Real Mermaids Don't Need High Heels (18 page)

How
can
this
be! How did you escape the lake?
Dame Council stared from me to Serena. She spun around and surveyed the sentries.
Who
has
breached
the
lake's security? Who among you would dare? We've already imprisoned Alzear—don't think we will stop at him.

Alzear
is
innocent,
I rang in an even tone,
just
like
the
rest
of
the
Freshies.
Do
you
think
you
can
just
keep
locking
up
everyone
who
disagrees
with
you?

A
few
sacrificed
for
the
greater
good
are
worth
it.
Dame Council sneered.
And
as
soon
as
we
find
out
how
you
three
got
out, we will continue to protect the sanctity of the Mermish Council.

Haven't you ever heard of free will? Democracy?
Serena said in a slow and steady ring.
Power
to
the
people?

And
can
you
knock
it
off
with
the
bell?
I added.
It's giving me a headache.

Dame Council checked our ears for earplugs but found none. She swam back to the group and bent her head toward one of her advisors.
Why
does
she
speak
to
me
this
way? Why are she and the other one not affected?

Face
it, sister,
a voice came from behind.
You
can't force everyone to do your bidding.

Renata slid out from behind the pillar and swam past me toward Dame Council.

Well, thankfully for us,
Dame Council spat back as the sisters faced each other,
the
bell
has
been
passed
on
from
the
original
Dame
Council
Follinia
to
me
and
not
you, a common servant.

Renata's graying hair swayed around her angular face. I could see it now—the narrow nose, the intelligent eyes, but on Renata the features looked wise instead of sinister like Dame Council's scowl.

The
thing
you
do
not
remember, dear sister,
Renata rang,
was
that
our
grandmother, Folly Porthouse,
was
a
servant
to
her
people. Something that has become lost on you.

The
original
Dame
Council
Follinia
is
actually
Folly
Porthouse?
Serena grasped my arm.
With
the
ship?

What…?
I began.

Grandmother's bell was always meant to serve as a reminder that Webbed Ones, humans, and mers are united.
Renata eyed her sister.
It
would
make
her
sick
to
know
how
you've sullied her memory.

While Renata and Dame Council kept the rest of the Mermish Council entertained with their squabbling, I drifted over to Luke and plugged his ears with two rubber nubs I'd ripped off the flip-flop.

Shh,
I rang quietly, keeping the nubs in Luke's ears as he shook his head back and forth like a horse trying to avoid a buzzing fly.

Serena snuck up behind Mr. Chamberlain on the other side of the room and rang quietly in his ear. He glanced at me, and a flash of recognition crossed his face.

Meanwhile, about a kajillion pieces of the puzzle started arranging themselves in my mind. Folly Porthouse—the woman who sailed the Atlantic to get her fiancé back from the war, only to have her ship sink at the mouth of the northern passage of Talisman Lake. Had she become a mermaid when she “drowned”? But the only way that could have happened was if she'd been a Webbed One to start with. Or was she the daughter of a mer, maybe?

Like me?

Luke was just coming to his senses when the last piece of the puzzle slipped into place in my brain.

Wha…?
he rang.

Stay
cool,
I whispered, grasping his hand as the earplugs blocked the ever-present clang of the bonging bell.

By then, Serena had snuck around the grotto to work on Finalin and Medora.

No
matter,
Dame Council sneered, still focused on Renata as the rest of the Mermish Council looked on.
You, dear sister, do not get to vote on the matter.

She
may
not,
but
I
do,
the old mermaid with the seashell necklaces spoke up.

Mother!
Dame Council rang in a warning tone.
Need
I
remind
you—you relinquished the bell to me and not her.

I looked from Renata to Dame Council, then to their mother in the seashell necklace. All of them were related? And all of them were heirs to Folly Porthouse? This was getting more dramatic than Gran's afternoon soap operas.

And
that
was
a
grave
mistake,
Mother Necklace rang.
I
know
that
now. Especially since I've learned of your murderous plot.

