Seaweed (28 page)

“It won’t hurt them, but it might make them uncomfortable. Whatever ones are still hanging around.”

“Okay, it’s worth a try. Give me thirty minutes to spread the word among the Rai warriors.”

I had put on my water-proof watch that morning. It was the slowest moving thirty-minutes ever.

I rocked in the boat, tried to hum a song, imagined how Nana was going about telling my mom the truth about her birth and hoped that Mom was able to deal with it all. Not just that Grandpa Ben wasn’t her biological father, but that she was part merfolk.

And that her daughter was a mermaid. I wondered how that’d go over. I figured we were both having a trying day.

Finally the thirty minutes passed. I took out the object in the second box. It was about the size of a bullhorn but heavier with a cylinder nose. It was a LRAD or a long range acoustic device. Also known as a sonic weapon.

Tor’s job was to call all the Rai back into the caves. The Lars would misunderstand this as a victory for them, but it would be short lived. I wished I could see them, but I had to trust in their character that they would take a moment to congratulate each other and gloat. I bent over the edge, holding the bullhorn with my left hand and placing the nose of the LRAD into it with my right. When the bullhorn rim touched the water I pulled the LRAD trigger.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

A long-range acoustic device was often used by riot police to control crowds, or by the military in battle, or by ships at sea to ward off pirates. The standard kind used in these situations were large disks that looked like drum heads whereas the one I’d used was more for wildlife control and I was happily amazed to find it online.

I counted on it having a harsher effect underwater. It worked by sounding intense ultrasonic blasts, a high frequency noise that was very uncomfortable and sometimes painful to hear. It also caused nausea and headaches. My hope was that it would break up the battle and drive the Lars away.

But did it work?

I considered a repeat of the head drenching so that I could look through the glass and see what was going on, but the thought of going through that painful transition again and without Tor made me tremble. I decided to give him some more time to find me.

The skies were painted with streaks of pink as the sun began to set. A deep grayness rose up from the horizon and I knew I had to get going soon if I was going to get back before dark.

I’d gotten so fidgety, with nothing to do on the boat but waiting and imagining the worst case scenario, I was tempted to jump in and find out what the deal was when Tor’s head popped up.

“What took you so long?” I spouted.

“Dori,” Tor’s eyes were bright with giddiness. He ignored my question. “That was genius. You are a genius!”

It was. I was?

There was a wooden slat foot step that ran along the width of the boat at its stern. Tor pulled himself up onto it so his body pressed against the boat, but his tail stayed in the water. I leaned over and kissed him, long and steady.
I
helped fight this battle. Tor thought
I
was genius.

“So what happened?” I said pulling away slightly.

“It worked. The sonic blast completely disoriented them. They swam away like little children, hands over their ears. We could hear it, but it didn’t affect us the same way in the caves.”

Tor was beyond excited. “The best part is, they have no idea what it was, but they know we had a hand in it. Otherwise, why did we all suddenly disappear into the caves just before it went off? It’s put us back into a position of power. Thanks to you!”

I felt like jumping up and down. This was fantastic.

“You need to go home now, Dori. It’s getting dark.”

“I know. I just had to wait to find out how it went. Are you coming?”

“Tomorrow. I’ll meet up with you tomorrow.”

I remembered Nana and her request. “Will Dex come?”

A slight shadow crossed Tor’s face. My head spun. “Is Dex okay? He’s not…”

“No, he fine,” Tor said quickly. “He’s injured but not dead. He’ll probably come, too.”

“Tell him that Nana wants to see him.”

Tor smiled with a smirk in the way you did when you think of geriatric romances. “He’ll come for sure, then.”

I returned the keys to Harvey just before closing.

“So were they surprised?”

“They sure were.” I was still in a state of euphoria, and it was impossible for me to wipe the grin off my face.

I carried my two boxes home, leaving them outside to retrieve later. I had enough to explain to my parents without adding questions about why their daughter was in possession of a sonic weapon.

Mom sat in her chair in the living room. She hadn’t turned the lights on as the room darkened. Her expression was flat and her eyes dull, looking blankly out the window. My earlier state of elation deflated like a slow leak.

“Is Nana here?”

“I sent her home.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m better now that you’re back. But no, okay isn’t a word I’d use to describe myself right now.”

I wasn’t a therapist. I had no idea what the right thing to do or say was, so I just sat in the dark and quiet with her.

“You skipped school again.”

“I know, I’m sorry.”

“Nana says you’re a mermaid, that when you disappear it’s because you’re swimming in the sea with some boy.”

Oh, Nana, why’d you have to bring Tor into it? No sense denying it though. I was about to admit it when Mom continued,. “I think your Nana needs to see a doctor.”

Oh.

“Besides telling me that my daughter’s a mermaid, she told me my father’s not my real father. That some
merman
is.”

“And you don’t believe her?”

Mom scoffed. “Of course not! I’m worried, Dori. I have a rebellious daughter who no longer stays in school and a senile mother who wants to change the way I view my dead father.”

I closed my eyes and groaned. I was the one who’d convinced Nana to tell Mom. Looks like I’d made a really bad call.

“I’m sure Nana’s fine. She probably just had an off day. Or maybe she was just trying to distract you so you wouldn’t worry so much about me.”

