Princess of Mermaids Read online

  Fiora had been assigned to help her after failing miserably at every other suggested position.

  This one wasn’t going any better.

  “That’s the most preposterous thing I’ve ever heard,” Madame Isla said. “Why would humans need a tool to put food in their mouths when they have perfectly good hands?”

  “Because human food is often hot. They cook it with fire.”

  Fiora wasn’t sure Madame Isla knew what fire was. Judging from the way she blinked, she probably didn’t. But the scholar was not used to being contradicted, and she wasn’t about to admit weakness now.

  “If food is too hot for hands, it is too hot for mouths,” Madame Isla said as if that settled the matter. “Zoe, please take this rare human hair comb to Queen Gallerus. Perhaps Her Majesty would like to use it when preparing for the ceremony tonight.”

  Fiora’s young cousin darted forward and retrieved the fork. She turned it over in her hands, studying it with wonder.

  “It is very shiny, isn’t it?”

  Fiora sighed, sending a stream of bubbles towards the surface. Much like her mother Kathelin, Zoe was always cheerful and easily impressed. And much like her grandmother Madame Isla, she enjoyed discovering new objects on the ocean floor.

  “Extremely shiny,” Madame Isla agreed. “Humans love shiny things. Now take it to the queen like a good girl.”

  Zoe beamed at the praise and swam through an opening in the ceiling. Madame Isla watched her go with a smile, then turned back to Fiora with a scowl.

  “Why can’t you be pleasant and cooperative like your sister?”

  Fiora fought the urge to argue that Zoe was her cousin, not her sister. To mermaids, every female relative was a sister. The merfolk had not been impressed when she tried to explain the human way of tracking relations.

  “Because I’m not fifteen, and I actually know something. Because I am a human!”

  Fiora’s voice rose at this last statement, and the human quality she worked so hard to suppress crept into her tone. Water currents swirled around her, and she grimaced as they tangled her hair. Merfolk voices held power, which they controlled with emotions and song.

  Or in Fiora’s case, tried to control with mixed results.

  She took a deep breath, and the swirling water calmed.

  “You are half human,” Madame Isla said. “And you only lived with humans for a short time. I can understand why you’re confused about their customs. Meanwhile, I have studied human behavior my entire life. My field notes on the crew of the Seawolfe have revolutionized our understanding of human interaction.”

  “I lived with them for ten years! And stalking a merchant ship does not make you an expert on forks and combs. You’ve never even been on land. Never seen a human town.”

  “Haven’t I?”

  There was something in Madame Isla’s tone beyond her usual arrogance. Something that caught Fiora’s interest in spite of her annoyance.

  “Have you been on land, Madame Isla?”

  The mermaid nodded smugly, her white hair rippling as she moved.

  “There are many ways to transform your shape if you are accomplished enough. Where do you think Kathelin and Althea learned the magic to make that ring?”

  She gestured to the pearl ring that Fiora still wore. It was useless now that her father had given up on her, but she refused to part with it.

  “You know how to transform a mermaid into a human?”

  Fiora studied Madame Isla with new interest. Perhaps she had underestimated the mermaid. Her understanding of humans may be faulty, but apparently her enchantments were not.

  “Among other things. Kathelin recently wrote a song to turn a human into a frog. Transformation magic is not particularly difficult if you know the songs and principles, Fiora. You would know that if you had stayed underwater and continued your education.”

  And there it was again. Any time Fiora did something wrong, Madame Isla was quick to remind her that she had abandoned her mermaid family for her human one.

  The unspoken thought that followed was that her human family had abandoned her in return, and the mermaids were all she had left.

  “Could you transform me into a human?”

  “Not without the queen’s permission, and you know how unlikely that is.”

  Fiora did know. Her grandmother had been furious when she ran away to live with her human father at age thirteen. Given how badly it had gone, Queen Gallerus was unlikely to give Fiora permission for a second attempt at humanity.

  Zoe returned, dissolving the tension in the room with her bright smile.

