Beyond the Sea (43 page)

“I would follow you,” Jamie admitted honestly without realizing the implications of what she stated.

“How much would you be willing to risk to save complete strangers?”

“I don’t know, Melia. I don’t like where you’re taking this. I don’t want to be the downer here, but Melia, you can’t change the world. You are just one person.”

“Maybe. Maybe I can’t change it. Not on my own. But maybe I can influence others to take a stand and fight. Vaianu is just one person—well, adaro—and look what he started.” Her sparkling green eyes shimmered with hope. Jamie didn’t move, the awe of Melia’s speech was obvious on her face. “But I’m just one person,” Melia added, turning back to the TV.

Peter came over right after school. He intended on helping Melia get caught up on her homework; however, he didn’t understand the chemistry. Even though she missed two days, Melia quickly read through the chapter and explained it to him, buzzing through formulas and solving the extra credit. At nine o’clock, he got in bed next to Melia, turning on the TV. Marissa Barkly was back, talking about the murder.

Peter abruptly changed the channel. He stayed with Melia until she was nearly asleep. He crept out of the room, and, taking comfort in the fact that Wolfy was laying in bed with her, checked on Nerina across the hall, set the alarm, and drove home. Melia shot up as soon as she heard Peter’s Mustang leave the driveway. She stripped out of her pajamas, put on a black bikini top and tiptoed to her R8, retrieving the dagger from under the passenger seat and racing back into the house.

It was wrong and Melia knew it. She would be mad if someone did it to her. But crushing up one of the little white pills and mixing it in Nerina’s juice was a way to keep her friend safe.
 
Without another thought, Melia
 
dashed out of the house, ran to the shore, and dove into the water, transforming and darting under the waves.

By human time, it was three in the morning. Thanks to a playful hammerhead shark, Melia was able to hitch a ride and conserve her energy. Nerves prickled her skin as familiar auras she hadn’t felt in ages mixed with hers. She let the dagger fall from her hand, hoping she wouldn’t need it. Pausing behind a reef, Melia honed in on their energies. There had to be at least fifty merrows. She knew she could blend in unnoticed; her aura would mesh in with the others until they singled her out. Her mind raced with the best way to make her presence known.

A temporary camp had been set up under the protection of a sunken fishing boat. It was less than ideal and was an easy target. Melia knew the merrows wouldn’t stay here unless they had no other choice. Several male merrows circled the sunken ship, patrolling the water. Noticing the weapons in their hands, Melia sunk further behind the coral. She watched jellyfish dance through the water, overcome with nostalgia, and didn’t feel the pair of eyes that drove into her until he was just a few feet away.

“Melia!” he exclaimed.

She jumped, catching her hair in the reef. “Dillan!”

“I knew it was you!” the young merrow told her excitedly. “I saw you swimming with the shark. Don’t tell my mom I snuck out.”

Melia laughed. “I won’t.” She carefully disentangled herself from the coral. Dillan had grown since the last time she had seen him. His scales were beginning to get their color—a deep red—reminding Melia of just how much time had passed. All merrows are born with pale ivory scales that take on color as they age, peaking around age sixteen. They darken with age; Actassi’s scales were—well, had been— jet black.

“Dad!” Dillan shouted, startling all the merrows on duty. “She’s alive! Melia’s alive!” There was an outburst of chaos and Melia was swarmed, welcomed, and embraced. Every single merrow was awake; they formed a circle around Melia and bombarded her with questions. Melia told them everything, starting with finding the dead human in the woods.

“We thought you were dead,” Aeron told her. “Vaianu spread word that he had killed you.”

“He didn’t even come close,” Melia exaggerated. “I am so sorry about all of this.”

“Melia,” Colwyn, another merrow, said to her. He seemed to have risen to the role of leader, and as he spoke, all other merrows agreed. “Not one of us knew the intentions of the deal. No one could have guessed the turpitude plans he had made. Everything happened so fast; we had no time to prepare.”

