CORRUPTED FILE [Lumina Chronicles Past Drafts]

Level Sixteen: Kindle Is An Idiot

"And that was when Kindle found me passed out in the back room, wrapped up in fabric scraps and completely wasted," Faye exclaimed, laughing.

"So I take it mermaids have a low tolerance for alcohol?" I laughed too. I had spent the past half hour sitting in Faye's workshop with Faye and her friend Serpina, listening to Faye's story about her last birthday party.

"Well I didn't know that then I'd never even had alcohol before!" She was still laughing. After everything Carlyle showed me, I made me happy to see her this happy. "But I guess it makes sense, hm? As a mermaid, I lived a majority of my life underwater. Alcohol has a greater effect on me because I'm so used to water."

"It was kind of my fault anyway," Serpina admitted with a giggle, "I was the one who threw you the party."

"You always throw my parties," Faye said, elbowing the other mermaid.

Serpina was beautiful, like Faye was, but it appeared Serpina actually took care of her hair. She had a cluster of scales by her right eye, which was how I knew from the second I met her that she was a mermaid as well. Her hair was a shimmering blonde that fell smoothly and without tangles to her lower back. When compared to Faye's hair, the difference was comical. Serpina had deep, dark sapphire blue eyes, which made her seem much wiser and older than other girl's her age, which was sixteen. She was also taller than me, which threw me off a bit. Lydia was really messing with my height expectations.

"That's because I throw the best parties," Serpina stated proudly, though she still had a playful smile on her lips.

I hadn't known there were any mermaids in the castle other than Faye, but apparently Serpina was the only other one. They informed me that they weren't sisters, though they did act like they were.

"You'll be coming to her party next week, won't you, Maggie?" Serpina asked me.

I nodded. "I hope so, as long as Kindle lets me out of training in time for it."

Faye and Serpina both laughed at that.

"What?" I asked. Clearly, I was missing something.

"Of course Kindle will let you out in time, he's yet to miss one of Faye's birthdays himself!" Serpina giggled with a roll of her eyes, and then she leaned in as if she were sharing a secret and whispered, "He's got a weak spot for cake."

"A weak spot the size of the entire Shadow Realm!" Faye added, "If you can bake a good cake you'll have him bowing at your feet."

"Oh," I replied, looking down at the ground.

"Can you bake a good cake, Maggie?" Faye asked, scooting her chair closer to mine so she could nudge my shoulder.

"No," I replied, thinking of the time I tried to surprise Elle with a birthday cake. "The last time I baked a cake it ended up a pile of chocolate flavored sand."

Serpina and Faye exchanged glances.

"You know, I can teach you how to bake the best cake you'll ever have the good fortune of eating." Serpina offered with a sly smile, "If you really want Kindle bowing at your feet, that is."

I blushed at that and opened my mouth to defend myself, but before I could get out a word the door to Faye's room burst open with a sharp gust of wind.

"What the?" Serpina rose from her chair and peeked out into the hall. "There's nothing there. That was strange."

Just as she was about to close the door, Carlyle's voice spoke urgently in my ear. "Kindle's in trouble, big trouble! Follow me, tell Faye and Serpina it's important and bring them along too."