ELEMENTS: Acquiesce by Kathryn Andrews (snow like ashes series .TXT) 📕

rock. It was Orlenda. Orlenda squawked loudly and as Cordelia resurfaced, a flock of ravens swooped low across the water. Cordelia took a deep breath and submerged herself in the pool, air bubbles rapidly escaped from her mouth as she remembered what Lana had said about the ravens. As she watched the ravens circling overhead, waiting for her to come up for air again, Cordelia realised that she was no longer holding her breath, she was breathing under water. A shoal of Pollock surrounded her and the ravens departed with Orlenda finally withdrawing her stare as the sun’s rays broke through the gaps in the clouds. Cordelia savoured every second that she frolicked in that dappled pool of light.

So amazed was she with her ability to breathe under water that she had momentarily forgotten where she was. She swam to the surface, glancing up at the cliff top and fields as she fumbled around trying to find a ledge to stand on. Through blurred droplets of salt water, Cordelia thought she saw a raven return. She wiped her eyes and sure enough, a figure was still there – a male. From the distance she could tell from his stance and the shape of his clothes that he was one of the town folk. He was holding a shovel and when he realised that Cordelia had noticed him, he climbed over the stone wall surrounding the peat bog and started digging. Cordelia had never seen anyone at the peat bog before. She watched him for a few moments as he began to pile turf onto a wagon. When she was happy that he was no longer watching, she continued with her diving practise, stealing glimpses of the peat boy each time she emerged from the water, unaware that he was also spying on her. He’d never seen grown men swim in the rock pools, never mind a young woman. It was unheard of. By the time dusk fell, Cordelia had mastered a forward dive, a back dive and almost had the hang of a reverse dive.

“How did it go?” asked Lana at dinner that evening.

Cordelia nodded enthusiastically whilst chewing a mouthful of food. “Really good. A bit more practise and I’ll be able to give you three a run for your money.”

“I’ll toast to that,” said Nerissa and she raised her goblet in Cordelia’s honour.

“Cordelia!” they cheered with pride.

Cordelia shook her head, “To brilliant friends.”

Morwen Vanora watched the four friends closely with an ice-cold stare, stabbing the same piece of food over and over with her fork.

At that very moment on Slate Island, Orlenda was updating Zamira with the news.

“She breathes under water,” revealed Orlenda.

“A fish?” said Zamira.

“It would appear that way.”

“If it’s a fish, then perhaps there’s no threat?” probed Akilina, one of Zamira’s army.

“Of course she’s a threat!” hissed Zamira. “Is it true that she’s beautiful like her mother?”

The Ravens hesitated.

“Answer me!” commanded Zamira.

The Ravens shook their heads but Zamira knew they were lying. She screeched in frustration.

“Would it please you if we killed her?” enquired Orlenda.

“Not yet,” said Zamira. “We’ll wait a while longer. We’ll have some fun with this and when I’m bored of it, I’ll kill her myself, right after she drags him to the bottom of the sea. Did you hear that? That so called daughter of yours isn’t the angel you think she is, she’s a freak just like the rest of us.”

In a rage, Flynn pulled and pushed the rusty, cast iron bars above him that kept him trapped in a hole on the edge of Slate Island. There was little room for movement in this hellhole, open at one side to the elements. Fragments of rock and soil gave way beneath Flynn’s worn leather boots and tumbled away from this frightful opening to the rocks far below. It was currently his only way out but, attempting to jump from here would have been nothing less than an attempt on his own life. Strong legs and a powerful grip stopped him falling to oblivion. Flynn wiped beads of sweat from his brow while his heart raced under his dirty, sodden shirt as he stared at the sheer drop below. The daylight was fading fast and the ink filled sky grew darker with every heartbeat. At the base of Slate Island, the navy sea smashed against the rocks in the gloomy darkness, swirling and slopping like a witch’s broth in a giant cauldron. The height of the drop made Flynn sick to the stomach. The view below began to spin and flash before his eyes, he leaned back against the damp wall of his cell and the sound of his own breathing echoed in his ears. He paused for a few moments to catch his breath, then, refusing to give up, Flynn continued to grapple with the iron bars above his head until Zamira stomped on his calloused fingers, drawing blood with her claw. In return, Flynn spat at her feet.

“That’s no way to treat a lady. I hope that’s not how you treat your wife. Ooops, silly me, she’s dead, isn’t she?”

“If you so much as harm a hair on Cordelia’s head, I’ll wring your neck!” warned Flynn.

“Is that a threat?” laughed Zamira, dangling a fish over the pit. “Here, fetch!”

That night in her chamber, Cordelia read by candlelight, absorbing every detail. Shadows danced on the walls amid the gently flickering flames. Cordelia studied the laws of her newfound homeland. There were eight, one for each of the seven seas and one for Meren.

Rules of the Seven Seas and the Kingdom of Meren

Thou shalt serve to protect the Kingdom of Meren.

Thou shalt protect the Seven Seas.

Thou shalt strive to be the best version of thyself at all times.

Thou shalt live in harmony with thy human neighbours.

Thou shalt protect sailors.

Thou shalt not converse with Sirens.

Thou shalt keep thy existence safe from harm.