Chapter Twenty-Six
I unfolded my chair with a snap and shifted myself into the seat while Evey and Hayden crowded around Ian’s shuddering body.
Hayden paced back and forth, gripping his head in his hands. “I hit my brother with a car…I
hit
my
brother
with a
car.
” Ian looked at him with squinted eyes and made a choking sound. “Dude. What is he saying? What does he want?”
Evey tried to hold Ian down. “I…I don’t know. Luna?”
I grabbed the gun out of the front seat, then wheeled around to the front of the car. “He’s suffocating. We have to get him back in the water.”
Evey looked around. “The Rogersons’ driveway. We can go down that way.” She looked at me, her eyes circled with smudged eye makeup. “Can you make it down there?”
I nodded. “Can you guys carry Ian?”
Hayden nodded and swiped at his eyes. Evey kicked off her heels.
“Yeah,” they said in unison.
“OK, let’s move.” Giving my wheels a shove, I started down the slanted driveway. The moon cast shafts of silvery light down through the pine trees, making lacey patterns on the ground in front of me. There wasn’t time to help Ian. We had to get to Cape Horn.
Now
.
But how could I let Ian suffocate? There was a time when he’d been at the center of my universe. He’d been my first love, and even though he morphed into a colossal douche bag after my accident, I would always have a soft spot in the dark, dusty, farthermost corner of my heart for him.
“Hold your arm still, bro, we’re almost there,” Hayden whispered as we slunk along the side of the Rogersons’ house.
Ian groaned, and my head snapped up at the open windows above our heads. I could hear Mrs. Rogerson laughing at a sitcom inside of her bedroom. “You’ve got to be quiet, Ian. We’re gonna get busted.”
Evey bit her lip and adjusted her grip on Ian’s knees. “We’ve gotta hurry. I’m gonna drop him.”
Scuffling past the house, we found ourselves on the trail that ran between the two houses. I gestured back toward the white farmhouse. “We’ll go to the dock. Just keep it down.”
Evey moaned. “He’s…he’s heavy. I-I can’t…”
“Put him down,” Hayden ordered. Once his brother rested on the ground, he slipped off his suit coat and discarded it into the bushes. Ian fumbled to stay sitting up, dirt and pine needles sticking to his skin. “Keep your arm close to your chest, and I’ll grab your other side.”
Ian nodded, his skin rippling as the shift began. “We don’t have much time,” I said. “Pick him back up, Hayden!”
Hayden bent down and hoisted his brother over his shoulder, farmer-style. A gurgle-type growl emanated from deep inside of Ian’s chest. With a grunt, Hayden slowly rose to his feet, then gestured for Evey and me to keep moving.
My sister grabbed the handles on my chair and broke out in a run. My wheels bounced over twigs and rocks on the path as we flew toward the dock. I could hear Ian choking behind me as we flew across our driveway, taking a hard left and skidding down the boardwalk.
“Get him in the water.” I tried to speak as quietly as possible. The last thing I needed was for my parents to find out I wasn’t at the prom…oh, and that Ian was actually alive and choking to death on the dock.
Evey helped Hayden slide Ian off of his shoulder, and the three of them fell into a heap on the warped wood. “What do I do? What do I do?” Hayden hissed.
“Roll him off of the deck.” Evey shoved Ian’s limp body off of her legs.
“No!” Hayden raked a hand through his hair. “He’ll drown. He’s…he’s sick.”
I put a hand on his shoulder. “He’s part fish. He’s sick because he needs to be in the water.”
Hayden looked up at me, the moisture in his eyes reflecting the moonlight. Ian released a long, drawn out gurgle, and his legs snapped together like there were magnets underneath his skin. “I-I can’t lose him again.”
I blinked back my own tears. “Then get him into the lake.”
Together Evey and Hayden shoved Ian over the edge of the dock. He landed in the water with a heavy
splunk
, then sank straight down. We all sat watching the blur of white skin disappear without a word. I could hear Hayden panting.
“Gone.” His voice cracked. “He’s gone.”
“I…” My mouth froze, open, and I stared down at the black water.
“We have to go.” Evey stood up and touched Hayden’s arm. “There’s no time…we…” Her voice petered out, and she looked at me helplessly.
