Water

Wave Thirty Six

Leira’s heart refused to beat.
(Who?) Leira felt the projection from her three friends, and lowered her head to stare resolutely at her tail. Her heart began to pound, rapidly, as though making up for the skipped beats. She couldn’t bring herself to answer them. Why had he come here?
         
A representative from every clan was allowed to attend the other clans’ Council gatherings, but that was merely a formality. No Mer ever actually went to a meeting outside their own clan, with the exception of Anahita. So why was Eli here? To ensure she didn’t rejoin the Guardians? To try and take her back?
         
She turned to glimpse him again and their eyes met. His face was full of an emotion she couldn’t read. Leira felt Eli try to connect to her, but she blocked him. It was too much. Firth called the meeting to order and she was forced to tear her eyes away from her father.
         
Firth and Kai began projecting at the same time and it soon became clear that Scout Councils were wildly different from the Guardians’. Tal, Nerida, and Hali began to project to Kai and Firth, and soon the small room was awash with thoughts being batted back and forth. Leira smiled. It was exactly like the atmosphere in the main chamber each morning. She scrunched up her eyes and leaned forward to try to tune in to Firth, who was circling the front of the room. Kai was seated on a bench adjacent to Leira, and the other Scouts had settled onto benches behind them. Anahita drifted in a corner near the front of the room, her eyes not leaving Leira. Eli stayed out of Leira’s eyeline, close to the hole in the wall.
         
(Settle down. I said settle down!) Firth roared at them eventually. Firth faced Kai and projected.
(Your team failed Kai. Would you keep them as trainees, or pass them on to another trainer?) Kai looked at each of the young Mer in turn, saving Leira for last. She could’ve sworn she saw the corner of his mouth begin to turn up into a smile, but she blinked and it was gone.
         
(Neither, Firth,) came Kai’s puzzling reply. Kai swam leisurely to the front of the cavern to join Firth, trailing his hand along the cavern wall as he did. He was so tall he had to stoop over his tail to avoid hitting his head on the sloped ceiling.
(I want them to be Tested again. Soon.)
(So you want to keep them, then?) Firth probed. Kai snorted and projected,
(Keep them? They’re one of the strongest and most unique teams I’ve ever had the honour of training. With their…talents…I’m surprised they didn’t win the race.  No, I don’t want to keep them. I want to Test them. I want them to pass. I want them to join our ranks.) He looked almost apologetic and Leira knew he regretted their last Test. She’d clearly misread him.
         
Firth raised an eyebrow at the team then pulled Kai toward him, grasping one of Kai’s forearms against his own.
(If they are the best team, then it’s only because they had the best trainer.) A look shot between the pair. It was the most humble version of Firth Leira had ever seen.
         
(Very well.) Firth turned from Kai to look at Leira and the others. (You’ll be Tested again on the next tide. Unless there any objections?) Firth swivelled his torso to view Anahita when he said this. Leira imagined Anahita had been vocal about several Scout matters in the past. Anahita, her eyes still fixed on Leira, merely shook her head. Firth looked over Leira’s head then, toward Eli. Eli must have remained still, for Firth smiled and projected,
(Welcome back then, Scouts. Rest up today. Conserve your strength. You’re going to need it.)
         
Firth and Kai shot from the room, jostling one another. Leira could tell they hated being cooped up in such a small space. They preferred the open waters. The other Scouts left too, seeming a little disappointed that no objections had been raised or trouble caused. Anahita disappeared through the hole and was lost from view. Reading Leira’s face, Hali ushered the others from the room and Leira took a deep breath. She rotated on the bench to face Eli. She turned just in time to see his great purple tail shimmering in the dull orb-light as it left the cavern. His faint projection reached her as he swam down the tunnel.
         
(Your eyes. You look beautiful, Leira. I’ve never seen you look more like yourself.) His words were her undoing. She sagged in the bench. A second passed before she raced to the hole to project after him, to tell him to wait, to speak to her. She knew now that he’d come to the Council simply to see her. To look at her. To show his love for her. And she’d rejected it.
         
Desperate, Leira flung herself through the hole and gasped as she felt a cold hand clasp her wrist, its grip vice-like. It pulled her into a recess in the wall, one darkened by a lack of orb-light. A familiar face peered into hers, lit by a small orb-necklace. Leira shrank from it.
(Seer!)
(Child.)
(Let me go, I have to find-) The grip on her wrist tightened as Anahita wrapped her thinly webbed fingers further around.
(He’s gone, Child. Let him go.)
         
Leira sobbed at this. Why did she feel so alone? She hadn’t allowed Eli’s connection for so many tides now. To hear him, to see him; she realised how much she’d missed him.
(You’ve been blocking me.) Anahita’s accusation rang out and Leira sensed her frustration, but it seemed to be mingled with something else. Was she impressed by Leira?
         
(Don’t think too highly of yourself, Child.) Anahita was smiling as she thought it though, and Leira guessed she was correct.
(It takes a strong mind to block me, Leira. But you’re the one to be Tested, not me. So don’t block me again. Understand?) Leira nodded meekly. She had agreed to be trained after all. She didn’t want Anahita to report back to Darya and ruin her chance of rejoining the Guardians.
(Good. For now, a piece of advice for you Leira.) Anahita’s wise eyes bore into Leira’s as though searching for something.
         
(Trust your friends. Listen to their acceptance.) The Seer dropped Leira’s wrist, but Leira remained rooted to the spot, puzzled by her words. Acceptance of what? She turned to push Anahita for more information, but the tunnel was empty. Anahita had gone.