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

“Flynn’s still trapped on Slate Island, what are we doing to protect him?”

“We’ll sort that out,” said Triton, “but we can’t be giving ordinary folk reason to venture to the cliffs, or the islands for that matter.”

Cordelia knew he was referring to her relationship with Breck and the turmoil it had already caused. She wasn’t sure how he knew, but she remembered Triton saying that he and Mazu were always watching. Her cheeks flushed red, wondering if they really do see everything.

“Cordelia, we’ve something to tell you,” said Mazu, cautiously, “something important.”

“You’re going to tell me I can’t see Breck anymore, aren’t you?”

“No, it’s not that,” said Triton.

“So I can see him?”

“It’s not for us to say who you can and can’t be friends with Cordelia, but you must consider how your actions affect others. Rule number seven, thou shalt keep thy existence safe from harm.”

Breaking the awkward silence, Mazu reached into her bag and pulled out The Book of Tails. “I hear you had some questions about your tail.”

Cordelia leaned forward, her eyes widening. “I borrowed a copy from the library but there seemed to be a page missing.”

“Did you discover anything about tails?” asked Triton.

“Not really,” said Cordelia, “Amatheia said the colours and patterns can indicate which family you belong to. I suppose I thought it might be…”

“Might be what?” asked Mazu.

“More colourful, more vibrant. Mine seems dull compared with others I’ve seen.”

“You sound disappointed,” said Mazu.

Cordelia shrugged.

Mazu flicked through the pages of the book, stopping at page one hundred and forty six and handed it to Cordelia. She and Triton watched Cordelia’s reaction carefully. Cordelia sat in stunned silence, unblinking.

“Are you still disappointed?” asked Triton.

THIRTEEN

ANSWERS

Unsure if she could truly believe what she was reading, Cordelia struggled to find the right words. “This says, the picture, does this mean…” It came as such a shock that Cordelia couldn’t say out loud what The Book of Tails was telling her.

“It tells you which family you’re from,” confirmed Mazu.

“It reveals one half of your family tree,” said Triton, “the half belonging to your father.”

“And my mother?” asked Cordelia.

“That’s still a grey area,” said Mazu. “I say we focus on your father for now, if that’s what you want?”

“Who is my father?”

“We believe your father is the King,” said Triton.

“The King?”

“That’s what your tail indicates,” said Triton. “You’re a direct decendent of the royal blood line.”

“Presumably the King doesn’t know you exist,” said Mazu.

“And since he has no wife or heirs…” began Triton.

“That we know of,” added Mazu.

“You have a very good chance of being next in line to the throne,” said Triton.

“Do I have to meet him?” asked Cordelia.

“It’s up to you Cordelia, there’s no rush,” said Mazu. “Take all the time you need to think about it.”

“It’s a lot to take in,” said Triton.

Mazu took Cordelia’s hand in hers and squeezed it gently, “We’re here for you.”

The news didn’t sink in immediately. Cordelia had always been curious about her identity and since discovering she was a mermaid she had felt even more motivated to find out who her birth parents were. A sense of guilt lingered in her mind, a niggling feeling that finding her birth parents would be a betrayal to Flynn. She loved Flynn with all her heart but she also had an overriding feeling that part of the puzzle was missing. She wanted to feel complete. She didn’t know anyone else who hadn’t been raised by their own parents. Sure, Breck was living with his aunt but he was eighteen, he’d already been raised. Cordelia wasn’t sure how to respond to the news. Part of her desperately wanted to meet her blood family but the other part wondered why she had been abandoned in the first place. Why had nobody come to look for her? If she was truly descended from royalty, why had there been no mention of her? Cordelia wasn’t sure what to think. She wondered what was wrong with her, why they didn’t want her.

“Cordelia, are you okay?” asked Mazu.

“Zamira said I’d be rejected when they find out who I really am. She said the apple never falls far from the tree. What did she mean?”

Triton thought for a moment before responding. “There’s uncertainty regarding your mother,” he began.

Cordelia frowned, confused.

“The day Flynn found you, rumours were circulating that a large egg had fallen into the water from Bishop’s Island. A large bird egg. You were the only newborn creature discovered that day, exactly where the egg had fallen.”

Cordelia looked blankly at her elders.

“Mermaids don’t come from bird eggs,” said Mazu.

“What are you saying?” asked Cordelia with concern.

“We’re not entirely sure,” said Triton, “we’ve been keeping a close eye on you since the day you were born.”

“And you appear to be a mermaid in every way,” added Mazu.

“As opposed to what?” asked Cordelia.

“As opposed to something you’d expect to emerge from an egg shell,” said Triton.

“You thought I might be one of them?” asked Cordelia, aghast.

“There was always a possibility,” said Triton.

Cordelia looked horrified. “Are you certain I came from that shell?”

“The sea is a source of unfathomable wisdom,” said Triton, “there is very little doubt. The only doubt was what you would become.”

“You’re saying I’m part mermaid, part Siren? Is that even possible?”

“Anything is possible,” said Mazu, “though it has to be said, this has never happened before.”

Cordelia began to breathe uneasy. “What if I’m like them? The apple never falls far from the tree. That’s what Zamira meant.”

“Calm down,” said Mazu. “You’re not one of them. You’re a mermaid, a royal mermaid.”

“That’s why they rejected me,” said Cordelia. “That’s why they don’t want me. They think I’m evil like the Sirens. What if they’re right? What if I am?”

“You’re not evil,” said Mazu. “If you were like them, don’t you think we’d know that by now?”

“Not all Sirens are bad natured,” said Triton.

“Where’s my mother?” asked Cordelia.

“We don’t know,” said Mazu.

“It’s no wonder she didn’t want me, I’m nothing like her.”

“The best thing would be