Everblue

Chapter 45 - Fin

FIN

 

Somehow, I'd fallen asleep. This was the last thing I wanted to do as I waited for the King to show up. I'd only closed my eyes for what seemed like a half a second when someone grabbed me and sliced something sharp across my arm.

I looked up as a goon restrained me and another held a peculiar green plant against the cut. A tingling sensation began to trail through my limbs, taking with it all my fight.

"He won't be any trouble now," the third goon, who held the knife, said to some unseen person behind him.

I tried to stay upright, ready for my confrontation with the King, but slumped down, suddenly overcome with exhaustion. Through the doorway two tittering mermaids entered, carrying armloads of supplies and clothing. They came towards me, singing their sweet melodies. I forgot my anger and closed my eyes while they played with my hair and put different shirts on me. Off to the side I heard Mom interacting with someone as well.

I remained drowsy and eventually opened my eyes. The mermaids were gone. I brushed my hands over the shirt they put on me, which glistened with hundreds of tiny black, polished stones. The weight draped the garment snuggly across my chest and arms.

"I guess I'm all set to give up my life to Lily," I said sleepily as I grinned at Mom.

She looked like an angel with her hair pinned around her head, adorned with gems and shells. Only, she wasn't smiling back. "That's not funny. What about Ashlyn?"

Ash's beautiful face came to mind. "Oh, right," I snorted, "let's go find her."

She looked back horrified and shook her head. "Finley, you have to fight what they've drugged you with. Drink in some water."

I swallowed a few gulps, then burped. She sat down, resting her forehead on her hand. Even though my inebriated state made everything seem trivial, I couldn't deny her worry. Unfortunately for me, I didn't have the strength to care.

"Aw, Mom," I said and sat on the side of the chair, covering her shoulder with my arm. "It'll be okay, just like you said."

She shimmied away and continued to knead her hands together when someone unlocked the door. The same goons who'd poisoned me motioned for us to exit the room. My heart, which should have started to pound, remained at a steady pace.

They escorted us to a large ballroom in the center of the palace. I somewhat expected to see a mass of people, but found a small group of strangers in attendance—mostly females. The front of the room was typical of the décor of the rest of the palace: colorful sea anemones placed on marble columns were staggered between brilliant coral gardens. Vivid fish darted around the display. Definitely not lavishly decorated with items from all over the world, like the King said.

Mom leaned into me and whispered, "I'm hoping for a miracle."

I looked at her and snickered. "Miracle? I think it's a little too late."

"Just . . . just don't kiss Lily, whatever you do."

I shrugged and let her pull me inside.

"Welcome," a mer-matron at the door said. "And congratulations. I'm the promising coordinator. Maggie, you'll wait here to be escorted once the ceremony starts and Finley, you'll stand on the dais to the right of the King's attendant. For now you can sit in a chair over there."

At the ends of her hot pink braids floating in the current, snake faces appeared and hissed at me.

"Eeew," I said and moved backwards.

My mother grabbed my arm. "Finley. Stop it."

I wrinkled my face and shook my head—the snakes disappeared. All I remembered her say was that the King would be standing up front with us. "The King is promising us?" I asked.

Her brow creased. "No, the King's attendant will be. The King is escorting Tatiana down the aisle."

"What?" I let out a gust that flapped my lips. None of this was right. Dad should be taking her down the aisle, not Leon. "And Tatch is going to let him?"

Mom nudged me in the side and gave me a hard look. "Fin—" She pointed to the front of the room. "Have a seat. I'll handle the details."

I rolled my eyes and followed her instruction, knocking over a sea star sculpture in the process.

Through the doors on the left of the room, a group of merboys filed in and hovered behind a huge harp. They were dressed in white long-sleeved shirts and stood stiff like statues. I tried to follow their example, but felt myself sliding off my chair. Instead, I leaned back and stared at the diamond chandelier that hung from the ceiling. Sunlight disbursed off the glistening stones and rippled in the water throughout the room. I wished the room was air-filled so I could exercise my legs.

The snake-haired lady nudged me. "Fin, it's time."

I opened my eyes with a start and maneuvered myself upright. Azor had taken his place on the stage already and to my surprise, our outfits matched. Still shrouded in a cloud of drug induced apathy, I swam up to him and gave him a big high five.

"Finley." He grinned smugly. "Ready for the big day?"

"Righty-O, dog." I formed my fingers into a gun and clicked my tongue.

He laughed half-heartily as snake-haired lady moved me over to the other side of the podium. Once she left the stage, the harpist, who had appeared from nowhere, began to play. The boys sang Natatoria's anthem as a school of seahorses pulled a small pram with my sister and Lily sitting inside. They both wore very ornate head pieces and white dresses, but my sister's head was tilted haphazardly back onto her chair and her mouth gaped open. The snake-haired lady swam over and jiggled her shoulder.

Tatch snapped her head up and shut her mouth. She canvassed the room and found me, then gave me a half-smile. But Lily's terror-stricken expression sobered me up. Lily's father swam to her side of the pram and escorted her to the entrance of the aisle. Behind them, the King entered and took up Tatch's arm.

At the sight of the King, my heart began to pound. He never came last night as I'd summoned. I'd have to confront him in front of everyone now. The music changed to a soft ballad and the four swam down the aisle behind two merlings who tossed starfish onto the white sandy runway.

Lily gulped hard as they came to the end and behind me, the attendant asked, "Who brings these mermaids to be promised to these mermen?"

"Her Godparents do," the King said and passed my tipsy sister to Azor.

I looked to my mom, who was horrified as Tatchi snuggled on Azor's shoulder. Where was my courage? Why couldn't I say anything?

Lily took my arm, her hand shaking as the attendant began the ceremony.

"We are gathered in front of friends and witnesses today to join Prince Azor and Tatiana, and Sir Finley and Elizabeth—"