Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

we were alone. He had a lot of nerve to force Tatch to promise him. I wondered if my sister had a matching bracelet as well.
    “ You’re very lucky, Fin,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “I wouldn’t have been so lenient.”
    “ One day, Azor,” I pledged, “you’ll wish—”
    “ Fin!” Badger said, interrupting my threat. “I came as soon as I heard.”
    “ Oh,” Azor said in surprise. “Yes. I’ve had a little trouble with my star pupil.”
    Badger glanced at my wrist but kept a stony exterior. My guess was he knew exactly what the golden decoration meant.
    “ Aye,” Badger shook his head. “Let me take him off yer hands. I’ll straighten him out.”
    Azor laughed. “You can try—” he threw his arm out in an invitation. “He’s all yours.”
    I exchanged hard looks with Azor for a minute before I tried to pick myself up off the ground. One day I’d get my revenge.
    Badger reached out his hand and pulled me up. “Let’s go, lad.”
    As soon as we were clear of the compound, I opened my mouth to explain what happened.
    “ It’s okay, son,” he said and held up his hands. “I already know.”
    “ You do? How?”
    Badger’s frown pulled into a grin. “I keep thinkin’ back to the day we met. I knew ye were gonna be a firecracker. But the promisin’ is a right smart plan to get back on the King’s good side. I’m honored at your choice.”
    I screwed up my face. “Choice?”
    “ Ah, don’t pretend like ye don’t know. My little Lily is a right fine gal and ye two will be so happy together.”
    My heart thudded a few haphazard beats. What did Lily have to do with any of this? “Oh, right,” I said, playing like I knew what he meant.
    But my breath came out heavily as my head swirled at the revelation. Did Mom decide Lily for me? If so, there definitely was no way I could tell Badge what happened with Ash now. He’d kick the crap out of me, especially if he thought I was two-timing his niece.
    The logistics suddenly concerned me. Would our souls combine and free Ashlyn? Or would Lily bond with me too? I’d go mad being apart from Ash if it did. And I couldn’t imagine being Lily’s husband, the thought of kissing her was utterly disgusting. A life without Ashlyn wasn’t a life at all and I planned to fight to be with her. If only it were some other girl, then Badger could help me escape.
    Badger looked me in the eye as if he’d read my thoughts. “I’ll be expecting ya to respect her or you’ll be dealin’ with me.”
    “ Of course,” I choked out as I cowered under his stare, worried he’d seen right through me. “You have my word. I’d never hurt Lily.”
    “ I know that,” he said playfully and jabbed me in the arm. “I’m just joshin’ with ya.”
    I faked a chuckle and continued towards my underwater home-away-from-home. All I wanted was to close my eyes and wish myself out of Natatoria and into Ash’s arms. I couldn’t be forced to promise someone I didn’t love.
    Then I remembered I had to face my mother first.

40
ASH

    The soft rapping on the door woke me up from my drowsy state. I’d been dreaming of my angel again and the blasted noise interrupted my utopia.
    “ Go away,” I grumbled and pulled the covers over my head.
    “ Ashlyn, you’ve got company,” Mom said through the door.
    “ I don’t want to see anyone.”
    I heard the door creak open and cringed.
    “ Georgia came to see you,” Mom said.
    “ Tell her I’ll call her later,” I said into the pillow.
    “ You can tell her yourself.” Her soft footfalls stopped in the corner of the room just before the pulleys whined on the blinds, shooting light into the room. “It’s time you joined the world again. Tomorrow, you’re going back to school.”
    “ What?” I sat up in bed, shielding my eyes from the sun. “I can barely walk.”
    “ If you want, I’ve been able to get you a wheelchair and Georgia has offered to assist you to every class tomorrow.”
    “ No, please—” I was about to object when Georgia peeked around the door frame.
    “ Plus we’ve got great news,” she said with a huge smile.
    “ We’ve?” I stared at the door, expecting others to file in from behind her.
    Brown hair and broad shoulders belonging to none other than Callahan came into view. I swallowed hard, tasting dragon breath that could kill small animals. Though today was the day I could finally take a shower, I hadn’t yet and wore the same green pajamas complete with stains