Chapter 14

Fourteen

M errow’s heart ached as they headed for the sea in the back of the wagon. While Melite and Galene were excited to be going back home, she couldn’t honestly say she felt the same way.

“What’s the matter, sister?” asked Melite. “You look so sad.”

“Did something bad happen between you and the king?” asked Galene. “I hope he didn’t hurt you.”

“Nay, he didn’t. Just the opposite,” answered Merrow. “You both know what happened.”

“Opposite?” asked Medea. She smiled, knowing exactly what she meant. “You made love with King Ravenwolf, didn’t you?” asked the witch. “My guess is that you’ve also fallen in love with him.”

“What?” Rhys looked over his shoulder and scowled at having overheard this.

“Yes, you are right. I did make love with him,” Merrow admitted, not ashamed of what she did and not caring who knew. “I also have feelings for him, but since I don’t know exactly how it feels to be in love I cannot answer your question truthfully.”

“Do you think of him constantly?” asked Medea.

“I do,” Merrow answered, smiling at the memories she had of him.

“Does your body warm and act all tingly when he brushes back your hair or he places his hand on your arm?” Medea continued.

“Yes. Yes, it does.”

“And have you had the thought of mayhap staying here on Mura instead of going home through the portal?” Medea asked the last question.

Merrow hesitated before she answered this one. Looking over at her sisters, she realized she couldn’t lie to them because they would only read the truth in her thoughts. “I…I suppose I have fantasized of mayhap staying here in Mura. With Sebastian. Mayhap even as his wife,” she admitted.

“Nay! You don’t want to marry that oaf,” shouted Elric, having been listening to their conversation. “Go back home where you belong. Forget all about the fool. He is not one of the good kings of Mura. He is an evil one.”

“Nay. You’re wrong,” Merrow defended him. “Sebastian might care too much what others think of him, but he is not evil like his uncle.”

“How can you say that?” asked Rhys. “You didn’t even know King Sethor.”

“Nay, but I heard all about him. Sebastian doesn’t want to follow in his uncle’s footsteps. He doesn’t want to be an evil, unforgiving, vengeful king at all.”

“If she believes that, then yep, she’s in love,” scoffed the elf, ending with a big, sad sigh. “We need to get her back through that portal quickly, even if we have to push her through it. She doesn’t belong here, and she and her sisters have to go as well. If Merrow stays, she’ll only end up like the last one.”

“Like the last one?” asked Medea. “Elric, what or who are you talking about?”

“Was there another sea nymph here at one time?” asked Galene curiously.

“There was, and it didn’t end up pretty.” Elric continued to direct the horse. They were nearing the Masked Sea.

“Sister, what are they talking about?” Melite asked Merrow directly, making her realize she couldn’t keep her promise to her mother any longer. Merrow figured that her sisters deserved and needed to know the truth.

“They are talking about Mother,” said Merrow, watching her sisters’ eyes grow wide.

“Mother was here?” asked Galene.

“I thought she died,” said Melite.

“She didn’t die,” Merrow explained. “She was sucked through the portal, just like us. But the last King of Macada, the evil one, married her.”

“Why didn’t I know about this?” asked Rhys from the front, seeming as if he felt left out.

Merrow continued. “King Sethor was already married but married our mother as well. In doing so, she gained her soul, but lost her tail and turned human forever.”

“Did the king kill her?” asked Melite.

“Where is she now?” Galene wanted to know.

“Mother is alive and at Macada Castle,” explained Merrow.

“She is?” her sisters said together.

“Yes. She is.”

“Why didn’t you tell us, Merrow?” Galene looked so disappointed in her.

“I want to see Mother,” whined Melite.

“It was Mother’s wish that no one knows about this. Especially not Father,” explained Merrow.

“Why not?” asked Medea.

“You don’t know our father,” said Merrow. “He would be so angry if he found out, that he would destroy all of Mura in retaliation.”

Rhys chuckled. “I don’t believe one man could do that much damage. Especially when there are so many of us in Mura who have magic.”

“One man couldn’t. You are right,” said Merrow. “Then again, our father is not a man, and he does have magic.”

“Is he a sea nymph. Like the three of you?” asked Medea. “Even so, what real powers do sea nymphs have?”

“Yes, he’s a sea nymph, in a way,” Merrow answered.

“Back home he is known to everyone as the Old Man of the Sea,” added Galene.

“Old? How old is he?” asked Rhys. “I can’t imagine an old man fighting against an entire army.” He chuckled again.

“Six thousand,” said Merrow.

“What?” asked Rhys.

“Our father is six thousand years old.” The people in the wagon all became silent.

