Scales and Secrets (Rough Beta Version)

Chapter 3

I stared at my ceiling, still thinking about the message that came with the conch shell charms that were in the bottle. We had went and bought necklace chains to put them on shortly after we found them. I placed my hand around the purple shell.

I turned my head and glanced at the digital alarm clock plugged in next to my bed. The bright blue numbers said 2:03 am. With a sigh I turned onto my side and closed my eyes, waiting for sleep to come.

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It was dark and stormy, the sky was ablaze with lightning, and all you could hear was the crash of thunder and the relentless slap of waves against the top of the ocean. A ship was sinking, worn down by the 20 foot waves. The name of the ship was partly covered by water, but the part that was legible said The Red Herr- . The faint outline of a nearby shore was in sight, but still a long ways off.

A young man's head stuck out of the water, looking around for something. "Layla, where are you!" He called frantically and dove down back underneath the waves, a dark blue tail surfaced behind him where a pair of legs should have been. Taking a deep breath of ocean, his gills flared and he called again and again searching desperately for his lost friend.

He spun around, a sinking object catching his attention. It was slowly leaving a dark red trail behind it as it sank, that would soon attract sharks or other predators. He swam up to it, and gasped "Layla!"

Layla's long black hair was tangled around her head like a halo, she had a tail like he did only it was naturally blood red. She had a dark brown satchel on her shoulder. Her stomach was torn to ribbons, blood pooling out of her to quickly. He felt her wrist for a pulse, she was alive for now but barely. He raced for the sand set her down on the gently. He looked around hoping to find something to close her wounds. Pieces of seaweed were wrapped around her stomach, forming a flimsy bandage.

Layla groaned in pain as he applied pressure to her stomach to stop the bleeding. "Jace." she whispered, "I'm sorry, I should have listened to you." Jace shook his head, "No, no, it's not you're fault I'm the one who made you get on the boat even though I knew the consequences." He replaced her wrap, the bleeding had not slowed.

"I don't have much time left, please tell the council of elders what Ichabod has informed us of, and make sure the artifact doesn't get into the wrong hands." Jace's eyes shimmered as he began to cry, "You'll be fine, don't say things like that. I will make you better, we can tell the council together!" Layla smiled her eyes out if focus, staring at the storm above. "I've always loved how the fire in you're eyes when you are determined to do the impossible. I will never forget that about you."

"Please stay with me! Please! Layla don't give up, I know you can pull through just- just." Layla reached up and caressed his face as he cried. "Please." Jace whispered as she put down her hand and closed her eyes, taking her last breath.

"What a pity," A deep voice said behind him, there was no emotion in his voice. "I see you were quite fond of her. But you know you were never to return, and now your friend has paid the price for your recklessness." Jace spun around looking more alert, his eyes still shimmered from the loss of Layla but had a glint of hate towards this man.

"This was not her battle Xander." Jace hissed glaring at the pale white man with jet black hair like Layla's. Xander's body was taut, ready to fight the other merman. His dark green eyes glowered at Jace. Xander smiled a sharks grin, his dark grey tail completed his shark like look. "My sister was a traitor to our family, she deserved to die."

Jace lost control and launched himself at Xander going for his throat. The sharky smile on his face was replaced by a sneer, he avoided the attack easily and smashed the end of his tail against the merman's head.