Mythical (The Mystical Series Book 2) (17 page)

Chapter 18

Icy cold water splatters over me, freezing and burning at the same time. I drop straight down the vertical waterfall, the book Miss Canary gave me clutched tightly against my chest. Salty droplets of water trickle their way into the creases of my lips.

Adrenaline courses through my veins. I’m weightless, breathless, and utterly in fear. My body is in shock. I can see the ending of the waterfall crashing into the pool it creates. The waves from the hard impact ripple, forming a white cloud of bubbly foam. Without preparing myself, I drop into the raging sea. If I breathe underwater I will die. If I open my eyes, my vision will be blurry and sting from the ocean’s salt.

I remember when the mermaids held me captive in their grassy maze of tall seaweed. I can feel the stickiness of seaweed clinging onto my legs, tugging me against the heavy current. I need to breathe so that I will survive. I spread out my hands, pushing against the water, attempting to swim through the raging sea.

Struggling to lift myself up to its surface, I am pulled back down by the seaweed. If I do not make it to the surface, I will die. I panic, opening my eyes. The salty water assaults my pupils; they start to sting painfully.

My left arm freezes and its green tattoos light up the murky water. My vision begins to clear, allowing me to assess my surroundings. I claw through the current, reaching for the surface. I pinch my lips tightly closed, not allowing any of the water inside.

I have been underwater too long. Against my will, my mouth opens to breathe underwater. There is no other choice.

I blink under the water, gargling for air. What I think are images in my mind of Christian are swimming closer to me. Something grips my wrist and energy surges throughout my body. An air bubble erupts from the back of my throat and completely covers my face.

I breathe.

I glance below me at the murky leaves wrapping around my ankles and wrist, pulling me down. An intense vibration of water passes against my right cheek, and I see the same mermaid who saved Christian and me. His dark blue hair and tattoos glow underwater, and he smirks at me. Another vibration against my left, and a girl with light blue hair paddles through the water, her ankles and legs covered in blue markings. She meets up with the guy in front of me. They float effortlessly, staring at me, their sharp fins and eyes glowing an electric blue. The pressure from the seaweeds pulls me down, causing my ears to pop. I dart my hands up to the sides of my face, covering my ears in pain. The two mermaids follow me down to wherever the seaweed is taking me. The clear bubble around my face moves along the slight current. A horizontal cloud is approaching from below me, and my body has been pulled completely into what looks like an underwater river.

Is that even possible?

I immediately feel lighter, and the heaviness of the salt from above me is not present. A colorful image bolts in front of me, a spiral of air bubbles following in its trail. I see a woman floating in the middle of our scene. Blue swirly lines wrap themselves around her ankle to the middle of her thigh. I can see toes, she has feet and no tail. She is clearly not Ariel, your little mermaid. Her eyes are glowing an icy blue, and she waves at me gracefully as my air bubble around my face pops. I cover my mouth, swallowing the murky water around me. The mystic crooks her neck to the right; she is no longer smiling.

We float through the forest of seaweed, waving and weaving along the same current. I paddle my feet to keep me afloat, moving my arms in a circular pattern, trying to lock eye contact with her. I don’t want to have her take my weakness as an attempt to murder me. However, I am losing breath, and my head feels light. She removed the bubble from around my head. I remember what Donovan said to me; he said not to trust mystics.

“Breathe,” she instructs. “Or you’ll die.”

I eye her cautiously. Why would she want me to breathe in water? I know I’m half mystic and everything, the only mermaid in my screwed up family was Lauren, and she’s long dead. How dare she insult my witch intelligence?

The mermaid rolls her eyes, finding me a nuisance to deal with. She waves her hand toward me. The pressure of water heats up around my mouth, searing my skin. I release my hands from my mouth and yelp. I take a cautious breath, but no water flows inside my mouth and down my throat.

“Maybe you should listen next time. I gave you fair warning.”

“You didn’t have to burn me.”

“Being stubborn will not get you anywhere.” She watches me swim around frantically. “You do not need to swim here. You will float.” She crosses her arms. “Calm down.”

“How can I breathe?”

The mystic’s index finger lifts above us at the horizontal river, allowing the two worlds to connect.

“Salt water is above, fresh air is below, and this water has been changed for mystics such as ourselves to survive for years. We mer-people wouldn’t need it, but we thought of our visitors.” She swims toward me, her blue hair gleaming against the ripples above.

