Hart of the Sea

Chapter 12

"Why did the princess summon you?"

"What did you talk about?"

"Can we expect a wedding anytime soon?"

"Stop!" I shouted. My parents had started showering me with questions the second I swam through the front door. "Sorry, just...I need to be alone right now." I pushed past them towards my room, exhaling sharply.

"The wedding part was just a joke," I heard my dad mumble to my mom as I swam away. I rolled my eyes, shutting my door behind me with my tail.

I understood why they were curious; it was only reasonable for them to be. But after leaving the castle I decided I wouldn't tell them anything. They couldn't know what was happening. It was too risky for them to know. Risky for them, and risky for me.

On the bright side, even with her obvious aversion to my involvement with a human, Peitha still agreed – reluctantly, but still – to see what she could do to help save the captured merfolk, as soon as I was able to find out more and relay that information to her. I knew it was a real possibility that the fate of those mer was out of our hands, but it was still worth it to ask. Who knows the extent of the resources and connections the royal family has?

I planned on going back to the dock today – for Talia to tell me what else she was able to find out, yes, but...if I was being completely honest with myself...I just wanted to see her. Lately, I constantly felt as though a silt cloud fogged my mind, but looking at her made it dissipate; made everything clear again.

Even though I wanted to leave the house the moment I'd returned from the castle, I knew it'd be best to wait until nightfall, like she said. Her dad would be out hunting for me right now and, as badly as I wanted to help bring those mystery mer to safety, getting myself captured wouldn't help anybody.

"Hart?" My mother's voice outside my door caught me off-guard. "Can I come in?"

I sighed, laying down across my clamshell bed and watching lone silt particles dance in the water above me. "Yeah, sure."

My door opened slowly, and my mom swam inside. "Is everything alright? Do you need to talk about anything?" Her tail swished slowly back and forth, kicking up more silt.

I stared up at the ceiling. "I'm fine," I mumbled, hoping she'd take the hint. I glanced over at her, but she hadn't budged.

"Hart..." she whispered, swimming over to my bed and sitting down next to me. "I know you. I can tell when something's up. Talk to me. Did something happen...with the princess?"

I groaned. "Aqeus, no!"

Mom flinched, taken aback. "Well, you didn't have to raise your voice at me, young man. Your father and I are just concerned for you, that's all. Something's been...off with you lately. Are you sure there isn't anything you want to talk about?" She gazed maternally down at me, reaching over to tuck a short lock of hair behind my ear.

I turned over on my side, facing away from her. I felt her draw her hand back as if it had been stung by a jellyfish. "I just want to be alone right now," I mumbled. A few grueling seconds passed before I heard my door open and close. When I turned over on my other side again, my mom was gone.

Even though it was the middle of the day, I decided to take a nap until it was safe to return to the shore again. My father had told me the other day not to waste good days like these before the colder weather took over completely, but after what happened with Peitha, I didn't have the will to do anything else.

#

I opened my eyes, my gaze drifting slowly over to my sea glass window. Night had finally fallen. I checked to make sure my parents were sound asleep before I slipped out of the house. I left no note this time; I planned on being back before they woke up.