The Mer Prince

Chapter 50

XY's POV

I had told Charley I would be back within a week, and unfortunately I lied. It took two days to cross no man's land, one day to get into the castle, and one day out. It would have been another two days to leave and return to the trench.

The trip would have been a week, at best.

Unfortunately, life never permits 'easy' to go hand-in-hand with 'plans.' Even when you think you are near the finish line, something can drag you back.

I emerge from the castle escape into an ambush. There were tentacles, ropes, and worst of all - my trainer. My mentor. Tau.

The only man in the ocean who could overpower me had been waiting there, laughing in delight as I fenced off his new disciples. He waited for them to wear me down, standing just aside of them, arms crossed and eyes jeering as I fought back spear, knife, nail, and maw. The younger ones were as small as I had been, and there was nothing in me to prepare for a fight with a teen and two children. None of them deserved to be hurt, or maimed, my moves acting only for defense.

I start panting as the little one launched towards my face, and I smack him hard with the blunt end of my trident. The move opened up my gut to an attack- and Tau took it, slamming my chest, enough for my breath to escape and my vision to go fuzzy. Breathless, my back hits the ground, and the little ones move in to finish me-

"Stop. He is one of my disciples." Tau rapped the students' fingers with his staff. They stopped and look to him, and then me, in awe. They had been ruthlessly attacking one of their own.

I pant, trying to regain my breath. "That's right." I inhaled desperately, feeling like my lungs were bruised, and coughing. "I'm just trying to return Charley's shell."

"Pass it here." Tau opened his palm for the shell, and I look to him warily, with distrust.

"I intend to give it back myself." I told him, sitting up from the muddy ground I had landed on. I take off the fancy jacket, and dust it slowly off.

"Where is it? I did not ask for an explanation. I said, pass it here." Tau presents his hand again to me, and again, I make no move to give him anything. The annoyance on his face reminded me of being just a child, another orphan to his 'school.' A boarding house for young assassins.

"I have no intentions of letting someone else give it to Charley. I will not give it over." I warn him, watching Tau only get angrier- before smacking me across the face with his staff. My jaw makes an unfortunate noise, and I could feel the bruise forming.

"GIVE IT HERE!" He demands, yanking the jacket away from me. He starts to rifle through the pockets, and then furiously tears it to pieces. The children assassins eagerly grabbed and tore up the pieces.

I watch with dismay, slowly telling him with a painful jaw, "That was not fucking hiding it; I was going to trade that for clothing."

Tau looked me over, but I was bare, with only an old trident beside me. He was even more enraged- taking his staff, and smashing my face again. I made no noise to reward his anger, only looking to him with a defiant raise of my head.

Tau snapped at me, "Where have you hidden it? WHERE?" He grabs my throat with a long tentacle and began to squeeze, moving his face close to mine. "I made sure to take care of you, boy, as a promise to your mother. I raised you. You tell me, WHERE IS THE SHELL?"

I cough at his seething face, struggling to speak or breathe, but with defiance I say, "Hidden."

Tau's face lit in more anger and he throws me down. He began to pace, looking at me sharply. "You were a prodigy, boy. I knew you would be able to do great things. Yet you threw that in my face- to rejoin your own kind. To bow your head to that KING! Now you stand in my way, from completing a task for the better of all people?"