“Anything?”In a way, I suppose he gave me the same option. I chose to save my people.What would the mers ask for?
“Yes, Pet, for your freedom and my own, I would give them all the power under the suns.”His words send a sharp ribbon of understanding through my heart, pulling our bond tighter together—something I choose to ignore.
Light and dark move differently when you are underground. The only glimpse of rhythm we have is by the light that moves through the rocky wall, gradually dimming as the suns move over the horizon, plunging us into complete darkness.
Well, plungingmeinto darkness—Moyrie informs me she is able to see just fine.Maybe I should’ve asked for better sight when I made my deal with the daemon.
To garner some heat, Moyrie and I huddle together, listening. No one has come to grace us in our prison yet, just an unending chill in the air, and an eerie, heavy thumping from the water beside our cage. It’s hard to tell how deep it is. However, by the sheer vastness of the underwater cave we are in, it could be extreme. Especially if we fell to the bottom of the void where the ocean lies.
Yawning, my eyes instinctively start to close, my head moving to rest on Moyrie’s shoulder. Before I can close my eyes all the way, a shadow catches my attention.
Mers.Finally.
Moyrie and I quickly move to our feet, the newest presence in the barren cave walking silently towards us.
“Well, it has been a long rhythm since we’ve had fresh meat.” That same sultry voice that greeted me after my fall through the Silver Sands gets our attention. A loud thump comes from the water next to us, sending a ripple through the surface. I jump.What is that?
“Who are you?” I ask, ignoring the fresh meat comment and the ominous water.
“You speak our language?” the hypnotic voice asks. Being able to speak to any creature is definitely coming in handy.
“Yes. My name is Dove, and I’m here to talk to your leader. I need your help. I am bonded to one of the original Gods who created this land. If you release us, my God has granted you a wish—anything you desire in exchange for our freedom and your help.” Seizing our opportunity, the words spill out of me.
The mer says nothing.
The sound of claws clicks along iron bars.
I really hope she chooses to help us.
“Unlucky for you, strange, beige creature, you brought us everything we desire already.”
“But we didn’t bring you anything?” I say it before I give myself the chance to think.
“Well, there are the two of you and the two males we captured,” she adds, a lilt to her voice.
My heart picks up its pace.Rivern. Gideon. That’s who she is referring to.What has she done to them? “Where are they?” My voice is high-pitched and shrill as the words cry out.
Keep it together,Dove.
A hand comes to grasp onto mine before I fling myself at the other side of the cage—Moyrie.
“They are well-fed and resting within our chambers. I can’t say the same for you both.”How?
“Can we see them? Please?” Besides her sharp teeth and claws, something about the mer is almost comforting in her serenity. Where rage would usually sit heavy in my stomach, I find the need to beg.
She laughs—a maniacal chuckle that puts me on edge.
“Please, as I said, my God will grant you any wish if you let us go.”
The mer goes quiet, the air stale around us. “We do not care for Gods in my grotto, little girl. The Gods bring nothing but trouble.”
With one last scrape along the metal bars, the mer walks away.
It’s barely a moment after her departure that a loud clang sounds by the rock walls, our jail cell suddenly jolted into motion.
“What the…” Moyrie grabs hold of me, the sandy ground trembling underneath us. Uncertain in our grounding, we both give a little shriek. I latch onto the closest bars.
“Enjoy your meal.” The mer’s voice comes from below us, and we are hoisted up and sideways, a violent tug on our cage making us fall to the ground, sand pouring through the sides of the bars.
