COMPLETED
Nereida has always been shackled to her royal duties as princess of Triteria, and when her kingdom becomes involved in a series of mysterious vanishings and deaths she begins to seek answers. Rebels soon shatter her world, and she finds he...
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My heart raced as I walked down the passageway, the sounds of distant battle filling my eardrums, but I would not be deterred from my destination: Governor Bancroft's quarters. Rage began to fill me—fiery, untethered, blinding rage. I needed to hold onto and grasp it with both hands because there was no time for fear or compassion. My eyes lowered, seeing the gold nameplate that hung outside the door. As I approached it, reaching my hand out to grab the doorknob, doubt crept in, and I wondered if this was the wisest move. I was alone and would soon have to face whatever lay hidden on the other side. It was now or never, so with a tiny breath, I threw open the door.
My gun was the first to enter, pointed straight forward as my body followed behind. I surveyed the room, ensuring that no one was hiding. Surprisingly, it was empty, and there, placed in the center of the governor's desk, was my treasure, the compass. I smirked and quickly approached it, grabbing it from the table. I then pivoted, heading back for the door and opening it. Outside stood Smitty, dressed in a soldier's uniform.
"Ello, dearie," he greeted sinisterly as he pointed his gun at me. Beside him, Governor Bancroft stood silently, pleased.
"You died along with your traitorous companion," I accused through gritted teeth. Smitty took my arm, and I struggled against his clutch.
"Sit the girl down." Smitty pulled me over to the chair and then forcibly sat me down. He took the gun from my hand, followed by my sword.
"Yes, sir! Right away, sir! Got myself a new life now, mermaid. Wot all that trouble Morgan put me through, the gov'nor offered me the opp'tunity to start over. Like the good gods says, he who seeks salvation shall have it," Smitty explained.
"The governor offers nothing to no one, you imbecile," I sneered.
"That will be all, soldier, return to your post," Bancroft ordered. Smitty saluted him and then turned and walked out of the room. Governor Bancroft kept his eyes on me as he slowly walked around his desk, his finger trailing behind, touching the wood. "I find you much changed, mermaid. You aren't the same young, wide-eyed savage as before. I'll miss that."
"And yet, dear governor, you remain the same small-minded, conniving, deceitful, tyrannical villain I met on Dodona Isle. Only now have you enlisted more help. I spoke with Emil, and he told me everything," I spat. Each word was dripped in acid; there was no point in pleasantries.
"Ah yes, your 'southern king's' idiotic advisor, such an idiot. All one had to do was show him just an ounce of faith, and he was swayed. It's comical, really, his desperation to 'save his people,' only to become the monster himself. I believe that was my greatest work thus far," Governor Bancroft mocked. My jaw tightened; I did not feel sorry for Emil, but I hated the way the governor spoke about his overtaking of him as if my kind were so easily manipulated.
"You knew about the trident, didn't you? How?" I started to question him, pivoting the conversation away from insults.
Governor Bancroft scoffed and stood up from the chair. He walked over to the other side of the room, in front of a wooden chest, and pulled out an item wrapped in beautiful blue fabric. He then returned to his desk and sat in the chair he was once in. I watched as his decorated hands, covered in substantial jeweled rings, untied the lace, revealing not one but a stack of stone tablets. He casually picked one up from the group, holding it up for display. He looked at me, and an amused smile slowly spread across his cheeks.
