And that was all I needed to know. I had my evidence. I had seen everything I needed to see. Part of me wanted to dash into the clearing, grab the ball, and run away so I could destroy it, but I hesitated.
What if she turnsmeinto a frog?I couldn’t risk that. I’d tell Ezra. Now.
I tiptoed back, my heart racing, hoping she would not see or hear me. But, of course, I tripped on a root. The leaves and twigs cracked and rustled beneath me. I internally cursed.
Oh, squid ink!
“Who’s there?” Cressida’s voice sounded again, and this time, she was moving. So I was moving. I bolted away into the darkness, hearing her call after me. “Stop!”
She didn’t see me, right? She didn’t recognize me, right?
I didn’t stop running, tripping, and getting back up until I reached the palace. I was still ridiculously clumsy with these legs. When I reached the terrace garden, I slipped behind a pile of barrels, close to the palace walls, to catch my breath. After a moment, I dared to look in the direction I came, but there was nobody. Perhaps Cressida gave up trying to catch me.
Slipping out of the shadows, I moved towards the palace, nodding to the guards who eyed my sweaty face with raised eyebrows.
Ezra.I had to tell him. Now.
I was right.
Cressida turned him into a frog! She had to be arrested. As I turned the corner, my stomach sank like an anchor dropping quickly into the water.
Tavo stood at the end of the covered walkway, his back turned towards me. I darted behind the nearest pillar, silently disappearing behind a bush of large monstera leaves.
Tavo didn’t even notice. Didn’t even look.
As far as I knew, he wasn’t aware of my presence.
In fact, he looked like he was waiting for someone. Footsteps sounded through the covered walkway and a man appeared.
Fair skin. Fair hair. Blue eyes.
The man was a fish out of water amongst the brown-skinned natives.
“Well?” Tavo folded his arms, his back still towards me. “Who is she?”
“It’s true,” the man said, and Tavo shook his head, turning around and rubbing his chin.
I crouched lower in the bush, listening.
“So she’s not from here… then what is she hiding? Does she have Ezra under a spell?”
“She can’t talk… so how could her song put the king under a trance?” asked the man, and I realized he and Tavo were talking about, well,me!
“Mermaids…” Tavo shook his head. “How did Ezra catch a mermaid?”
My eyes widened. How did he know? We hadn’t told anyone… except Kalei and Ho‘ohuli…
Did they betray us?The sting was worse than a jellyfish burn and I shuddered.
“I can take her back to her world,” said Tavo, thinking aloud. “Make her trust me. Ezra is probably lying to her about taking her to the sea.”
“Why would he do that?” asked the man, confused.
“Same reason father tried to trap Ezra’s mother.”
Ezra’s mother? What is he talking about?I shook my head and Tavo ran his fingers through his hair. “Ezra doesn’t have what it takes to be king. He never did. I’ll get that mermaid to side with me, and we’ll take the kingdom back.”
What?I kept shaking my head, even though nobody could see me.
