Page 2 of Whispers Beneath the Deep
Fingers shaking, I straightened to my full height and shouted over the roar of the crowds. “Stop!” My voice did not quiver. I was fueled with the implacable desire to protect. To stop this madness. I always used to sit back and watch the inevitable death of those around me. Not this time. This time I had the power to do something about it.
The mer did not hear me. Those in my company did. “What are you doing?” the queen hissed from beside me. “Sit down, foolish child.” I did not spare her, decked out in jeweled finery, a glance.
“Princess…” Captain Saber’s voice was stern, a command that I chose to ignore.
Straightening my shoulders, I pushed myself off the balcony railing, feeling Prince Kai’s adept fingers tug lightly at my dress, trying to hold me back. I flicked my tail, ignoring the pain of my shredded fin on the left side of my body, and swam down from the royal enclosure.
As the mer saw me descend, they began to hush, sitting back in place, some bowing as I passed. I ignored them. Hateful creatures. All I was focused on was Elias, bent over, beaten and tied, ready to face a death he did not deserve.
I swam to the edge of the stage and stopped. I didn’t know what my facial expression looked like in that moment. All I knew was that the executioner took one frightened look at me and dropped the axe to bow low on the coral-made stage.
“This has to stop,” I whispered angrily, then turned to the crowd. They were all staring at me with confusion and irritation. I glared at every single one of them, and finally, up to the balcony where the queen and king sat. Prince Kai was floating where I’d been only moments before, his hands gripping tightly at the ledge. Captain Saber kicked off from the balcony and started towards me. “This must stop!” I called out to the audience. I had to much practice using that Eramaean accent, that it rang out confidently, firmly. They shifted in their seats. “This merman does not deserve death. Stop the violence. No more!”
“Majesty,” the executioner reluctantly spoke like I was no more than a petulant child. Odele may have been one, but I was not. “This merman has committed many crimes against the kingdom. The law clearly states—”
“The law is wrong!” I interrupted. Shocked gasps rang out through the arena. I turned back to them, eyes beseeching they listen. “The kingdom of Thalassar has been ruled too long by tyrant laws. Children, mothers, and fathers are sent out to fight in the war with Kappur. Those who fear the striking of blades, those whofleeare punished with death. What message is this?” I turned, gesturing at Elias with a wave of my hand.
“Violence is all this kingdom is now. Violence and death. Surely there was a time when this kingdom shone with the same radiance as its castle, when praise was given to the queen and king. Now, the mer whisper of their hatred for the royals.” I banged my fist against my chest, and the aggressive sound reverberated along the rippling of water. “They hate us, and it is their very right. Because we steal them. We take them from their homes and we murder them without a second thought.”
Captain Saber was getting closer now, his face tight with disapproval. I turned and went over to Elias. The guard behind him froze with uncertainty, watching as I swept low and grabbed Elias by the elbow. Slowly, I helped him up so that his face and bruises were visible to all.
“No more!” I shouted. “The violence stops now. And it stops with me.”
“Princess, he is a dangerous criminal,” the guard stuttered.
I glared. “Unbind him!”
“Princess… the law…”
“I saidunbind him.”
The guard started forward reluctantly. I didn’t miss the way he shot glances up the arena where the queen and king were seated. As if he were hoping her command could supersede my own. But in her rage, she kept silent. He’d be a fool to disobey the rulings of a princess. And Iwashis princess as far as he knew. He bent and took a knife from a holster at his side and in a couple of sawing motions, Elias was free of his restraints.
I smiled just as Captain Saber reached the edge of the stage, a sword held tightly in his hand, as if it had been there all along. “Princess, get away from that sea scum, now.”
I glared at him, too. “No more violence, Captain.”
“He’s dangerous.”
“He is not!”
I felt Elias’s chest brush against my back and my body heated. I felt his hand snake up to rest on my shoulder, giving me a tiny squeeze of gratitude. I didn’t turn to look up at him, but I saw Captain Saber’s eyes narrow on the hand of the criminal behind me.
“Unhand the princess and face your sentence.”
I glowered. The captain was disregarding every word I had said publicly.
“Oh, little fish…” I felt Elias’s warm lips against the lobe of my ear and my face flushed. With just the proximity of his mouth, I felt my mind drift back to a few weeks ago. When those lips that whispered darkly in my ears now had pressed against my own. When his tongue had invaded my senses and made my fins curl. When, for the first time in my life, I feltdesire.Involuntarily, my eyes went up to the balcony, where I saw Prince Kai’s murderous gaze even from here. Suddenly he was swimming towards me as well, with his Draconian guards and his advisors. “You should have listened to your captain…”
Before I could gift him with a questioning glance, I felt his forearm snake around my shoulders and go around my neck, pressing my body tighter against him. I startled and Elias squeezed, closing off my gills and water supply.
I choked, clawing at his hand. “Elias…” I gasped.
He held me tightly and backed away from the captain and the guards. “Come closer,” he threatened, loud enough for the entire arena to hear, “and I will kill the princess.”
What are you doing,Elias?
I wanted to scream the words but they constricted in my throat. I couldn’t breathe in the water that my body so desperately craved. I didn’t want to believe that Elias would hurt me. How could I, after all we’d shared? A favor, a shoulder to cry on, an understanding… a kiss.
