Dangerous Depths (The Sea Monster Memoirs) (13 page)

Of course, Yara had to bring Sage to the sprites’ party. Heaven forbid she should do anything without her favorite pet. I flew beside them, unsettled by Sage occasionally glancing at me with her glowing eyes. “I’m surprised you didn’t insist on bringing Treygan and Rownan too.”

“I already witnessed them
almost kill each other,” Yara said. “I didn’t feel like hanging around to watch them break each other’s bones again. We’re supposed to start a suicide mission tomorrow, and they’re already fighting.”

My wings ruffled. “Don’t call it a suicide mission.”

“Sorry.”

The three of them had been inseparable since they started their “training.” As if any preparation could prepare them for Harte. I despised Rownan for dragging Yara into his mess. “I’d like to break a few of Rownan’s bones.”

“Please don’t. The Violets just finished repairing your first demolition job.”

“He had it coming.”

As we entered Echo Bayou, I zigzagged and weaved around the weeping willows. Yara followed, matching my every move. I slowed as we approached the village of water lilies. Everyone was bustling around. The celebration had already begun.

We landed on top of the water. Yara’s eyes widened at the scene in front of us. “There’s so many of them! And so many different colors. The flower petals and leaves look like they’re really attached to them.”

I paused, realizing Yara wasn’t used to seeing creatures naturally adorned with foliage. “They
are
attached to them.”

“They aren’t dressed up for the party?”

I snickered. “No, those accessories are part of them. They naturally develop that way.”

“I don’t remember the sprite I saw in Treygan’s memory having any leaves or petals.”

“Did the sprite’s skin look fluid? His or her predominant trait might have been water.”

She stared to the side of me as if replaying the memory. “You’re right. She did have watery skin. That’s so cool.”

I touched my own forearm, missing the way my skin used to resemble the leaves of Calliandra plants. Hundreds of water sprites shouted my name, and then the chatter began about Yara. The buzz of excitement grew louder as more sprites flew over to greet us. They swarmed Yara, so I backed away and walked to the riverbank.

After meeting everyone and answering a hundred and one questions, Yara excused herself and joined me by the log of tiny desserts. “They’re so adorable and friendly, and there are so many of them.”

“Yes, Medusa cried a lot when she was first banished to this world.”

Yara turned to face me. “What does crying have to do with the sprites?”

“Each sprite was formed from one of Medusa’s tears.”

She glanced at all my flitting brothers and sisters then gaped at me. “You’re kidding.”

“Why would I kid about my own former species?” I grabbed a berry tart then flew up to a branch.

Yara followed me, perching on a neighboring tree limb. “Tell me more.”

I sighed. History was my least favorite subject, so I summarized. “Medusa was lonely and missed all the colors of Earth’s realm. This was long before she started creating the world you see now. Poseidon vowed she’d never cry lonely tears again, so every tear she cried from that point on blossomed to life as a water sprite. Until she died. Now her tears are just shooting stars.”

Yara’s eyes were practically sparkling. “That’s amazing.”

I popped the barely bite-sized tart into my mouth. “You think everything Medusa and Poseidon created is amazing.”

Jenna flew over and landed on Yara’s shoulder, pointing at Sage. “Oh, my goodness, you have a snake attached to your head!”

Sage bent down and sniffed her. Sage’s head was almost as big as Jenna’s entire body, but Jenna showed no fear.

“Hello, silver snake!” She kissed Sage’s nose, and Sage’s tongue darted out and grazed her forehead. “Ahhh!” Jenna wiped her face, giggling. “Snake breath is stinky.”

“You are too cute for words,” Yara said to Jenna.

“Why, thank you.” Jenna blushed. “We’ve been anxiously waiting to meet you.”

Keeley flew over with a grin so big her lips took up half of her azure face. “Such a pleasure to meet you, Yara. Nixie has told us stories about you, and we’ve heard all about your wings, claws, snake, how you can control lightning, and … and look how pretty your hair and wings are! They truly are like diamonds because when the light hits you a certain way I see all the colors of the rainbow and—”

“Keeley, give someone else a chance to speak!” Jenna brushed her leafy bangs out of her eyes and shrugged at Yara. “Her favorite hobby is talking.”

I held back a laugh. Yara seemed to do the same. 

“I’m sorry,” Keeley said, darting in front of Yara. “I’m just in awe of you and have so many questions.”

“My goodness,” Yara said. “So much energy and personality for such little creatures.”

I winked at my sisters. “The best things come in small packages.”

Jenna and Keeley both nodded happily.