Fingering the handle on the rifle, I cleared the emotion out of my throat. I wouldn’t let Saxon die without at least trying to save him. I couldn’t
not
try. “Hayden, we should go.”
He covered his face with his dirty hands, and the sound of crying was his response. Evey crouched down behind him, putting her arms around Hayden’s shaking shoulders.
I leaned down in my chair. “Hayden?”
They’re going to do it soon.
Hayden’s sobbing stopped as abruptly as it started, and all three of our heads popped up. Ian’s voice filled our heads, rough and jagged from pain. “Ian?” Hayden cried, leaning over the edge of the dock.
Ian swam upwards from the dark bottom of the lake, his white-blond hair coming into view slowly in the darkness.
I’m here.
He cradled his arm against his trunk. His tail was long and ridged with muscles, and the gills on the sides of his neck opened and closed rhythmically. He stopped just short of breaking the surface.
“I thought you…” Hayden wiped his eyes. “Your arm. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”
It will be fine. Things heal differently down here. They have plants and medicines. It will be fine.
He lifted his good arm out of the water and grasped Hayden’s hand.
Brother. I’ve missed so much.
I scowled down at him. “Why were you out of the water? I told you you’d die if you came out of the water.”
Ian shook his head.
I was trying to stop you. I tried to get Hayden and Evey’s attention while they were stealing that gun, but they didn’t hear me.
Evey’s eyebrows rose high on her forehead. “I heard splashing, but didn’t want to look down at the lake.”
I sighed. “We’ve seen a lot already tonight. Swimming might be out of the question this summer.”
I wouldn’t blame you for that.
Hayden scanned the water all around the dock. “Why are you here? Aren’t you being watched?”
The entire clan is at Cape Horn for the Mere Monstrom sacrifice. I was left behind with a couple of Mer, but they…well, I’m here now.
“We have to go then.” Adrenaline was coursing through my veins. I had to get to Saxon. I had to.
Ian released Hayden and pulled his hand back underwater.
Listen, they’re going to sacrifice Saxon soon. They’ve got the whole clan, even younglings, gathered to watch. You’ll never make it in time by car.
Grasping my hair by the roots, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“What are we going to do?” Evey was breathing hard. “Where are they? Are they under the surface? How do they do it?”
I’ve never seen a sacrifice before. Still new to this Mer thing, remember?
Hayden pulled his mouth into a thin line. “What can we do?”
Ian’s eyes darted to me before he replied.
From what I’m told, the clan is gathered to Cape Horn, and they all come to the surface. Usually the sacrifice is dropped down to the Mere Monstrom from the rock cliffs above. Do you remember where the cliffs are? We dove off of them once?
Hayden nodded. “Will Saxon be dropped off alive? Will we have time to help him?”
Ian’s face fell.
The Council wants to put a scare into the clan. There have been talks of rebellion, and many of the Mer are getting tired of being controlled by violence. I’ve heard stories about how they enforce their rules that make being drowned by a mermaid seem like a day on the beach. Pun intended.
“Get to the point.” My hands clenched the gun so tightly, my fingers were starting to go numb.
All right, all right.
Ian gritted his teeth.
I heard some of the Council planning it. They’re going to tear his arms and legs off, then throw him into the water. He’ll be unable to shift or swim…if he even survives the torture in the first place.
Closing my eyes, I focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. “We have to go there.” I opened my eyes and looked at Evey and Hayden. “We
have
to.”
“Once they find out we ran away from those two goons at the prom, we’ll be torn apart too.” My sister wrapped her arms around herself.
You saw some Council members?
Hayden nodded. “They were gonna hurt Luna, but we escaped.”
Which ones?
I swallowed. “Darrow and Bascom.”
Ian’s eyes were as round as half dollars.
Are you kidding? Those two are the most brutal of them all. They’re not going to take being outsmarted lightly.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” I pushed the memory of Darrow cracking his knuckles in the brush to the back of my mind. “Why did you stop us to tell us this about Saxon if we can’t make it on time?”
His face grew serious.
I’m going to help you.
I drew a shaky breath. “How so?”
Looking over his shoulder, he gestured to someone—and before I had a second to process it, two more greenish white figures glided toward us. Springing to his feet, Hayden positioned himself between the edge of the dock and Ev and me. “Ian, what is this?”
