Page 18 of Hell On Earth
I glanced at the clock. It was just after two.
“We should leave soon if I want to be there in time,” I said, standing. “I’ll grab my stuff, and we’ll meet you there.”
“If it’s okay with you, I’ll tag along in the car just in case you run into any trouble on the way,” Megan said.
She waited while I dug out my uncle’s jacket for Zotera.
“I’m sorry I don’t have anything prettier for you,” I said, handing it to her.
“It’s very pretty, Ashlyn. Thank you.”
I could feel Megan watching us as we put on our things, and I glanced at her.
“Do you want to check on Oanen first?” I asked.
She shook her head. “He can feel what I feel and hates when I’m upset because he’s hurt. It makes him feel even worse. I’ll let him rest on his own for a while.”
“I’m sorry he was hurt,” Zotera said.
“Thanks,” Megan said, relieving me.
I led the way to the car and got in behind the wheel. Megan didn’t seem to mind taking the backseat as Zotera claimed the spot beside me. I was glad Zotera had as soon as we pulled out of the garage and her expression lit up.
“It’s even more beautiful in the sun’s light,” she said. She took in everything outside the window and asked countless questions about Uttira and the people who lived there.
Megan helped me answer some of them, and soon, the two of them were carrying on their own conversation as I drove.
We arrived at the lake five minutes before three, and I parked in the snow-covered gravel area not far from the dock. The unmarred blanket of white between my car and the dock looked pretty, as did the iced-over shoreline.
“This brings back memories,” Megan said. “Let’s hope you don’t go in today.”
I heard a splash of water near the dock as I opened my door. When I looked, I could see the ripples from whoever had been there.
“The lake is filled with mermaids and sirens and other creatures,” I said for Zotera’s benefit. “Don’t let them pull you into the water. Even if they can’t kill you, it’ll be freezing right now and not fun.”
“I understand,” she said, coming around the car to join me. “What should we do now?”
“You’re not going to like this part,” Megan said. “Ashlyn’s here so the mermaids can hone their human hunting skills. So she needs to go to the end of the dock and let the mermaids try to coax her into that freezing cold water she just told you to stay out of.”
Zotera slowly turned her head to look at me.
For the first time, I couldn’t read her expression.
“It’s okay,” I said. “I’ve been bait for a very long time and know what not to do.”
“Have they ever hurt you, Mother?” she asked with deadly calm.
High-pitched laughter echoed from the water.
“They’ve tried, but I’m too smart for them,” I said.
The laughter changed to a hiss, proving that, while the mermaids might have changed their tune about Megan, they were still no friends of mine.
“Come on,” I said. “I better get set up so they don’t go crying to Adira that I didn’t follow the rules.”
Before my time in Hell, I’d hated going to the lake. Megan had argued that it wasn’t safe for me, and the Council had temporarily halted my shifts. After that, I’d started attending the academy where I’d run into a few of the mermaids. They weren’t cute like human cartoons liked to depict them. They looked more like sharks than minnows.
But I didn’t hate being back. As Megan said, it was time outside. Plus, I had Megan and Zotera with me.