“Finally, someone older than me,” the elf spoke up. “But I’m sure he’s not as fast as I am. Especially at his age.”

“He can swim at extreme speeds,” Merrow told him. “Plus, he can control the water.”

“And shapeshift,” added Melite. “Don’t forget about that.”

“He can do all those things?” asked Medea, sounding fascinated. “He’s not a witch like me, is he? I can shapeshift too.”

“Nay, of course, he is not a witch.” It was Merrow’s turn to chuckle now. “Our father is a god.”

“A god?” said Medea, Elric, and Rhys all together.

“Yes. A sea god,” answered Merrow. “And like I told you, it’s not a good thing if he comes through the portal and is angry.”

“We’ll just hope he never comes through the portal then,” Rhys answered. “Hopefully he’ll never find out about any of this.”

“Too late,” mumbled Merrow under her breath.

“Merrow? What does that mean?” asked Medea.

“Our only brother, Nerites was already here on Mura and knows everything about what happened. He has returned home to let our father know where we are.”

“Bug’s eyes, we’re doomed,” said Elric in his nasally voice. “There is no way we can fight off a god.”

“Medea, transport me back home, immediately,” said Rhys.

“Why?” she asked.

“Because, I have a bad feeling about all this. I think we’re going to need the help of my brothers.”

Merrow watched Rhys and Medea disappear, feeling like a battle was about to begin. She didn’t want trouble. The best thing she could do to protect the people of Mura was to get herself and her sisters through the portal and leave this place forever.

“Elric, drive faster,” she told the little man. “It is important that I get my sisters back through the portal before my father comes looking for us.”

“I’m going as fast as I can with you three along.” The elf drove recklessly and before long they stopped at the edge of the sea. “All right. You’re here. So go,” said the elf, not being one for manners.

“Come, sisters. We need to get into the water. Quickly.” Merrow held out her hands to help them exit the wagon.

“All right, but how will we find the portal?” asked Galene.

“And how will we open it again?” asked Melite.

“Nerites will have told Father everything by now, and also returned to open the portal with the Calling Conch,” said Merrow. “Now, hurry. If we call to them with our minds, mayhap there doesn’t have to be a battle at all. Let’s get home.”

The girls slipped into the water and shifted back into their sea nymph forms.

“This feels wonderful!” Melite dove down, slapping the water with her tail.

“Merrow, I’m glad you decided to come home with us,” Galene said with a look of relief. “For a minute there, I thought you were going to want to stay in Mura with Sebastian.”

From the water, Merrow looked back at the shore. The elf was still there. Medea was bringing the Blackseed brothers one at a time, and each of them was armed with weapons.

“These people are nice,” Merrow told her sister. “When I saw you and Melite sewing, I honestly thought you both wanted to stay.”

“We do like it here,” Galene told her. “But it isn’t our home, Merrow. We are sea nymphs and belong with our father and our siblings in the Aegean Sea.”

“Yes,” she agreed, letting out a sigh and looking back to the shore once more, expecting to see Sebastian. Part of her had hoped that he followed and would try to convince her to stay. But he didn’t. Perhaps she’d misread his feelings for her after all. Mayhap it was good that he wasn’t here. It couldn’t work out between them since they were so different. She supposed it was better in the end if Sebastian forgot about her. “What about Mother?” she asked Galene. “Don’t you want her home too?”

“I do. Of course, I do,” said Galene, treading water with her arms. “But you said Mother didn’t want anyone to know her secret.”

“I did. I promised her I wouldn’t tell anyone. But how long do you really think we can keep this secret from Father?”

“He’ll read Melite’s mind if nothing else,” said Galene. “Our little sister isn’t strong enough yet to disguise her thoughts.”

“I agree. I never should have left Mother. Galene, I’m going back to find her. I want to take her through the portal with us.”

“You won’t have to do that you silly sea witch.” Elric came riding up on the back of a dolphin, having overheard them yet again. “Your mother as well as King Ravenwolf and his entire army are approaching right now. Find the portal, fast. Get out of here before the battle begins.”

“Nay, Elric, I can’t do that,” said Merrow, seeing Sebastian leading his army to the shore. Her mother rode on the back of the horse with him. “I cannot believe Sebastian has listened to his men, and is going to start a war over this. And even worse, he has brought Mother along with him. I am going to give him a piece of my mind right now.”

Just then, Melite and their brother Nerites popped their heads out of the water.

“Merrow, Galene, come quickly,” said Melite. “Father has opened the portal using his Calling Conch.”

“It won’t stay open long,” explained Nerites. “Father sent me to get you.”

“Brother, take Galene and Melite and go through the portal,” said Merrow. “There is something I have to do.”