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A trident whizzes past my ear, drawing me back to myself. I whip around and see that the crowd Henrick had drawn is turning riotous. They aren’t cheering for my victory, they continue to call for my blood.
From the door of the arena, I see Elva and Helena. Elva is trying to find a way to me. I see it in how she darts back and forth at the entrance. Helena doesn’t come into the space. It’s a wise choice, especially since she will be the next ruler of this land. It’s dangerous enough for her to be next to Elva right now.
Guards that had been ordered not to interfere with the duel are now racing towards me, their tails stirring the water as they move swiftly. My brain kicks into gear, and I swim toward Elva. There is nothing more to do. I duck, and spin in the water when a few more weapons, steely and razor-sharp, narrowly miss my body. One scratches my arm, but I ignore the burn of saltwater in my wounds.
When I reach Elva, she yanks me with the full power of her force towards a door that Helena has slipped into. “Are you still bleeding?” she asks, breathless from shock.
The darkness of the tunnel provides a small amount of protection. It won’t last long. I know they have seen where we have gone. “Barely. I’m fine, really.”
She nods and swims on while clutching my hand. When we arrive, Helena is talking to some servants in a hushed tone. The group of them looks up as I enter. I nod tersely at all of them. When our eyes meet, I see something wild and unexpected. Admiration.
“Elva, you two will wear these tunics. Leave in the middle of this group of servants. You won’t be seen for a little while, at least.”
Elva throws her arms tight around the princess. I am impressed at the sight of two future queens embracing. Quiet words pass between them.
The things this could mean for this continent…
The train of thought fades when Elva throws the server’s cap around me, hands me a coral tray, and pulls me to the center of the servants. They give us weapons and armor to carry, the least conspicuous we could be. I know I wouldn’t look twice at the royal servants.
With no further words, we leave. Every muscle in my body is tense, as if my corporeal form knew what I had done just as well as my mind. When we step into the light of the city, it is everything I can do not to shake.
It is pure chaos. A few fights have already broken out in the manhunt for me. I see bright red blood blossoming in the water as one Mer punches another in the face. Weapons are brandished by far too many. They are threatening others who would dare harbor the Prince’s gods-damned assassin.
“He is an infiltrator from the South to infiltrate our government…” one voice hisses.
“With Henrick dead, his bitch-sister will take over. Imagine the changes that pus—” I tune out the bitter, hateful words as near the castle, and I know we must run as soon as we reach it.
Most of the Mer are still assembled at the Coliseum, but soon, they will realize their searches are for nothing.
I have never felt the way I do now. I am completely sober and completely focused. It is something so terrifying and so exquisite I can’t help feeling that I’ve been missing out. We have reached the castle gate, and one of the Mer males turns to us and hisses, “Go now.Stick to the coral and kelp.”
We don’t need to be told twice. The sanction on our spell is supposed to last another twenty-four hours, but now we have to gear up and swim.
At first, we move slowly, trying not to attract unwanted attention. Our pace increases when the large city gates draw near. I cannot help it, and I sense Elva clawing at her insides, trying to stay calm.
I’ll be honest. I have no idea what she thinks of all of this… what she thinks of me. I was headstrong and irrational when I challenged him. I am playing with fire. Or maybe… maybe I am just letting the ice take place in my soul.
It feels good. Grounding.
Just as we near the gate, an explosion bubbles up from the castle. I turn back for a fraction of a second, trying to see exactly what has happened, but Elva grabs my shoulder and yanks me forward. We race through the gate just as a small team of Mer males and females ward the bioluminescent protections surrounding the city like a great wall.
They see us and immediately send the sharks guarding the gates after us. My chest tightens, but we keep swimming. I conjure all the fire in my veins to boil the water around us.
The problem with this—and it is a problem—is that we are also in the water and prone to being boiled alive. But I am not alone.
Elva hurls ice spears behind us. One of her weapons hits one of the massive great white sharks that has joined the hammerheads. Thick, red liquid clouds what happens next from view. Unfortunately for me, I can still hear what is happening.
Snarls, ferocious and unlike anything I’ve ever heard, fill the sea. The sharks’ blood is so irresistible that the creatures are sent into a frenzy, killing each other as it leaks into their systems.
We swim as fast as we can until we spot a whale. This blue whale is heading towards the surface, and Elva again yanks me. I wrap my arms around her waist. As I do, she moves, maneuvering expertly until she is positioned as close to the whale as possible. She rapidly grabs the tail of the enormous beast. A heartbeat later, the water rushes around me, faster than before.
This feels like flying.
“Blue whales are protectors. It will not harm us,” Elva calls over her shoulder. I nod, holding on tight and trying not to loosen my grip. I can’t be left behind.
We are moving so quickly, my blood is a drum pumping through my veins. The light of the surface grows brighter every second.
Closer.Closer.
