Page 3 of Of Song and Darkness
She grabbed Meleea’s hand with her other. “Come my lovelies, we have a party to attend.”
As we ventured through the grand halls of the palace, I felt a twinge of guilt for the worry etched on her face. Worry I was getting ready to intensify. “Mother?”
Her eyes sparkled with a warm smile as she motioned for me to proceed.
“I was not lying when I said I found Dark Water.” She stopped immediately, casting a cautious gaze to Meleea, who had paled at my declaration. I silently cursed myself for not guarding my younger sister against such horrifying news. “Father refuses to listen to me. We have to do something,” I rushed on before she could reprimand me.
Mother, ever the composed ruler, broke her silence with a measured tone. “You have always been just like him. That’s why the two of you do not get along.” She paused so long I feared she was done with the conversation. “Your father does not plan on staying long at the party. When he makes his move to leave, I suggest you speak to him about it.” She smiled, pulling a gaping-mouthed Meleea behind her and into the mass of sirens waiting outside.
“Believe me, I will,” I promised as I composed myself and ventured into the crowd.
The sirens were in an uproar, and I tried to muster a smile as I made my way through the multitude. On a raised platform, my family awaited my arrival, so I glided toward them with deliberate grace. In my paranoia, I kept stealing glances at the horizon, expecting to see Dark Water descending upon our city at any second, but the water remained clear.
I paused, hovering in the current as my mind jumbled with confusion. Why was Orm up on the platform with my family? Even as the captain of the guard, that status did not afford him such privileges.
My pulse jumped as Orm reached down, drawing me to his side on the platform. His touch tingled against my skin, stinging like the tentacles of a jellyfish. I started to pull away, but my father’s heated gaze shifted in my direction, shutting down that thought.
He glanced across the mass of sirens and spoke in a commandeering voice. “It is with great happiness that I announce the betrothal of my eldest daughter, Rhea, to the captain of our guard, Orm. The future of our kingdom.”
A wave of cheers reverberated through the ocean, drowning my senses in a paralyzing numbness. The celebration clashed sharply with the churning turmoil within me. Bile surged up the back of my throat, threatening to undo my composure. With a determined swallow, I suppressed the rising discomfort, refusing to embarrass myself in front of the entire kingdom by spewing the contents of my stomach.
“Smile,” Orm hissed in my ear, penetrating my shock.
I plastered on my best fake smile and raised my arm to wave to the well-wishers. For now, I was forced to play my role, but later, I would give my family a piece of my mind. So, this was the reason behind Meleea’s makeover and my mother’s saddened eyes.
In seconds, the entire court was busy with servers who carried mounds of food. The celebration quickly died down as the sirens stuffed their mouths. I would normally join them; the fare of fresh fish and seaweed rolls looked delectable, but my father’s announcement of my unexpected engagement had soured my stomach.
I pulled my hand from Orm’s as I sought my father. Finally, I found him hiding in a dark corner away from the mass of sirens. I started toward him but was stopped by Orm grabbing my wrist.
He smiled down at me. “I hope the news of our engagement is pleasing to you.” He had the audacity to touch his slimy lips to the back of my hand.
My skin crawled beneath his touch. With practiced grace, I slid my hand from his grasp, even though my mind screamed for me to peel the lips from his face with my claws. “It sickens me, to be quite honest, and I will not allow it,” I whispered, baring my teeth at him, hoping it appeared as a sweet smile in front of the people who crowded around us.
Orm gently slid a finger beneath my chin, forcing my gaze back to his. “You have no choice in the matter,” he purred, bending down to kiss my brow. My body shook all over as hot anger coursed through my extremities. “Don't forget to save me the first dance.” Orm’s smug smile did unspeakable things to my already queasy stomach.
I crammed my raging emotions down as deep as they would go before lifting my eyes and frantically scanning the mass of sirens, searching for Father. When I feared that he had retired for the night, I caught a fleeting glimpse of his tail as he ducked back into the palace. I smiled to myself at my luck as I swam off after him.
I paused at the door, casting a cautious glance around to ensure no prying eyes were watching, and then discreetly followed him inside. The impending argument weighed heavily on my conscience. Whenever he and I clashed, it rarely ended well. Hopefully, the noise from the party would drown out our fighting.
“Father,” I called to him, and he stopped and turned toward me.
He swam closer to me, and I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat. He blew bubbles out of his nose and slowly floated back toward me. “Rhea, please. At least let me have one good night’s sleep before we go head-to-head about your engagement to Orm."
“Surprisingly, that is the least of my concerns at the moment.”
He gritted his teeth. “Before you start, let me warn you: if you mention Dark Water again, I will not be held responsible for my actions.”
“But…”
“Besides, Orm has told me everything I need to know.”
After he rudely interrupted me and then turned away as if dismissing me, my anger surged another notch. Fueled by frustration, I swiftly maneuvered to block his path with a quick swish of my tail. I was determined to make him listen, even if it meant arguing with him for the rest of the night.
“I want to know what you intend to do about Dark Water. It’s real, Father!”
“Rhea,” he warned and glanced around, as if ensuring no one was around to hear me.
“I have a right to know, as does the rest of the kingdom. It will bring everyone peace if you just tell us what you intend to do!” My emotions were all over the place and I was having a hard time keeping them in check.