The Mermaid Prophecy (On Hiatus)

Chapter 10

Arsulu

My eyes trace the wooden frame on the mirror across the room for the hundredth time. Every hand carved swell and divot are etched permanently in my mind. If I had the ability to make furniture, I know that I could recreate even every unwanted notch from memory.

I hear the ocean waves crash against the castle outside followed by silence. I don't bother to look. I know that I can't see anything. The moon has entered it's final stage where it can no longer been seen in the sky and night falls heavily on the castle.

Earlier while on the "veranda" as they call it, I could see the ocean for miles. But there was no sign of them. Neither the dolphins nor my family have returned for me.

Springing to my feet, I cross the room and find the frayed satchel on a nearby chair. I pull the mirror from Proteus out and try again to make it work.

Nothing.

I sigh. It's not as if I believed it would actually work. 

In fact, I knew that it wouldn't. But I had hoped that I was wrong for once.

I look into the moonless night, seeing nothing but feeling everything. Anxiety, loneliness, hunger. And as if on cue, my stomach rumbles.

Two days have passed since I was brought here against my will. 

Despite being scared of me, and they do fear me, Carlotta continues to bring me bandages and disgusting decaying fish to try and coerce me to eat.

I try to turn her down softly but she doesn't seem to understand the word "no". Instead, she continues to push me until I snap. And when I do, I can see her fear behind her smile that doesn't reach her eyes.

Every once in a while, when I move, I can see her jump back from the corner of my eyes. When I look at her, her laugh is so high pitched that I am convinced she is trying to call the dolphins in the sea to us.

Grimsby might be my favorite at the moment even though he resembles the pirates that found me in the alleyway. He has taken to pretending I don't exist. And I know it should bother me but it doesn't. It actually makes me feel more at home in this unfamiliar place.

Both of their behavior is better than his. I clench my teeth together thinking about it. Desperate or not, how was I to know that he could be such a brute?

Honestly, who force feeds someone unwanted food mouth to mouth? My face flames just thinking about the incident earlier.

Luckily, I had pushed his soul-searching blue eyes and oil slick black hair away before he could ruin my first kiss. I can still remember the way his exposed, chest heaved up and down afterwards. All the muscles under his white shirt flexed like..

I feel my face flush again, embarrassed at my line of thinking. Where in the world did that come from?

Okay so maybe my first kiss wouldn't have been exactly ruined.

I can at least admit that to myself. Maybe if he weren't such a brute, I amend.

I walk to the veranda doors and as I expected, I can see nothing. Nothing but a glowing light in the sea. 

I snap my head back around and yes, it's there. A light.. in the sea? Squinting my eyes, I see that it isn't a light at all, it's a trident. Fathers trident.

I feel shock set into my face. My father who has missed many of my firsts in life, that has been "too busy" to do anything pertaining to me for more than half of my life, has come for me.

Me.

Glee and giddiness overtake me. I slap my face a few times to remove the goofy smile I know spreads across my face and fight the urge to dance in the middle of the room.

After my moment of celebration, I rake the room with my eyes and gather everything that could be considered mine. With one last look around the room, I push through the doors and tread down the long hallway.

I find the stairs and see that they lead to a large room with windows everywhere. Bounding down them two at a time, I search outside the windows in the room looking for the light.

The dolphins can see me, I can hear their faint chattering even though they are so far. They try to tell me which way to go but the two bicker too much to give clear directions.

After several attempts, I finally find the main door. It looms over me almost discouraging me from exiting to my freedom.

My hand rests against the solid wood and pushes hard opening it just a creak.

"Where are you going?"

I freeze.

My heart has just dropped somewhere in the vicinity of my stomach. Which is funny, because I know that my stomach has just splattered all over the floor.

I don't turn around. Maybe if I stay still enough, he won't see me. 

I know it won't work, but I wish it would.

Eric's feet shuffle closer until I can feel the heat of his body behind my own. His arms reach around me on both sides, one holds the closed door handle, the other reaches around me and pulls the open door closed.

Trapped.

I wait, for what I'm unsure. But I wait. His steady breath ruffles my hair with each inhale and exhale.

Even though his breath is warm, it sends shivers across my neck.

"Answer me," he insists. Several thoughts run through my mind at the same time. 

My family is waiting for me. We're mermaids and Eric is human. I can't expose them. He smells better than those sheets. 

Focus.

"Midnight stroll," I lie.

His hands drop to his sides and I feel my heart restart. My stomach is still sewing itself back together but I chance a look over my shoulder.

Our faces almost collide and in his eyes as blue as the deepest depths of the sea, I can see my reflected ice blue eyes melting. His eyes drift lower to my lips. Heat rises to my cheeks. I unintentionally bite my lower lip and his eyes dilate.

He leans in.

Author's Note: Published Nov 1st 2019, Revised Nov 24th 2019.