Ian shot his hands out from him.
It’s OK. They’re safe. They’re on our side.
The moon above was full, and I was able to make out each of their faces. There was a mermaid who appeared to be older than my mother by a few years. Her hair was dark, and when it floated across her face in the dark lake, it looked like she disappeared. Next to her there was a merman, who—even in the murkiness, was the spitting image of Saxon. An older version of him, with wrinkles bordering his eyes and hair whitening at the temples.
Gasping, I slapped a hand over my mouth. “Saxon’s parents.”
I let go of the gun and smoothed down my skirt. Of all the days to meet the boyfriend’s parents…
I am Nathaniel.
The merman’s voice was deep and commanding. He gestured to the mermaid.
This is my mate, Perla.
“Thank you for helping us.” Hayden nodded, and Evey stepped out from behind him.
Perla’s gaze landed on me.
You must be the girl who has enraptured our son.
My cheeks burned. “I…uh…yes. Listen, I’m really sorry that all of this has happened. I—”
Nathaniel hushed me with a wave of his hand.
Saxon has always been uncomfortable about his responsibility to alter a human. He said it made him feel barbaric.
Perla spoke next.
If Saxon loves you and won’t alter you, then we will stand by him.
She put her hand on Nathaniel’s arm.
Honestly, if I’d known my Nathaniel before beguiling him, I likely wouldn’t have been able to follow through, either.
I nodded, relieved. So apparently Perla was the original Mer in that union. I’d always wondered about Sax’s family dynamic. Evey slipped her hand into mine before I spoke. “We need to get to Cape Horn…to Saxon. I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t at least try to save him.”
Perla pressed her fingers to her lips.
We cannot tolerate the Council’s brutality any longer. This has to stop. They cannot kill my son.
Nathanial narrowed his eyes.
There is a small group of Mer waiting for us just outside Moon’s Bay. They’re in agreement that our son need not die for the sake of making a point and that the Council’s methods have become too brutal. The rebellion will start tonight.
Hayden nodded. “Agreed. So how can you help us?”
We’ll take you across the lake.
Nathaniel gestured across the water.
Evey took a step backward. “I-I can’t. The Mere Monstrom…Mer…”
Ian reached out a hand.
We’ll protect you. We’ll swim near the surface, so you can breathe.
Hayden and Evey both frowned.
I set the rifle down on the dock. “It’s OK. I’ve done this before.”
Evey gaped at me. “You’ve what?”
“I swam with Saxon.” I pulled off my shoes, then dropped my cell phone onto the dock. “It’s safe. They’ll get us there way faster than driving could. We may still have a chance.”
We’ll take you to the woods at the back of the Cape.
Nathaniel paused, looking us over.
From there, you two can approach from behind, through the trees. And Luna can appeal from the water near us. We can protect her if a battle breaks out, but it is our understanding that she’s stronger in the water than she is on land.
I nodded. “Yes.”
Perla brought her hand out of the lake.
We should go now. Time is running out.
Hayden slid his shoes off. “The water is going to be cold, Evey, you—”
“Don’t worry about that.” I lowered myself onto the edge of the dock. “They’ve got it covered.”
“How?” Evey chewed her fingernail.
I looked over my shoulder at my sister. “Trust me.”
With a groan, Evey sat down on the edge of the dock, then lowered herself into the lake. Perla took hold of her by the waist and held her so that her head was just above the surface.
Just relax. Breathe in and out. I won’t let you drown.
Evey treaded water for a beat, then relaxed, her arms and legs going still.
There. Do you feel warmer now?
Evey nodded and gave Hayden the thumbs up. “Here goes nothing.” He scooted into the water with little splash. Ian took hold of his trunk, and within a moment Hayden’s face smoothed out and his teeth stopped chattering. “Whoa.” He laughed. “Cool.”
I entered the water as quietly as I could, trying not to make a splash. A shudder of fear rippled through me, but I swallowed it back. There was no time for fear now. Saxon needed me. Nathaniel took hold of me and watched closely.
Are you sure you can do this?
I felt warmth fill my body like a coffee mug. “I’m used to doing the impossible.”
He jerked his chin in the direction of the dock.
Don’t forget the gun. We may need it.