The two mermaids from before are swimming by the woman in front of me. I swear the guy looks like the mermaid who saved Christian and me. He turns around and swims down to a cave with his friend, leaving air bubbles floating up to the river from their kicks.

The woman in front of me chuckles. “Ahh, you’ve met Jax.
He’s a heartbreaker,” she says.

I glance at her and say, “Literally.”

“What brings you to my kingdom?”

I blink. This mystic is Elaena.

“This is your kingdom?” I look dubiously around the foggy seaweed forest.

“Of course not. Why would I show an elf my kingdom? They’re not to be trusted.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I don’t trust elves. What is it that you need?” Her voice is now stern.

The tension grows in the water; I can imagine myself becoming trapped in ice. That’s pretty much where I think this is going, and for someone reason the Queen of Mervil doesn’t like my kind.

“What if I’m only half?”

Elaena swims back away from me, and her eyes wink back on. “Myths aren’t real.” She aims her fingers toward the seaweed and the blue markings around her knuckles and fingers glow.

“What if I was?”

“What are you mixed with?”

“I don’t think it’s polite to ignore questions, Your Highness.” The book I’m to deliver freezes against my chest; I glance down at it glowing as well.

Elaena claws the water, allowing the current to rush inside my nose, mouth, and ears. It feels like I’m drowning…I can’t breathe. She then sweeps her hands down toward the roots. I’m being forced down by Elaena, and she’s going to kill me.

Rage fills me, and my whole body freezes. I sense my eyes warming up to their glowing emerald color. I let Elaena force me to the bottom, my back smashing against the gravel.

The current she is creating and the water inside my body makes it hard for me to fight against the force. I let my mystic instinct take over completely. I clench my teeth together and think about controlling the seaweed. Anything that has a grassy material calms me down, and what better way to calm me down than by being surrounded in a field of seaweed?

I think of the seaweed wrapping around me and lifting me up. Without moving, two tall blades dart toward me, slithering beneath me. I direct the seaweed to block Elaena’s vision. I am relieved that her control over me has stopped. I gasp frantically for air, but I am still furious. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My anger toward her isn’t stopping and it’s like I’m not controlling myself.
It feels amazing, all of this energy inside of me.
I snap my fingers in the water for the long weeds to split apart so that Elaena can see me.

“I knew it,” she snarls.

The mermaid then darts down toward me like a bolt of lightning. I twirl my index finger and the seaweed reacts, flying toward Elaena, the vines wrapping themselves around her. I clench my fingers together into a fist as they tighten their grip.

Elaena screeches in pain, and I smirk.

Chapter 19

The current begins to circle around me; I am in the eye of the water tornado Elaena has created. I form my hands into claws and she looks at me in fear. I can hear her screech. I twirl my index finger, causing the seaweed to choke her. The queen’s back is bent and she floats toward the surface.

“I won’t be taken advantage of,” I say.

“Eliza, you must stop.” Jax swims in front of me, blocking my sight of the mermaid.

“If you do not stop, you will kill her. Calm your emotions.”

I ignore him. The energy within me is addicting and I don’t want to let go of it…ever.

“Please, Eliza, I know you can do this.”

“Get out of my way.”

“No!” he shouts.

I clench my jaws, stop the seaweed from strangling Elaena, and focus on Jax.

“So be it,” I say.

My seaweed glides over to wrap around me, still in my control. I make the gesture for him to come closer, and he is pulled in by the current. He is in shock that this has happened. “Are you afraid of me?”

He looks at me cautiously. “I am not.”

I clench my fingers, allowing my seaweed to grab hold of him; they slither around his neck. “What about now?”

Kill him…Kill him, he’s a worthless mermaid. He should be begging for mercy.

I grin, embracing the evil voices in my head; I’ve missed them so.

“This is not you…stop this. I am not afraid of you.”

My seaweed thickens in volume, continuing to wrap around his slim body, tightening around his thighs and wrists.

“Please, snap out of it.”

I realize what I am doing to him and I stop. I don’t know what’s come over me. My vision blurs, and it’s like I’ve run a thousand miles without a breath left to keep running. I stop floating and descend into the forest of seaweed.

“Help me.”

***

The sound of water dripping onto the ground creates an echo around me. I am laying against a rocky jagged surface. A droplet falls, landing on the tip of my nose, waking me. I look at the rock spears pointing down at me. They are ready to drop and stab me.

Guilt crawls through my thoughts…I know I’ve done something terrible, though I’m having trouble remembering what. Grandmother Lauren was a mermaid myth. It was clearly obvious now, and she killed my grandfather. I didn’t want to believe the truth…I didn’t want to believe she fell into corruption, like my mother. I can feel certain emotions and thoughts that aren’t mine tug inside my brain.

