Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

of herself. I tried to get out of bed, but my leg protested in pain, forbidding any sudden movements. “He doesn’t want the attention, Mom!”
    She didn’t come back—her voice echoing down the hall. I slapped my forehead.
    What a mess.

29
FIN

    With my blood pummeling through my veins, I slipped back into Natatoria unnoticed. A group of mermaids, tittering and giggling, swam past moments later chaperoned by an annoyed merman displaying the gold Natatorian insignia strapped to his bicep. He gave me a glare that might suggest he’d seen me return, until one of the mermaids told him to be nice while she winked at me.
    I wanted to laugh. Suddenly, they seemed as appealing as an old woman. Ashlyn was the only one I wanted to look at and be with for eternity—petting her soft white skin, gazing into her enchanting green eyes. Thoughts of tangling my hands in her red curls and bringing her lips to mine grappled with my being. How could I have left her with that incompetent Ranger? Was she okay? Did she make it to the hospital in time? I knew she was still alive, at least.
    Wracked with grief, I hurried home to find it empty. Mom and Tatch were still at the palace, but would be home soon enough. Maybe I could tell them what happened. After all, Dad had kissed Mom under similar circumstances.
    Ashlyn’s sweet lips and tender body in my arms wrapped around my mind. With one kiss, everything had changed. All I wanted was her—forever. I had to be with her or I’d go mad.
    I phased into legs and sprawled out on the couch, wishing for a TV show to pass the time. With a groan, I pounded my fist on the granite arm of the couch. A searing ache of longing replaced the initial high when I’d promised myself to her. Now our distance rubbed salt into my soul. Why didn’t I just heal her with my blood? Then I’d know she was all right.
    When I heard Mom and Tatch talking outside, I got up and hid in my room.
    “ Fin, are you here?” Mom asked after entering the house. She sounded distressed.
    “ Yeah, in my room.”
    I clenched my jaw. There was no way I could handle another minute without knowing if Ashlyn was okay or not. I had to get back on land before the sun set and double check. I marched into the living room, ready to spill my guts.
    I stopped short. Azor, Colin and Uncle Alaster were standing in my living room, each of them exuding their own flavor of a condemning stare. The one I wanted to wipe off with my fist, though, was Colin’s ugly little smirk.
    “ Finley, we need to talk,” Azor said calmly, motioning for me to sit down.
    I darted my eyes to Mom, then Tatch, who both were a little pale. My heart began to hammer but I remained composed, taking my seat. Yes, I’d left my post without permission, but no one saw me leave Natatoria.
    Crap!
    Then I remembered. I forgot to deliver the rocks. Kiernan must have told Azor I didn’t return. If only I had gone back, then he could have been my alibi.
    Azor ran his hand through his obsidian hair and frowned. “Where were you today?”
    Great. Here we go. “At Mr. Gumboot’s place.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “The whole time?”
    “ No. He wasn’t happy with his selection of rocks, so I left to find him some new ones. Good customer service is key, you know.” I smirked.
    “ You never returned.” Azor’s eyes fell into slits.
    “ I couldn’t find any that where smooth like he wanted. The work day was over, so I went home.” I leaned back and rested my ankle on my leg. Neither Alaster, nor Azor would be able to do so, forced to sit ladylike in their archaic man-skirts.
    Azor leaned forward. “You were seen today, outside of Natatoria.”
    A laugh exited my lips. “Oh, really? By whom?”
    Uncle Alaster sat up and placed a digital camera encased in a watertight container on the coffee table. “Colin was able to recover this—” The blood drained from my face as I eyed the proof. “—and mind-wiped the owner, but I’m not sure if anyone else saw.”
    My glare landed on Colin’s overly happy, beady eyes. “And you’re sure it’s me?”
    “ Quite sure, Cousin. I, of course, was running a charter when you chose to jettison out of the gate, creating five-foot waves. My cruisers panicked and thought an earthquake had erupted along the fault line, causing a tsunami. I had to mind-wipe the entire group and confiscate this camera.”
    Every cell in my body wanted to pummel the little snitch.
    “ Five-foot waves? I highly doubt that.”
    “