“His army,” Melia said harshly. “How many?”

Colwyn warily locked gazes with Melia. “We outnumber them, three to one, but they have weapons. Vaianu has commanded his swordfish to attack. The merrows on his side have these things.” He frowned, not knowing the word. “They are small, but if you hit them, they explode.”

“Bombs,” Melia explained. “How did they get bombs?!”

“I don’t know. And they have threats. Many threats. To expose us. To kill humans, which he is already doing. The darklings already roam freely, and though they don’t want part of a war, we all know who they will side with.”

“The ones who will let them stay free.”

“Yes.”

Melia examined the small group of merrows. “Where is everyone else?”

“We thought it was safest to scatter. One of us from every group meets every moon phase to stay connected. It sorrows me to have to tell you, but the Oceanids have not fared well in this war. I’ve been trying to rally the others without success.”

“I…I know.” Melia hardened her expression. “What is your plan?”

“We-we just want to survive,” Colwyn shamefully admitted. “We don’t want a blood bath.”

“Surely you’re not thinking about joining him?”

“No, never,” he assured her. “Vaianu knows it’s only a matter of time for his intimidation tactics to work. As much as he hates humans, we don’t think he’s going to risk exposure yet.”

Melia’s mind raced. Vaianu was partially right. The merrows needed a leader; they needed someone to take orders from. And as much as Melia didn’t want to admit it, he was right about Actassi growing too trusting. Never assuming a riot would arise in his water, Actassi left his citizens vulnerable and clueless.

“I have an idea,” a female voice spoke from behind Melia. She twirled around to find the source. She didn’t recognize this merrow. Judging by her accent and pale complexion, Melia guessed she must have once resided in the Atlantic Ocean. “My name is Briggetta. I am from the Atlantic and I want to first tell you I am sorry about the Oceanids.”

“Thank you, Briggetta. I am Melia, my mother is from the Atlantic. What is your idea?” Several merrows grumbled in distaste. Melia held up a hand and urged Briggetta to go on.

“Vaianu doesn’t have much control over his followers. All they want is blood, and I know that an army without structure is no army at all. There is a merrow named Alf from my ocean. He and Vaianu have been arguing about which one will rule. If we eliminate Vaianu and Alf, I think the rebels will fall apart, or at least weaken enough for us to attack.”

Melia thought it over. Since she had nothing else to go with, she nodded. “And how can we kill them?”

Colwyn said, “That’s what we’ve been trying to tell her. No one knows where Vaianu hides. We know he keeps himself heavily guarded. There is no way we can get to him.”

“Oh, but there is,” Melia schemed. “I can agree to the arrangement.”

-Chapter 18-

Melia was too anxious and excited to feel the effects of pulling an underwater all-nighter. She hadn’t returned to her human home until late afternoon. Peter and Jamie visited after school that Wednesday, still curious and nervous about what was happening under the sea. Jamie left after dinner, taking Nerina out for ice cream, leaving Melia alone with Peter. As the sun set, tiredness crashed down on her. Yawning, she rested her head on Peter’s shoulder.

“We don’t have to go to prom,” he told her, hugging her tightly.

She looked up at him. “I want to go.”

“Me too. But I wouldn’t be upset if you didn’t want to. A lot has happened.”

“It has. Does it make me a bad person for wanting to go?”

“Not at all,” Peter assured her. “You deserve a night of fun.”

“I do.” She moved so she could listen to his heartbeat. “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Edward left me a message saying we can take any of the cars to prom. I guess that’s important.”

“Seriously?”

“Yea. Why is it important?”

“I don’t really know. It’s just something people do. And you drive away from a wedding in a nice car or a limo.”

“Is it for luck?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh. It seems silly.”

“It is, I guess.” Peter shrugged. “Want to take the Gallardo?”

“It doesn’t matter to me. If you want to, then yes.”

