Starving for Love (5 page)

Sirena waited until she couldn't see the boy's retreating form anymore before sinking beneath the water. Her sisters surrounded her.

"Are you okay now?" Marilla asked, wringing her hands.

"You look better. Are you happy?" Ula asked.

"Did you talk to him?" Cordula removed a piece of seaweed from Sirena's hair.

She raised her eyebrows in surprise. How did Cordula know about the little boy? "Yes, I talked to him. Yes, I'm okay now."

"Are you happy?" Ula repeated.

Sirena shrugged. "I guess so." A lie. Well, not completely. It
did
feel good to have purpose again.

"Good." Ula beamed before facing Marilla and Cordula. "I knew it would work!"

"Let's go home before Father realizes we're gone," Marilla suggested.

Sirena swam with her sisters toward the castle. When the spiral turrets of the castle were visible over the seascape, she stopped. "I'll be right back."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Marilla asked.

She shook her head. "I won't be gone long."

"See you at supper!" Ula called. The other mermaids waved, and Sirena darted away. She glanced over her shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief when her sisters disappeared inside the castle.

A short time later, Sirena entered Merlinasea's lair. She had never been here before, but it looked familiar somehow.

The cool and refreshing water soothed Sirena's nerves. The idea of going after a monster was not one she relished, but she was tired of not doing anything, lacking the drive to do more than eat seaweed and sleep. Nothing seemed enjoyable anymore. It was as if something was missing, but she had no idea what it was.

Anxiety slowed her pace. Merlinasea's great power allegedly rivaled her father's. The sea witch could certainly grant Sirena what she sought. A mermaid was no match for a vicious monster. Sirena would have to change in order to fulfill her promise.

Darkness descended as a large figure blotted the glowing fish in the cave. "Who goes there?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

"Sirena, daughter of Tritonion."

"Sirena? What are you doing here?" The sea witch raised her bushy eyebrows. Her head was humanoid, but the rest of her body and tail was that of a massive sea dragon.

"I need your help," Sirena said.

Merlinasea narrowed her eyes. "With what?"

Sirena's fin flittered back and forth. It was obvious Merlinasea was not in a good mood. She would not be surprised if she had to give up something precious in order to appease the sea witch. "I need land legs."

Merlinasea's dragon parts quivered and changed into those of a squid. Her tentacles curled up and clenched as if into fists. "Why?" Her question was almost a growl.

Sirena's nervousness transformed into anger. She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Why does not concern you."

"Oh, ho, ho. Don't take that tone with me, girl. I can turn you into shark bait before you blink. I have no interest in helping unappreciative ignoramuses." Merlinasea moved as if to swim deeper into her lair.

"If I tell you why, will you help me?" For some reason she couldn't explain, Sirena didn't want to apologize to the sea witch. Rage built in her chest. She didn't hate anyone, and yet she despised Merlinasea. Not that she had a reason to.

"If you tell me why, I will consider it." Merlinasea lazily faced Sirena again, her tone bored.

"Fair enough," Sirena said, hers barely civil. "I promised a boy I would help him. He said a monster ate his family."

"You plan on going after the zombie?"

Zombie? Perhaps human-eating monsters were called zombies.

"Yes," she answered.

Merlinasea's disapproving look melted away as her lips curled into a vicious grin. Sirena shivered. The sea witch appeared even more despicable than before.

"Well, will you grant me land legs?"

"I will — for a price."

Sirena nodded curtly. "Out with it."

Merlinasea eyed her up and down. "Your looks."

Sirena blinked several times. Merlinasea was not ugly, far from it. The mermaid had heard whispers that the sea witch's voice had once belonged to a mermaid, her tiny ears to a selkie, and so on. Which feature of hers would soon grace Merlinasea's face? Her eyes that changed color depending on her mood? Her small nose? Her bow-shaped lips?

Before she could agree, the sea witch added, "And you do realize you will never be able to return to the sea again."

"Never?" Sirena gaped. Now
that
was a steep price. "But selkies can go on land as humans and still return to the sea."

