Deep Blue (Waterfire Saga, #1)(43)

“Why? What happened? Was he—”

“Just not that into me?”

“A beautiful princess? And kind of funny too? He’s totally into you. I’m sure of it,” Blu said.

“I thought he was. He made me believe he was. But he wasn’t. Parties, other merls…they all became more important to him. And now I just…I wish I knew why. The last time we talked…well, we didn’t talk, really. I swam off. I didn’t want to have anything to do with him. I guess I’ll never know now.”

“You don’t know that he’s dead.”

“Chances are good, though, aren’t they?”

“Maybe we should change the subject again.”

“To a topic that’s cheerful and uplifting,” Serafina said. “Too bad there isn’t one.” She propped herself up on one elbow.

“Hey, you’re supposed to be going to sleep,” Blu said. “If the duca finds out I’m in here keeping you awake…”

“Keep talking. Please,” she said.

“I don’t know what to talk about.”

“Tell me a story, then.”

Blu snorted. “Do I look like a nursery shoal teacher?”

“Tell me one about Trykel and Spume. You must know one about them. Everyone does.”

Trykel and Spume were the gods of tides, twin brothers who were always fighting over the beautiful goddess Neria. One lived on the shore, the other in the water. Many stories were told of their schemes to win her.

“All right. But I have a condition. You stop talking. Not—”

“—another word,” Serafina said.

“Once upon a time,” Blu began, “the sea goddess, Neria, fell in love with Cassio, god of the skies. She made a plan to steal away from her palace and meet him on the horizon. Trykel found out and was jealous. He went to Fragor, the storm god, and asked him to fill the sky with clouds so he could hide in them, pretend to be Cassio, and steal a kiss…”

Blu’s voice, rising and falling, lulled Serafina. She felt so safe here, with him nearby. He’s kind and brave and good. So different from Mahdi, she thought wistfully. The mermaid he loves is very lucky. I hope he gets her back someday.

Serafina continued to listen to Blu’s story and before she knew it, sleep was carrying her away like a gentle sea swell. Her eyes closed. Her breathing deepened. She was out.

Blu stayed where he was, remaining very still so as not to wake her. He gazed at her face for quite some time. When he was certain she was fast asleep, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.





Daughter of Merrow, leave your sleep,

The ways of childhood no more to keep.

The dream will die, a nightmare rise,

Sleep no more, child, open your eyes….

IT WAS THE SAME NIGHTMARE. The same chant. Only the monster was stronger now. When it shook the bars of its cage, they groaned and cracked, and ice fell from them.

Suddenly, the elderly witch, Vr?ja, stopped chanting. She turned and stared at Serafina, her eyes wide with fear.

He’s coming….

“No,” Serafina mumbled in her sleep.

He’s close, child—you must flee!

There was a booming crash then, so powerful that it shook the walls of the palazzo.

Serafina sat bolt upright and reached for Blu. He was gone, but she wasn’t alone. Someone else was here. She could feel it. She stared into the gray, early morning light, her eyes sweeping across the room, her heart pounding. It was there. In the corner. A dark, hooded figure.

“Who are you?” she asked, terrified. And then she realized the figure was not in the room; it was in the mirror. A pale hand was pressed against the inside of the glass. “Baba Vr?ja!” she whispered. “Am I still dreaming?”

She got out of bed, swam to the mirror, and pressed her hand to Vr?ja’s. The glass, cold and hard at first, shimmered, then gave way ever so slightly. Sera felt as if her hand was sinking into thick soft mud. She cried out as Vr?ja grasped her hand. The witch’s skin was warm, her talons hard and sharp.

“Leave this place, child! Quickly! He’s coming, and even the Praedatori won’t be able to stop him.”

“Who? Who’s coming?”

“I must go. It’s too dangerous. He’s using me to find you. You must come to us. Both of you. Please, Serafina!”

“How? Where are you? How do I find you?”

“The River Olt. In the black mountains. Two leagues past the Maiden’s Leap, in the waters of the Malacostraca. Follow the bones.”

At that very second, the door to Serafina’s bedchamber burst open.

Blu swam inside. He had Neela with him. “Get dressed, Sera. Hurry,” he said.

“What is it? What’s happening?”

“I don’t know. Something’s going on topside. We may have to get you and Neela out of here. For now, stay here and lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone but me,” he said. Then he was gone.

“Sera, it happened again,” Neela said. “The nightmare. I saw her—Baba Vr?ja.”

“I did too. In the nightmare and in my room. Inside the mirror.” She turned back to the glass, but it was empty.

“The duca’s wrong, Sera. It’s real. It has to be.”