“Awesome,” Peter said, excited to brag to his friends. Melia said she was really tired and walked Peter to the door before the sun was fully gone for the night. Something seemed off. It was another weird feeling he got; something he couldn’t explain. He had a hard time falling asleep that night, waking frequently after having nightmares about kappas, adaros, and drowning.
 
He was so tired in the morning he considered ditching school and going to Melia’s.

It was a good thing he didn’t. He had just stepped away from his friends to find Jamie and tell her about the bad feeling he got last night. They both saw her at the same time, walking down the hall and looking as beautiful as ever. Her perfect curls bounced with every step she took in spotless, white heels. The pale yellow headband matched her short dress. Gleaming pearls hung around her neck, on her wrists, and dangled off her ears.

“Melia,” Peter exclaimed. It had been a while since he had seen her all dressed up; it still took his breath away.

“Hey guys,” Melia said in her calm, smooth voice.

“What are you doing here?” Jamie asked.

“Uh, today is Thursday. It’s a school day. And this is school.”

“Yea,” Jamie continued. “I meant that I’m surprised to see you. Where’s Nerina?”

“At my house.” She opened her locker. “Charles is with her. I missed school so I asked him to stay with her.”

“You missed school?” Peter and Jamie asked in unison.

“Yea,” Melia agreed, flashing a perfect smile. She neatly stacked her books in her arms, extending her hand for Peter to hold. “I hope we’re doing a lab today.”

“I don’t,” Peter groaned. “Remember who I still have as a lab partner. Though she’s left me alone since you punched her.”

“I forgot! Do you think she’s going to say anything?” Melia asked, though, amidst her war planning, Janet didn’t even register on the importance radar.

“No,” Peter assured her. “Not to a parent or teacher, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Ok good. ‘Cuz I’ll just hit her again,” Melia said with complete indifference. Peter cast a sideways glance at Jamie, who looked just as concerned about Melia’s sudden violent streak.

Melia carried on as if everything was perfectly normal the rest of the day. She listened to Amanda ramble on and on about dinner, pictures, prom, and the party afterwards, asking enthused questions, seemingly eager for the dance.

Wanting to spend every second she could with the humans she loved, Melia asked Peter and Jamie to have dinner with her, Nerina, and Charles that night. It was obvious something was wrong the second they walked through the door.

“Thank God!” Charles exclaimed.

“What’s wrong?” Peter asked, adrenaline surging through his veins.

“There’s-there’s horses.” He turned behind him, looking at something through the windows in the leisure room. “In the pool. Nerina’s been trying to tell me something but I have no idea what she’s saying!”

“Kelpies.” The word slipped from Melia’s lips with grace. “How many?” She dropped her bag and kicked off her heels.

“Three.”

“Stay here,” Melia directed, sprinting out of the house. “Cordelia!” she called, heart pounding. The kelpie’s blue eyes surfaced. Taking on the appearance of a Quarter Horse, Cordelia merrily splashed around the pool. “What are you doing, girl?” Melia asked, jumping in and throwing her arms around her favorite pet. Cordelia nuzzled her absent owner. Rèalta was being petted by Nerina, but now ignored her and nosed his way into Melia arms. She scratched his ears before inspecting the third kelpie. Slowly, Melia held her hand out to the white kelpie. It sniffed her apprehensively, showing its fangs.
 

“Put those away,” she scolded. “Horses don’t have teeth like that.” Cordelia nudged him out of the way, eager to have her neck rubbed. “I don’t know what you guys are doing here, but I sure am glad to see you.” She swam around with the kelpies for a while before promising them she’d be back.

“What are they doing here?” Peter asked, grabbing Melia’s arm as soon as she stepped into the house.

Melia shook her head. “I don’t know. Visiting, I suppose. There’s no one to keep them from coming out of the water.”

The words hung heavy in the air. If the kelpies could freely walk amongst humans, anything could.

“Ok,” Charles cleared his throat. “What is going on?”

“They aren’t horses,” Melia calmly explained. “They are kelpies, and they’re not friendly to humans, so, uh, stay away.”

“I can do that.”