Señorita Pufferfish | ONC 2020

Chapter 7 Can't Blame a Merman for Trying

Sapphire's POV

The arrival of the panicked Calidum changed everything. The enchanting, jovial atmosphere of the ball transformed into one of hysteria and horror. Everyone save for the youngest of hatchlings knew what that pearl meant to the Calidum merpeople.

Already tails and tongues were wagging faster than even Sapphire could keep up with. All dancing had halted. It looked as though many of their guests were considering stampeding out of the ballroom, but shock had anchored them in place.

"Who could have done this?" A plump middle aged Calidum mermaid gasped.

Everything was so loud. Sapphire winced, covering her ears. Supernatural hearing was both a blessing and a curse.

"Do you think they're still in the capital?" Merman pursed his lips, worry etched into his furrowed brows.

Shouts, yells, and conspiratorial whispers echoed throughout the ballroom. Far too many anxious merrpeople and Familiars were packed into one place.

"We have to do something! What if they're trying to summon the dragon?"

One conversation bled into the next. It didn't matter, though. The decibels and vocabulary in each exchange varied, everyone was united in their anxiety over the missing pearl.

"It's rather coincidental how the pearl goes missing on the night of Sapphire's ball." Alexander threw a pointed look her way.

"Don't you dare accuse our mistress of such things." Several sea snakes swam towards the Protegere king.

James' hiss matched Sapphire's Familiars in ferocity. "Don't be ridiculous. Sapphire has been here the whole time."

Sapphire would have cackled with glee at seeing the 'Hippy king' scold Alexander like a naughty hatchling were the situation not so dire. The pearl was missing and like it or not, it wasn't difficult to discern which way the tide was flowing.

Against her.

Bashira snorted. "She could have stolen it beforehand. What better distraction could there be than ball preparations?"

"Or you and your pretty merboy could be trying to set me up. You're monarchs. Either one of you could have sent one of your subjects to steal the pearl while you were here." Sapphire glared. The tide might be against her, but that didn't mean she'd allow it to sweep her away without a fight.

"Stop it. All of you. Fighting among ourselves won't solve anything." Olivia let out a sadistic screech that silenced almost everyone in the ballroom.

By Poseidon, even Sapphire covered her ears to spare them the torment.

A powerful ripple of magic spun across the room as all their guests were rendered immobile by Jasmine's magic. "Olivia is right. I'll unfreeze you all once everyone has cooled off."

What Jasmine really meant was in about ten, maybe twenty minutes. Sapphire doubted even young Primus queen's telekinetic abilities could corral a crowd this large for long.

"Alright, guys. Everyone settle down." Marcos offered a placating smile to the crowd. The clownfish had long since discovered Jasmine almost never bothered to freeze someone's mouth. It was easier to interrogate people that way. "Our favorite sexy siren and aquamarine queen are right. Besides, we've got a gorgeous ghostie who can solve this mystery. Vivian's a human...err mermaid lie detector, right?"

The clownfish wasn't wrong. Vivian, the 'gorgeous ghostie', possessed the Gift of Honesty. She could compel anyone to tell the truth, but there was one catch.