Yara moved from her branch and sat beside me. “I’ve never seen you smile so much.”

“Me?” I hadn’t noticed the permanent grin on my face until Yara mentioned it. I tried to wipe it away and maintain a neutral expression.

“You’re different around the sprites—softer or something.”

I stared out at the bayou, watching water lilies float along and bump into each other while my brothers and sisters celebrated. They lived a playful and joyful existence—so different from a siren’s. I couldn’t imagine a sprite drinking blood or stealing human memories. They didn’t have a mean bone in their bodies. “You never forget where you came from. At least, I don’t. The sprites remind me of a different time in my life.”

“Nixie, were you happier as a sprite?” Yara spoke quietly. “Do you regret becoming a siren?”

I turned to look her in the eyes. “We all have regrets. Anyone who says they have none is a liar, and anyone who thinks they’ll live without acquiring some is a fool.”

Yara’s brows wrinkled together and her lips parted, but whatever she wanted to say was cut off by the giddy chatter of sprites. A few of the older sprites pulled Yara away. Keeley and Jenna hovered on either side of my head.

“I like her very much,” Keeley said.

“Me too.” Jenna landed on my shoulder. “She has vine markings on her. Nature must be fond of her.”

“She needs some foliage sprouting out of her head to go with that snake.” Keeley combed her fingers through her hair of blue leaves.

Unconsciously, I touched the top of my own head, but my sprite features were long gone. Emptiness tugged at me, but then Jenna appeared in front of my face and batted her long, golden eyelashes. “We made you a crown. I arranged the flowers myself. Come on!”

That put the smile back on my face. She grabbed hold of my pinky and together we flew up into the trees where my beautiful crown hung from a branch. It didn’t matter that I had become a siren. My family of sprites made sure that the bayou would always be my home.

~

Later, we all danced under the weeping willows.

“Hold out your hand,” I told Yara. She did, but it was limp. “No, keep your palm and fingers flat.”

Jenna landed in the center of Yara’s hand and twirled. “See, and now we dance.”

Yara laughed. “It tickles.”

“You’ll get used to it,” I assured her, opening my own hands in front of me. Sprites landed on each of my palms, already dancing. Their joy was contagious. I had never seen anyone resist their charm. Even Sage swayed and bounced.

The musically inclined sprites played upbeat songs for hours. Yara chatted with them about how they used water reeds, cattails, shells, and tree bark as instruments.

“How’d she do it?” Yara asked me.

“How did who do what?”

“Medusa. She created this world full of magic, beauty, and so many amazing and gifted creatures. Then she just handed over the reins to a nobody like me and expects me to know what to do. I have no clue how to manage a world. Especially a world like this.”

I wanted to tell her she didn’t need to worry about it. That she would go to Harte and never come back. But I was tired of being the one to preach the ugly truth. Tonight, I’d keep my mouth shut so she could enjoy her last night in Rathe. “Don’t worry about it,” I told her. “Everything will be fine.”

The words felt like venom on my lips because I knew it was a lie.

“Do you think you’re ready for Harte?” I asked her.

“Ready as we’ll ever be.” Yara sat on the muddy riverbank and dipped her feet in the water. “I wish I could empower all three of us with the same abilities.”

I sat beside her. “What do you mean?”

“I wish Rownan and Treygan could fly like me. I wish I could shadow the guys. I wish Rownan had the ability to relive memories of Vienna the way merfolk can.”

“Why don’t you talk to Stheno and Euryale? Ask them if you can grant all those abilities.”

Her wings spread a tad, bumping into mine. “Stheno and Euryale can’t just give us new powers. Can they?”

I brushed some glowing pollen off her shoulder. “Medusa used to create new rules all the time. She gifted everyone with the abilities they now have. You’re taking her place. Seems logical that you’d be able to do the same things she did.”

Yara’s eyes were wide with possibilities. She grabbed my head and kissed me on the cheek. “Nixie, you’re a genius!”

Genius
. I liked the sound of that.

Trips to the grotto to visit Stheno and Euryale were about as pleasurable as getting cavities filled. The sisters did not like me. I had no faith they’d want to help me, but my request could save the lives of two true sea creatures—both of whom were part gorgon. Surely, Stheno and Euryale would want to help Rownan and Treygan. 

I flew to the grotto, shape-shifting into heron form. I flew around the massive
cliffs then dove into the water and through the small entrance. I darted inside, navigating through the dark, murky tunnels, then exploded into the main chamber and transformed back into my regular self.

