The Glimmering Sea

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The colony was back in the Ceremonial Grotto to discuss Erastus and Delfina less than a day following the chilling neopod news. Marea felt different, uncertain.

Torquato rested on the first rimstone level, close enough to be reassuring to those assembled. He had suggested the meeting and was therefore responsible for leading it. Laurenza and Celestina hovered nearby. Rosamunda swam back and forth in the space between Torquato and the crowd still arriving.

≈Rosamunda, we can't be certain Delfina left with Erastus unwillingly.≈

Rosamunda's mindpath erupted. ≈I am certain. He came here pursuing a mermaid—Armida—and learned she was too abrasive. My dear, sweet Delfina was a vulnerable target for a merman such as him.≈

Faro interjected at the mention of his daughter's name. ≈Armida has no blame in these events. Your Delfina saw the opportunity. There is nothing wrong in her preference, either.≈

≈No! He has taken her. Look!≈ Rosamunda held out a coral and starfish necklace. ≈She wore this every day. It was her grandmother's. I found it when I was searching for her.≈

Armida's mindpath stuttered. ≈N...no. It does not make sense.≈ Delfina had prized her bond-necklace, as Armida did the treasure she had received from Paolo.

Torquato shot a worried look at Armida. ≈You judge Rosamunda correct? That Delfina was taken against her will?≈

≈I presumed not. Not after spotting them in the kelp forest the night Isabetta and I were attacked. They were...together.≈

Rosamunda's face purpled. ≈They were not together, not with what you imply. Erastus followed her to protect her. Nothing else.≈

Torquato swam up to the third rimstone tier to be visible to all in the crowd. ≈Who among you has seen our lovely Delfina today?≈

At first, only the Watcher Tasso held up a hand. But then a merpup rose, surprising everyone when she raised her hand.

≈Paolo and I were playing just past the Watcher Station.≈

≈You shouldn't have been on your own there.≈ Torquato gentled his mindpath. ≈And was Delfina alone?≈

≈She was with the strange merman, the visitor. She acted mad at him. I got scared when he grabbed her. But Paolo yelled at him. I hid and then everyone was gone. I swam home as fast as I could.≈

≈Let's hear what Paolo has to add. Is he here?≈

Armida shook her head. How could the pups have gone out alone after the loss of Alvise and Umberto?

The merpup tugged Torquato's hand and handed him something. He bent his head down, then raised it to address everyone. ≈Our brave merpup found this after Delfina dropped it.≈ He held up a gold chain with a large pearl pendant. The bond-necklace hadn't been seen in Marea in over ten years. It belonged to Oriana.

Rinaldo's mother.

✧✧✧

The Tribunale met with Armida, Rosamunda, Rinaldo, and Faro in the gathering room of Armida's homecave. There was no feast, no celebration.

They were present to consider the necklaces.

Oriana's had been ship-salvaged by Rinaldo's grandparents, now gone, and given to her at her Metamorphean Rites. She never removed the gold chain. It was lost, along with Oriana.

Torquato's expression was unreadable as he held the necklace. The gold flickered in the light from the lumetubes as he shifted the chain from one hand to the other as if weighing it. ≈I uncovered the pearl at a shipwreck many decades ago. A lifetime ago. I added the pearl to Oriana's necklace when we agreed to bond.≈