Beyond the Sea (34 page)

Melia flicked her tail, put off by his sudden burst of passion. “I don’t want to advance. I would make a terrible ruler.”

“A ruler’s partner then. Everyone would follow you. The merrows of the Pacific. The Oceanids of the Atlantic. And once the Oceanids follow you, the merrows of the Atlantic would follow suit.”

“But I’m only half merrow,” Melia persisted. “Merrows always rule. I don’t think everyone would be happy with that.”

“It would work in your favor. Not everyone is happy about being under a merrow’s rule.” There was a spark in his dark eyes as he spoke. Melia thought it was odd for him to lionize her so much in a hypothetical conversation. “You could change things.”

“What needs to change?” Melia asked, growing uncomfortable with the topic.

Vaianu laughed. “Of course you wouldn’t know. Your father wanted to rule.”

“What?”

“You didn’t know?”

“I had no idea. How did you know?”

“We talked,” he said causally.

“Why would he want to? He had everything.”

“He agreed that some things needed to change.”

“Oh, well, I don’t.”

“You will. There’s part of him in you after all.”

“No. I like things the way they are.”

“Don’t you remember how your father died?”

“Of course! It was his fault! He shouldn’t have done that! He tried to be so valiant but all it did was get him killed, leaving his wife and daughters to have to live without him.”

“You miss him, don’t you?”

“Yes,” she lied.

“Then why make him die for nothing?”

“Where’s Mako?” Melia wanted to change the subject. She slowly swam forward.

“Around.”
 
Vaianu swam up head, turning so he was facing Melia. “Melia, please consider my offer. It would be great to have you back in the water. The ocean isn’t the same without you.”

“I will,” Melia promised and forced a smile. Why didn’t Mako greet her? She had actually known him longer than she’d known Vaianu. “But I should get back. My dog…he’s outside and the storm is picking up.”

Vaianu grabbed her injured wrist. Melia flinched at the pain and was scared for a moment that he wouldn’t let go. “Don’t make up excuses.”

“I’m not.” She jerked her wrist back. “It was really nice to see you.”

“Have fun with the humans,” he scoffed.

“Swim me home?” she asked, trying to mend the awkwardness. Vaianu nodded. Without speaking, they swam side by side. “Oh, there’s something I need to tell you.” Melia stopped before the water got too shallow. “I found kappas the other day.” Vaianu looked surprised…too surprised. “They tried to drown me, thinking I was a human,” she laughed. “It was really annoying, actually.”

“Lucky it was just you.”

“Yes. Just me. Anyway, can you tell Actassi? He needs to know about it.”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.” Melia pressed her cheek to his, an underwater custom. “I’ll see you again?”

“You can count on it. I’ll let you know how it goes with Actassi.”

Melia couldn’t tell if she had imagined it, but she thought he spat Actassi’s name with repugnance. “Tell Mako I said hello.”

“I will, Melia.” He began to swim off and quickly stopped. “Melia,” he said without turning. “It’s a shame you never were close with your father.” He moved to see her, enjoying the question in her expression. With one last lingering look at Melia’s beautiful face, Vaianu turned and disappeared into the rough water.

*

“Melia,” Peter repeated.

“What? Sorry, I’m listening.”

“What’s with you today? You seem distracted.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. “I am. Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he told her, wrapping his arm around her waist. “Hey!” he shouted to Adam. “Don’t do that! You could fall and hit your head on the side of the pool.” He waited until his little brother jumped off the inflatable raft before continuing. “Want to talk about it?”

“Later,” Melia sighed, eyeing Ava. “When no one will hear us.”

Peter waved his hand at the twins. “They’re too distracted.”

“It looks like they’re having fun,” Melia commented, watching Ava go down the water slide for the sixth time. It was the only way Peter was allowed to see Melia without his parents getting angry. And since both he and Melia enjoyed spending time with the twins, it worked out in everyone’s favor. Adam and Ava were more than excited when Peter told them that he could take them to Melia’s to go swimming. It was hot again today, but the ocean was still too choppy from last night’s storm to safely allow swimming.

