaid, her image perfectly captured in stone. I realized we were right near the school.

Aunt Meri. I was always blown away by the accuracy of the carving. Her red-gold hair floating near her shoulders, the brown eyes that had sparkled with laughter or shone with love... My depression lifted ever so slightly as I turned to Kai. "Why are you showing me this?" I asked.

He moved behind me, placing his hands on my shoulders. "Because," he said, squeezing gently, "I wanted to show you just one of the many ways that you have helped so many of our people." The love and appreciation in his voice made me catch my breath.

As I continued to gaze at the statue, little mermaids and merboys spilled out of the school, all chattering loudly. When they spotted me, two young children—a mermaid and a merboy—sped towards me, giant smiles on their faces. "Aunt Izzy!" The merboy flung his arms around my waist.

I laughed as I hugged him. After we broke apart, Drew stared up at me, his dark green eyes filled with excitement. "We won our cometball game. I scored the winning goal!"

A genuine smile spread across my face at his words. "Congratulations!" His sister Faye floated beside him, a small smile on her face. I grinned at her.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. Before I knew it, the water began to darken. Kai and I ate dinner in our room, conversation flowing easily between us. Later that night, I laid awake in bed, my mind spinning. What could Ronan possibly have in store for us? That question swirled around in my head before I finally dozed off, concentrating on the sound of Kai's breathing.

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