"Selkies are powerful creatures with magic of their own. Your daddy may have power, but you don't. If you change your fin into legs, you will not be able to return to the water. You will not be able to swim in the oceans or lakes or streams. It would cost you your life." Merlinasea said this matter-of-factly despite having to realize how devastating this was to hear.

To never sing with her sisters as they did every night before supper. To never dance again with Ula. To never see her sisters again, never see her father again…

She closed her eyes. The little boy's face appeared in her mind. The utter hopelessness in his eyes, the dejected slump in his shoulders — how could she break her promise to him?

How unfair life was! Selkies could have the best of both worlds, although the sea was their home — they did not belong to the land. Sirena had met a selkie once. She could only recall bits and pieces of their conversation, but she did remember that the selkie had said that the entire time she was in her human form, in the back of her mind, she always thought of swimming in the sea, being one with the waves.

"Well, Sirena? Will you slay the zombie?"

Sirena hung her head. After a long moment, she nodded.

Merlinasea cackled, her glee at Sirena's decision giving the mermaid pause. The sea witch's hands shone a brilliant orange, her tendrils purple. They wrapped themselves around Sirena's fin. Serious pain filled her, and she hissed. Oh, the burn! Agony, ripping, tearing, destroying… She prayed she would pass out from the pain, but she was not that lucky.

The stench of death surrounded him. He sniffed, breathing it in, soaking it up. This was what he lived for.

Another sniff. Rotting flesh. Where was that coming from?

Oh, him.

A snicker resulted in coughs, and he hacked violently.

When he quieted after a long while, he heard a faint noise. A heartbeat. Someone was nearby.

His stomach rumbled.

He was hungry.

Always hungry.

After forcing his legs to cooperate, he lumbered to his feet and walked toward the sound of the living. Screams filled his ears. The chorus almost sounded like singing to him now.

His arms outstretched so he could grab her, he ran toward her. His legs didn't cooperate the best, but she ran with such reckless haste she fell down.

He was on top of her and began to enjoy his meal. It wasn't long before the screaming stopped.

Sirena stared at her two legs — alabaster white with five toes on each. Before she could admire them, the pain she felt shifted to cover not only her legs but her entire body, which glowed a neon green color.

Merlinasea stepped back and released her. She waved her hand in a circle, and a funnel formed in the water. The vortex sucked Sirena into it and spun her around so many times she got sick. When the water stopped, she was spat out onto the beach.

Sirena couldn't move at first, but when the water came back onto the beach and touched her legs, the searing pain came back. An inch at a time, she used her arms to pull herself out of the water's path. Tears ran down her face, not from the agony but from her inner turmoil. No good could come of dwelling about her lost family. If only she'd had time to say good-bye! But then she would have never had the nerve to leave them. And they never would have allowed her to.

She dragged herself over to a rock. Using her arms so much was tiresome, and she leaned against the cool stone with her eyes closed. A shadow crossed over her. Sirena opened her eyes, but no one was there. Closing her eyes again, she almost fell asleep when a voice said:

"Here, take this. It was Momma's."

Sirena opened her eyes. A young boy stood with his back to her, a plain dress on the sand in front of her. She struggled to put it on, as the dress was a rather tight fit.

Glancing down at her body, she realized she had put on some serious weight. Dark spots covered her once pearl-like hands. She touched her face and felt warts and a long, beak-like nose.

"Are you hungry?" the boy asked.

Sirena cocked her head. He was the same boy she'd made her promise to. Why didn't he recognize her? Then she remembered. Of course — because her looks had been stripped away.

She shook her head. The boy was so thin himself. He should eat all the food he had access to. Unfortunately, her stomach didn't cooperate with her mind and growled.

The boy scampered off and returned a few minutes later with a large bowl. Sirena lifted the small metal object to her mouth. Most of the liquid dripped back into the bowl, but she managed to eat the contents quickly. It filled her stomach, although it did not taste appealing.

"Thank you," she said after she swallowed her last bite.

"You're welcome."

Sirena held up the metal object and could see her new reflection: a hideous hag.

She gasped. Although she had never thought herself a vain creature, she would be lying if she said she didn't comb her hair with fish bones every day until it shone or practice her singing until every note was perfect. Now her looks had been stripped and even her new voice sounded rougher and raspier than normal.