“They are,” Peter assured her. Melia buried her face in Peter’s neck, her breath on his skin unintentionally turning him on. He pulled her closer. “What’s going on?”

Melia’s eyes met his. “I saw some of my old friends last night.”

“You mean, old, underwater friends?”

“Yea.”

“That’s great, isn’t it?”

“I-I don’t know.”

“Oh.” Peter tipped his head. “Why not?”

“It was…weird.”

Peter laughed. “How so?”

“Just something Vaianu said before he left.” Melia didn’t bother to explain who Vaianu was. “I don’t know what he meant.” She twisted and rested her head against him again. “It’s probably nothing. I’ve been out of the water for too long.”

Peter ran his fingers through her hair. Melia closed her eyes; she was tired. Vaianu’s last words carried some sort of message, she was sure of it. She was up most of the night mulling it over. And when she did sleep, her dreams were full of fire and danger.
 

Peter didn’t know what to say to make her feel better, so he continued to run his fingers through her hair. Not too long after, Melia’s muscles relaxed. Just as she was drifting to sleep, Wolfy barked. Both she and Peter jumped.

“It’s Chuck,” Peter told her, looking through the open doors.

“Oh, right.” Melia stretched. Peter told Melia he was going to say hi to Charles and asked if she’d stay and keep an eye on the twins. About half an hour later, Peter called out to tell them lunch was ready. Since it was so nice out today, the five of them ate on the veranda. Melia picked at her salad, her appetite small since her mind was so full.

Melia was so busy trying to not think about her father that she didn’t sense their auras. She stood, picking up her plate and empty cup. Suddenly it hit her, and like a hook, it jerked her toward the water. Melia dropped her dishes. They shattered into tiny pieces.

Her eyes scanned the water. He hadn’t surfaced yet. He probably wouldn’t with this many humans as witnesses. Melia’s heart pounded. She turned to Peter and Charles, her expression unmistakably full of fear. Ava’s big blue eyes questioned Melia. Catching sight of her, Melia forced a smile.

“You guys haven’t seen the theater room yet, have you? Peter, why don’t you show them it. Now.”

Peter nodded. He attempted to usher his brother and sister inside. Adam protested; he wasn’t done eating and he wanted to swim more. Thankfully Charles intervened, reminding the twins that they shouldn’t swim right after eating and promising he’d make chocolate chip cookies if they came inside with him right now.

As soon as the twins were safely inside, Melia took off, clambering over the fence and stumbling along the rocky sand. She pulled off her bikini bottoms and dove under the water.

“What are you doing?” she demanded, yelling in Mermish.

“I should ask you the same,” he retorted, distaste heavy in his voice. “Consorting with humans.”

“Vaianu…” she started, but stopped, not knowing what else to say. His dark eyes narrowed, viewing her as a threat. He was radically different from last night.

“Sorry,” he less than sneered. He forced a smile. “Last night…last night just didn’t make me happy, Melia.”

“Ok,” she stated, noticing the school of swordfish that menaced behind them. “I don’t understand, Vaianu. What’s going on?”

“You really don’t know, do you?” he asked. He swam forward, leisurely flipping and floating in the water.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb with me.” He smiled coyly.

“Vaianu, I’m not.” She shook her head.

“Melia, think really hard about this, ok? Do you really think your mother needed you on land to cope? I haven’t seen her around these waters much.”

“Of course she needs me! What? What do you mean you ‘haven’t seen her’?” The thought of Vaianu spying on Melia infuriated her.

“Don’t doubt me, Melia. I may not be as pretty as your human, but don’t mark me as dumb.”

“Vaianu,” she pleaded, watching the fish move closer. Her heart pounded with fear. “I really don’t know what’s going on.”