It
had
to
be
done,
Dame Council replied.
Control
of
the
Council
should
never
have
left
our
family's hands. And now that I've harnessed the power of the bell, it never will again.

Your
grandmother
would
not
have
wanted
this,
Mother Necklace rang.

Enough!
Dame Council rang.

No,
the elderly mermaid insisted, her shell necklaces swooshing in the water,
that's not what Folly Porthouse stood for.

Alert!
Alert!
Dame Council's minion swam into the grotto.
The
vessel
overhead
has
dropped
a
length
of
rope
attached
to
a
large
object
into
the
village. I fear we are under attack!

The Mermish Council members seemed to lose their minds as they dashed back and forth and in and out of the Council Chambers.

Delegates!
Dame Council proclaimed.
Calm
yourselves! Please!

A
vessel?
Luke finally clicked into what was going on.
Like
a
boat?

Trey
and
Cori,
I rang to Luke and signaled for Mr. Chamberlain across the grotto, then Serena and her parents, so they could get set to act.

It
sounds
like
they
dropped
their
anchor,
Luke rang.

Yeah, and perfect timing,
too,
I replied over the mayhem as the Mermish Council members scattered in panic.

Let's go!
I rang to Serena, pulling Luke's hand.

Take
the
bell,
Mother Necklace mouthed from the other end of the room.

Serena, Luke, and I swam to the middle of the room to snag the heavy bell, then hightailed it to the tunnel while Mr. Chamberlain untied Finalin and Medora from their stakes.

Renata?
I called out, trying to find her in the confusion.

Go, go!
Renata called out. One of the sentries had her by the arm, but Mr. Chamberlain, Finalin, and Medora were headed over to help her.

By the time we'd made it through the darkened tunnel back out into the mer village with the bell, Coach Laurena, Reese, and the others had assembled about thirty mers in the square. The Mermish Council must have sent word of what was happening because an army of sentries was heading our way from every direction, despite the looming danger of the boat overhead.

Reese rang out for everyone from his earplugged group to block the sentries. They pulled out sticks and ropes and anything they could find from the surrounding stalls of the market to help arm themselves.

We
need
to
get
this
bell
out
of
here!
I tried to hold the gong so it wouldn't ring but it kept ramming against my knuckles.

Like
up
to
the
boat, you mean?
Luke asked.

I
don't know how we're going to get it up there,
Serena added, repositioning her hands around the bell as it shifted its weight in the current while we swam.

I looked up at the hull of
The
Lady
Sea
Dragon
high above us. Serena was right. There was no way we could swim the bell all the way up there. It was so heavy and awkward; we were barely skimming the bottom of the ocean with it as it was.

But getting the bell out of the hands of the Mermish Council was the only way to make sure they would never again try to control mers with its mesmerizing ring.

To
the
anchor!
I rang to Serena and Luke as I spotted the anchor's line off in the distance.

We swam with all our might toward the anchor about half a mile from the square, but by the time we got there, several sentries had broken free from the scrimmage and were chasing after us.

You
guys
get
it
attached!
Luke yelled as he swam overhead toward the surface.
I'll let Trey and Cori know to turn on the winch when you give the signal!

It took a few minutes for Serena and me to hook the iron ring of the bell over one of the prongs of the anchor while Luke swam to the surface. Finally, we muscled it into place and I gave the anchor's line a massive tug. Nothing happened at first.

Come
on, come on!
I looked over my shoulder at the approaching sentries.

Something whooshed past me.

Watch
out!
Serena yelled as a sentry's spear nearly missed my head.

I tugged the anchor line again with all my might just as the other sentry took aim with his spear.

Swissshhh…

All of a sudden, the anchor line tightened and I felt myself, Serena, and the bell being snatched from the bottom of the ocean, away from the grasping hands of the Mermish Council's sentries as the winch pulled us up, up, and away.

Once the clanging of the bell finally released its hold on all the mers, the Council members scattered like a school of nervous minnows.