Mom got out of her chair and walked over to me. She bent down and pushed a strand of fly away hair behind my ear. “I am worried about you. Why won’t you talk to me?”

I wanted to, I really did. But if she didn’t believe Nana, she wouldn’t believe me. And I wasn’t ready to prove anything to her yet.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

It was unusually quiet in my house for a Saturday morning. Instead of kitchen noises and my mom busy whipping up some sort of food stuff, like canning fruit or baking bread, there was only the fridge hum and the ticking clock. Bright sunlight filtered stubbornly through the unopened blinds. Dirty dishes filled the sink and I felt a type of panic. Mom always left her kitchen spotless.

“Mom?”

I saw her profile when I peeked into the living room. She sat in the armchair, alone in the dark, just staring into space. I opened the curtains.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

She glanced up with heavy-lidded eyes and a blank face. I hated seeing her this way and longed for my happy, busy mother who annoyed me with her benign questions.

She shrugged. “I’m fine.”

I didn’t believe her, but my stomach was yelling and I needed breakfast before I could get into a heavy conversation.

Dad and Luke had gone into Saint John to check out a deal on another sailboat (good thing the insurance on it included collision), so it was just the two of us in the house plus Sydney and Crosby. I made sure their food and water bowls were full before attempting to fill mine.

I shook an empty cereal box in Mom’s direction. “We’re out of Cheerios.”

I made us both some toast, slathering the pieces with peanut butter and jam, and took her a plate, a type of peace offering.

“It’s going to be okay,” I said.

She nodded and made an effort to smile. I wondered if it would help if I jumped in the tub or something, to prove to her that Nana wasn’t crazy and I wasn’t trying to be rebellious. But, I had a feeling that scene might just push her over the edge. I’d have to ease her into the truth when I had more time.

I glanced at the clock. Thirty more minutes.

I busied myself by filling the dishwasher and wiping down the counters, and then I called Sidney for a walk.

“I won’t be long,” I told my mom as I left.

We headed for the beach, Sidney running ahead as I broke into a jog behind him. The only thing on my mind was Tor. He’d better be there, with legs on.

I wasn’t disappointed. His green eyes lit up when he saw me.

“How’s the day saver,” he said walking to me. “You wouldn’t believe how famous you are now.”

He gave me a long, savory kiss and I melted into him. The sea breeze blew around us, entangling our hair. The seagulls circled around, squawking and we could hear harbor seals barking in the distance. It was like nature was demonstrating her favor. I’d never felt more sure about my new life as a member of the Rai clan and with being together with Tor.

“Even more famous than before?” I said through our lips.

“Way more.”

We moved back to our rock and Tor helped me up.

“I’m not sure you really understand what all of this means for you,” he said after a moment.

“All what means?”

“You have a choice to make someday. You can take your rightful place as queen of Rai, once Uncle Dex steps down, that is, or….” He breathed in deeply. “You may want to live your life fully human on land. Somewhere far from the ocean.”

“What? Those are my only choices? Why can’t I just be Rai and not reign?”

“You could of course. So, I suppose you have three choices, but you are the heir. It is your destiny as Rai to rule one day.”

Wow. This was too much. I hadn’t even gotten use to the idea of being a princess, and to consider being more than that, to be queen, I just shook my head.

“Dex is going to be around a long time, so, it’s not a decision I’ll have to make any time soon.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“What’d you mean?”

“Uncle Dex is visiting your grandmother as we speak. If she will have him, he’s prepared to give up the throne again.”

I felt faint. This was all happening too fast.

“But what about school? I can’t just quit high school.”

Tor leaned in closer. “No one’s asking you to quit high school.”

My head was spinning. “I don’t know. I need to think about it.”

Tor turned and pressed his forehead against mine. “Take as much time as you need.”

“What happens if Dex wants to abdicate before I’m ready to…uh, step in?

“My father will reign temporarily until you’re ready.”

“If I’m queen one day,” I whispered, “what will that make you?”

He kissed the tip of my nose. “Your servant.”

I jolted back to stare at him. “Seriously?”

He laughed. “Well, yes and no. As queen, all the Rai are in your service. But we’d still be cousins.”

“
Second
cousins.”

He laughed. “Yes.”

“So we could still date?”

He kissed my mouth while saying, “Definitely.”

I thought of Nana and Dex and wondered how their reunion was going. And how Nana was going to break the news to my mom.

“Princess or almost queen or whatever, I’m still grounded,” I said, tugging on Tor’s hand as I hopped off the rock. “Do you mind if we hang out at my place today? I think my mom’s going to need me.”

THE END

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Nathan Van Zyderveld for insights on sailing and to Lori Van Zyderveld for her heartfelt moral support and mad proofreading skills!

Thanks eternally goes to my family and friends who continually cheer me on from the sidelines (I’m looking at you, Marie Clarke <3) and to God who has blessed me with the best job evah!

Note from the Author:

Thank you for reading SEAWEED, I hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to learn more about me and my books, visit me at
www.ellestraussbook.blogspot.com
. You can sign up for my newsletter to hear about new books coming in the fall.

I’m also the author of the CLOCKWISE series. Clockwise is about a teen time traveler who accidentally takes her secret crush back in time. Awkward.