“Dive into the water in front of you…”

I get to my feet and scan my surroundings; the walls are caved in. I trail my fingers against its moist walls as droplets of water splatter on my skin.

“Keep walking, Eliza…”

I know the thoughts I am hearing are not mine; they’re different than the voices that randomly fight in my head. Continuing to follow what the thoughts are saying to me, I walk toward a pond that has colorful ripples. The water is clear. I do not know where it will take me.

I bend down to my knees, take a pebble in my hand, and drop it into the water. Nothing happens; the pebble goes right through the water without a splash and without a ripple, vanishing into the mystical pond. I sense an eerie presence behind me and my back stiffens…there is no one here with me. I study the cave curiously.

“I’m waiting.”

Alone in the cave, I listen to what the thoughts tell me. Standing up, I dip into the colorful water; it’s nothing but a freezing sensation sucking me into my fall. I land on a large lily pad and straddle it in a defense position, preparing myself to attack. Mermaids with different colored hair glide in the waters beneath me. Some are singing and some are dancing, and a mermaid dives into the water beside me. Cold water splashes on my feet. I guess all mermaids aren’t blue.

Another splash sprays my face, dripping water into my mouth I taste the water. It’s not normal water; it tastes like iron.

I stand up, trying to balance myself on my lily pad. The mermaids in the water giggle at me. One swims over and pokes the lily pad; her friends laugh at me wiggle. I shoot a nasty glare at them.

“Someone’s irritable.” This mermaid had an orange ombre do.

“Hey, Erenea let’s give our guest a warm welcome
,”
she sings.

“Let’s not,” I say.

She blinks. “What are you going to do?”

“Laeve, stop it. You three carry on with whatever you were doing. Nartasha, remove yourself from the pond immediately.”

Nartasha must’ve been the one below me; her green hair is wet when she leaps out of the pond. She glares at me and then blows me a kiss, skipping away with her bikini glowing in the cave. The three mermaids run toward a cave entrance with a group of guys, laughing.

“If I hadn’t stopped them from playing with you, you’d kill them.”

Elaena rubs the welts on her neck from the seaweed. “I would know, you almost killed me.” She glances up at me.

“You weren’t playing around with me though.”

“Get up,” she says.

“I can’t remember anything other than you and your filthy eyes,” I snarl, glaring at her and then cover my mouth. The markings on my left arm freeze. Elaena’s eyes study my markings.

“Why are you nervous?” I look up at her.

“I’m not, follow me.” But she was, I could hear her heart racing.

She limps into a room where other mermaids watch me carefully. They know that their queen’s life is in my hands. They’re cautious and ready to attack at any given second. Jax walks out of the cave where Nartasha and her friends are. He’s holding a dark blue spear and his friends have light blue boomerangs in their hands. When Elaena stops walking and lifts up her hand, the mermaids scatter and dive into several different pools. She then glances at me.

“This way.”

We enter the rocky tunnel, dripping water echoing around us. My eyes follow the colorful markings above me and on my right and left. The markings look like caveman drawings. I hold on to the book I was given to deliver. Elaena disappears into a room in the darkness.

“Get ready, she’s on her way,” Elaena says to whoever is in the room.

I enter the space, seeing the one guy I wished not to ever see again, the corrupt and monstrous elf who triggered the myth within me. My heart beats frantically at the sight of his gray suit and shiny, pointy black shoes. He fixes his cuffs and stands next to a large fish tank.

“Eliza, calm down,” Elaena warns me. I shoot her a glare; my emotions are everywhere right now in my head. The feeling of losing control comes over me once more. The same feeling that killed Elaena. Christian is corrupt; I remember his black eyes and how he bit my bottom lip during our kiss in the forest. How he trapped me in some kind of psychotic dreamland. I reach for my broomstick.

“What are you doing here?” I growl.

Christian stops watching the fish play around in the tank. He turns around and glances at Elaena and then to me.

“I’m trying to save you from corruption.”

“She’s hallucinating. She thinks I’m some sort of mermaid.”

That voice…all along it was Christian’s. He’s somehow talking to me in my head, some sort of telepathy.

I think back,
“Is this possible because we are betrothed?”
He understands what I’ve asked and appears shocked how quickly I learned to reply back. He nods and then my eyes switch back to the queen.

