The Watcher Station sitting in silence sent pangs of fear and horror through Armida in equal measure. The contamination filled the water with particles that absorbed the sound and the light. The dazzlings of Marea had gone dark. The past crashed into the future that might have been.
Celestina swam from the caves. Her rich colors and luminescence had faded: Armida's scales were gaudy by comparison. All her resentments weren't enough to wish ill health on her mother.
≈Where is Paolo?≈
Celestina shook her head and did not offer a greeting. ≈The situation is desperate. For the last month, each day, one or two mermen have disappeared.≈
≈Father?≈
≈We have only your father left. He is the last. His health falters.≈
≈But what of Uncle Torquato?≈
Celestina rubbed her face like she wanted to erase her feelings. ≈I'm sorry to report, but we haven't seen Torquato in many weeks.≈
≈ What!? Uncle Torquato, too? How can this be? Dead or missing, which?≈
≈Who's to know? At first, some thought the younger mermen were panicking about what was happening—the pollution, the warming water, all of it. But then some did not return from their food collections. When Torquato missed the last Tribunale Council, it forced us to face the dire nature of events.≈
≈None of them told anyone? There were no hints or clues?≈
≈Nothing. If a message had been possible, Torquato would have sent one. We searched the Isolotto di Nuovi and found nothing.≈ She paused and squinted as if struggling to understand but found no answers. ≈I have failed as Custodian.≈
Confusion and alarm mixed in Armida over her mother's ebbing confidence. Her mother was strong, but could she sustain the loss of the Marea she had always known?
Celestina drew Armida into their homecave. ≈Before you visit your father, tell me of your Thalassan journey. Those Thalassans might be the culprits in the missing mermen.≈
≈The Thalassans are not behind these absences. I am certain. They have been under attack as well. It is too horrific.≈
≈And that beast, Erastus? What of him?≈
Rosamunda, whose agitation was evident in the rough movement of her scales, prevented Armida's answer with her entrance. ≈Where is Delfina? Why has she not come to me?≈
✧✧✧
Armida had been preparing for Rosamunda since Thalassa, and yet she remained unprepared and uncertain of the words she should use. After hearing of the desperate circumstances in Marea, Armida's head throbbed. ≈Why is it dark? Can we have lumelight for our guest?≈
Celestina glanced at the lume nearest her. ≈What hangs here is the most we can use. Lumes are not easily made these days.≈
Perhaps it is for the best. I can hide in shadow.
Armida refused to blink in the face of Rosamunda's stare. There were limited ways to help Rosamunda accept Delfina's choice. ≈Delfina remains in Thalassa. Willingly and happily. She sends her love and wants you to know Theo is her future bond-mate's name. He is as handsome as you would expect. She will help rebuild the colony. Their Queen Cassia needs her as much as any.≈
Her eyes narrowed, Rosamunda swam close to Armida. ≈You do not tell the truth. She would not do what you have said. You say this to protect me from the news she is dead?≈
≈She is very alive and well. She helped to uncover the sad truth of what had happened in Thalassa and the reason for her unfortunate and ill-considered abduction.≈
أنت تقرأ
The Glimmering Sea
قصص المراهقينIt's 1501 and near Venice, Italy, 16-year-old mermaid Armida is torn between saving the ocean she loves and the restrictive traditions of her mer colony. And she doesn't even want to think about silver-scaled Rinaldo who has plans to search for his...
