The Seelie Curse

Chapter 22

The city is made of smooth gray stone, shaped by the sea and time into smooth rippling structures. As Kyma spirals down to the city below, several other shapes swim up to meet her. Merrows from this city. She reorients herself, her head pointing towards the surface high above. When the new merrows reach her, Kyma lets her gaze wash over them. The first one has a tail of a deep dark color, she has the feeling it would be a rich red hue at the surface.

Her skin is paler than Ro's but not by much. Her dark hair is pulled back in a bun like Kyma's own. The second merrow has a kelp green tail and green eyes, brighter than those of the first merrow. His hair is the same rich brown shade of the female merrow, Kyma is getting the feeling that they are related. The female frowns at Kyma and raises her hands, tucking her spear in the crook of her elbow. The male drifts closer to her as she begins to sign.

"Who are you? Why are you here?"

Kyma lowers one of her hands to the bag at her side. The two other merrows jerk forward, wary. Kyma signs with her other hand.

"Be at peace. I'm getting the proof of my identity that you require."

Slowly, she grips the cool metal of her circlet and pulls it from the bag. Shock lights in their eyes at the sight of it. At risk of inhaling water, the male's mouth falls open in disbelief. Kyma winces.

"I take it as you don't believe me?"

The female shakes her head. "No, we believe you. Queen Lahira wouldn't give you that circlet if she didn't know you were her daughter without a doubt. I just didn't know she had a daughter, none of us did."

Kyma smiles. "Thank you."

The female merrow inclines her head. "What brings you to our kingdom, Princess?"

"My mother sent me a message, and I need to send a reply back. The problem is, I don't know how."

Confusion lines the faces of the two merrows. The male signs, his movements quick and sharp. "Why don't you know how to send water messages?"

Kyma shrugs nervously. "I grew up not knowing about the Aos Sí. I grew up human. I didn't realize who I was until about a year ago."

The female nods. "Welcome to this world, and welcome to the Eastern Merrow Kingdom."

"Thank you."

"I'm Anabla, and this is my brother Cailean. Come, you'll need air soon. We should head into the city."

Kyma nods and follows Anabla down to the bottom of the city below. The guard ducks into one of the towers. Kyma swims through the large opening into it and looks around at the inside with awe. The walls inside the tower are carved with fascinated, detailed pictures. Kyma swims closer, tracing one with a finger. Something brushes against her tail and she twists, startled. It's Cailean, his eyes soft. He's looking slightly past her, at the walls of the tower.

Kyma signs to him. "What are these?"

"Our history."

"Of the merrows?"

He smiles. "It goes all the way back. Past our creation, all the way to the first Aos Si."

Kyma's eyes widen. "How in the seas do you have a record of history that goes that far back?"

"Long ago, our people came from a ruling line of the courts. They had access to that history from their Queen and it was all recorded. Since then, we have held records of all that has come to pass. If you wish to know more, you must speak with the King and Queen of our kingdom."

"Gladly. But I think my friend and I may need to breathe first."

Cailean smiles. "Of course. Come."

With a pump of his tail, Cailean shoots up towards the ceiling of the room. Kyma almost inhales water, worried that he'll hit the ceiling. But he arcs backward instead, smoothly gliding just beneath the ceiling. Just when Kyma thinks she's mastered how to move in this form, she learns this. Cailean moved so fluidly, so practiced.

He's clearly been doing this for a long, long time. Kyma follows him, her tail flicking behind her. Her scales are darker down here, like liquid metal. Kyma follows him higher into the tower. He stops halfway up, ducking into an alcove. Kyma almost doesn't realize in time, he has to pull her into the alcove.

Astrila is quicker to react, twisting into the alcove barely a centimeter behind Kyma's fins. It's a tight fit, especially when Anabla squeezes in with them. Kyma takes a breath, tasting the salt in the air. From in front of her, Astrila's nose breaks through the water into the pocket of air, breathing in with a huff. Anabla frowns at Astrila, glancing at Kyma.

"So your friend is a selkie?"

Kyma smiles. "She's my cousin, actually. But yes, she's a selkie."

"Your cousin? How?"

"From my human heritage. Our parents were cousins." Kyma glances around the alcove. "How does this air pocket work? It doesn't seem natural."

"It was a gift, from air spirits."

"What kind of air spirits?"

"They are ancient beings, their names lost to us. Perhaps the Courts know, but we do not."

Kyma sighs and looks down at the water and Astrila's dark form beneath it.
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What type of air spirits do you think they were? What do you think of Anabla and Cailean? What about the history wall? What do you think is going to happen when Kyma and Astrila meet the rulers of the Eastern Merrow Kingdom? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.