What did that matter? She wasn't here to find love but to hunt a zombie.

Tears prickled her eyes, but she refused to allow them to fall. Her reaction to her changed reflection bothered her. As much as she tried to brush it off and say it didn't bother her, it did.

She shakily climbed to her feet only to fall back down.

The boy scampered off, and Sirena sighed. She had wanted to ask him about the zombie.

Taking her time, she climbed to her feet again and leaned heavily against the rock. Her toes curled into the sand, a curious sensation. Gritty, but almost comfortable. Sirena couldn't decide if she liked being on the beach or if it was too much of a reminder of all she had given up.

Time to take another step. The mermaid used the rock to help her stand upright. A sharp prickling feeling flooded her lower legs and feet, an almost numbing sensation. She picked up her right foot and placed it down. There, that wasn't so bad. Now her left. Good so far. Now let go of the rock…

Sirena tumbled forward, sand pressing against her face. She spat it out and rubbed it from her face. Annoyed yet determined, she used the rock to stand yet again. In lieu of lifting her feet, she shuffled forward and managed to go a few feet before falling.

Instead of grainy sand, she felt strong arms. A young man held her.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he helped her regain her balance.

"Thank you. And yes." Sirena closed her eyes for a second and took a deep breath. She wasn't used to being so flustered. Or incapable. Or alone. Even when she had been in her room seeking solitude, her family was never far away.

"What happened to your shoes?" he asked, staring at her feet.

Sirena glanced down. Sand and dirt covered her feet, as well as dark purple and black blotches that crept up her legs.

"You're all bruised. Has someone hurt you?" The man's face became suspicious, and fierce anger filled his eyes. He gripped her shoulders. "Did the zombie come after you?"

Sirena shook her head. "No."

He sighed, dejected. "I can't find it."

"Are you hunting it?"

"Yes. I plan on — pardon my manners. I'm Blaise."

"It's nice to meet you, Blaise." Sirena realized he was still holding her, and she shuffled back a little to increase the space between them. Blaise was a handsome man, not that she would ever have a chance with him, not in this body. Not that she cared.

Blaise raised his eyebrows. "And you are…"

"I'm…" She paused. Was she still Sirena in this body? "I'm Rena."

He furrowed his brow. "Rena?" Blaise glanced toward the water then scratched his head.

Sirena stared at him, curious. Did he suspect that she wasn't completely human? She resisted the urge to look at her backside to see if she had a tail of some sort.

"I want to help you find it," she said.

"The zombie?"

"Yes."

The man blinked several times, sniffed, and wrinkled his nose. "I think I'll help you find a bath first."

****

Blaise lived within the castle — why, Sirena never did find out, although she supposed he was nobility of some sort. He secured her a tiny room there. Over the course of the next week, Sirena learned how to use her land legs. Each successful step caused her legs to ache. She didn't know if the pain would ever leave or if it was now a part of her — the new her.
Rena.

Each day, she missed the sea, but she did enjoy her time on the land. In a way, she was accepting her new life, no longer waking up in a panic, no longer calling out for her sisters. She did, however, hope her father wasn't too displeased with her. By now, he must have combed every inch of the ocean and realized she had to be on land. Perhaps he had even spoken to Merlinasea.

Sirena shuddered. That conversation would not have been a pleasant one, if it had indeed taken place. Surely Father wouldn't do anything to risk breaching the treaty between the merfolk and the sea witches.

A knock sounded at her door.

"Come in," she called, still in bed. She glanced out the window to see the sun up high in the sky, the fog of the early morning burned away long ago, then turned back to the door.

A young girl popped her head in and glanced at the hardly touched breakfast tray. "Didn't you like your food?"

"I'm sorry, Bethany. I'm just not hungry today." Sirena winced at the dejected look on the handmaiden's face. "It tasted delicious."

Bethany's frown flipped up into a smile. "Blaise was asking for you. He's in the library. Do you know where that is?"

After Sirena nodded, the maiden left the room.

She rubbed her forehead. Despite not liking to lie, how could she tell the girl she still wasn't used to human food? Some of the food was quite good, but some she doubted she would ever become accustomed to.

