That's when I hear it—a beautiful song that makes my heart ache, carried on a wind that shouldn't exist. As one, we turn towards the source of the sound, and I feel my breath catch in my throat.
The most breathtaking creature I've ever seen is perched on a rock in the pool at the bottom of the mountains. A mermaid, with skin that shimmers like mother-of-pearl and hair so red and vibrant, bounces like living seaweed. When her eyes meet mine, they are the same impossible blue as the water around us.
I can tell she's a mermaid just by looking at her. For one—she doesn't have those telltale shark fins running down her back like some aquatic mohawk. And her voice, while easy on the ears, doesn't have that creepy, mind-controlling vibe that sirens are known for. You know, the kind that makes you want to jump off a cliff or allow some sexy siren with abs for days to clamp a tracker around your neck?
She dives into the water, vanishing beneath the surface, and we start walking towards the massive oceanic pool that dominates the island's center. Suddenly, she's there again, popping up like a curious little mermaid, her expression a mix of intrigue and wariness.
"Hello," I say, plastering on my most charming,'I'm not here to cause trouble'grin. "I'm Dani." I introduce myself, channeling my inner Disney princess and trying not to break into song. "You must be Ariel?" I can't help but snicker as Rhyland chuckles beside me, clearly on the same wavelength.
Seriously, this chick is like a walking, swimming advertisement for the Little Mermaid. She's got the whole package—fiery red hair, porcelain skin that's probably never seen a blemish, and even a damn bra made of pearls.
Her tail? It's like someone took a handful of glitter and a bucket of turquoise paint and just went to town. The scales shimmer in the water like a disco ball, catching the light and throwing it back in a dazzling display of aquatic fabulousness.
Her torso and arms are covered in sporadic patches of glittery scales—like she rolled around in a vat of glue and then took a swan dive into a pool of sequins.
"No, I am Mirella," she states flatly, her tone about as warm as a polar bear's ass. "Why are you here?" She looks pissed like we just crashed her private beach party and ate all the shrimp cocktails.
I play nice, putting on my most charming, disarming smile. "I'm sorry to bother you, but I'm here to find something—a key. Maybe you might know where I can start?"
Now that I think about it, Calypso gave me fuck-all regarding directions. Gideon mentioned something about an underwater cave, but that's about as helpful as a fart in a windstorm.
Mirella bobs in the water, flicking her tail in what I can only assume is mermaid for 'I'm getting real tired of your shit.' But then, her expression softens a bit, like maybe she's decided we're not complete assholes after all. "No one is allowed on this Island? Did the Queen send you?"
Shit.
I know she's talking about Cordelia, but what should I say?'No, actually, the sea witch sent me, and I'm under a Coral Pact, so lead the way, fish girl?'
Yeah, I don't think that's going to fly. But she didn't specifywhichqueen, and Calypso seems to have crowned herself the new Queen Bitch of the Seven Seas, so I figure a little white lie can't hurt. "Yup, she sure did," I say, crossing my fingers behind my back like a kid trying to get out of trouble.
I know the merfolk are under Cordeila's rule just as the Sirens are under Calypso's rule—the war of the fishes.
Rhyland shoots a wave of unease down our bond, clearly not thrilled with my lying to this poor, unsuspecting mermaid. I quickly send him an 'I got this' vibe, hoping he'll trust me to handle this without blowing our cover.
I wait for Mirella to respond, my heart flip-flopping in my chest. Come on, little mermaid, take the bait. Mama's got a key to find and a realm to save, chop-chop!
"What is that on your head? A tiara? It's beautiful. I want to hold it," Mirella states, reaching out with a gleam in her eye that sets off all kinds of alarm bells in my head.
I quickly back up, holding my hands up in a 'whoa there' gesture. "Uh, sorry. It doesn't come off." I mentally kick myself for not thinking to hide the damn thing before we set foot on this island.
Way to go, Dani. Might as well have painted a big old target on my forehead.
Mirella's expression shifts from mildly annoyed to intensely curious.' "It's stunning, and I would like to hold it. That is the price to pay for my help," she states, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Damnit. How the hell am I supposed to get out of this one? "Look, as much as I would love to let you hold it, it doesn't come off." I demonstrate by giving the headpiece a good yank, showing her it's not budging.
But Mirella is not to be deterred. "Then I would like to touch it and get a closer look," she insists, her eyes never leaving the glittering tiara.
I sigh, weighing my options. What's the harm in letting her get a closer look? Maybe if I indulge her curiosity, she'll be more inclined to help us. So, against my better judgment, I lean closer to the water, giving her a clear shot at the tiara.
Mirella reaches out, her fingers grazing the jewels, and then the little thief tries to yank it off my head! "Ouch!" I screech, swatting her hands away. But of course, the tiara doesn't budge, and I lean back, giving her a look that could curdle milk. "Were you really going to try and steal it?"
Mirella looks completely unrepentant. "I like trinkets and beautiful things," she says with a shrug as if that explains everything.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a headache coming on. "Look, I get it. It's pretty and eye-catching, but this," I point to the tiara, "is my thingy-ma-bob and belongs to me as the Savior of the Seven Realms. It can't be taken. You can look at it all you like and touch it, but that's how it goes. Now, will you help us or not?"
Mirella pouts, her tail flicking in the water like an irritated cat. For a moment, I think she's going to tell us to fuck off and find our own damn way. But then, sheseems to have a light bulb moment, her expression smoothing into something more surprised. "Thesavior,you said?"
I clear my throat, "Yeah, it's just a figure of speech." Not wanting to get into the whole 'I'm the Savior Spiel.'
