Lost At Sea

Chapter XXII -D- Not the Priority

I try to sort out my thoughts, but my panic isn't helping. Thea is looking at me with terror, probably arriving at the same conclusion I did. If Honey is not on land with me, and is not on the sea with Thea...where the hell is she?

"Oh no no no no no. This can't be happening. This isn't happening. What in Poseidon's name is going on?!" Thea is freaking out. Not that I can't blame her, since I'm not much better. However, as a businessman I know when to lock the storm inside of me so I can think. Or so I thought, its not being as easy as I hoped right now.

"Can she be lost?" I think that answering questions might calm her and me, give us a feeling of doing something.

"No no no no, that's not possible." She keeps shaking are head so I'm not sure if she's actually responding me or just denying the situation.

"How are you so sure?"

"We grew up on the ocean, there is no way she's lost. We are freaking mermaids." She sounds exasperate but I decide to keep her talking, maybe she knows something that will be useful.

"She told me she wasn't allowed to explore."

"She told you that? She never shares who she really is." She looks at me with shock and curiosity.

"She told me everything. About Elizabeth and you and her mother. We also found out about her father here on land, she'll catch you up on that when we find her. We will find her."

"Wow...a lot happened in a few days. It's true that she couldn't explore but to us the ocean is not as mysterious as for humans, we sense it, we instinctively know where our Kingdom is, as if we are bound to it, drawn there. I don't know how could she ever get lost, although someone could have taken her. Oh damn, someone took her didn't they?! What do I do now?! Oh my god, I can't breathe. Maybe I can't breathe out of water. I don't understand what is happening, I can't see. My sight is blurry. What is happening to me?!"

"Thea. Thea, listen to my voice. You are fine, you are having a panic attack. You are going to be ok. Just walk slowly closer to my voice so I can help you. I can't get into the water, you have to come here." She's still hyperventilating but does as I say and stumbles until she reaches me. "Very well... you are alright, just breathe. Concentrate on your breathing, everything will be ok."

"Why is water coming out of my eyes?" She asks between hiccups. I would have laughed if I wasn't freaking out myself.

"It's only tears. Humans release tears when we are sad, worried, angry or even very happy, it's called 'crying'."

"That sounds awful." I laugh a little at that.

"It actually does...but you'll be fine once you calm down."

"What if we don't find her? I can't...I lived with her since we were children, she's my person, my sister. I can't live without her."

"We will find her."

"How are you so sure?"

"I won't stop until we do. I promise."

"Thank you."

"Are you calmer?"

She takes a deep breathe before answering.

"Yeah." She sounds calmer so I continue with my questions.

"Could she be held prisoner by the Royals?"

"No, that's impossible." She shakes her head and I can tell she's absolutely sure about this.

"Why?"

"They are dead."

"What?!" What the hell is going on?