Beyond The Depths

Chapter 3

My body jolted awake moments before my mind did. I hadn't so much as cracked an eye open, but I wasn't sure I could even if I'd tried. I took deep, even breaths, concentrating on my other senses. The feeling of cool bedsheets under me; the smell of fresh water as it seeped in through the open window; the sound of our door opening.

I held completely still, barely breathing. I heard whoever it was move closer, then stop by the edge of the bed. They leaned down, brushing a stray curl off my forehead and pressing a kiss to the spot. A heartbeat later, my whole body relaxed, all the tension I hadn't realized was inside my body slowly disappearing.

"Izzy?" Kai's voice was low and soft, edged with concern. I finally forced my eyes open, wincing at the light streaming inside the room through the open windows. I recognized our bedroom, but what had happened?

The minute that thought had finished forming, a face started to take shape in my mind. Aunt Bella and Uncle David's father. He was responsible for this. I flinched as Kai spoke. "Are you okay?"

The mental wall was growing weaker and weaker with each passing day, causing excruciating headaches and debilitating exhaustion. Even now, it felt like an anchor was pressing down on my body, weighing it down. I feebly reached for his hand, wishing I could still the trembling in my own.

"Tyler... He was in my nightmare. Aunt Bella was there too. He said his plan was to make me suffer. Make me watch my whole world crumble around me, the death and destruction of everything and everyone I love." A whimper escaped from my lips, and I closed my eyes, a single tear falling onto my cheek.

Kai's eyes had never left mine as I'd spoken, his expression filled with a combination of anger and sympathy. I pushed myself into a sitting position, trying to ignore the sharp pain in my head. "Where are Mom and Dad?" The last thing I remembered was swimming into the dining room and sitting at our table. Kai had appeared... then nothing.

The anger quickly drained from his expression, replaced by concern. There was something else wedged beside the first emotion, however. It took me a moment to place it, but once I did, the water was knocked from my lungs. Fear.

"What happened, Kai?" For a moment, I wasn't sure I wanted to hear the answer.

He loosed a shuddering breath, then met my eyes. "Your dad and uncle have been missing since early this morning. Your mother was here before the sun was even up, frantic. She told me that, late last night, Jay had expressed his frustration about the situation. He was adamant about doing whatever it took to find Tyler and make him pay."

I closed my eyes, trying to think past the roaring in my head. "Where is she?" I rose from the bed as I spoke, swimming into the bathing room. Not bothering to bathe, I slipped into a loose sundress, pulling a jacket on over it.

Kai was right beside me when I swam back into the bedroom. "Last I heard, she was talking to Mom about organizing a search party."

I swallowed hard, breathing shakily. As if they'd known we were talking about them, a knock sounded on our door. I opened it to reveal two mermaids, floating side by side. Concern was etched deep into both their expressions.

I flew into Mom's arms, already crying. She clung to me, her body trembling as she sobbed. When we finally broke apart, I scanned her from head to tail. She looked exhausted and weary, like the world had dealt her one too many blows. Dark circles ringed her dull eyes, the spark nowhere to be found. Her shoulders curved inward, as if it was only the sheer strength of will that was keeping her upright.

We'll find them, Mom. I promise. Where should we look first? I pushed all the sadness, fear, and guilt into the very back of my heart as I waited for her answer.

Her hands were shaking as she lifted them, her eyes red-rimmed. We've got groups of mermaids and mermen searching Nepptheas, Aquireth, and Pelathas. We could stop by each of them, see which ones need help.

I nodded. The four of us left the palace, swimming fast for Nepptheas. Along the way, we stopped and asked anyone if they had any information about the whereabouts of the two mermen. Sadly, we barely got any answers.

Most of our day was spent doing this, going from town to town, asking the same questions. At dusk, we finally stopped at Aquireth's border, exhausted and frustrated. I put my head in my hands, fighting back waves of guilt and frustration. Kai swam up to me, a knowing look in his eyes. "You can't blame yourself," he said, as if reading my thoughts.

"Why not?" A scoff cracked out of me as I lifted my head and met his gaze. "I should have anticipated this. Maybe then this wouldn't be happening."

Kai opened his mouth to respond, but froze as his eyes focused on something over my shoulder. "Izzy," he breathed, relief coating his voice.

I turned, all the strength leaving my body as I glimpsed the two mermen in the distance. Mom let out a broken sob as she sped through the water, launching herself into her husband's arms. I flew right into Uncle David's arms, immediately withdrawing as he let out a grunt of pain. I let go and scanned his body, eyes widening at the blood staining his shirt.

From the way he had a hand pressed against his torso, I'd have guessed that one or two of his ribs were broken. None of us spoke as we swam back to the palace. Mom and Dad in the were in the front, the former supporting the latter with his arm slung over her shoulder. Uncle David was behind them, his labored breathing sending bolts of fear into my heart. Kai and I brought up the rear.

What felt like hours later, we finally got back to the palace. Uncle David immediately went to the infirmary, his broken ribs paining him fiercely. Dad was hardly better off—he was diagnosed with a concussion and a broken rib. From the way his eyes glazed over as he was being treated by the doctor, I wondered how in the world he'd been able to swim home, much less stay conscious.

Later that day, I headed to the infirmary to visit Uncle David. Aunt Bella had been beside herself with worry when she'd heard about what had happened. She'd swam here faster than I'd ever seen and had been by her brother's side ever since.

I had just swum in front of the door to the infirmary when I glimpsed a shadow out of the corner of my eye. "What more can you take from me?" I asked, exhaustion coating my voice.

My vision faded to black before an answer came. Breathing heavily, I opened my eyes, a cry escaping me as I recognized my surroundings. It's the exact same room from my nightmares.

A merman swam in front of me, eyes glittering maliciously. "Hello, Isadora."

"Why?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Why would you do that to your own children? Haven't they suffered enough?"

Tyler swam to me, lifting a hand to my cheek. "Oh, Izzy." My blood boiled at his casual use of the nickname. "I wasn't torturing them. I was torturing you. I knew that if I kidnapped them, you, with your ridiculous sense of compassion and hope, would do everything you could to save them. Clearly, it wasn't enough."

I opened my mouth to respond, but he spoke before I could. "Don't come looking for me again. You wouldn't want more of your family to suffer, would you?"

With that, my surroundings returned to normal, and I was left trembling before the doors to the infirmary. A stabbing headache formed in between my eyes, and I groaned. I pushed the door open and leaned against it, barely able to stay upright.

"Izzy?" A deep voice filled my ears, loud and grating.

I had so much I wanted to tell them, but I couldn't make words come. Instead, I surrendered to the unconsciousness that was tugging at me, causing the mental wall to break inside my mind.

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