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

“We thought we could trust you,” said Nerissa.

“Maybe Morwen was right about you,” said Masika.

“I’m sorry,” said Cordelia as a tear rolled down her cheek.

“It’s no use crying. You broke the rules,” said Lana.

“They’re your rules, not mine!” shouted Cordelia and she marched across the rocks towards Breck.

“What’s wrong?” asked Breck.

“We have to go,” sobbed Cordelia, wiping her face on her sleeve.

Lana, Nerissa and Masika peered over the edge of the pool and watched Cordelia and Breck walk towards the peat bog.

“What’s she thinking?” asked Lana.

“I don’t know, but this isn’t going to be easy. She loves him,” said Masika.

“Do you think we were too hard on her?” asked Nerissa.

Lana and Masika glared at Nerissa.

“Okay, I was just trying to be the voice of reason. Maybe it’s not all bad, maybe we can fix this.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” asked Lana.

“Maybe Marilla could make him forget?”

Masika shook her head.

“What else did you hear?” asked Lana.

“Marilla’s powers won’t work on Breck,” said Masika.

“Why not?” asked Nerissa.

“He’s an energy carrier,” revealed Masika. “An untrained one.”

“Then she’s in danger,” said Nerissa. “We can’t leave her.”

The three mermaids dried themselves and hurried across the rocks.

After following Cordelia across the rocks, Breck grabbed her by the arm and turned her towards him. “Cordelia, what’s happened?”

Sobbing, Cordelia said, “I can’t see you anymore?”

“Why not?” asked Breck, who was feeling just as hurt as Cordelia.

Cordelia glanced over Breck’s shoulder where she could see her friends marching frantically towards her. Breck turned around.

“Who are they?”

“My friends,” said Cordelia, softly. “At least they were.”

“Have you been arguing?”

Cordelia nodded woefully.

“About me?”

“They said I can’t see you anymore.”

“What’s it to do with them?” asked Breck, angered. “Are they like you?”

Cordelia nodded. As Breck reached out his hand to wipe the tears from Cordelia’s face, an aquamarine tear rolled down her cheek and landed in Breck’s palm.

“Step back from her!” commanded Masika.

“What’s this? Safety in numbers?” asked Breck.

“Think of it as an intervention,” said Lana.

“An intervention? What’s it to do with you?”

“It has everything to do with us,” said Masika, “which is why this little romance needs to end. Right now.”

“No chance,” said Breck, “you’re just jealous.”

“Jealous?” snapped Masika.

“This has nothing to do with jealousy,” said Lana.

“Then what is it?” asked Breck.

“Breck,” said Lana, “we don’t mean you any harm but whatever this is between the two of you must end. No good can come of a relationship between a mermaid and someone like you.”

“Someone like me?”

“Yes, and I trust that you’ll keep our differences quiet as we will yours.”

“Differences? What d’you know about me?”

“He doesn’t know what he is,” said Masika.

“Is that so?” asked Lana.

“Well aren’t you going to tell him?” asked Nerissa.

Masika shot daggers at her sister.

“You’re an energy carrier,” said Lana. “You’re from two different worlds, it won’t work.”

“Do I get any say in this?” snapped Cordelia. “Or will you be making all future decisions for me?”

“It’s not me,” began Lana.

“I suppose it’s the rules. Let me ask you something, did any of your parents marry for love or was it all convenience and social status?”

“Shhhhh!” said Masika.

“Don’t tell me to shush!” said Cordelia.

“No, really, I can hear someone else.”

The group stopped arguing and listened.

“I don’t hear anyone,” said Nerissa.

“A girl, I can hear her thoughts. She knows you Breck. She’s here, she can see us.”

“Where?” asked Lana, panicked.

The group scanned the area, there was nobody in sight.

“She’s behind the wall,” said Masika, “she’s heard everything we’ve said.”

Breck turned towards the peat bog. “Keeva? Are you there?”

Slowly, Keeva stood up behind the stone wall.

“I didn’t know she was there, I swear.”

“He’s telling the truth,” said Masika.

“Will you get out of our heads,” said Cordelia.

“Keeva, come here,” called Breck.

Keeva shook her head as she walked towards the hut where Misty and Breck had spent the night.

“Leave Misty,” called Breck. He waited for a moment, hoping Keeva would stop but she didn’t. “Keeva!” he called as he hurried across the track to stop her.

Keeva emerged from the hut with Misty. “Stay back!” she shouted. “Keep those monsters away from me!”

“Wait,” pleaded Breck as Keeva led Misty out of the bog, “you don’t understand.”

“I understand plenty,” hissed Keeva.

“We’ll sit down and talk.”

“Not with them.”

“They mean no harm.”

“Are you mad?! They’re mermaids, aren’t they?”

“Please Keeva, don’t do anything rash.”

“You’ve been out all night,” said Keeva. “I was worried about you. Why don’t you come home with me?”

“I can’t.”

“Come home or I’ll tell father everything.”

“D’you see what you’ve done, Cordelia?” asked Masika.

Breck chewed the inside of his cheek. “I’m sorry Cordelia, I have to go.”

“Wait,” pleaded Cordelia.

“I’m sorry, I’ll see you later,” said Breck and he left on his horse with Keeva.

“Where are we going?” asked Keeva. “This isn’t the way home.”

“Somewhere we can talk.”

“About the mermaids? One word from me and they’ll be locked up.”

Breck pulled the horse to a stop and jumped down.

“Why are you so bitter?” he asked.

“Father wants to send me to the workhouse in Kilrush. You don’t want that, do you?”

“Of course not.”

“Then come home with me. Persuade father not to send me away.”

“I don’t think I could persuade him to do anything.”

“Then work the land. Earn enough money to make us rich.”

“I’ve never known a man to grow rich from digging a peat bog.”

“He might if he didn’t waste his time fooling around with a sea monster.”

“She’s not a monster.”

“Tell that to the authorities. That’s who you’ll be explaining yourself to if you don’t help me.”

Keeva noticed the aquamarine stone in Breck’s hand. “Where did you find that?”

Unsure of how to explain it, Breck didn’t say anything.

“Did you find it in the bog? Father’s gonna send Connal and William to help you dig tomorrow, he thinks it’s filled with precious stones. This could be the end of all our problems.”

“I don’t know about that, I’ve never found any before.”

“Father found some just like these in the fire. Reckons they were in the turf you brought home.”

Breck got back on the horse and they galloped back to the tavern.