Glowinx Club - We Shine On Our Own

18. Shell-Shocked

TW: blood/bruises

Minu got escorted back into the castle and her parents walked towards her and gasped when they saw her in this new transformation, cupping their mouths.

"Is-...You received Atlantix?" her mother blinked and Minu exhaled. "I'm sorry but it's almost like I just did my job as the princess of Andros to care for my underwater citizens. There were men ready to dump acid on Cyra and Atune! I stopped them from doing it!"

A few seconds later the Atlantix transformation detached itself from the fairy and she stood there with her usual clothes again. "I also redeemed my first wish immediately...because I know that there won't be another way people would learn it."

"Wish? Oh right, with Atlantix you can have four wishes. And what people are you talking about?" her father shook his head in confusion and Minu exhaled aloud. "The criminals, I asked Thamis to make them stop wanting the stone, I just don't know what the goddess will do..."

Her mother crossed her arms. "You're telling me you saw the goddess Thamis first hand? Don't be delusional now." Minu sighed and felt the band of her choker slightly vibrating, she touched it and noticed her choker's little pendant, which also was a Tahim stone, being burning hot. "Wh-what-"

In a split second her Tahim pendant exploded and Minu screamed in agony as the burning pieces pierced through her neck's skin and hands. Luckily just a few pieces of the stone brushed against her cheeks but as Minu looked at her hands, blood dripped down her palms and fingers, leaving her in shock. Opposite of her, queen Valam held her head, drops of blood running down her forehead. The brooch in her hair had a Tahim stone as well.

"What did just happen? We preserved the stone; this shouldn't be happening!" King Damos held her wife and Minu looked around as servants rushed to the royal's side with tissues and disinfectant.

The wish... "Thamis helped us." Minu winced as a young servant picked on tiny fragments in her skin, a pair of tweezers in her hand. "I'm sorry, your Majesty..."

"What?" her mother wondered, a band aid on her head already and Minu bit the inside of her lip. "I asked Thamis to take care of it...I think she put a spell on the Tahim so it could never be used above the surface ever again."

Her father shook his head in disbelief. "And at what price?! Hurting people?!"

"Would you let me pick up another Tahim stone and wear it on me now?" Minu defended the wish and her parents were at loss of words and the princess nodded. "I thought so. The sea goddess has thought very well about the consequences. I..." she sighed and got very tired all of a sudden, her voice drained of all energy. "Please take me seriously...I can take care of myself; I can also take care of Andros. I showed that I can by receiving Atlantix...I can be of help and I want to stop being treated like a disposable object or like an accessory. I'm not a child anymore, I want to be part of Andros and the public...please..."

Her mother walked over and enveloped her in a big hug. "We do take you seriously! We're so sorry for giving you that expression lately, the whole situation is just so tense..."

Minu shook her head and gently pushed her mother away. "It's not just lately, it's actually all the time, ever since I was little. Of course, when I'm little I get that, you can't let me rule a kingdom when I'm five...but you barely made efforts starting to give me space and help me grow into an heir...I need to make my own decisions and you to treat me like an adult that has a place in this royalty."

Both of her parents sighed, Damos speaking up first. "We'll try to do that from now on...is there something we can talk about right now?"

"I want to go back to Alfea...I heard Owen is over to help as a specialist, you know he's a healer. He can heal all of this. I'll be fine. I just want to be kept updated and I wish to have Cyra and Atune be safe, maybe some guards to protect all the mermaids around the mines. I bet air breathing citizens will be trying to get to the mines again and get more Tahim...but then will learn another lesson."