“Exactly. That’s why we should start with other tribes. You know where to find the Synchi. Perhaps they know just as much as the Scarus. Why take a risk with the Volitans if we don’t have to?”
“We have been over this previously, Brett. The journey to the Synchi will take months. Based on what the Scarus queen relayed, the Synchi would have no other information than the Scarus. They were both cut off from the rest of the tribes when they refused to participate in the sacrifice. As for other tribes, it is likely they have come to know as little as we have, though we will continue to search for them if the Volitans are unable or unwilling to help. It has been thousands and thousands of years since the time Akamaii spoke of. We have waited long enough to stop the capture of our people. It is time to act. If the Volitans know where our ancestors handed over the other mers, that will give us a place to begin. The sooner we act, the more lives that may be saved. I only wish that we would be able to accompany you to where the vampires reside.” Therin looked down at his golden scales, a disgusted frown twisting his expression. “Moheetla has not seen fit to give us the ability to defend ourselves. It will be up to you, my son, when our journey leads us to land.”
First the Volitans, then facing vampires alone. Yeah, that was helping my feeling of doom vanish real quick. Before I could raise another objection, a vision of a score of Wrell-like mers circling around one of their young swept into my mind.
I looked over at Wrell, who’d swum closer to Therin. “You really think that will be enough? That the Volitans are so protective that they’ll be open to helping us?”
Wrell imparted the image once more, this time a ring of fire encompassing the protective circle.
“No pressure there, Wrell.” He had a point. If any tribe was going to be open to having a demon in their midst, it would be the Volitan. I wasn’t sure if that made me have more hope that they’d be open to helping us, or feel that Syleen’s initial reaction to me had been the correct response.
The apprehension continued to tingle through me. I glanced over at Lelas and Nalu before returning to the two males.“You’re right, so maybe it’s time for Lelas to return to the tribe. Her situation has changed. The Volitan are going to respond to me, not her. There’s no reason for her to risk her life.”
Wrell’s handsome face broke into a small smile, bringing with it the feeling of sardonic laughter.
Dad reached out, pulled one of the spears out of the ground, and pushed the fish toward the center so they didn’t fall off in the movement.“You know Lelas better than that. She’ll not leave you, nor abandon the task of helping end the capture of our species. Besides, she is not yet with young, and Nalu is more than capable of defending himself. He was one of the Scarus guards, as you know.”
I knew Therin was right, and I didn’t want to be without her, but I wouldn’t be able to face it if anything happened to her. I couldn’t lose her. At the thought, the sense of tragedy increased.
“That’s a possibility I hadn’t even considered. She could be a mother anytime now that she’s mated. Even more reason for her to go back to be with the Chromis.”
Therin paused before he pulled a second spear, his expression soft at the sound of panic in my words.“A fact I am certain she has already considered. The possibility of being a mother will give her even greater desire to be with us. Losing little Ventait was bad enough, but Miline’s choice of death nearly destroyed Lelas. She would do anything to avoid such a fate.”
Much like the image of the Volitan protecting their young, the four of us, Wrell, Therin, Nalu, and I encircled Lelas, an unknown shadow outside the perimeter of our protective circle. With the vision came a sense of strength and power.
As I turned to look at Wrell, his expression was pure warrior. I wouldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t let it happen. None of us would. I nodded at him in thanks.
Even so. I was going to talk to her. Before we finished even one more day of travel and were farther from the rest of the Chromis.
Unable towait even an hour, I asked Therin and Wrell if they would take issue with delaying our departure while I spoke to Lelas. As I was still unable to direct my thoughts only to those who I wanted to hear, Lelas heard the request and paused in taking her final bite of the herring she was devouring. She narrowed her eyes as if she could tell I was up to something.
Therin glanced at Wrell before replying.“Go and take the time you need. Wrell, Nalu, and I can go for a hunt. Perhaps we can quickly catch up to the rest of the herring you and Wrell found this morning.”
I nearly let that be the end of it, content to carry on like Lelas and I had since I’d joined the Chromis. Inwardly kicking myself for what I was about to do, I reminded myself that things weren’t the same.“This has to do with Nalu too.”
Therin didn’t reply, only waved us off.
Nalu addressed me before Lelas had the chance.“Are you certain you want my presence? If you need to discuss things with Lelas without my intrusion, I will understand.”
I really didn’t want to like the guy, but then he goes and doesn’t act like a jealous, controlling husband. He should have been around to give my grandfather lessons.
“No. I’d like you to give your input too. I’m sure Lelas will want it.”
Lelas glanced at Wrell and Therin as they took the newly emptied spears.“Would I be correct to assume that they have already been made privy to your concern?”
“Who says I have a concern?”
She smiled wryly.“Yes, who indeed. Let us hear, then.”
I was hoping for a little more leeway to ease into it a bit.“Fine.”I glanced at Nalu, intentionally doing my best to include him, but quickly turned back to Lelas. She was who I cared about.“I think you should go back to the rest of the Chromis.”Well, that was convincing.
She flinched back in surprise. “Now? You think I should return to the others now that we actually have some verification that our people are being stolen? Why would I ever do such a thing?”
“Because who knows what we’re going to face next. There’s no guarantee we’re going to find the Volitan tribe anytime soon. Even if we do, it’s gonna take months if we need to go to the Synchi. After all that, we may not learn any new information and be no better off than we are now. We’d have to wander around until we run into some tribe that can give us a clue to what the next step is. It could be years, if ever.”I knew I was exaggerating. At worst, if we found no more information about where to find the vampires, I could swim ashore and find them myself. I’d said as much to Therin and Wrell countless times already. Therin was always convinced, in the long run, that would slow us down, leaving more time for other mers to be captured. In truth, I couldn’t argue too much. I’d have no idea where to start on land. Finn and his family were adamant there were no such things as mers. If the mers’ existence wasn’t known by other supernaturals, how was I going to find the vampires that were taking them? Try to capture one vampire at a time and torture them until I found one that knew about mermaids?
Lelas let go of Nalu’s hand and leaned forward, her elbows resting on her lavender scales.“Brett, this is not new. We have known the vastness of this undertaking from the onset of our journey.”
I faltered, glancing around as if something here could help me convince her. All I saw were a few scraps of herring carcasses, seaweed, a school of fish off in the distance, and endless eternities of blue. I could already feel that I was going to lose this argument, and we hadn’t even started. Turning back to Lelas, my gaze fell on Nalu, and I tried to recruit him to my cause. If I had any shot at convincing her, I’d need his help. Surely the mate picked out specifically by Moheetla would carry some weight.“Things are a little different now. You’re mated.”