Trey and Cori headed back to Port Toulouse with
The
Lady
Sea
Dragon
to let Dad know to get the Merlin 3000 ready for all the Webbed Ones. Apparently, the tidal pool behind the mall was still too muddy from the construction site for anyone to sprout legs safely. With Mom, Luke, Coach Laurena, and now Mr. Chamberlain in line for the Merlin 3000, it was going to take some time to get everyone back on two feet again.

Once the boat was gone, mers started emerging from their grottos. They gathered in the town square in droves, reuniting with their long-lost Freshie and Webbed One friends and family.

Word spread quickly about the Mermish Council's evil ways, and everyone agreed that the bell of
Fortune's Folly
should be kept up on land so it would never be used against mers again.

Mom!
I rang. I spotted her bringing Petra back to her parents, but Petra made a beeline for Luke.

Mom looked my way and smiled. I could tell her eyesight had improved, but she and all the other Webbed Ones were still having trouble breathing.

You
did
it, kiddo,
Mom rang as she swam up to me and pulled me into a hug.

It
was
kind
of
a
team
effort,
I replied, looking around at all the happy reunions. Finalin and Medora introduced Serena to some of their long-lost family; Coach Laurena laughed with her brother and sister; and Petra giggled as Luke kept throwing her upward through the water and catching her as she floated back down.

Mom,
I asked.
Whatever
happened
to
your
family?

What
do
you
mean?
she asked, brushing a floating strand of hair from my face.
You
and
Dad
are
my
family.

No, that's not what I mean,
I rang.
All
the
other
Freshies
and
Webbed
Ones
are
meeting
up
with
their
families.
What
about
you? Who did you leave behind?

Nobody.
Mom laced her fingers together and shook her head slightly.
Nobody
I
care
to
reunite
with, anyway.

I
hope
that's not entirely true,
a voice rang through the crowd. A familiar woman approached, pulling a lunch cart decorated with flip-flops.
Maybe
you
can
find
it
in
your
heart
to
forgive
at
least
one
of
us
for
turning
our
backs
on
you.

Tanti
Renata?
Mom brought a hand to her mouth.

Renata swam to Mom and held out her hand. Mom took it in hers, and her face crumpled in a look I'd never seen before. Was it regret? Relief?

Nuh-nuh-nuh. Wait just a second, here.
I waved my hand in the water, trying to get things straight.
You
mean
to
tell
me
Renata's your aunt and my great-aunt? Which makes Dame Council my…

Grandmother?
Mom rang, but it wasn't really a question. Mom's face screwed up in a look of distaste.
Yeah. I know—it's bad. I kind of hate to admit she's my mother.

And
my
sister,
Renata agreed.

No wonder Mom had said Serena could do worse for parents than Finalin and Medora! Mom definitely took the prize in the “dysfunctional family” department.

Well,
I turned to Mom, thinking of the mermaid with the seashell necklaces.
At
least
they're not all completely bad.
Plus, that means Folly Porthouse was my…great-great-grandmother?

Yes!
Renata looked up as though doing a mental calculation.
I
suppose
so! And for that, you can be proud. I know she would have been proud of you!

Thanks, Renata.
I gave her a hug, then corrected myself.
Tanti
Renata.

Will
you
stay?
Renata asked us.
We're preparing a feast.

Feast? I thought of all the possibilities. Seaweed soup, mackerel sandwiches, eel stew. My eyes must have bugged out of my head because Mom came to my rescue.

Oh
no,
Mom rang.
I
don't think that would be a very good idea. We'll stay for a little while, but it's a long swim back and we really aren't very well-suited to staying underwater for long.

I
understand.
Tanti Renata reached out and touched Mom's arm.
But
you'll visit sometime?

Definitely,
Mom answered.

That's when I spotted Mr. Chamberlain swimming by himself at the edge of the festivities. For someone who was a “captain of industry” on land, he looked about as out of place as a crab at a lobster convention. I excused myself and swam to him.

Mr. Chamberlain?
I rang.

Oh! Jade, is it?
His face took on an anxious look, so different from the confident, smug man I first met when he stepped out of his helicopter at our Butterflies vs. Boutiques rally.
I
was
talking
to
your
friend
Luke
earlier.
He
explained
everything
to
me
about
you
and
your
mother
and
the
tidal
pool
behind
the
mall.

