Page 123 of Midnightsong
“Where are we meeting the Mer-King?” Governor Taylor spoke up, reaching up to pin a flyway strand of auburn hair out of her forehead.
Jitters spread through Angie’s limbs when she looked at her phone again. Still no reply from Celia. “We can’t go yet. I’m waiting for one more person, the one who took the queen’s life.” She tapped a nervous foot on the concrete ground.
Her phone pinged.
Celia: I’m here. Where do you want to meet?
Angie’s body became as cold as the ten-degree day. Despite her immense relief that Celia hadn’t changed her mind, today was her last day alive. Angie’s thumb quivered as she entered her reply, and Celia came around her left side. She was more well-put together than Angie had seen her, a light dusting of makeup on her already-pretty face, her lips painted a light rose color, and her black hair swept back into a neat ponytail. Baby blue earmuffs covered her ears, and she gave Angie a small, sad smile. “Before we go, thank you for everything. Let’s end this.” She gave the governors and admirals a nod and a shy ‘hello’.
“Are we ready now?” Governor Taylor asked.
“I’ll contact him.” Angie was vaguely aware of Governor Vester signaling to someone behind him, and she pulled her seaflute out.
Kaden answered quickly. “Angie? Are you there?” His tone was soft and full of hope.
“We’re ready, where do you want us to meet you?”
“Come to the shoreline. I’ll have sentinels meet you at the surface and bring you to the palace.”
She put her seaflute away. After being separated for months, she was finally going to see him again. If only it were in more positive circumstances. Where the last time they met, it was for a date, now it was to determine a young woman’s fate. A sour tang coated her mouth.
“One minute.” Governor Vester craned his neck to look behind him, his ‘come here’ arm motions quickening.
“What are you doing?” Governor Taylor narrowed her eyes.
Behind Governor Vester, a separate group of uniformed soldiers arrived, transporting two large horizontal tanks on their sides atop rolling caddies, movements slow and methodical.
“Who’s in there?” Celia hissed.
“I don’t know,” Angie couldn’t see the mer inside.
At least, until they were some feet away from the governors.
Cassia was held horizontal in one tank, and the other held Calora. The queen and princess both appeared lethargic and pale, but the steady opening and closing of their gills told Angie they lived. “Y-you took them from the Central Queendom?” It was a dumb question, of course they did, but she had no other words as she gaped at them.
“Prisoners, and we were told this was the queen and princess of the queendom,” Admiral Zhang replied.
“I asked for them to be brought here with us,” Governor Vester added. “They decimated part of a city in my state. They need to face justice, too.”
Angie swallowed hard. “I understand. Let’s go.”
They made their way to the shore, with Angie and Celia leading the way. Behind her, the crunching of caster wheels against concrete turned to a smooth rolling noise as they moved across wooden planks.
On her way, she passed by parts of broken submarines and ships littered along the coastline. A snapped off ship’s hull donned the proud letteringMV Castaway, and a melancholy chord struck her heartstrings.
A vivid memory came, of Luke stepping off the ship and telling her about the dead merman. The first one she would ever see, before shit hit the fan with their war.
She let herself wallow in the memory for a passing moment, and Admiral Zhang put a hand on Angie’s arm, stopping her from stepping straight into the ocean.
“This is where they’ll meet us?” Governor Vester asked.
“Yes.” Angie kneeled. This was one of the spots where she would meet Kaden, when they first met over two years ago. She watched the crashing waves, watching for signs of mer skimming the surface.
A glint of a blue tail appeared in a flash, and a head poked out of the water.
Five more followed, until six sentinels floated in a row, moving toward the sandy ground. They were speaking quickly to each other in Renyuhua. She listened to the way their tones rose and fell, a symphonic melody, a lilting song.
“They’ll give us breath,” Angie said. To show the others, she leaned into the first sentinel. His lips met hers, and warm breath trickled down her throat and filled her lungs. She stood and beckoned the admiral and governors to go next.