The grotto, as always, smelled like mildew and saltwater. The eternal torches burned at average strength, which meant Stheno and Euryale were awake. At least I wouldn’t have to disturb their sleep.

I walked toward the sound of their tails slithering along the damp floor of the cave. Then the all-too-familiar sound of Mariza vomiting stopped me in my tracks.

I gagged a little too loudly, and Euryale slithered around the corner.

She looked disappointed to see me. As if it could have been anyone else visiting this awful place. “What do you want? It is not our scheduled meeting day.”

“I wanted to talk with you and Stheno, if you have a few minutes.”

“I’m feeding on the memories Mariza brought me.”

“By all means, go
ahead. I’ll wait in the den.”

~

Several minutes later, the torches in the grotto burned weaker. It meant my gorgon sisters were relaxed and well fed. Stheno and Euryale slithered into the room.

“What do
you
want?” Stheno hissed.

I hesitated, second-guessing my plan to ask them for help, but for Treygan and Rownan’s sake, I had to try. “How did it work when Medusa wanted to … change something, or create something new?”

“Be specific, child.” Stheno sounded exasperated. She usually napped after feeding, so if I drew out the conversation too long she would get even crankier.

“Say I wanted to gift Rownan with an ability that merfolk have. Do you two need to approve it?”

Euryale cackled sinisterly, her mustard-colored fangs still had blood on the tips.

Stheno smirked. “We would never approve such a thing. You cannot alter what Medusa created.”

“It’s not a big change, just, like, a present to one of her children.”

“No,” Stheno snapped.

“Why not?”

“This is her world!” Stheno’s bottom fangs extended as she
snarled. “Our world. Not yours.”

Euryale slithered closer to me, the end of her tail ticking like a rattlesnake. “We do not like that she sent you here. We did not agree and we do not approve of her decision. If you think we are going to let you redesign what we spent centuries creating, then you are gravely mistaken.”

Sage purred beside me and rose into the air. I stood taller. “I would never try to replace your sister, but Medusa assigned me this job, and you need to respect your sister’s decision.”

Stheno rose up several feet, her body stretching forward like a snake. Blue pinwheels of fire spun in her eyes. Her tone made Sage retreat into my hair. “Do not attempt to tell us what to do ever again.”

I glanced at Euryale. Her eyes were spinning flames too. The torches on the walls roared so high they burned the tips of the stalactites hanging from the ceiling.

Great. I had pissed off both of them. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to give us the best chance of returning to Rathe. As it stands,” my voice cracked, “I’m not sure we’ll make it back.”

They both laughed, but not out loud. They went through all the motions of a full-blown hysterical fit. Heads tossed back, mouths wide open, eyes dancing, but they didn’t make any sound. My shaky breaths rattled inside my head. The drip-drip-drip of stalactites made each moment of Stheno and Euryale’s mocking feel so much longer.

At the exact same moment, they stopped, slithered away from me, and stood side by side. I hated when they did their synchronized sister speeches. They were going to start talking like Siamese twins completing each other’s sentences. It always made me hyper aware of the fact that it was two against one.

“As we said,” Stheno began.

“Do not attempt to tell us what to do,” Euryale said.

Stheno didn’t miss a beat. “Ever again.”

“But we accept your apology,” Euryale continued.

“Because you cannot help how pitiful you are.”

I wanted to raise my chin and keep my eyes locked with theirs, but my body betrayed me. My gaze drifted to my own feet. My toes—even with hallmarks scrolling over my skin—seemed so weak and ordinary. I could hardly stand up to Stheno and Euryale. How would I ever be strong enough to face what awaited us in Harte?

“We leave tomorrow,” I mumbled. “Is there anything you could offer to help us?”

They smiled mischievously at each other, then looked at me. In unison, they both snarled, “No.”

Medusa was wrong. They didn’t want a third to restore their power. They had lived so long without her that they didn’t want things to change. They would never accept me. They didn’t care if I lived or died.

I stood at the tide pool, preparing to morph into my bird form and fly out of the grotto, but I stopped, remembering the story Treygan had told me. I turned around. “Stheno, Euryale?”

Their heads swiveled one-hundred-eighty degrees to look at me.

“The all-seeing mirror,” I said. “What happened to it?”

Stheno smirked. “Even if we knew.”

“We would not tell you,” Euryale hissed.

I flipped them off then dove into the tunnel as fast as I could, hoping they didn’t know what my extended middle fingers meant. I couldn’t verbally tell them what I thought of them, but human sign language was surprisingly satisfying.