I was going to be sick.
“Elowyn, are you okay?”
My stomach plummeted. How? How was this possible? It hit me in waves, crashing and crashing into me. The journal. Written by my mother’s own hands. I left it. I left Hylos. I left the last pieces of my mother that still sang through this world below the sea.
Hard stone cut my bare skin as I fell to my knees.
“Are you hurt?” Arlo kneeled beside me.
“That painting, it was of my … my … mo—”
A heavy wooden door groaned open. I was too numb to act, and Arlo grabbed me under my arms, swiftly pulling us under a nearby desk made of burled wood.
“The final attack will push the siren princeling over the edge for sure,” A female’s voice hissed.
“Wonderful, now go back through that damned painting, grope the little fish-man, and keep things on track. Once he has attacked, I’ll finally be able to convince the king to take the threats of the seaseriously,” another woman’s voice replied. “Then we’ll be free to take as many of those damned monsters as we please.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I recognized that sickening hiss. It was Calypstra.
Arlo looked at me, fear swelling in his eyes too. Recklessly, he glanced over the desk. He needed to see whoever it was for himself, even if it meant putting us in danger. When his eyes locked onto the speakers, he rose to his feet. “Catarina?”
“Arlo,” Calypstra responded, her voice softened.
“How …? What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice cracking.
She didn’t respond.
“Well, well, well. How are you, my lovely boy?” the other voice cooed in an overly motherly tone.
“I thought you …” Arlo stammered.
“What, killed your whore lover?” the other woman said. “Well, I sure tried to. But she is just relentless. Although I hate to admit it, I’ve grown quite fond of her now. She’s delightfullyruthless. Ironically enough, she would have made a lovely daughter-in-law. If only your mother listened to your pleading. Oh well, with hindsight comes clarity, I suppose.”
“Arlo, I—” Calypstra started.
“Oh, you two lovebirds save it for some other time. What I want to know is how you got into the castle, my child,” she continued.
Castle? We were in a castle?
Arlo didn’t answer.
“Come on now, son, go ahead and answer,” said the woman.
Son? That couldn’t be Arlo’s vile mother, could it? How was she here?
“Fine, have it your way. Cat, dear, take him to the dungeon, the deepest cellar you can find, then we’ll ship him off to Whiterok tomorrow. Your brother will be so happy to see you.”
Whiterok? As in Cedric’s Whiterok? What the fuck was going on.
The grating sound of mismatched discordant tones chimed through the air, forcing water in a wave around Arlo, who thrashed against its grip.
“You’re one of them?” Arlo yelled in fear.
Another sound clamored and Arlo flew toward the voices. The desk I hid under was dragged with him across the room, exposing me.
“Huh, this evening is just full of surprises,” said the queen of Oakhaven, my father’s wife. She walked until she was standing before me, her heeled shoes clicking against the hard stone. She wore an ornate traveling dress lined with gold thread and jewels. She was no longer pregnant.