  “We’re ready to rehearse, Fiora. Can you spare us, Madame Isla?”

  “Yes, please go. My work will go faster without interruptions.”

  She gave Fiora a pointed look as she said this. Fiora scowled in return.

  “Come on, Fiora!”

  Zoe flipped in the water and snapped her tail. She darted forward in a burst of speed.

  Fiora swam harder, trying to keep up. Zoe glided effortlessly ahead as if she belonged in the water.

  Which she did.

  Fiora was still struggling to find her sea legs. Or sea tail. She had never possessed whatever mermaid quality it was that made her family at home in the water. Not completely.

  She pulled water through her gills and kicked even harder. She soared forward, her long red hair streaming behind her like a cape.

  If she hadn’t been trying to keep up with Zoe, she might have enjoyed the swim. As much as she hated to admit it, there was something magical about breathing underwater and swimming through the ocean. It was almost like flying.

  She might have enjoyed the scenery as well if it didn’t consist mostly of buildings and gardens wrecked by kraken. Judging from the reports she had heard, the kraken had also caused damage in the human world. They had sunk ships and knocked a few towers off a castle.

  But the attacks had devastated the merfolk. Their capital city lay in ruins, as did the surrounding towns. The panicked evacuation had not exactly been a warm welcome back to the underwater world. Nor had the frantic search for safety. Zoe had somehow remained cheerful as she dragged Fiora from one hiding spot to another while Queen Gallerus and her most accomplished merfolk choirs fought to contain the rampaging monsters.

  From what Fiora could piece together from overheard conversations, Kathelin and Althea had worked with the royal guard, stolen an enchanted sapphire from Santelle’s treasury, and used it to subdue the dark creatures. The Kraken Heart had brought peace back to the water, but it would take time to rebuild.

  A lot of time. Every mermaid and merman that could be spared was working on it now. Songs of building and repair echoed through the water. Graceful arches and domes of sand and rock grew each day, lining the horizon like a fanciful city built by a child during a day on the beach.

  The castle in the mermaid’s summer city had sustained the least damage. Probably because it was located near Montaigne and the kraken activity had centered around Santelle. So the queen and her court had moved to the summer city while the capital city was rebuilt.

  Rehearsal was in the castle’s highest tower. Zoe swam up the outside of the building, skipping the maze of tunnels that wound through the structure, and popped in through a large window. Fiora followed suit, thinking how unusual this behavior would be for a human. You would have to climb the walls to enter a land tower through a window. Much easier to simply take the stairs.

  But in the water, it was as easy to go up as over. Mermaids did not worry about such things as gravity, and their lofty buildings showed it.

  A pulsing blue light engulfed Fiora as she entered the room. Kathelin and Althea were already singing. Their voices wove together in a tight harmony laced with magic. An enormous sapphire pulsed in time with their rhythm, strengthening their enchantment and keeping the kraken in an enchanted sleep.

  It was the first time Fiora had seen the Kraken Heart up close. It was mesmerizing. The sapphire was bigger than her fi
st and glowed with magic.

  Santelle must be furious to have lost such a treasure.

  “You’re just in time,” Kathelin signed. “Let us finish this stanza, and then we’ll begin.”

  She made gestures with her hands to communicate the words. Mermaids created magic with their songs, so it was important to be able to communicate without interrupting the sound. Most mermaids learned sign language before they could speak.

  Fiora leaned against a sloped wall and arranged her hair so it covered as much of her body as possible. Perhaps she should search Madame Isla’s collection of human objects for a needle, thread, and fabric. It was likely that a sewing kit had washed overboard at some point. She would feel so much more comfortable underwater if she had clothes.

  Zoe bounced up and down in excitement as the song progressed. Finally, Kathelin and Althea sang their final notes. The enchantment snapped into place and sent a small tremor through the water. The Kraken Heart brightened as it absorbed the magic.

  “This is a rehearsal, but it will still affect the gem,” Althea signed. “Stay focused.”

