A Mermaid's Curse

Chapter 20

I dream of the battle to come that night. Hear the familiar but heart-stopping sound of metal on metal as swords clash near me. All around me, mermaids and mermen are fighting, some with swords and daggers, others with brute strength. In my frightened state, I manage to recognize our soldiers and Nepptheas' own. Their uniforms, while speckled with blood, are still recognizable. I look around for my friends, my family, but don't see them.

Before I let myself even begin to panic, a strangled scream off to my left catches my attention. My heart pounding, I follow the sound to a ravine just a few yards from where the sounds of battle still raged. What I see as I come upon the edge of the ravine has me biting back my own scream, resisting the urge to reach for my dagger.

Mom, floating inches above the ground, tail tucked underneath her. But that isn't what stops my heart. No; it's the mermaid behind her, gripping a fistful of curls in her hand so tight Mom's eyes are watering. I stare at her in horror and shock. "Who are you?" I ask, my voice hollow.

Because the mermaid in front of me is certainly not Mom's sister, nor is she my aunt. She scoffs, tightening her hold on Mom's hair. Mom groans, squeezing her eyes shut. Tears flow down her cheeks, falling onto the ground. "Who am I?" Aunt Naia asks, a crazed gleam in her wide eyes. The slight hint of insanity in her voice sends a shiver down my spine.

"I'm the mermaid that always got pushed to the side, forgotten about. I'm the mermaid who got sick and tired of living in her sister's shadow, always being ignored. Well, now I've made something of myself. I'm a queen with an entire kingdom to rule. I finally have everything I could ever want. And it's all thanks to him." She gestures with her free hand to a merman off to the side. When he comes into view, I freeze.

Uncle Brandon swims to her side, a sadistic grin on his face. "Hello, Isadora. What's the matter? You look a bit scared."

I am scared. Scared for Aegrem, for Pelathas, for Aquireth. Who knows what these two have in store for them? I lock eyes with Mom, wishing I could tell her everything was going to be okay. "She's your sister. Are you really so far gone that you'd kill your only remaining family?" My question is directed at Aunt Naia, but I don't hear her respond. A guttural scream from the battle that suddenly seemed so far away catches my attention.

My heart slams to a halt in my chest, shock and fear stealing the water from my lungs. I know that voice. Aunt Bella. Before I so much as turn around, translucent figures appear out of the corner of my eye, cruel expressions on their faces. "You can't save them all, Izzy. Look at what happened to Nadia." "Now you have to make a choice. Your aunt or your mother?"

I want to collapse into tears, burst into hysterics. As I glance at Mom, her tear-filled eyes wide with fear, and down to where the rest of my family is, anger fills my body. "Please," I sob, voice choked with tears. "Please don't make me choose."

Aunt Naia seems to realize that I'm not talking to her, but responds nonetheless. "Well, looks like I'll have to make the choice for you." Uncle Brandon hands her a dagger, the cruel grin never leaving his face.

My eyes widen. Everything seems to happen in slow motion. She clutches the hilt, angling it toward Mom's chest. A cry bursts from the latter, causing heartbreaking tears to spring to my eyes. I want to move, but suddenly hands are on me, restraining me. A roar of grief breaks from my mouth, ending in a sob.

It's over in a split second, yet I know the memory will last a lifetime. The sound of metal piercing flesh; seeing Mom's eyes widen then go blank; watching her chest rise and fall, albeit weakly, one last time before ceasing.

My eyes are locked on Mom's face, her eyes frozen open. "Mom!" Another sob slips out, unleashing the torrent that had been building up inside me. I don't know if I'm screaming or crying or both—I can't hear anything. I rush to catch her body before she hits the ground.