Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

about being unable to sit, legs open, left me feeling feminine.
    “ You’re going to be Azor’s pet now,” Colin said.
    I looked away, ignoring his bait to argue.
    “ He’ll do anything to get in good with the twin. He’s set his sights on Tatiana and he gets what he wants.”
    “ My sister gets to choose who she wants to marry.”
    “ Marry?” Colin belly laughed. “She’s gonna pick a human, huh? That’s gonna go over real well—”
    Crap. “Promise. Marry. Whatever. Weren’t you just in there? She gets to choose. Or has the King turned on its people and changed the law?”
    “ Don’t get your barnacles in a bunch. I’m just saying.”
    He ran his hand under a rock and pulled out a crawfish. With his razor-sharp teeth, he ripped out a huge chunk of flesh from its tail. “Man, is this going to take all day?”
    I scrubbed my hand over my face. It was hard enough to find out my uncouth cousin would be messing up my room, but what kind of mission required so many details?
    Dad’s reputation obviously landed him the job. He was respected on the Council and among his peers, even though he lived outside of the walls, and was married and promised to a beta-mer.
    Where is he?
    “ Thanks, Jack,” Azor said, exiting the tunnel first, while clapping my dad on the back. “I knew I could count on you. Go ahead and assemble your team.” He turned towards Colin with a slightly annoyed look. “Alaster is waiting for you.”
    “ Awesome,” Colin said, tossing his half eaten crustacean into the current. “Bye, Cuz.” He shot me a mischievous look right before disappearing through the darkened Tahoe gate.
    “ So?” I asked, expecting to hear he was putting me on his team.
    My father looked over my shoulder and raised his eyebrows at Azor. “Is that all?”
    “ Yes—”
    “ Then, I’d like a private word with my son. I’ll have him join you momentarily.”
    “ Sure thing, Jack.” Azor formed his lips in a straight line. “Finley, meet me on the south side of the palace when you are finished.”
    “ Yeah,” I said and watched Azor leave, thankful I didn’t have to follow his orders. Little did he know, I’d be leaving with my dad. “So what’s going on and when do we leave?”
    “ Son—” Dad put his hand on my shoulder. “We’ve had an incident and unfortunately, I can’t risk taking you.”
    “ What? Why not?”
    “ I want to bring you—” Lines of concern pressed grooves into the skin around his eyes. “Just trust me this time. I need you here with the girls. Besides, how bad can it be working with Azor? He’ll help you improve your skills.”
    “ Why can’t I come with you? I don’t understand.”
    “ I—I’ll tell you why when I get back.”
    He pressed his hand on my shoulder, but his words didn’t convince me.
    “ This doesn’t make sense.”
    “ I know. Please, Fin. Trust me.” He ran his hand through his hair and grimaced.
    “ Do we have to stay here? Can we go to the lake house instead?”
    Dad looked away. “Your mom isn’t allowed to be there without me. You know the rules.”
    The rules. Mermaids weren’t trusted outside of a merman’s protection. Their powers of seduction might get the better of them, causing loads of trouble and risk of exposure.
    “ But Alaster is there and I’m almost eighteen.”
    “ Maybe if you were, you could, but not this time.”
    I swallowed my pride and pretended the rejection didn’t hurt. He could take me if he really wanted.
    “ Son, I need to go assemble my team. Thank you for understanding.”
    He grabbed me and hugged me hard. Then with a flick of his powerful red tail, Dad disappeared into the folds of the city. He had men to recruit and apparently my stupid birth date prevented me from making the cut—still a boy in his eyes. My chest ached with fury. I wanted to be anywhere but here, trapped in the center of the earth with idiots like Azor. Why wasn’t I born a couple of months sooner?
    Tatiana was right. My situation was a huge crap sandwich.

5
ASH

    No cup of coffee cleared out the morning cobwebs like a douse of 70 degree water at early morning swim practice. Though warmer water would have made the first lap a little more bearable, the pool slowly began to feel like bathwater once I got going.
    Bubbles of air escaped from my nose as I glided underwater. This quiet haven was where I could think in private, away from noise and distraction. I broke the surface and stretched my arm forward, propelling my