The room was much smaller than her bedroom had been in her sand castle, containing only a bed and a small bureau. This castle was made of stone and the furniture of wood, everything in neutral colors. How she missed the vibrant colors of the world beneath the waves! Other than her shells, she had had no other clothing. Above the waters, she had two dresses, both plain and simple. Sometimes the skirts got caught in her legs. Maybe she could ask Blaise for some pants when they started hunting the zombie. Which she hoped would be soon. Perhaps that was what Blaise wanted to talk about.

With a groan, she climbed out of bed. Her back was hunched, courtesy of Merlinasea, and she tried not to think of it. Best to go on living her life without looking back.

A few minutes later, she entered the library. Hundreds of books lined the walls. Several tables dotted the wooden floor. Only one was occupied.

She walked over to Blaise. He gestured for her to sit, and she complied. "Is there word of the zombie?"

He stared at her curiously as he often did. "Why are you so intent on killing it?"

"Why are you?" she countered, not wishing to recount the lie she had told him previously: She had been traveling with her husband when they were attacked by the zombie. The zombie ate her husband, and she had managed to escape and reached their kingdom by herself. It had been the perfect explanation and gave her a reason for wanting to hunt and kill the zombie. So much more believable than her being a mermaid who got land-legs in exchange for her looks and the inability to return to the sea so she could keep a promise she had made to a young boy because the zombie had eaten his parents. Even
her
head swam when she thought of it all. "Did it…" She trailed off, unable to vocalize her awful trail of thought.

"No one I know personally," he answered her unfinished question.

She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"At least I don't think so." He frowned.

"How can you not know?"

"Shortly before the zombie showed up, a good friend of mine, the prince of this castle, disappeared." Lines formed on his forehead.

"You don't think the zombie ate him, do you?"

"No. He was in love with a girl. I think he ran off with her, and they're living happy lives right now." Blaise shook his head as he rolled his eyes, a slight smile on his face.

As much as Sirena considered herself to be friends with Blaise, she couldn't care less about this friend of his nor his happily ever after. The prince may have given up his crown for love, but she had given up her family and her life in the sea for a quest to kill a zombie.

Shaking her head, she covered her face. She would not let sorrow win.

Sirena opened her eyes to see someone had joined them — the young boy she'd promised to help. Her nerves steeled up at the brave face he wore. At least her family still lived, even if she would never see them again. The poor boy was all alone now.

"This is Jacob." Blaise nodded to the boy then said to him, "I'm told you have some news concerning the zombie."

"Yeah. I saw it an hour ago. It was near the docks. A fisherman scared it into the water."

Sirena clenched her hands into fists. The first lead they had on the zombie and of course it was near the water.

"It didn't like the water very much so it headed toward the market," the boy continued.

Blaise stood, his hands gripping the table. "There are so many people there."

Sirena nodded. "Let's go."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked.

"Yes."

"All right. Gun, spear, sword…"

She winced when he suggested "spear." "A knife."

Blaise rubbed his chin. "A sword would be better. It has a longer reach."

"I'm more comfortable with a knife." It was the only weapon she had ever used. Of course she had never used it in battle — merely for collecting plant leaves for meals. And it wasn't as if she had to do that often because of her status. Some of the merguards used spears, but she couldn't picture herself using one with any semblance of accuracy. The same applied to guns.

The trio walked to the armory. Blaise grabbed a gun for himself, as well as several small boxes of something, Sirena wasn't sure what they were. She had always been a quick learner, but some things she had yet to explore or discover. The human world was so vast.

He handed her a long serrated knife.

Jacob held out his hand.

"Sorry, little guy. I can't help you."

Sirena opened her mouth to argue that the boy deserved to have a weapon, to go after the monster, but it wasn't her place. She held her tongue more in the world above than she ever had beneath the waves.

Jacob waited until Blaise walked away to wink at Sirena. Whistling, he lifted his shirt to reveal a small dagger tucked into his waistband. He must have nabbed it when Blaise wasn't paying attention.

She almost smiled, respecting the boy's gutsiness.

It was time to go zombie hunting.