“I suggest you talk to your mother then. Ask her why she kept you away from the water and why she’s so afraid of history repeating itself. I’ll give you a day to sort it out. Then I’ll be back to carry out the arrangement.” He flashed an evil smile, grabbed Melia by the shoulders and forcefully kissed her before swimming away, the fish following him. Flabbergasted, Melia floated in the water. When she broke out of the shock, her body shook. Weakly, she swam to shallow water, transforming into human form and running as soon as her feet hit the sand.

*

Melia pressed redial for fourteenth time. Her mother would answer sooner or later. Peter had taken the twins home, not questioning Melia’s request to clear the house. Charles took Wolfy to the dog park and then went back to his own house. Melia sat in Edward’s office, her wet hair and clothes dripping all over his desk. She stared at the computer screen, impatiently waiting for her mother to hear her calling.

When the call went unanswered, Melia retreated inside herself. She lowered her head and glared at the screen. Vaianu’s words terrified her. She had no idea what he had been talking about. The ominous way he spoke could only portend something bad was going to happen.

Ten minutes later, Nyneve called back. Thankfully, the computer automatically connected and popped the video screen up on its own since Melia didn’t know how to do it.

“Melia!” Nyneve was startled. “Is everything ok?”

“No,” Melia spoke harshly in Mermish. “Why am I here?”

“What do you mean?” Nyneve was taken aback.

“Why am I here?” Melia repeated, her voice rising. “On land.”

“So we can be together,” Nyneve said without hesitation.

“Together,” Melia spate, rolling her eyes to patronize the word. “Yea, together. You are across the country.” She stood, fists clenched. Her mother was lying. “
Why
am I here?”

“Melia, please. Can we talk about this when I get back?”

Ignoring her mother’s request, Melia said, “Vaianu paid me a visit.”

The color drained from Nyneve’s face. Her beautiful green eyes widened in fear and her hand flew to cover her open mouth. “He…”

“Tell me what is going on,” Melia pleaded.

“Melia, this isn’t the time or place.”

“Mom! Tell me or I will go ask him.” Melia waited. When her mother didn’t respond, she strode to the door.

“Melia!” Nyneve called with tears in her eyes. “It happened so long ago.”

Melia turned. Her blood cold, she walked back to the computer. “What happened?”

“Your father made the arrangements. I never agreed to any of it. I didn’t want that life for you. You weren’t—aren’t—like the rest of them. I needed to protect you!”

“Protect me from what?” Melia’s voice was barely a whisper.

“An arrangement,” Nyneve said, her voice breaking. “Just like mine.”

“An arranged marriage?” Melia didn’t want to believe it. Her mother nodded. “To whom?”

“Vaianu.”

Curiosity formed before anger. “Why?”

“It was your father’s idea. To unite merrows with adaros.” Nyneve began crying. “It was so long ago. I didn’t—I didn’t…” her words got lost in tears.

“Mom, you didn’t what?”

“I didn’t think he would find it valid,” she choked out.

“So that’s why you wanted me to live on land. To break the deal.”

“Yes. I’m so sorry, Melia. I can’t stand the thought of you being forced into a marriage. The only good thing mine brought me was my girls. And with Lana already gone—” she broke off, sobbing.

“Did Lana know?” Melia asked.

“I-I don’t think so. I never told her.”

Nothing seemed real. This wasn’t happening. Melia was going to wake up any second from this bad dream. She shook her head, breathing hard. “Why me?”

“You’ve always been so beautiful,” Nyneve barely whispered.

“Waisea, Vaianu’s father, envied us, all of us. He and your father became friends. They got to talking, and soon your father believed that adaros and merrows should be closer. When Waisea fell ill, his dying wish was to see his eldest son marry your father’s youngest daughter.”

“No! I’m not marrying Vaianu.”

“You won’t have to. If you stay on land.”

“No!” Melia shouted. “You should have told me! I-I can’t believe you kept this from me!” She paced the room, too angry to hear the front door open and close.