Beneath the Waves (Ocean Song Book 1)

*UPDATED* Chapter 8: The Sorcerer

Such a nuisance this girl is... Prince Oceanus's brow twitches as leads Serena through the dark cavern. The water is chillier here, obviously due to the lack of sunlight. And present company does little to improve his sour mood. He wishes for her to hurry and return to the surface world so he can be rid of her irksome presence. Thus their reason for coming here.

They swim in silence–a silence that hardly bothers him. Her being silent is the highlight of his afternoon.

Before entering the cavern, the foolish girl had lingered by the entrance trying to weigh her options. He didn't necessarily care if she follow or not—either way, he'd be rid of her. He simply continued along, not acknowledging her presence. It only took her a few minutes to decide to follow after him—assuming that staying with him is the safest option.

He quickly senses the winding path ahead and discreetly quickens his pace to where she can hardly keep up. If she dies, it's not his problem. Such an outcome would've been appreciated before they reached this point. But the whole thing with the shark did nothing but create questions to her sudden ability to swim through the water.

The sorcerer should have the answer I seek. He senses her draw even closer to him, most likely to keep from getting lost in the darkness. Though he didn't show it, her presence did in a sense of the word unnerve him. He was swimming side by side with the very creature he despises more than anything else in the world and what's worse is the fact that she is swimming. Underwater. With him. Irony is such a distasteful thing.

Prince Oceanus maneuvers the twists and turns in the cave with an extraordinary expertise. The girl, however, has a more tumultuous time as she uses her hands to propel herself away from the wall when going through said twists and turns. In all sense of the word, she's nothing more than a guppy. Incapable of swimming and gods know what else. It seems her earlier display was just for show, either that or she's already forgotten how to turn.

She has yet to truly do anything noteworthy for him to be impressed by. As far as he's concerned the guards really should've just left her wandering about the ocean outside of the veil rather than bringing her inside and disrupting the somewhat calm atmosphere of his life.

It wouldn't be that much of a problem if she wasn't an accursed human but the horrid truth is that she is, indeed, a human. A human with no place beneath the sea. She is an anomaly, something that shouldn't be.

He turns the final corner and is welcomed by a pair of eerie lights floating about an entrance to what appears to be a chamber. Prince Oceanus continues through the doors with his undesirable companion following close behind with a profound hesitance.

A voice echoes about the chamber filled with strange potions, bobbles, and other such trinkets. "Ah, young Prince." Serena abruptly releases a gasp as a man appears behind her, grasping ahold of her shoulders with a Cheshire grin.

His features, like most merpeople, are pleasing to the eye. A straight nose, a regal jawline and high cheekbones accenting pale skin.

"And with such lovely company following within your wake," he adds as he runs a sharp black nail across her cheek and through her hair.

Such a youthful façade that hides a true terror beneath. Prince Oceanus grimaces. He's never been overly fond of this sorcerer.

"Leave her be, Calder." The man named Calder chuckles as he releases Serena and swims past her to a seat made of stone. His black tail, something of a cross between an eel and a mer's, sways lazily from side to side as Calder stares at Prince Oceanus with sharp vibrant green eyes. Serena keeps silent as she stares at Calder wearily but Prince Oceanus isn't the least bit fazed.