  It was difficult to tell if she meant this comment more for Fiora or Zoe. Both nodded, just in case. You didn’t want to get on Althea’s bad side. Unlike her cousin Kathelin, she was never happy and never impressed.

  Kathelin and Althea looked at each other and established a tempo by waving their hands in unison. Then they drew water through their gills and began to sing.

  The music was a lullaby meant to sooth the kraken. The song had been written specifically to be used with the Kraken Heart, and the gem responded as if it knew this. Its heartbeat pulse slowed and steadied as if the gem were falling asleep.

  It was almost time for their part. Fiora shared a nervous glance with Zoe and breathed deeply. She was older than her cousin, but Zoe was a full-blood mermaid with a decade more training.

  Kathelin gave the signal, and Fiora pushed her insecurities aside. The magic relied on emotion as much as the actual notes you sang. She couldn’t afford to doubt herself.

  She was prepared.

  Kathelin nodded to signal her, and Fiora began to sing. She pulled the human part of her voice back, letting only the magical mermaid tones come through her song.

  The mermaids wove four strands of melody together into one enchantment. Fiora relaxed a little. It was going well! She had practiced hard to prepare for this quartet, and years of participating in Princess Tests had taught her how to perform under pressure. Finally, it was all paying off.

  Maybe she could do this after all. She could find a place with the mermaids and finally belong. Perhaps with a little more training, she could join one of the choirs that wove magical songs through the sea and made the mermaid civilization thrive.

  Then the Kraken Heart flashed purple, and the gem’s pulse began to race. The mermaids shared alarmed looks and poured more magic into their voices. Fiora tried to remember everything she had ever learned about singing at once. Deep breathing. Even tone. Only use your mermaid voice.

  The gem’s pulse raced even faster. Althea motioned for Fiora and Zoe to stop singing. They did, and Kathelin and Althea returned to their original song. Slowly, the Kraken Heart’s light settled back into a steady rhythm.

  “What happened?” Zoe signed.

  Althea scowled, and even Kathelin looked a little concerned.

  “Something must have been wrong with the way our voices blended,” Kathelin signed. “Perhaps you girls should practice more before the concert tonight.”

  “Review your notes,” Althea signed. “And if you want to test your magic, there is plenty of cleaning to be done in the gardens. We will continue singing to look for a flaw in the gem.”

  Zoe and Fiora made the mermaid equivalent of a bow by curling their tails towards their heads and swam out the window. When they were a safe distance away, Zoe burst into a stream of chatter.

  “I’ve never seen anything like that! Fiora, do you think I sang a wrong note? I thought I knew this song!”

  Fiora shrugged. She was certain she had sung her part correctly, but she hadn’t heard anyone else make a mistake either. Maybe the fault had been hers. Maybe she had let some of her human voice creep into the song. Or perhaps her magic wasn’t strong enough to carry her part.

  Or maybe, no matter how hard she worked, she just didn’t belong here.

  “We just need more practice,” she said, refusing to acknowledge her doubts out loud. “It’s a complicated enchantment.”

  Zoe nodded with enthusiasm.

  “It’s the hardest enchantment I’ve ever sung! Do you want to come to the library with me to go over the notes?”

  “No, I’d rather practice on my own.”

  “Suit yourself, then. I’ll see you tonight!”

  Zoe turned a double flip and darted towards the library.

  Fiora swam in the opposite direction. A knot had settled in the pit of her stomach, and she couldn’t shake it. Usually it took an audible mistake in a song to ruin an enchantment. Fiora had studied singing with mermaids and humans. She was an accomplished musician.

  If there had been any wrong notes in the performance, she hadn’t heard them.

  It was an honor to sing at this concert. The ceremony would dedicate the Kraken Heart and officially welcome Queen Gallerus to her new, temporary home. Every member of the royal family would participate.