If Elaena knew that this ‘mermaid’ in the room was really a corrupt elf, I don’t know how she’d react. I think it’s best just not to say anything, but I can feel the pain she is experiencing, the confusion and desire to obey whatever Christian has her seeing. He could be showing her anything he’d want and she’d fully believe it and comply. It’s painful to watch, because I was once his puppet as well.

Christian says, “You’re a myth. Myths are the first ones to corrupt.”

“You knew already who I was.”

“I did,” he says, walking closer. “Which is why I left you alone.”

“You turned me into this. You triggered it.” I pinch a lock of my blonde hair, flick the strands at him. “This is what you did to me,” I say. “You and Canary planned to keep me in Ellevil because of what I am.” I bare my teeth. “You said it yourself, she was using me to get back at the king of corruption.”

“Eliza, please…you don’t understand.”

“Then explain!”

“You can’t blame Christian,” Elaena says, “or anyone else but your mother and grandmother.” She uncrosses her arms and walks toward the book Miss Canary told me to deliver. The plastic wrap protection fades away into blue mist and she opens the book, ruffling through its pages.

“This book was magically written underwater. Only a mermaid can read it.” She glances up at me and continues, “Lauren Rose, a witch of course. Had an affair with a corrupt mystic by the name of Emil Leverge. A mermaid.”

I hear the fishes splashing against the water in their tank. “Emil was kind and gentle. Soon after his discovery of myths, his curiosity was uncontrolled,” Elaena says.

“Okay?” I say, eyeing Christian.

“Do you want to listen or not?” Elaena clears her throat and reads, “Miss Canary also had an affair with Emil Leverge. She got pregnant, and then her baby turned out to be corrupt. Let me explain further for you…” Elaena closes the book and waves her hand over a nearby pool in the room. Images start to appear and move around.

Miss Canary and Emil are talking to each other.

“I can’t stay here in this world we created, Terese. I want to go beyond the portal and meet humans.”

“You know we can’t do that, Emil.”

“Who cares what others say? I’m not afraid of Rav and the Verel. I want to see a myth in person.”

Emil is waving his hands around and knocks a lamp to the floor, shattering it. Miss Canary steps back from him, clasping her hands together.

“Emil, calm down…” she warns him.

“It’s either you go…or I leave.”

His face lights up, his blue eyes fading to black. He is breathing harshly, saliva dripping from his mouth. Miss Canary is clearly frightened of Emil. She picks up a bar and warns him to not approach her any further. Emil does not listen; he watches his love carefully.

“Don’t do this to yourself, Emil…corruption will kill you.”

“Come with me…” he says.

Emil darts to Miss Canary swiftly. She holds out her bar, bends down to her knees, and swipes the bar, tripping Emil. She is leaping over his body toward the door when Emil grabs her ankle and snaps it. She crashes to the floor with a grunt
.

“Emil, stop this!” she cries out.

Emil grapples Miss Canary’s neck, preparing to break it. A tear travels down Terese’s cheek
. “Please…”

Emil fights the corruption as his eyes fade back into blue, and Miss Canary faints. He sees what he has done, runs over to a coat rack, and puts on a black coat, running to the Ellevil portal in the forest. He takes one glance behind him at the black castle, places the black hood over his head, and vanishes into the portal.

Christian and Elaena are watching me carefully.

“And that is where Lauren, your grandmother, comes in,” Elaena says.

“She finds Emil talking to a mermaid. Lauren and the mermaid fall in love…he then eventually corrupts her,” Christian says as I glance at him.

“How does this have anything to do with what I am?”

“Because, Eliza, Lauren made a deal with a corrupt elf. A betrothal with the king of corruption.” He looks at me, walking in my direction, his green markings glowing along with mine. The ends of my fingers freeze a tiny bit and I come to the realization of what he means.

“Don’t come any closer to me,” I say, my voice croaking.

I take out my broomstick, pressing the button to morph it into its purple sword. Christian tucks his hands into his pockets.

“This is where you ran off to?” I say, waving my sword in the air. “A cave with mermaids? You don’t fool me, Christian. I know you’re corrupt.”

“Don’t you want to know the reason why your mom was acting strange? Why Eric and Jared went missing with her?” he says. “It’s because your mother was betrothed to marry your father, the king of corruption. Her foolish acts caused havoc in Ravamere…she did not fulfil her marriage with the king. This is where you and I come into the story. The betrothal bounced off from the king and your mom onto you and me.”

“My mother is the reason why they were betrothed and she’s the reason why you and I are today, repeating the process?”