Yeah, about that…

Please…
Mr. Chamberlain put his hand up to stop me.
I
owe
you
a
huge
apology. As you may have surmised, I'm not from around here. I really had no idea you were all mers.

Likewise!
I joked.
Mrs. Chamberlain said you had a “rare genetic disorder,” which was why you adopted Lainey, but I never would have guessed
this.

It's not that we didn't want kids of our own,
Mr. Chamberlain said.
We
just
weren't sure what that all would entail, if you'll pardon the expression. Don't misunderstand. We love Lainey with all our hearts, but seeing how you turned out—I guess Mrs. Chamberlain and I needn't have worried.

I blushed.

Your
wife
also
said
you're from Europe.
How
are
you
able
to
travel
and
everything
if
you're a mer?

Money
can
open
a
lot
of
doors,
Mr. Chamberlain rang. He blinked a few times and a look of regret crossed his face.
It
can
close
a
few, too.

Then something occurred to me. Did Lainey know anything about her dad?
Does
anyone
else
know
you're a mer? On land, I mean.

Well…
Mr. Chamberlain drew his chin to his chest.
My
wife
knows, of course. In fact, she must be beside herself wondering where I am since I never made it home from the office last night before getting drawn into the ocean.

And
Lainey?
I asked.

As
far
as
Lainey
knows, mermen and mermaids live in Disneyland.

I
wouldn't be so sure about that,
I began, then explained how Lainey had found Serena and me in the pool after we'd rescued her.

You—you both saved her life,
Mr. Chamberlain rang quietly.
Yet
another
thing
for
which
I'm in your debt. I don't know how to repay you.

Well, let's just hope your daughter hasn't signed a book deal about what happened at the pool before we make it back to dry land,
I joked.

That
would
certainly
complicate
matters, wouldn't it?
Mr. Chamberlain laughed.

A few other mers came over to introduce themselves, and soon Mr. Chamberlain was entertaining them with tales of Mermish life across the ocean.

Have
you
heard?
Serena pulled me away from the group, sporting a huge grin after catching up with her parents.
They've captured all the Mermish Council members and
Uncle
Alzear
has
been
nominated
interim
Master
Council
until
they
can
organize
a
proper
election
where
everyone
can
vote. Just like at school!

That's awesome, Serena,
I rang.
Who
knows, maybe you'll be Dame Council someday. Which reminds me—they're announcing the election results at the Fall Folly dance tomorrow night. Do you think your mom and dad can spare you for the weekend?

I'll ask,
Serena rang, grasping my arm excitedly before she swam away.

The Fall Folly. Right. I spotted Luke and Reese trying to put Renata's stall back in order while Petra attached her pink flip-flop to one of the shelves.

Need
some
help?
I asked, swimming over.

Sure,
Reese rang.
I
just
need
to
get
more
of
these
floop-flops from my grotto. I'll be right back.

Luke looked up from arranging a pile of twine and smiled his curvy-lipped smile.

Sorry
I
totally
spaced
out
on
you
guys,
Luke rang.
I'd been so gung-ho to help but ended up making things worse.

I thought back to how I'd tried to do the same thing by going to talk to Mrs. Chamberlain about Cori's mentorship.

I
know
the
feeling
, I said with a laugh. My first order of business when I got back to dry land was to fix things with Cori and maybe get a grip on what I was going to do for my mentorship, too. Surely I had a wider skill set than just bringing down underwater empires. I just hadn't figured out what that was yet.

So, I keep meaning to ask you…
I continued. There was another thing I needed to fix. It was now or never. If I didn't ask Luke to go to the Fall Folly dance now, I knew I'd chicken out once we got back on two feet and I remembered what an awkward dancer I was.

Uh-huh?
Luke replied. He swept his sister Petra into his arms and nuzzled her neck playfully, then looked back at me with a smile.

Sooo…
I said again like an iPod set on “repeat.” I stalled for time and turned to Petra.
Did
you
have
a
nice
talk
with
my
mother?