  Some would have only minor roles, singing in the enormous chorus at the end of the concert. But Fiora had been given a part in the opening quartet. That gave her equal standing with her aunts and cousin.

  It officially acknowledged her place as one of the royal sisters. The queen’s granddaughter and a princess of mermaids, if she put it into human terms.

  Such responsibility was not to be taken lightly. It was Queen Gallerus’s way of saying that she had accepted Fiora back and forgiven her for leaving. It was almost as good as being given a spot on the council.

  And if she messed it up, Fiora would once again prove herself unworthy.

  She shook her head. That line of thought would guarantee a bad performance. She may not have the most magical voice, but it was adequate for ensemble singing. She knew her notes. She would review them for the rest of the day to make sure she didn’t make any mistakes.

  She just needed some time alone to calm her nerves first.

  Maybe she could find some embroidery supplies in a shipwreck. Sewing always soothed her anxiety.

  Fiora kicked her tail and swam towards the open ocean, leaving the city behind her.

  4

  “But what about my ships?”

  King Gustave of Montaigne rubbed his forehead. His injuries from the kraken attack in Santelle were healing as quickly as could be expected, but his head still ached when he was frustrated.

  And right now, he was very frustrated.

  He bit back the sharp reply he longed to unleash and took a deep breath instead. One word from him, and the guards would drag this man out and throw him into the street.

  A king’s words have power.

  That had been one of his father’s favorite sayings, and Gustave tried not to resent it. When your words had power, you had to carefully consider everything you said.

  “Your Majesty?”

  The merchant looked hopeful. As if Gustave’s pause meant he had thought of a solution.

  Gustave shook his head, feeling the weight of the crown as he did so.

  “I am sorry for your loss, but I have no way to retrieve your ships from the bottom of the ocean.”

  “But I heard that you spoke with mermaids while visiting Santelle. Couldn’t you ask them to help? They could at least look for the gold coins from the wrecks. Or the silverware. One ship was carrying several boxes of cutlery in a custom design. My client will be very upset.”

  It was actually a good idea, asking the mermaids to help recover sunken goods, but Gustave had no way to do it. His headache intensified, and he reached into his pocket and wrapped his hand around the small
shell Kathelin had given them before she disappeared into the ocean. He had studied it thoroughly and searched the castle library for texts on mermaid magic.

  But as far as he could tell, it did nothing at all.

  Blasted mermaids.

  “My apologies, sir, but I cannot help you. I have heard nothing from the mermaids since the kraken submerged.”

  “My entire fortune was on those ships.”

  The merchant looked ready to cry. Gustave sighed. He truly did feel sorry for the man. He wished he could help all of the merchants and sailors who had suffered damages in the attacks, but that was beyond his power as king. Even if he wanted to bankrupt the country to restore the merchant’s fortune, his council wouldn’t let him.

  “And what of my daughters?” the man said, more to himself than Gustave. “How can I return to them empty-handed? This trip was meant to provide a dowry for my youngest.”

  Gustave tried to interject, but the merchant was lost in his misery and continued his mournful rant.

  “She’s a good girl. She only asked me to bring back a single rose. She could have asked for jewels or gowns, and she asked for a rose. I can’t even give her that now. I don’t even have money to buy a ticket home. All my things were on the Royal Blaze when it disappeared from port.”

  Fabric rustled to Gustave’s right. Collette had entered the throne room at some point and was trying to get his attention. Gustave caught his sister’s gaze and signed to her.

  “I can’t do anything to help him. Marquis Corbeau won’t let me set such a precedent.”

  Then Gustave rested his hands in his lap again and looked around the room. Everyone was too focused on the merchant’s tragic monologue to have noticed his communication. He turned back to Collette, who nodded her understanding.

  “The usual?” she signed.

  Gustave bit back a grin and nodded. Collette returned the grin and waited for her cue. Gustave cleared his throat to stop the man’s speech.

  “As king, there is nothing I can do for you. I’m afraid you must-”

  “Forgive me for interrupting, Your Majesty.”